San Quentin – English Lyrics

• By: Nickelback
• Album: Get Rollin'

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Let's get this circus on down the road

We're taking bets how far a tank of gas will go

Call up your best friend, then call two more

About to do some shit that you ain't seen before

There ain't no backdoor, there ain't no sign

Location changes almost every other night

Last time we found it, can't remember much

I thought I was a god until my lawyer woke me up and said I

Testify that I was right outta my mind

Let the record show I did it all for rock and roll

Screaming every night, playing 25 to life

So somebody, please keep me the hell out of San Quentin

...

Out of San Quentin

Just keep me out of San Quentin

Ooh, could somebody please keep me the hell out of San Quentin?

...

Got out on bail, we hit the town

Somebody told me we should burn it to the ground

Too many favors, too much to drink

Come 6:00 a.m. they had me back inside the clink

I'm gonna testify that I was right outta my mind

Let the record show I did it all for rock and roll

Screaming every night, playing 25 to life

So can somebody please keep me the hell out of San Quentin?

Out of San Quentin

Oh, just keep me out of San Quentin

Ooh, could somebody please keep me the hell out of San Quentin?

...

Tough to find a goddamn alibi

Wrong or right, it's tough to justify

Can't dismiss, too many witnesses

When insanity's the pattern, it don't matter what it is

I'm gonna testify that I was right outta my mind

Let the record show I did it all for rock and roll

Screaming every night, playing 25 to life

So somebody please keep me the hell out of San Quentin

Out of San Quentin

Oh, just keep me out of San Quentin

Ooh, could somebody please keep me the hell out of San Quentin?

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
circus /ˈsɜːrkəs/ B2	noun - a traveling show with acrobats,animals, clowns, etc.
bets /bɛts/ B1	verb - to risk something against someone else's on the result of a game or contest
tank /tæŋk/ B2	noun - a large container for storing liquid or gas noun - a military armored vehicle
call /kɔːl/ A2	verb - to speak loudly to someone on the phone or in person
mind /maɪnd/ B1	noun - the part of a person that thinks, feels, and perceives verb - to be careful or pay attention
testify /ˈtɛstəˌfaɪ/ B2	verb - to give evidence as a witness in a court of law
record /ˈrɛkərd/ B2	noun - a document or database of recorded information verb - to capture and store sound or data
rock /rɒk/ A2	noun - a solid mineral material forming part of the Earth's surface verb - to move gently back and forth or from side to side
roll /roʊl/ A2	verb - to turn over and over on a surface
show /ʃoʊ/ A2	verb - to make visible
kill /kɪl/ A2	verb - to cause death
scream /skriːm/ B2	verb - to utter a loud, high-pitched cry
playing /ˈpleɪɪŋ/ B1	verb - to engage in a game or musical instrument

Key Grammar Structures

• Let's get this circus on down the road

  ➔ Using imperative with 'Let's' to make a suggestion or proposal.

  ➔ 'Let's' is a contraction of 'let us', used to make a suggestion.

• I thought I was a god until my lawyer woke me up

  ➔ Using the past tense 'thought' to express a belief believed to be true in the past.

  ➔ 'Thought' is the past tense of 'think', indicating a belief or opinion held in the past.

• Let the record show I did it all for rock and roll

  ➔ Using the imperative 'Let' to give permission or make an official statement.

  ➔ 'Let' is used to give permission or to make an official statement about something.

• I'm gonna testify that I was right outta my mind

  ➔ Using the informal 'gonna' as a contraction of 'going to' for future intentions.

  ➔ 'Gonna' is an informal contraction of 'going to', used in spoken English to indicate future intentions.

• So somebody, please keep me the hell out of San Quentin

  ➔ Using the imperative 'please' to make a polite request or plea.

  ➔ 'Please' is used to politely ask or request something, often attached to commands or requests.

• Tough to find a goddamn alibi

  ➔ Using the adjective 'Tough' as a predicate to express difficulty.

  ➔ 'Tough' is an adjective that describes something difficult or challenging.