Scarecrow – English Lyrics

• By: Counting Crows
• Album: Somewhere Under Wonderland

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the lyrical depth of Counting Crows' "Scarecrow," a song that masterfully combines a soulful rock sound with poignant storytelling. Learning the English lyrics to this track offers a unique opportunity to explore poetic language, metaphors of identity and longing, and expressions of complex emotions. Its rich narrative and evocative imagery make it an engaging piece for English learners to connect with authentic musical expression.

[English]

HEY WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE?

THIS PLACE IS A DISASTER.

(TV NOISE)

AND WHERE IS MY YOO HOO I WAS SAVING THAT.

SO YOU ARE REALLY GOING TO GO THROUGH WITH THIS?

YEAH.

THAT'S INTERESTING I THOUGHT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT YOU

CONSIDERING GOING BACK TO COLLEGE.

I'M 18 AND I JUST WANT TO HAVE SOME FUN, OK?

WELL, YOU CAN HAVE REALLY FUN EXPERIENCES AT QUEENSBORO COLLEGE

MOM, SAY THAT AGAIN TO YOURSELF.

ED COME ON LET'S GO!

AND THERE ARE NO CUTE GIRLS IN QUEENS.

JENNY FISHER NEXT DOOR SHE LOVES YOU.

YOU KNOW SHE'S A LESBIAN, RIGHT?

NO, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

COME ON ED. ED! LET'S GO!

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

JUST LET ME... LET ME CARRY SOMETHING FOR YOU

LET ME... LET ME HELP YOU.

ED COME ON MAN! LET'S GO! WOO!

WHERE'D YOU GET THE CAR?

DON'T ASK

WHO'S SHE?

MARY... DON'T ASK

HEY - SHE STAYS UP FRONT.

BOYS LISTEN UP. CALL ME ONCE A WEEK.

ONCE A WEEK!

OF COURSE.

YOUR MASCARA IS RUNNING SWEETHEART

OK I LOVE YOU HONEY

YOU'RE EMBARRASSING RIGHT NOW.

DRIVE SAFE.

OK! ALRIGHT! WE LOVE YOU!

BYE. LOVE YOU KIDS.

WOO HOO!

♪♪♪

♪ MARY STEERS CLEAR OF THE MEN FROM SPACE ♪

♪ BACK ALLEY KID WITH AN AMERICAN FACE ♪

♪ SHE WANTS THE WINE ♪

♪ HE BRINGS A CASE ♪

♪ TO CARRY THEM ON THROUGH ♪

♪ I SAID YOU KNOW WHAT I KNOW ABOUT THE BEDROOM BOYS ♪

♪ UNDERCOVER RUSSIANS IN A PINK ROLLS-ROYCE ♪

♪ THEY BANG THE DRUM ♪

♪ SHE SETS THE BEAT ♪

♪ THEY CARRY MISS AMERICA OUT INTO THE STREET ♪

♪ SHE SINGS "SNOWMAN! SCARECRO! JOHN DOE! BUFFALO!" ♪

♪ I WISH YOU WOULDN'T GO ♪

♪ I GOT THE ARMS TO REACH YOU♪

♪ I AM THE SCARECROW ♪

♪♪♪

♪ OH I GUESS YOU OUGHT TO KNO♪

♪ I GOT THE HANDS TO TEACH YO♪

♪ I AM THE SCARECROW ♪

♪ SNOWMAN SIDESHOW ♪

♪ I FELL OUT OF LOVE IN THE SNOWBOUND DAYS ♪

♪ RIDING THE SUBWAY IN A VALIUM HAZE ♪

♪ I NEED THE WHITES SHE GETS THE BLUES ♪

♪ IT CARRIES US ON THROUGH ♪

♪ ALL THESE AMERICAN BOYS AT THE PARK 'N' SHOP ♪

♪ SELLING THEIR MEMORIES FOR A DOLLAR A POP ♪

♪ IVAN THE ANCIENT SPACEMAN RACE FAN ♪

♪ CORNERS THE MARKET ON AMERICAN TASTES ♪

♪ AND SAYS "SPACEMAN! SCARECRO! PEEPSHOW! FREAKSHOW!" ♪

♪ I WISH YOU WOULDN'T GO ♪

♪ BUT I GOT THE ARMS TO REACH YOU ♪

♪ I AM A SCARECROW ♪

♪♪♪

♪ OH I GUESS YOU OUGHT TO KNO♪

♪ THAT I GOT THE HANDS TO TEACH YOU ♪

♪ I AM THE SCARECROW ♪

♪ MMM PUNK ROCK VIDEO ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ALL THE SUDDEN LIGHT INSIDE YOU DIES ♪

♪ MAYBE YOU'RE GOING ON ALONE♪

♪ MAYBE YOU'RE GOING ALL ALON♪

♪ SHE DREAMS OF SUNLIGHT ♪

♪ SINGS OF SMALLER THINGS ♪

♪ WHITE SUGAR BOWLS AND WEDDING RINGS ♪

♪ YOU'RE GOING ON FROM ME ALONE ♪

♪ YOU'RE GOING ON ♪

♪ YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN ♪

♪ SHE WAS MARRIED ALIVE IN A MOSCOW SURGERY ♪

♪ HOPING TO DIE IN A COLD WAR NURSERY ♪

♪ ALL OF THE KIDS BACK HOME BELIEVE ♪

♪ IN MUCH MORE THAN WE DO ♪

♪ IT'S A MEMORY PLAY ♪

♪ WHERE THE MEMORY FADES INTO PICTURES YOU TOOK ♪

♪ INTO RECORDS WE PLAYED SPY VS SPY ♪

♪ SCARECROW AND I OUT ACROSS THE DARKNESS ♪

♪ WHERE THE BOMBERJETS FLY ♪

♪ SINGING "SPACEMAN! SMOKESHOW! SCARECROW! GERONIMO!" ♪

♪ I WISH YOU WOULDN'T GO ♪

♪ I GOT THE ARMS TO REACH YOU♪

♪ I AM A SCARECROW ♪

♪♪♪

♪ OH I GUESS YOU OUGHT TO KNO♪

♪ I GOT THE HANDS TO TEACH YO♪

♪ I AM THE SCARECROW ♪

♪ SNOWMAN FREAKSHOW ♪

♪ OH I WISH YOU WOULDN'T GO ♪

♪ BUT I GOT THE ARMS TO REACH YOU ♪

♪ I AM THE SCARECROW ♪

♪♪♪

♪ OH I GUESS YOU OUGHT TO KNOW ♪

♪ THAT I GOT THE HANDS TO TEACH YOU ♪

♪ I AM THE SCARECROW ♪

♪ LISTEN ON THE MIDNIGHT RADIO ♪

♪ ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
scarecrow /ˈskɛərkroʊ/ B2	noun - a figure of straw placed in a field to frighten birds
disaster /dɪˈzæstər/ B1	noun - a sudden event causing great damage or loss
college /ˈkɒlɪdʒ/ A2	noun - an institution of higher education
lesbian /ˈlɛzbjən/ B2	noun - a woman who is romantically attracted to other women adjective - relating to women who love other women
carry /ˈkæri/ A2	verb - to hold something and move it from one place to another
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - deep affection or strong feeling of attachment verb - to feel deep affection for someone
arms /ɑːrmz/ A2	noun - the upper limbs of the human body
reach /riːtʃ/ B1	verb - to stretch out an arm in order to touch or grasp something
hands /hændz/ A2	noun - the prehensile extremities at the end of the arms
teach /tiːtʃ/ B1	verb - to give instruction or knowledge to someone
snowman /ˈsnoʊˌmæn/ B1	noun - a figure of a person made out of snow
subway /ˈsʌbˌweɪ/ B1	noun - an underground railway system used for public transport
valium /ˈvæliəm/ C1	noun - a brand name for diazepam, a medication that reduces anxiety and induces calmness
memory /ˈmɛməri/ B2	noun - the faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information
bomberjet /ˈbɒmbərˌdʒɛt/ C1	noun - a military aircraft designed to drop bombs from high speed
midnight /ˈmɪdnaɪt/ B1	noun - the middle of the night; 12:00 am
radio /ˈreɪdioʊ/ A2	noun - a device that receives and transmits audio signals
punk /pʌŋk/ B2	noun - a member of a subculture associated with aggressive music and anti‑establishment attitudes adjective - characteristic of or resembling punk culture
rock /rɒk/ B1	noun - a solid mineral material forming part of the earth's crust verb - to move back and forth rhythmically, especially to music
wedding /ˈwɛdɪŋ/ B1	noun - a ceremony in which two people are united in marriage

Key Grammar Structures

• HEY WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE?

  ➔ Inversion and rhetorical question.

  ➔ The phrase 'WHAT THE HELL' is an interjection, followed by an inverted structure ('happened here') for emphasis. It's also a rhetorical question, not expecting a direct answer.

• I WAS SAVING THAT.

  ➔ Past Continuous Tense.

  ➔ Used to describe an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past. The emphasis is on the duration of the action.

• I'M 18 AND I JUST WANT TO HAVE SOME FUN, OK?

  ➔ Compound sentence with a coordinating conjunction, and a tag question.

  ➔ The sentence combines two independent clauses with 'and'. The 'OK?' is a tag question seeking confirmation or agreement.

• I WISH YOU WOULDN'T GO

  ➔ Subjunctive mood (WISH + past tense/would).

  ➔ Expressing a wish about a situation that is contrary to the present reality. Uses 'would' to create the conditional aspect.

• I GOT THE ARMS TO REACH YOU

  ➔ Inversion, emphasis on the phrase at the end.

  ➔ The subject and verb are in standard order but the intent is to emphasize his ability to reach. The phrase at the end helps to provide rhythm and emphasis.

• OH I GUESS YOU OUGHT TO KNOW

  ➔ Modal verb 'ought to'.

  ➔ 'Ought to' is a modal verb used to express a strong suggestion or moral obligation, similar to 'should'.

• I AM THE SCARECROW

  ➔ Simple Present Tense, emphasis on Identity.

  ➔ Uses the simple present tense to declare the speaker's identity. The repetition reinforces this statement throughout the song.

• SHE DREAMS OF SUNLIGHT

  ➔ Simple Present Tense, third-person singular.

  ➔ Illustrates a recurring action/state of being or a general truth, using the third-person singular form ('dreams').