Summertime Sadness – English Lyrics

• By: Lana Del Rey

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the evocative world of Lana Del Rey's "Summertime Sadness"! This melancholic yet captivating pop ballad is perfect for English learners. You can explore rich, poetic vocabulary and expressions of longing and nostalgia, while immersing yourself in its dreamy, atmospheric sound. The song's clear, emotive vocals and recurring lyrical themes make it an excellent choice for practicing listening comprehension and understanding complex emotions in English.

[English]

Kiss me hard before you go

Summertime sadness

I just wanted you to know

That baby, you the best

I got my red dress on tonight

Dancin' in the dark, in the pale moonlight

Done my hair up real big, beauty queen style

High heels off, I'm feelin' alive

Oh, my God, I feel it in the air

Telephone wires above are sizzlin' like a snare

Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere

Nothin' scares me anymore

(One, two, three, four)

Kiss me hard before you go

Summertime sadness

I just wanted you to know

That baby, you the best

I got that summertime, summertime sadness

Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness

Got that summertime, summertime sadness

Oh, oh-oh, oh-oh

I'm feelin' electric tonight

Cruisin' down the coast, goin' about 99

Got my bad baby by my heavenly side

I know if I go, I'll die happy tonight

Oh, my God, I feel it in the air

Telephone wires above are sizzlin' like a snare

Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere

Nothin' scares me anymore

(One, two, three, four)

Kiss me hard before you go

Summertime sadness

I just wanted you to know

That baby, you the best

I got that summertime, summertime sadness

Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness

Got that summertime, summertime sadness

Oh, oh-oh, oh-oh

Think I'll miss you forever

Like the stars miss the sun in the morning sky

Later's better than never

Even if you're gone, I'm gonna drive (drive), drive

I got that summertime, summertime sadness

Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness

Got that summertime, summertime sadness

Oh, oh-oh, oh-oh

Kiss me hard before you go

Summertime sadness

I just wanted you to know

That baby, you the best

I got that summertime, summertime sadness

Su-su-summertime, summertime sadness

Got that summertime, summertime sadness

Oh, oh-oh, oh-oh

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
kiss /kɪs/ A1	verb - to touch with the lips as a sign of love, affection, or greeting noun - an act of touching with the lips
sadness /ˈsædnəs/ B1	noun - the condition of being unhappy
dress /dres/ A1	noun - a one-piece garment for women verb - to put on clothes
dancin' /ˈdænsɪŋ/ A1	verb - move rhythmically to music
dark /dɑːrk/ A1	adjective - with little or no light noun - absence of light
moonlight /ˈmuːnlaɪt/ B1	noun - the light from the moon
beauty /ˈbjuːti/ A2	noun - the quality of being pleasing, especially to look at
queen /kwiːn/ A2	noun - the female ruler of an independent state
heels /hiːlz/ A2	noun - the back part of the foot
alive /əˈlaɪv/ A2	adjective - living, not dead
wires /ˈwaɪərz/ B1	noun - a thin, flexible thread of metal
fire /ˈfaɪər/ A1	noun - a state, process, or instance of combustion in which fuel or other material is ignited and combined with oxygen, emitting heat and light.
scares /skɛərz/ A2	verb - to cause fear to
electric /ɪˈlɛktrɪk/ B1	adjective - powered by electricity
coast /koʊst/ A2	noun - the part of the land near the sea; the edge of the land
heavenly /ˈhɛvənli/ B2	adjective - of or like heaven
happy /ˈhæpi/ A1	adjective - feeling or showing pleasure or contentment
stars /stɑːrz/ A1	noun - a fixed luminous point in the night sky which is a large, remote incandescent body like the sun.
sun /sʌn/ A1	noun - the star that provides light and heat to Earth
morning /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/ A1	noun - the period of time between sunrise and noon

Key Grammar Structures

• Kiss me hard before you go

  ➔ Imperative Mood + Time Clause with 'before'

  ➔ The sentence starts with an imperative verb "Kiss" giving a direct command. 'Before you go' is a time clause indicating when the action should happen.

• That baby, you the best

  ➔ Ellipsis (Omission of 'are')

  ➔ This sentence uses ellipsis, omitting the verb "are". The complete sentence would be 'That baby, you are the best'. This is common in informal speech and song lyrics.

• I got my red dress on tonight

  ➔ Past Simple with 'got' (informal)

  ➔ "Got" is used informally here to mean "have". It implies that she has put on the dress.

• Dancin' in the dark, in the pale moonlight

  ➔ Present Participle as Adjective/Adverb (reduced relative clause)

  ➔ "Dancin'" is a reduced relative clause. It is short for "While I am dancing". Also describes the scene.

• Telephone wires above are sizzlin' like a snare

  ➔ Present Continuous + Simile (Comparison using 'like')

  ➔ "Are sizzlin'" is present continuous, showing an ongoing action. "Like a snare" is a simile, comparing the sound of the wires to the sound of a snare drum.

• I know if I go, I'll die happy tonight

  ➔ First Conditional (Type 1)

  ➔ This sentence uses the first conditional. "If I go" is the condition, and "I'll die happy tonight" is the likely result if the condition is met. The structure is: if + present simple, will + base form.

• Think I'll miss you forever

  ➔ Contraction ('I'll' - I will) + Future Simple

  ➔ "I'll" is a contraction of "I will", indicating the future simple tense. This expresses a prediction or intention about missing someone.

• Later's better than never

  ➔ Comparative Adjective ('better than')

  ➔ "Better than" is a comparative adjective used to compare two things (later and never), indicating that one is preferable to the other.