Tattoo – English Lyrics

• By: Loreen

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the compelling world of Loreen's "Tattoo," a song that not only clinched victory at Eurovision 2023 but also offers profound lessons about love, resilience, and the acceptance of life's inevitable struggles. Explore the rich layers of meaning behind the lyrics and discover how Loreen's unique blend of dark dance-pop and heartfelt emotion creates a truly unforgettable musical experience. Learning English through this song will give you a deeper understanding of metaphorical language and emotional expression.

[English]

I don't wanna go

But baby, we both know

This is not our time

It's time to say goodbye

Until we meet again

'Cause this is not the end

It will come a day

When we will find our way

Violins playin' and the angels cryin'

When the stars align, then I'll be there

No, I don't care about them all

'Cause all I want is to be loved

And all I care about is you

You're stuck on me like a tattoo

No, I don't care about the pain

I'll walk through fire and through rain

Just to get closer to you

You're stuck on me like a tattoo

I'm letting my hair down

I'm takin' it cool

You got my heart in your hand

Don't lose it, my friend

It's all that I got

Violins playin' and the angels cryin'

When the stars align, then I'll be there

No, I don't care about them all

'Cause all I want is to be loved

And all I care about is you

You're stuck on me like a tattoo

No, I don't care about the pain

I'll walk through fire and through rain

Just to get closer to you

You're stuck on me like a tattoo

...

No, I don't care about them all

'Cause all I want is to be loved

And all I care about is you

You're stuck on me like a tattoo

No, I don't care about the pain

I'll walk through fire and through rain

Just to get closer to you

You're stuck on me like a tattoo

All I care about is love

Oh, oh, oh

All I care about is love

You're stuck on me like a tattoo

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
tattoo /tæˈtuː/ B1	noun - a permanent design or mark made on the skin by pricking it with needles and injecting coloured dye under the surface.
stuck /stʌk/ B1	adjective - unable to move from a particular position or place; fixed in one position. verb - (past participle of 'stick') to become fixed in a particular position and be unable to move.
care /keər/ A2	verb - to feel concern or interest; to be interested in or worried about someone/something. noun - the provision of what is necessary for the health, welfare, maintenance, and protection of someone or something.
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - a very strong feeling of liking and caring for someone or something, especially a sexual attraction. verb - to feel deep affection for someone or something.
pain /peɪn/ A2	noun - an unpleasant physical sensation caused by illness or injury; emotional suffering.
fire /ˈfaɪər/ A1	noun - the element that produces light, heat, and smoke, often used for burning things.
rain /reɪn/ A1	noun - water falling from the sky in drops. verb - (of water) fall in drops from the sky.
goodbye /ˌɡʊdˈbaɪ/ A1	noun - an act of saying farewell.
end /end/ A1	noun - the final part of something; the point at which something ceases to exist. verb - to come or bring to an end.
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.
way /weɪ/ A1	noun - a method, style, or manner of doing something; a route or direction.
stars /stɑːrz/ A1	noun - a fixed luminous point in the night sky that is a large, remote incandescent body like the sun.
align /əˈlaɪn/ B2	verb - to place or arrange (things) in a straight line; to come into agreement or cooperation.
angels /ˈeɪndʒəlz/ B1	noun - a spiritual being believed to act as an attendant, agent, or messenger of God.
cry /kraɪ/ A2	verb - to shed tears, typically as an expression of distress, pain, or sorrow; to shout or scream. noun - a loud inarticulate shout or scream expressing a strong emotion or pain.
heart /hɑːrt/ A2	noun - a hollow muscular organ that pumps the blood through the circulatory system; the emotional or spiritual core of a person.
lose /luːz/ A2	verb - to be deprived of or cease to have or retain (something); to misplace.
cool /kuːl/ A2	adjective - of or at a fairly low temperature; fashionable, attractive, or impressive.

Key Grammar Structures

• I don't wanna go

  ➔ Negative contraction with do + not + infinitive (want to → wanna)

  ➔ The word "don't" is a contraction of "do not", used to make a negative statement before the base form "go"; "wanna" is an informal contraction of "want to".

• This is not our time

  ➔ Simple present with the verb "to be" in negative form

  ➔ The verb "is" (present of "to be") is followed by the negative word "not" to state that the present moment does not belong to us.

• It will come a day

  ➔ Future simple with modal "will" + bare infinitive

  ➔ The modal verb "will" is used to form the future; it is followed directly by the base verb "come" without "to".

• When the stars align, then I'll be there

  ➔ First conditional clause with "when" + present simple, main clause with future "will" + be

  ➔ The word "When" introduces a time condition in the present simple "the stars align"; the result uses "I'll be" (I will be) to express a future certainty.

• No, I don't care about them all

  ➔ Negative statement with "don't" + verb, followed by prepositional phrase "about them"

  ➔ The contraction "don't" (do not) negates the verb "care"; "about them" is a prepositional phrase indicating the object of the care.

• I'll walk through fire and through rain

  ➔ Future simple with "will" + base verb, plus prepositional phrase "through fire and through rain"

  ➔ "I'll" = I will; the verb "walk" follows the modal directly; "through fire and through rain" describes the obstacles the speaker will endure.

• You're stuck on me like a tattoo

  ➔ Present simple of "to be" + past participle (stuck) forming a stative passive construction

  ➔ "You're" = you are; "stuck" is the past participle used as an adjective meaning "fixed" or "attached"; the whole clause means "you remain attached to me".

• I'm letting my hair down

  ➔ Present continuous with "to be" + gerund (letting)

  ➔ "I'm" = I am; "letting" is the gerund form of "let" indicating an ongoing action of relaxing.

• All I care about is love

  ➔ Subject‑verb‑complement structure with a copular verb "is" linking a noun phrase

  ➔ The clause "All I care about" functions as the subject; the verb "is" links it to the complement "love".

• I'm takin' it cool

  ➔ Present continuous with colloquial dropping of "g" in the gerund (takin')

  ➔ "I'm" = I am; "takin'" is the informal gerund of "take" (dropping the final "g"), followed by the object "it" and the adjective "cool".