Strawberries & Cigarettes – English Lyrics

• By: Troye Sivan

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Troye Sivan's "Strawberries & Cigarettes," a beautifully crafted pop anthem of love and longing. Its evocative lyrics and nostalgic melody make it a perfect song for English learners to explore themes of past relationships and heartfelt emotions. Pay attention to how Sivan uses sensory details to paint a vivid picture of memory and attachment, offering a rich vocabulary for describing feelings and reminiscence. This song's universal themes and clear enunciation provide an excellent opportunity to enhance your English comprehension and emotional literacy through music.

[English]

Remember when we first met?

You said, "Light my cigarette"

So I lied to my mom and dad

And jumped the fence and I ran

But we couldn't go very far

'Cause you locked your keys in your car

So you sat and stared at my lips

And I could already feel your kiss

Long nights, daydreams

Sugar and smoke rings, I've been a fool

But strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you

Headlights, on me

Racing to sixty, I've been a fool

But strawberries and cigarettes always taste like

Blue eyes, black jeans

Lighters and candy, I've been a fool

But strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you

Remember when you taught me fate

Said it'd all be worth the wait

Like that night in the back of the cab

When your fingers walked in my hand

Next day, nothing on my phone

But I can still smell you on my clothes

Always hoping that things would change

But we went right back to your games

Long nights, daydreams

Sugar and smoke rings, I've been a fool

But strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you

Headlights, on me

Racing to sixty, I've been a fool

But strawberries and cigarettes always taste like

Blue eyes, black jeans

Lighters and candy, I've been a fool

But strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you

And even if I run away

And give my heart a holiday

Still strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you

You always leave me wanting more

I can't shake my hunger for

Strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you

...

Yeah, they always taste like you

You

Long nights, daydreams

With that sugar and smoke rings

Always taste like you

Headlights, on me (And even if I run away)

Racing to sixty, I've been a fool (And give my heart a holiday)

Still, strawberries and cigarettes always taste like

Blue eyes, black jeans (You always leave me wanting more)

Lighters and candy, I've been a fool (I can't shake my hunger for)

Strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
remember /rɪˈmem.bər/ A2	verb - to be able to bring back a piece of information into your mind, or to keep a piece of information in your memory
light /laɪt/ A1	verb - to start to burn or to make something start to burn noun - the brightness that comes from the sun, fire, etc. and from electrical devices, and that allows you to see things
lied /laɪd/ A2	verb - past tense of lie: to say or write something that is not true in order to deceive someone
ran /ræn/ A1	verb - past tense of run: to move quickly on foot
locked /lɑːkt/ A2	verb - fastened or secured with a lock
stared /sterd/ B1	verb - to look for a long time with the eyes wide open, especially when surprised, frightened, or thinking
kiss /kɪs/ A1	noun - an act of touching someone with your lips as a sign of love, affection, or sexual desire, or as a greeting verb - to touch with the lips
daydreams /ˈdeɪdriːmz/ B2	noun - a series of pleasant thoughts that distract one's attention from the present
sugar /ˈʃʊɡ.ər/ A1	noun - a sweet, crystalline carbohydrate
smoke /smoʊk/ A2	noun - the cloud of black, grey, or white gases and dust that is produced by burning something
fool /fuːl/ B1	noun - a person who acts unwisely or imprudently; a silly person.
strawberries /ˈstrɔːˌber.iz/ A2	noun - a soft red fruit with small seeds on its surface
cigarettes /ˌsɪɡ.əˈrets/ A2	noun - a thin tube of paper filled with tobacco, that people smoke
taste /teɪst/ A1	verb - to have a particular flavour
racing /ˈreɪ.sɪŋ/ B1	verb - competing in a race
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - the organs of sight
black /blæk/ A1	adjective - of the darkest color, like coal or soot; not reflecting or emitting light.
jeans /dʒiːnz/ A1	noun - casual pants made of denim, usually blue or black
candy /ˈkæn.di/ A1	noun - a sweet food made from sugar or syrup, often with flavorings and colorings.

Key Grammar Structures

• Remember when we first met?

  ➔ Interrogative sentence; Use of 'remember' to trigger past memories.

  ➔ The sentence uses the simple past tense to inquire about a past event. “Remember” is used to prompt recollection. It's a direct and conversational way to start a story.

• So I lied to my mom and dad

  ➔ Past Simple tense; Use of 'so' as a conjunction.

  ➔ “Lied” is in the past simple tense, indicating a completed action in the past. "So" connects the action to a previous, implied context.

• But we couldn't go very far

  ➔ Use of modal verb 'couldn't'; Adverb 'far'.

  ➔ "Couldn't" expresses inability in the past. "Far" modifies the verb "go", indicating distance.

• Cause you locked your keys in your car

  ➔ Past Simple tense; Use of 'cause' (because)

  ➔ "Locked" is in the past simple tense. "Cause" is a shortened, informal version of "because", indicating a reason or explanation.

• I could already feel your kiss

  ➔ Modal verb 'could'; Adverb 'already'.

  ➔ "Could" expresses possibility or a felt sensation. "Already" indicates that the feeling started before the present moment.

• Strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you

  ➔ Adverb of frequency 'always'; 'Taste like' for comparison.

  ➔ "Always" indicates the consistency of the taste. "Taste like" is used to draw a comparison between the flavor of strawberries and cigarettes and the essence of a person.

• Always hoping that things would change

  ➔ Present participle 'hoping'; Subjunctive mood 'would change'

  ➔ "Hoping" is a present participle functioning as an adjective describing the subject’s state. "Would change" indicates a hypothetical or desired change that didn't necessarily happen.

• You always leave me wanting more

  ➔ Gerund ('wanting') as object of a complex transitive verb (leave somebody doing something).

  ➔ Here, "leave" functions as a complex-transitive verb followed by an object (me) and an object complement ('wanting more'), which is a gerund phrase describing the state the object is left in. "Wanting" describes a continued desire.