Proud To Be A Problem – English Lyrics

• By: Tom MacDonald

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Tom MacDonald's "Proud To Be A Problem," a powerful song that uses relatable struggles to connect with listeners on a deeply personal level. Through its raw and honest lyrics, you can explore expressions of resilience, self-acceptance, and defiance, offering a unique opportunity to learn about facing adversity with unwavering conviction in English.

[English]

We've all been hooked on something

Coffee, cocaine, or cigarettes

And we've all been asked to sell our souls

For a nicer office and a bigger check

And we've all been at the bottom

Had the light cut off, barely payin' rent

And we've all been in love with someone

Who said they'd stay, but they up and left and

We don't ask for help

We don't cry no tears

We know walkin' through hell

It can take some years

But we don't blame no one 'cause

It may be our fault

We may be all the names that we've been called

And maybe we're losers

Maybe we're wrong

Maybe we're bad guys, and they knew it all along

Or maybe we're perfect, but probably not

Either way, babe

I'm just proud to be a problem they can't solve

And we've all been hooked on somethin'

Pills, beer, or mobile phones

And we've all done things that we regret

To avoid layin' alone

And Lord, we've had some bad days

Depressed, and anxious, or drunk, and stoned

And we've all had nights when we go to sleep

And don't wanna live no more but

We don't ask for help

We don't cry no tears

We know walkin' through hell

It can take some years

But we don't blame no one 'cause

It may be our fault

We may be all the names that we've been called

And maybe we're losers

Maybe we're wrong

Maybe we're bad guys, and they knew it all along

Or maybe we're perfect, but probably not

Either way, babe

I'm just proud to be a problem they can't solve

And we ain't afraid of hard times

Hard times pass

And there will be dark nights

But they don't ever last

We ain't waitin' for sunlight

We're pouring out gas

We're proud to be the problems

Light a match

And maybe we're losers

Maybe we're wrong

Maybe we're bad guys, and they knew it all along

Or maybe we're perfect, but probably not

Either way, babe

I'm just proud to be a problem they can't solve

And maybe we're losers

Maybe we're wrong

Maybe we're bad guys, and they knew it all along

Or maybe we're perfect, but probably not

Either way, babe

I'm just proud to be a problem they can't solve

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
proud /praʊd/ B1	adjective - feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one's own achievements, qualities, or possessions or those of someone with whom one is closely associated.
problem /ˈprɒbləm/ A2	noun - a matter or situation regarded as unwelcome or harmful and needing to be dealt with and overcome.
solve /sɒlv/ B1	verb - find an answer to, explanation for, or means of effectively dealing with (a problem or mystery).
hooked /hʊkt/ B2	adjective - addicted to something verb - past tense of hook
souls /soʊlz/ B2	noun - the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal.
rent /rent/ A2	noun - a tenant's regular payment to a landlord for the use of property or land. verb - pay someone for the use of (something, typically property, land, or a car).
tears /tɪərz/ A2	noun - drops of clear salty liquid secreted from glands in the eye as a result of strong emotion, pain, or a physical irritation.
hell /hel/ B1	noun - a place regarded in various religions as a spiritual realm of evil and suffering, often traditionally depicted as a place of perpetual fire beneath the earth where the wicked are punished after death.
fault /fɔːlt/ B1	noun - an unattractive or unsatisfactory feature, especially in a piece of work or a person's character.
losers /ˈluːzərz/ B1	noun - a person or thing that loses or has lost something, especially a game or competition.
wrong /rɒŋ/ A2	adjective - not correct or true; incorrect.
bad /bæd/ A1	adjective - of poor quality or a low standard.
perfect /ˈpɜːrfɪkt/ B1	adjective - having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics; as good as it is possible to be.
regret /rɪˈɡret/ B2	verb - feel sad, repentant, or disappointed over (something that has happened or been done, especially a loss or mistake). noun - a feeling of sadness, repentance, or disappointment over something that has happened or been done.
anxious /ˈæŋkʃəs/ B2	adjective - experiencing worry, unease, or nervousness, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.
depressed /dɪˈprest/ B2	adjective - in a state of unhappiness or despondency.
afraid /əˈfreɪd/ A2	adjective - feeling fear or anxiety; frightened.
dark /dɑːrk/ A2	adjective - with little or no light.
hard /hɑːrd/ A2	adjective - firm and solid; not easily broken or damaged. adjective - requiring a great deal of effort.

Key Grammar Structures

• We've all been hooked on something

  ➔ Present Perfect Passive (been hooked)

  ➔ The present perfect passive indicates a state resulting from a past action. "We've all been hooked" shows that the state of being addicted is a result of a past experience.

• Who said they'd stay, but they up and left and

  ➔ Conditional Clause with 'would' (they'd stay) followed by an Idiomatic expression 'up and left'

  ➔ "They'd stay" is a shortened form of "they would stay", representing a promise. "Up and left" is an idiom meaning to leave suddenly and unexpectedly.

• We know walkin' through hell, it can take some years

  ➔ Gerund as a Subject ('walkin' through hell'), Impersonal 'it' ('it can take some years')

  ➔ "Walkin' through hell" (walking) acts as the subject of the sentence. The impersonal "it" refers to the general situation/action.

• We may be all the names that we've been called

  ➔ Relative Clause ('that we've been called'), Present Perfect Passive ('we've been called')

  ➔ The relative clause "that we've been called" modifies "the names". "We've been called" means that others have used those names to refer to the speaker(s).

• Maybe we're bad guys, and they knew it all along

  ➔ Simple Past ('knew') within a Compound Sentence

  ➔ The sentence uses the simple past tense to indicate a completed action in the past. 'They knew' implies that at some point in the past, they had knowledge of the speaker's potential as 'bad guys'.

• Either way, babe, I'm just proud to be a problem they can't solve

  ➔ Infinitive of Purpose ('to be a problem'), Relative Clause ('they can't solve')

  ➔ "To be a problem" explains the reason for the speaker's pride. The relative clause "they can't solve" modifies the noun "problem".

• We ain't afraid of hard times

  ➔ Informal Contraction ('ain't'), Prepositional Phrase ('of hard times')

  ➔ "Ain't" is a colloquial contraction of "am not", "is not", or "are not". The prepositional phrase "of hard times" functions as an object of the adjective "afraid".

• We're pouring out gas

  ➔ Present Continuous Tense ('We're pouring')

  ➔ The present continuous "We're pouring" describes an action happening at the moment of speaking or around the present time, implying they are actively working towards creating problems (perhaps in a metaphorical sense).