Loving You's a Dirty Job (But Somebody's Gotta Do It) – English Lyrics

• By: Bonnie Tyler

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the powerful storytelling and raw emotion of Bonnie Tyler's "Loving You's a Dirty Job (But Somebody's Gotta Do It)" to experience an iconic 80s power ballad. Through its dramatic lyrics and passionate duet with Todd Rundgren, you can explore expressions of enduring love, conflict, and unwavering commitment. This song offers a unique opportunity to learn English by engaging with rich, evocative language that paints a vivid picture of complex human relationships.

[English]

There were times we had it all

There were times we lost it all

When the sky is falling and you're looking 'round for somewhere to hide

Did you ever call out to someone?

Did you ever call out to me?

I've never been gone, I've been right here by your side

There ain't nothin' but clouds

There ain't nothin' but clouds in your eyes

Why don't you believe it when you finally found the truth?

You've been drinking poison water from the fountain of youth

Why don't you stop tearing up everyone you need the most?

You're so busy trying to get even, you never even try to get close

I can't explain it away

It doesn't make any sense

To know what it's like

I guess you gotta go through it

I guess you gotta go through it

I guess you gotta go through it

It doesn't matter, baby

Loving you's a dirty job

(It's a dirty job... but we can make it)

But somebody's gotta do it

There were times when we'd never fake it

There were times when we'd always make it

There were times when we'd take it to the limit

And we'd never, never, ever leave each other alone

We were flesh and blood and bone

There were times we had it all

There were times we had it all

There were times when we took our chances

There were times we were damn good dancers

There were times when we heard all the answers

In the beating of the drummer and the riches of the rock and the roll

I can see right through your soul

There were times we had it all

There were times we had it all

(It's a dirty job... but we can make it)

(Somebody's gotta do it)

If your fears could only be forgotten

We could pull all the barriers down

Would you follow your dream's desire?

Would you follow your secret dreams and forbidden fire?

Let's just peel out of this town

It's been nothing but dreams

It's been nothing but dreams until now

You're never gonna see it

You got your head stuck in the sand

It's the land of the free and easy streets

It's the home of the damned

You're never gonna see it

You better open up your eyes

You're the only one who's left

Who's gonna believe all your lies

I can't explain it away

It doesn't make any sense

To know what it's like

I guess you gotta go through it

I guess you gotta go through it

I guess you gotta go through it

I guess you gotta go through it

It doesn't matter,baby

Loving you's a dirty job

(It's a dirty job... but we can make it)

But somebody's gotta do it

There were times when our bodies glistened

There were times that we can't stop missing

There were times that we'd lay in bed and listen

To the pounding, pounding chorus of our desperate hearts

Nothing could have torn us apart

There were times we had it all

There were times we had it all

Gonna do it

Gonna do it

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
love /lʌv/ A1	verb - to feel deep affection noun - deep affection or a romantic attachment
dirty /ˈdɜːrti/ A2	adjective - covered with dirt; not clean
job /dʒɒb/ A1	noun - a paid position of regular employment
truth /truːθ/ B1	noun - the quality or state of being true; a fact or reality
poison /ˈpɔɪzən/ B2	noun - a substance that can cause illness or death when introduced into a living organism
youth /juːθ/ B2	noun - the period between childhood and adult age; young people collectively
tear /tɛr/ B1	verb - to rip or pull something apart verb - to produce drops of liquid from the eyes (cry)
heart /hɑːt/ A1	noun - the organ that pumps blood; also the centre of emotions
dream /driːm/ A2	noun - a series of images, thoughts, or emotions occurring during sleep; an aspiration
fear /fɪər/ A2	noun - an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous
barrier /ˈbæriə(r)/ B2	noun - something that blocks or prevents movement or progress
fire /faɪə(r)/ A1	noun - the combustion that produces heat and light
secret /ˈsiːkrət/ B1	adjective - kept hidden from others; not known or seen noun - something that is kept hidden or unknown
desire /dɪˈzaɪə(r)/ B2	noun - a strong feeling of wanting to have something
soul /səʊl/ C1	noun - the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being, regarded as immortal
blood /blʌd/ A1	noun - the red liquid that circulates in the bodies of humans and animals
bone /bəʊn/ A1	noun - the hard parts inside the body that support the structure
dancer /ˈdɑːnsə(r)/ B1	noun - a person who dances, especially as a profession or hobby

Key Grammar Structures

• Did you ever call out to someone?

  ➔ Past Simple with 'ever'

  ➔ The use of 'ever' in a past simple question implies asking if the listener *at any time* in the past performed the action. It emphasizes the possibility of a past occurrence. The structure is 'Did + subject + ever + base verb?'

• You've been drinking poison water from the fountain of youth.

  ➔ Present Perfect Continuous

  ➔ The Present Perfect Continuous ('have/has been + verb-ing') describes an action that started in the past and continues up to the present, often with a negative connotation. Here, it suggests a prolonged, damaging habit. The phrase 'fountain of youth' is a metaphor.

• I guess you gotta go through it.

  ➔ Informal Modal Verb ('gotta') + Infinitive

  ➔ 'Gotta' is a contraction of 'got to' and functions as a modal verb expressing obligation or necessity. It's very informal and common in spoken English. The infinitive 'go through it' refers to experiencing something difficult.

• There were times when we'd never fake it.

  ➔ Past Subjunctive/Conditional (would + have + past participle)

  ➔ The structure 'would have + past participle' expresses an unreal condition in the past – something that didn't happen. 'We'd never fake it' means we always were genuine, and this is presented as a contrast to the present situation.

• You're so busy trying to get even, you never even try to get close.

  ➔ Present Continuous for ongoing action + 'even'

  ➔ The present continuous ('are trying') emphasizes the ongoing nature of the attempt to get revenge. The use of 'even' before 'try' adds emphasis, highlighting the surprising lack of effort to connect emotionally. The structure is a correlative conjunction showing contrast.