Love the Way You Lie – English Lyrics

• By: Eminem, Rihanna

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the powerful and controversial language of 'Love the Way You Lie,' a massive global hit by Eminem and Rihanna. Through this song, you can learn emotional, confessional vocabulary in a rap context, alongside the poetic use of metaphors like 'when a tornado meets a volcano.' The raw honesty and complex narrative about toxic love make this a poignant piece of modern music and a deep study in storytelling.

[English]

♪ I'm not afraid (I'm not afraid) ♪

♪ To take a stand (To take a stand) ♪

It's been a while.

I guess I had to go to that place to get to this one.

Now some of you might still be in that place.

You're trying to get out.

Just follow me.

I'll get you there.

♪ You can try and read my lyrics off of this paper ♪

♪ Before I lay 'em ♪

♪ But you won't take the sting out these words ♪

♪ Before I say 'em ♪

♪ 'Cause ain't no way I'ma let you stop me ♪

♪ From causin' mayhem ♪

♪ When I say I'ma do somethin', I do it ♪

♪ I don't give a damn what you think ♪

♪ I'm doin' this for me ♪

♪ So the world, feed it beans ♪

♪ It's gassed up if it thinks it's stoppin' me ♪

♪ I'ma be what I set out to be, without a doubt, undoubtedly ♪

♪ And all those who look down on me ♪

♪ I'm tearin' down your balcony ♪

♪ No ifs, ands or buts, don't try to ask him why ♪

♪ Or how can he ♪

♪ From Infinite down to the last Relapse album ♪

♪ He's still ♪

♪ Whether he's on salary, paid hourly ♪

♪ Until he bows out or he his bowels out of him ♪

♪ Whichever comes first, for better or worse ♪

♪ He's married to the game ♪

Like a "you" for Christmas, his gift is a curse

♪ Forget the Earth, he's got the urge to pull his ♪

♪ From the dirt ♪

♪ The whole universe ♪

♪ I'm not afraid (I'm not afraid) ♪

♪ To take a stand (To take a stand) ♪

♪ Everybody (Everybody) ♪

♪ Come take my hand (Come take my hand) ♪

♪ We'll walk this road together, through the storm ♪

♪ Whatever weather, cold or warm ♪

♪ Just lettin' you know that you're not alone ♪

♪ Holla if you feel like you've been down the same road ♪

♪ And I just can't keep livin' this way ♪

♪ So startin' today ♪

♪ I'm breakin' out of this cage ♪

♪ I'm standin' up, I'ma face my demons ♪

♪ I'm mannin' up, I'ma hold my ground ♪

♪ I've had enough, now I'm so fed up ♪

♪ Time to put my life back together right now ♪

♪ It was my decision to get clean, I did it for me ♪

♪ Admittedly I probably did it subliminally for you ♪

♪ So I could come back a brand-new me ♪

♪ You helped see me through ♪

♪ And don't even realize what you did, just believe me you ♪

♪ I've been through the wringer ♪

♪ But they can do little to the middle finger ♪

♪ I think I got a tear in my eye, I feel like the king of ♪

♪ My world, haters can make like bees with no stingers ♪

♪ And drop dead: no more beef lingers ♪

♪ No more drama from now on, I promise ♪

♪ To focus solely on handlin' my responsibilities ♪

♪ As a father ♪

♪ So I solemnly swear to always treat this roof ♪

♪ Like my daughters ♪

♪ And raise it, you couldn't lift a single shingle on it ♪

♪ 'Cause the way I feel, I'm strong enough to go to the club ♪

♪ Or the corner pub and lift the whole liquor counter up ♪

♪ 'Cause I'm raisin' the bar ♪

♪ I'd shoot for the moon, but I'm too busy gazin' at stars ♪

♪ I feel amazin', and I'm ♪

♪ I'm not afraid ♪

♪ Just gonna stand there and watch me burn ♪

♪ Well, that's all right because I like the way it hurts ♪

♪ Just gonna stand there and hear me cry ♪

♪ Well, that's all right because I love the way you lie ♪

♪ I love the way you lie ♪

♪ I can't tell you what it really is ♪

♪ I can only tell you what it feels like ♪

♪ And right now, there's a steel knife in my windpipe ♪

♪ I can't breathe, but I still fight while I can fight ♪

♪ As long as the wrong feels right, it's like I'm in flight ♪

♪ High off her love, drunk from her hate ♪

♪ It's like I'm huffin' paint and I love her, ♪

♪ The more I suffer, I suffocate ♪

♪ And right before I'm about to drown, she resuscitates ♪

♪ Me, she hates me, and I love it ♪

♪ "Wait!" ♪

Where you going?"

"I'm leaving you!"

"No, you ain't!

"Come back!"

We're runnin' right back, here we go again

It's so insane, 'cause when it's goin' good

♪ It's goin' great ♪

♪ I'm Superman with the wind at his back, she's Lois Lane ♪

♪ But when it's bad, it's awful, I feel so ashamed ♪

♪ I snapped, "Who's that dude?", I don't even know his name ♪

♪ I laid hands on her, I'll never stoop so low again ♪

♪ I guess I don't know my own strength ♪

♪ Just gonna stand there and watch me burn ♪

♪ Well, that's all right because I like the way it hurts ♪

♪ Just gonna stand there and hear me cry ♪

♪ Well, that's all right because I love the way you lie ♪

♪ I love the way you lie ♪

♪ I love the way you lie ♪

♪ Oh, I love the way you lie ♪

(audience cheers)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
afraid /əˈfreɪd/ B2	adjective - feeling fear or anxiety; scared
stand /stænd/ B1	verb - to be upright on the feet noun - a position or attitude taken
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - deep affection or strong liking verb - to feel deep affection for someone or something
lie /laɪ/ B2	verb - to say something false intentionally noun - a false statement
hurt /hɜːrt/ B1	verb - to cause pain or injury adjective - in pain; injured
cry /kraɪ/ B1	verb - to shed tears, especially as an expression of emotion noun - a loud, sharp sound; a shout
feel /fiːl/ A1	verb - to experience an emotion or a physical sensation
fight /faɪt/ B1	verb - to take part in a struggle or combat
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the existence of an individual human or animal; the period between birth and death
decision /dɪˈsɪʒən/ B2	noun - a judgment or conclusion reached after consideration
responsibility /rɪˌspɒnsɪˈbɪlɪti/ C1	noun - the state or fact of having a duty to deal with something or of being accountable
father /ˈfɑːðər/ A1	noun - a male parent
daughter /ˈdɔːtər/ A1	noun - a female child
moon /muːn/ A1	noun - the natural satellite of the Earth
stars /stɑːrz/ A2	noun - luminous points in the night sky; celestial bodies
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - the earth, together with all of its countries, peoples, and natural features
road /roʊd/ A1	noun - a paved way for traveling on or along
storm /stɔːrm/ B1	noun - a violent disturbance of the atmosphere with strong winds and usually rain, snow, or hail
demons /ˈdɛmənz/ C1	noun - evil spirits or a metaphor for personal struggles or vices
ground /ɡraʊnd/ A2	noun - the solid surface of the earth

Key Grammar Structures

• I'm not afraid to take a stand

  ➔ adjective + to-infinitive

  ➔ The adjective "afraid" is followed by the to-infinitive "to take" to express fear related to an action.

• I'll get you there.

  ➔ will for promises/offers

  ➔ The modal "will" in "I'll get" indicates a promise or assurance.

• When I say I'ma do somethin', I do it.

  ➔ going-to future (colloquial)

  ➔ The colloquial "I'ma" is a contraction of "I am going to", indicating a planned action.

• No ifs, ands or buts.

  ➔ correlative conjunction 'no ... or ...'

  ➔ This phrase uses the correlative conjunction "no ... or ..." to emphasize refusal of arguments.

• Whether he's on salary, paid hourly

  ➔ correlative 'whether ... or ...'

  ➔ The correlative "whether ... or ..." links two alternatives, here with an omitted "or".

• It was my decision to get clean

  ➔ cleft sentence with 'it' + to-infinitive

  ➔ This is a cleft sentence: "It" as a dummy subject, focusing on "my decision to get clean".

• I've been through the wringer

  ➔ present perfect for life experiences

  ➔ The present perfect "have been" indicates an experience up to now.

• Just gonna stand there and watch me burn

  ➔ going-to future with 'gonna' + gerund

  ➔ The informal "gonna" represents "going to", used before a verb, here with "stand".