Play Pretend – English Lyrics

• By: Alex Sampson

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Alex Sampson's heartfelt single, "Play Pretend," a beautiful song where the lyrics, though originally in English, convey universal themes of hidden love and sacrifice. Listening to its emotive melody and poignant English lines offers a wonderful, accessible way to connect with and absorb the language in a meaningful context.

[English]

Lyrics:

Let me tell you 'bout someone special

She's kinda perfect and I wish she knew

Told me that she think she has to settle

But I know that ain't true

She used to laugh at all the trouble we got in

Always finding ways to break the rules

Lately I don't see her smile as often

I think you know it's you

Don't take this the wrong way

I want you to be happy

But it's hard to watch you fall again

Cause now I gotta play pretend

Spending all of my time

Dancing on this fine line

It's hard to watch you fall again

Cause now I gotta play pretend

I know you like the back of my hand

I want you more everyday and

It's hard to watch you fall again

Cause now I gotta play pretend

We can talk until three in the morning

The sun will rise I never want it to

Feelings for you came without warning

Ever since we met it's only you

Don't take this the wrong way

I want you to be happy

But it's hard to watch you fall again

Cause now I gotta play pretend

Spending all of my time

Dancing on this fine line

It's hard to watch you fall again

Cause now I gotta play preTEEEEEEEEEND

I know you like the back of my hand

I want you more everyday and it's hard to watch you fall again

Cause now I gotta play pretend

All you gotta do is let me be your man

Got a hold on me like quicksand

It's HAAAAAAAAARD to watch you fall again

Cause now I gotta play pretend

ooOoooOoohhHHHhhhhHH

wOAaaAAAooHHHaAAAAAOhhhhh

Ooooooooohhhhhhhh

Don't take this the wrong way

I want you to be happy

But it's hard to watch you fall again

Cause now I gotta play pretend

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
special /ˈspɛʃəl/ B1	adjective - distinctive, unusual
perfect /ˈpɜːrfɪkt/ B2	adjective - without flaws; completely correct
settle /ˈsɛtəl/ B2	verb - to resolve or decide something; to become stable
trouble /ˈtrʌbəl/ B1	noun - difficulty or problems
break /breɪk/ A2	verb - to separate into pieces; to interrupt
smile /smaɪl/ A2	verb - to express happiness with a facial expression
pretend /prɪˈtɛnd/ B2	verb - to act as if something is true
spending /ˈspɛndɪŋ/ B1	verb - using money or time for something
dancing /ˈdænsɪŋ/ B1	verb - to move rhythmically to music
fine /faɪn/ B1	adjective - good, satisfactory; of high quality
line /laɪn/ A1	noun - a long narrow mark or band
everyday /ˈɛvriˌdeɪ/ B1	adverb - each day; daily
quicksand /ˈkwɪkˌsænd/ C1	noun - loose sand that yields easily to pressure
feelings /ˈfiːlɪŋz/ B1	noun - emotions or sensations
warning /ˈwɔːrnɪŋ/ B2	noun - a notice that warns of danger or a problem
hold /hoʊld/ A2	verb - to grasp or keep something in the hand
watch /wɑːtʃ/ A1	verb - to look at or observe attentively
fall /fɔːl/ A2	verb - to drop down from a higher position

Key Grammar Structures

• Let me tell you 'bout someone special

  ➔ Let + imperative verb + direct object

  ➔ Using 'Let me' to start the sentence and requesting someone to let the speaker speak.

• She's kinda perfect and I wish she knew

  ➔ Wish + Subjunctive mood

  ➔ The use of 'wish' to express a desire or regret, often followed by a clause in the subjunctive mood to indicate something unreal or contrary to fact.

• Told me that she think she has to settle

  ➔ Reported Speech with embedded clause

  ➔ This line uses reported speech (indirect speech) to convey what someone else said, and it includes an embedded clause ('she has to settle').

• But I know that ain't true

  ➔ Contraction + emphatic 'that'

  ➔ Use of the contraction "ain't" (informal for 'is not' or 'are not') and the emphatic use of 'that' to stress the following clause.

• I think you know it's you

  ➔ Pronoun emphasis and ellipsis

  ➔ The use of 'you' twice emphasizes who is being referred to. The ellipsis omits what is known, creating a more poetic flow.

• But it's hard to watch you fall again

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose

  ➔ Here, 'to watch' functions as an infinitive, expressing the reason or purpose behind the feeling that something is hard.

• Spending all of my time

  ➔ Gerund as subject

  ➔ The word "Spending" functions as a gerund, acting as the subject of the sentence, indicating an action.

• Dancing on this fine line

  ➔ Present participle as modifier

  ➔ The present participle 'Dancing' acts as an adjective, modifying the action to be on the fine line.

• I know you like the back of my hand

  ➔ Idiomatic expression

  ➔ This uses the idiomatic expression 'know you like the back of my hand', meaning to know someone very well.

• All you gotta do is let me be your man

  ➔ Ellipsis and modal verb contraction

  ➔ The phrase contains an ellipsis (omitting 'is' after 'do') and contraction ('gotta' for 'got to'), while using a modal verb ('let').