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My old friend, I recall 00:21
The times we had hanging on my wall 00:27
I wouldn't trade them for gold 00:31
Cause they laugh and they cry me 00:37
Somehow sanctify me 00:40
They're woven in the stories I have told 00:43
And tell again 00:47
My old friend, I apologize 00:50
For the years that have passed 00:55
Since the last time you and I 00:58
Dusted off those memories 01:00
But the running and the races 01:06
The people and the places 01:09
There's always somewhere else I had to be 01:11
Time gets thin, my old friend 01:16
Don't know why, don't know why 01:24
Don't know why, don't know why 01:34
My old friend, this song's for you 02:00
Cause a few simple verses 02:06
Was the least that I could do 02:08
To tell the world that you were here 02:10
Cause the love and the laughter 02:16
Will live on long after 02:19
All of the sadness and the tears 02:22
We'll meet again, my old friend 02:26
Goodbye, goodbye 02:34
Goodbye, goodbye 02:40
My old friend, my old friend 02:55
Goodbye, goodbye 03:06
03:13

My Old Friend

By
Tim McGraw
Album
Live Like You Were Dying
Viewed
855,580
Learn this song

Lyrics:

[English]

My old friend, I recall

The times we had hanging on my wall

I wouldn't trade them for gold

Cause they laugh and they cry me

Somehow sanctify me

They're woven in the stories I have told

And tell again

My old friend, I apologize

For the years that have passed

Since the last time you and I

Dusted off those memories

But the running and the races

The people and the places

There's always somewhere else I had to be

Time gets thin, my old friend

Don't know why, don't know why

Don't know why, don't know why

My old friend, this song's for you

Cause a few simple verses

Was the least that I could do

To tell the world that you were here

Cause the love and the laughter

Will live on long after

All of the sadness and the tears

We'll meet again, my old friend

Goodbye, goodbye

Goodbye, goodbye

My old friend, my old friend

Goodbye, goodbye

...

Vocabulary in this song:

Vocabulary Meanings

friend

/frɛnd/

A1
  • noun
  • - a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection

recall

/rɪˈkɔːl/

B2
  • verb
  • - remember (something); bring (a fact or event) back into one's mind.

times

/taɪmz/

A1
  • noun
  • - an instance of something happening; an occasion.

wall

/wɔːl/

A1
  • noun
  • - a continuous vertical brick or stone structure that encloses or divides an area of land.

gold

/ɡoʊld/

A1
  • noun
  • - a yellow precious metal

laugh

/læf/

A1
  • verb
  • - make the sounds and movements of the face and body that express lively amusement or joy.

cry

/kraɪ/

A1
  • verb
  • - shed tears, typically as an expression of distress, pain, or sorrow.

stories

/ˈstɔːriz/

A1
  • noun
  • - an account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment.

apologize

/əˈpɒlədʒaɪz/

B2
  • verb
  • - express regret for something that one has done wrong.

years

/jɪərz/

A1
  • noun
  • - the time it takes the earth to travel around the sun

passed

/pæst/

A2
  • verb
  • - go past or move ahead of (someone or something).

memories

/ˈmɛməriz/

B1
  • noun
  • - something remembered from the past; a recollection.

running

/ˈrʌnɪŋ/

A2
  • noun
  • - the activity or sport of running.

races

/ˈreɪsɪz/

A2
  • noun
  • - a competition between runners, horses, vehicles, etc. to see which is the fastest in covering a set course.

places

/ˈpleɪsɪz/

A1
  • noun
  • - a particular position or spot.

verses

/ˈvɜːrsɪz/

B1
  • noun
  • - writing arranged with a metrical rhythm, typically having a rhyme.

world

/wɜːrld/

A1
  • noun
  • - the earth, together with all of its countries, people, and natural features.

love

/lʌv/

A1
  • noun
  • - an intense feeling of affection.
  • verb
  • - feel deep affection for (someone).

laughter

/ˈlæftər/

B1
  • noun
  • - the action or sound of laughing.

sadness

/ˈsædnəs/

B1
  • noun
  • - the condition of being unhappy.

tears

/tɪərz/

A1
  • noun
  • - drops of clear salty liquid secreted from glands in the eye.

Grammar:

  • The times we had hanging on my wall

    ➔ Relative Clause with reduced form (present participle)

    ➔ Instead of saying 'The times which we had *hanging* on my wall...', the relative pronoun 'which' and the auxiliary verb are omitted, leaving only the present participle 'hanging'. This makes the sentence more concise.

  • Cause they laugh and they cry me

    ➔ Unusual Verb Usage (figurative)

    ➔ The verbs "laugh" and "cry" are used transitively, with 'me' as the object. This is not grammatically standard but conveys a strong emotional impact. The memories affect the speaker deeply, to the point they can be said to 'laugh' and 'cry' *him*.

  • Somehow sanctify me

    ➔ Transitive Verb with Abstract Object (figurative)

    ➔ The verb "sanctify" is used with "me" as its object, implying the memories have a purifying or redeeming effect on the speaker. It's a figurative usage, imbuing the memories with spiritual significance.

  • Dusted off those memories

    ➔ Phrasal Verb

    "Dusted off" is a phrasal verb meaning to clean something by removing dust or to revisit or refresh something from the past.

  • Cause a few simple verses Was the least that I could do

    ➔ Subject-Verb Inversion (Emphasis)

    ➔ The normal word order would be "A few simple verses was the least that I could do." However, the songwriter inverts the subject and verb to emphasize the smallness or insufficiency of the gesture ('a few simple verses').

  • Will live on long after

    ➔ Future Tense + adverb 'long after'

    ➔ Combination of future tense "will live" and the adverbial phrase "long after" specifies the duration of the action happening beyond a certain point.