Sad Girl – English Lyrics

• By: Lana Del Rey
• Album: Ultraviolence

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the evocative language of Lana Del Rey's 'Sad Girl' to explore themes of complicated love and raw emotional vulnerability. The song's cinematic, blues-inspired style provides rich vocabulary for discussing relationships, material culture, and emotional struggle, while her distinctive, resonant vocal delivery offers a great way to practice recognizing nuanced tone in English speech and song.

[English]

Being a mistress on the side

It might not appeal to fools like you

Creeping around on the side

Might not be something you would do

But you haven't seen my man (man)

You haven't seen my man (man, man)

You haven't seen my man (man)

You haven't seen him (woah-oh)

He's got the fire

And he walks with it

He's got the fire

And he talks with it

His Bonnie on the side, Bonnie on the side

Makes me a sad, sad girl

His money on the side, money on the side

Makes me a sad, sad girl

I'm a sad girl

I'm a sad girl

I'm a sad girl

I'm a sad girl

I'm a bad girl

I'm a bad girl

Being a bad bitch on the side

Might not appeal to fools like you

Creeping around while he gets high

It might not be something you would do, but

You haven't seen my man (man)

You haven't seen my man (man, man)

You haven't seen my man (man)

You haven't seen him (woah-oh)

He's got the fire

And he walks with it

He's got the fire

And he talks with it

His Bonnie on the side, Bonnie on the side

Makes me a sad, sad girl

His money on the side, money on the side

Makes me a sad, sad girl

I'm a sad girl

I'm a sad girl

I'm a sad girl

I'm a sad girl

I'm a bad girl

I'm a bad girl

Watch what you say to me

Careful who you're talking to

Watch what you say to me

Careful who you're talking to

I'm on fire, baby

I'm on fire

He's got the fire

And he walks with it

He's got the fire

And he talks with it

His Bonnie on the side, Bonnie on the side

Makes me a sad, sad girl

His money on the side, money on the side

Makes me a sad, sad girl

I'm a sad girl

I'm a sad girl

I'm a sad girl

I'm a sad girl

I'm a bad girl

I'm a bad girl

I'm a sad girl

I'm a sad girl

I'm a sad girl

I'm a sad girl

I'm a bad girl

I'm a bad girl

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
mistress /ˈmɪs.trɪs/ B2	noun - a woman who is in a sexual relationship with a married man
appeal /əˈpiːl/ B1	verb - to be attractive or interesting to someone
creeping /ˈkriːpɪŋ/ B1	verb - to move quietly and secretly
fire /ˈfaɪər/ A1	noun - the state of burning
walks /wɔːks/ A1	verb - to move on foot at a regular pace
talks /tɔːks/ A1	verb - to speak to someone
Bonnie /ˈbɒni/ B2	noun - a term of endearment, often used in the context of a criminal couple
sad /sæd/ A1	adjective - feeling sorrow or unhappiness
money /ˈmʌn.i/ A1	noun - a current medium of exchange in the form of coins or banknotes
bad /bæd/ A1	adjective - of poor quality or a low standard
bitch /bɪtʃ/ B2	noun - an offensive term for a woman, often implying rudeness or aggressiveness
high /haɪ/ A1	adjective - great, or larger than normal in quantity, size, or intensity
watch /wɒtʃ/ A1	verb - to look at or observe something or someone
careful /ˈkeərfʊl/ A2	adjective - cautious to avoid potential problems or dangers

Key Grammar Structures

• Might not appeal to fools like you

  ➔ Modal verb ‘might’ + negative + base verb (expressing possibility)

  ➔ The word "Might" indicates a possible situation, followed by the negative "not" and the base verb "appeal".

• You haven't seen my man (man)

  ➔ Present perfect negative (have/has + not + past participle)

  ➔ The contraction "haven't" (= have + not) is used with the past participle "seen" to show an action that has not happened up to now.

• Being a mistress on the side

  ➔ Gerund phrase as subject (verb + -ing used as a noun)

  ➔ The word "Being" is a gerund, turning the verb "be" into a noun phrase that functions as the subject of the clause.

• He's got the fire

  ➔ Present perfect "has got" for possession (British English)

  ➔ "He's" contracts "he has"; "has got" means "possesses" – "He *has* the fire".

• I'm a sad girl

  ➔ Simple present of "to be" + indefinite article + noun phrase (identity statement)

  ➔ "I'm" = "I am"; "a sad girl" is a noun phrase describing the speaker's identity.

• Watch what you say to me

  ➔ Imperative verb + object clause (command)

  ➔ "Watch" is an imperative telling the listener to pay attention; the clause "what you say to me" acts as its object.

• Careful who you're talking to

  ➔ Adjective + interrogative clause as complement (using “who” + present progressive)

  ➔ "Careful" acts as an adjective, and the clause "who you're talking to" (who + present progressive) explains what to be careful about.

• Might not be something you would do

  ➔ Modal + not + infinitive + noun phrase + relative clause with conditional "would"

  ➔ "Might" shows possibility; "not be something" negates the existence; "you would do" is a conditional relative clause describing the thing.

• I'm on fire, baby

  ➔ Idiomatic expression with "on fire" (present simple) indicating a state

  ➔ "I'm" = "I am"; "on fire" is an idiom meaning "excited, energetic, or successful".