Stilettos – English Lyrics

• By: Kelsea Ballerini
• Album: PATTERNS

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Go ahead and say what you're gonna say

Give it to me straight, don't sugarcoat it

Go ahead and do what you're gonna do

We're already done, I already know it

So you can take your new blonde out to get your drink on

For everyone to see

But you don't get to get to me

I wear my pain like stilettos

As bad as it may hurt, no, you'll never know

I keep walkin' with my head up, puttin' on a show

And frontin' like nothin' is wrong

I talk the talk like I'm a tough girl

'Cause there ain't room for weakness in a rough world

That keeps sayin' you were never enough, girl

Yeah, when you get burned, you learn to be strong

I wear my pain like stilettos

I ain't stayin' down, tonight I'm goin' out

Yeah, even if I have to fake it

A little black dress to cover my mess

So you won't know my heart is breakin'

I'll pull myself together from the fallout of forever

For everyone to see ooh

You don't get to get to me

I wear my pain like stilettos

As bad as it may hurt, no, you'll never know

I keep walkin' with my head up, puttin' on a show

And frontin' like nothin' is wrong

I talk the talk like I'm a tough girl

'Cause there ain't room for weakness in a rough world

That keeps sayin' you were never enough, girl

Yeah, when you get burned, you learn to be strong

I wear my pain like stilettos

Oh, oh, whoa, oh, whoa

Whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa

Whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa

Oh, I wear my pain like stilettos

As bad as it may hurt, no, you'll never know

I keep walkin' with my head up, puttin' on a show

And frontin' like nothin' is wrong

I talk the talk like I'm a tough girl

'Cause there ain't room for weakness in a rough world

That keeps sayin' you were never enough, girl

Yeah, when you get burned, you learn to be strong

I wear my pain like stilettos

Ye ah ah, I wear my pain like stilettos oh

Oh, oh, whoa, oh, whoa

Whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa

Whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
wear /weər/ A1	verb - to have on one's body as clothing or decoration
pain /peɪn/ A1	noun - a strongly unpleasant bodily sensation
stilettos /stɪˈletəʊz/ B1	noun - a woman's high-heeled shoe with a very thin heel
walkin' /ˈwɔːkɪn/ A1	verb - to move at a regular pace by lifting and setting down each foot in turn
head /hɛd/ A1	noun - the upper part of the human body
show /ʃoʊ/ A1	noun - a spectacle or display verb - to present or perform
frontin' /ˈfrʌntɪn/ B2	verb - to pretend or act in a way that is not genuine
tough /tʌf/ A2	adjective - strong and durable
weakness /ˈwiːknəs/ A2	noun - the condition of being physically or emotionally feeble
rough /rʌf/ A2	adjective - having an uneven or bumpy surface
burned /bɜːrnd/ A2	verb - to be harmed or injured by fire or heat
stayin' /ˈsteɪɪn/ A1	verb - to remain in a particular place
goin' /ˈɡoʊɪn/ A1	verb - to move or proceed
fake /feɪk/ A2	verb - to pretend or deceive adjective - not genuine
mess /mɛs/ A2	noun - a disorderly or chaotic state
fallout /ˈfɔːlaʊt/ B2	noun - the adverse results of an action
forever /fəˈrɛvər/ A1	adverb - for a limitless time

Key Grammar Structures

• Go ahead and say what you're gonna say

  ➔ Present continuous with 'gonna'

  ➔ The phrase 'gonna' is a colloquial contraction of 'going to,' used here to express an immediate future action.

• I wear my pain like stilettos

  ➔ Simile

  ➔ The phrase 'like stilettos' is a simile, comparing the way the speaker carries their pain to wearing high-heeled shoes, implying it’s both painful and empowering.

• As bad as it may hurt, no, you'll never know

  ➔ Concessive clause with 'as...as'

  ➔ The phrase 'as bad as it may hurt' is a concessive clause, acknowledging the pain while emphasizing that the other person will never understand it.

• I keep walkin' with my head up, puttin' on a show

  ➔ Present continuous with colloquial contractions

  ➔ The use of 'walkin'' and 'puttin'' are colloquial contractions of 'walking' and 'putting,' typical in spoken English to convey a casual tone.

• 'Cause there ain't room for weakness in a rough world

  ➔ Double negative with 'ain't'

  ➔ The use of 'ain't' is a non-standard double negative, emphasizing the lack of space for weakness in a harsh environment.

• Yeah, when you get burned, you learn to be strong

  ➔ Present simple in conditional context

  ➔ The present simple 'learn' is used in a conditional context to express a general truth or result of an action.

• I ain't stayin' down, tonight I'm goin' out

  ➔ Contractions and future intention

  ➔ The contractions 'ain't stayin'' and 'I'm goin'' express a strong future intention, emphasizing determination and action.

• So you won't know my heart is breakin'

  ➔ Future with 'will' in negative form

  ➔ The negative future form 'won't know' indicates that the speaker intends to hide their emotional state from the listener.