Scornful Woman – English Lyrics

• By: Oliver Anthony

Lyrics & Translation

Learning English with Oliver Anthony's "Scornful Woman" offers a unique opportunity to connect with the raw, emotional language of country-folk and blues. The song's powerful and direct lyrics about heartbreak and divorce provide a window into authentic, heartfelt expression in American music. Through its visceral storytelling, learners can explore themes of betrayal and the complexities of relationships, all while experiencing a musical style that values sincerity and raw emotion over polished perfection.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
run /rʌn/ A1	verb - to move quickly on foot
cold /koʊld/ A1	adjective - having a low temperature
bite /baɪt/ A2	verb - to use teeth to cut into something
nightmare /ˈnaɪtˌmɛr/ B1	noun - a frightening or unpleasant dream
dreaming /ˈdriːmɪŋ/ B1	verb - to experience thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep
pain /peɪn/ B1	noun - physical suffering or discomfort
money /ˈmʌni/ A1	noun - a medium of exchange used to buy goods and services
fame /feɪm/ B2	noun - the state of being known or recognized by many people
scornful /ˈskɔrnfl/ B2	adjective - feeling or expressing contempt or derision
court /kɔrt/ B2	noun - a place where legal cases are heard
grabbed /ɡræbd/ B1	verb - to take hold of something suddenly or roughly
broke /broʊk/ B1	verb - to cause something to separate into pieces adjective - having no money
good /ɡʊd/ A1	adjective - having positive qualities
always /ˈɔːlweɪz/ A2	adverb - at all times; on all occasions
middle /ˈmɪdəl/ A2	noun - the central point or part

Key Grammar Structures

• Well she got a side to her, I wanna run from,

  ➔ Preposition at the end of a clause.

  ➔ Using "from" at the end of the clause "I wanna run from" is grammatically acceptable, although it can sometimes be considered less formal. A more formal structure would be "...a side from which I want to run."

• Well, he grabbed the apple and I don't took a bite,

  ➔ Incorrect verb conjugation after the auxiliary verb "don't".

  ➔ The correct form should be "I didn't take a bite" or, colloquially, "I didn't take no bite". The use of "don't took" is grammatically incorrect. "Didn't take" is past simple negative

• I used to sleep so good, didn't have a nightmare.

  ➔ Use of "so" as an intensifier before an adjective or adverb.

  ➔ The word "so" here emphasizes the quality of the sleep. "So good" means very good. "Used to" indicates a past habit or state.

• believing you's always gonna be right there.

  ➔ Contraction "you's" and informal "gonna".

  ➔ "You's" is a non-standard contraction, likely a dialectal variant of "you were/was" or "you are". "Gonna" is a colloquial shortening of "going to". This reflects a more casual, conversational tone. More formally, it would be: "believing you were always going to be right there".

• And the court says 50 50,

  ➔ Ellipsis (omission) of the verb "is" or "split".

  ➔ The full sentence would be "And the court says it is 50/50" or "the court says it should be split 50/50". The verb is omitted for brevity and informality.

• I go back to being broke as a joke if I could just get a break from the pain.

  ➔ Second conditional (unreal condition).

  ➔ This sentence uses the second conditional: "if" + past simple, + "would/could/might" + infinitive without "to". It describes a hypothetical or unlikely situation. "If I could get a break... I would go back..."