take me back to LA – English Lyrics

• By: the weeknd
• Album: HURRY UP TOMORROW

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the melancholic world of The Weeknd’s ‘Take Me Back to LA.’ This song is perfect for intermediate English learners to explore lyrical storytelling and evocative, descriptive language about place and identity.

[English]

Take me back to L.A.

Where the sun would kiss on my face

Now the sunshine tracks my skin

I stayed too long

Take me back to a time

When my blood never tasted like wine

My love could fill a sea

But now I can't even feel the breeze

And it hurts when I think about (think about)

The nights we would always shout

My voice cracking when we scream

You scream, we scream

And I watched while you wiped your eyes (wiped your eyes)

Then I learned to cover mine

And that's when I realized that

It's better when I'm by myself, yeah

By myself, uh

By myself, yeah

Oh, it's better when I'm by myself

Take me back to a place

Where the snow would fall on my face

And I miss my city lights

I left too young

Take me back to a time

The trophies that I had would still shine

Now I have nothing real left

I want my soul

And it hurts when I think about (think about)

The days I would tell myself

It's okay for me to scream

To scream, to scream

I put my hand over the fire (over the fire)

And see if I can still cry (can still cry)

And that's when I realize that

I hate it when I'm by myself

By myself (whoa, oh-oh, oh-oh)

By myself

...

Oh, I hate it when I'm by myself (oh)

Oh, by myself, uh

Oh, by myself (I don't wanna be, I don't wanna be)

I hate it when I'm by myself

...

By myself

Cold, by myself (na-na-na-na-na-na)

By my-, oh

By myself

By myself

By myself

By myself

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
sunshine /ˈsʌn.ʃaɪn/ A1	noun - direct sunlight unbroken by clouds
tasted /ˈteɪ.stɪd/ A2	verb - to have a particular flavor
breeze /briːz/ B1	noun - a gentle wind
shout /ʃaʊt/ A2	verb - to utter a loud cry
scream /skriːm/ B1	verb - to cry out loudly noun - a long, loud, piercing cry
cracking /ˈkræk.ɪŋ/ B2	verb - breaking or splitting with a sharp noise
wiped /waɪpt/ B1	verb - to clean or dry by rubbing
realized /ˈrɪə.laɪzd/ B1	verb - to become fully aware of something
trophies /ˈtrəʊ.fiz/ B1	noun - awards or prizes for victory
shine /ʃaɪn/ A2	verb - to emit or reflect light
soul /soʊl/ B1	noun - the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being
fire /ˈfaɪər/ A1	noun - combustion or flame