Payphone – English Lyrics

• By: Maroon 5

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Maroon 5's global hit "Payphone" featuring Wiz Khalifa, a catchy pop ballad that uses the rarely seen payphone as a metaphor for heartbreak and desperation. While the song captures universal feelings of regret, learning the context behind this iconic track—from its unique collaboration to its action-movie inspired video—will deepen your appreciation for this modern pop landmark.

[English]

I'm at a payphone trying to call home

All of my change I spent on you

Where have the times gone?

Baby, it's all wrong

Where are the plans we made for two?

Yeah, I, I know it's hard to remember

The people we used to be

It's even harder to picture,

That you're not here next to me.

You say it's too late to make it

But is it too late to try?

And in our time that you wasted

All of our bridges burned down

I've wasted my nights,

You turned out the lights

Now I'm paralyzed

Still stuck in that time

When we called it love

But even the sun sets in paradise

I'm at a payphone, trying to call home

All of my change I spent on you

Where have the times gone?

Baby, it's all wrong

Where are the plans we made for two?

If "happy ever after" did exist

I would still be holding you like this

All those fairy tales are full all there

One more stupid love song, I'll be sick

You turned your back on tomorrow

'Cause you forgot yesterday

I gave you my love to borrow,

But you just gave it away

You can't expect me to be fine,

I don't expect you to care

I know I've said it before

But all of our bridges burned down

I've wasted my nights,

You turned out the lights

Now I'm paralyzed

Still stuck in that time

When we called it love

But even the sun sets in paradise

I'm at a payphone trying to call home

All of my change I spent on you

Where have the times gone?

Baby, it's all wrong

Where are the plans we made for two?

If "happy ever after" did exist

I would still be holding you like this

All those fairy tales are full all there

One more stupid love song, I'll be sick

Now I'm at a payphone

Oh, yeah, yeah,

Yeah, yeah

Now baby don't hang up,

So I can tell you what you need to know,

Baby I'm begging you just please don't go,

So I can tell you what you need to know

Yeah I'm at a payphone trying to call home

All of my change I spent on you

Where have the times gone?

Baby, it's all wrong

Where are the plans we made for two?

If "happy ever after" did exist

I would still be holding you like this

All those fairy tales are full all there

One more stupid love song, I'll be sick

Now I'm at a payphone

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
payphone /ˈpeɪfoʊn/ B2	noun - a public telephone that anyone can use by inserting coins
call /kɔːl/ A1	verb - to telephone someone; to try to reach them noun - a telephone communication
home /hoʊm/ A1	noun - the place where one lives
change /tʃeɪndʒ/ A2	noun - coins given back after a purchase
times /taɪmz/ A2	noun - periods or moments
plans /plænz/ B1	noun - detailed proposals for doing something
remember /rɪˈmem.bɚ/ B1	verb - to keep something in memory
picture /ˈpɪk.tʃər/ B1	verb - to imagine or form a mental image of something
paralyzed /ˈpær.ə.laɪzd/ C1	adjective - unable to move or act
stuck /stʌk/ B2	adjective - unable to move or progress
sun /sʌn/ A1	noun - the star at the centre of the solar system
paradise /ˈpær.ə.daɪs/ B2	noun - an ideal place of happiness
happy /ˈhæp.i/ A1	adjective - feeling pleasure or joy
fairy /ˈfeə.ri/ B2	noun - a small mythical being with magical powers
tale /teɪl/ B2	noun - a story, especially one that is imaginative
song /sɔːŋ/ A2	noun - a short piece of music with words
sick /sɪk/ A2	adjective - ill; not healthy
hang /hæŋ/ A2	verb - to end a telephone call (hang up)
begging /ˈbɛg.ɪŋ/ B2	verb - asking earnestly for something
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - deep affection or strong emotional attachment

Key Grammar Structures

• I'm at a payphone trying to call home

  ➔ Present Continuous Tense

  ➔ Used for actions happening right now or around the time of speaking. Highlight: **trying** (action in progress).

• All of my change I spent on you

  ➔ Inversion for Emphasis

  ➔ Word order is altered to place emphasis on the object. Highlight: **I spent** (normal order) vs. inversion here.

• Where have the times gone?

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense

  ➔ Used for experiences or changes with present relevance, asking about past to present. Highlight: **have gone** (action starting in past affecting now).

• Yeah, I, I know it's hard to remember

  ➔ Present Simple Tense for Facts

  ➔ Used for general truths or habits. Highlight: **know** (verb in root form, no -s here due to subject).

• It's even harder to picture that you're not here next to me

  ➔ Comparative Adjectives

  ➔ Used to compare two things, often with 'even' for emphasis. Highlight: **harder** (comparative form of 'hard').

• If "happy ever after" did exist

  ➔ Second Conditional

  ➔ Used for hypothetical situations in present/future. Highlight: **did** (past simple in if-clause).

• One more stupid love song, I'll be sick

  ➔ First Conditional

  ➔ Used for real, likely conditions in future. Highlight: **I'll be** (will + base form in main clause).

• I've wasted my nights

  ➔ Present Perfect for Life Experiences

  ➔ Describes completed actions with present relevance, often experiences. Highlight: **I've wasted** (has/have + past participle).

• But even the sun sets in paradise

  ➔ Metaphorical Language

  ➔ Uses a figure of speech to imply deeper meaning. Highlight: **sun sets in paradise** (metaphor for imperfection even in ideal places).