Tears Always Win – English Lyrics

• By: Alicia Keys

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the emotional depth of Alicia Keys' 'Tears Always Win,' a song that beautifully articulates the universal experience of heartbreak. For English language learners, this song offers a chance to explore rich, descriptive language used to convey feelings of loss and memory. Its clear narrative and relatable theme make it a compelling piece for understanding how music can tell a powerful story.

[English]

Check it out

I feel it's kinda crazy

These covers may keep me warm at night

But they can't take your place, 'cause they never gonna hold me tight

And these pillows, may let me rest my head

But they can't say good night and tuck me in before I go to bed

Say, "Naw baby girl, you're better off" that's what I'm telling myself

(Over and over)

But I'm lying to myself 'cause I know I don't want nobody else

These lips are missing you

'Cause these lips ain't kissing you

These eyes put up a fight

But once again, these tears always win

These arms are wanting you

'Cause these arms ain't holding you

These eyes put up a fight

But once again, these tears always win

These candles light up my room at night

But they can't light the room the way you did when you walked inside, oh baby

If these walls could sing about everything they've witnessed

Oh, it'd be a sad, sad song, and it'll probably sound something like this

Say, "Now baby girl, you're better off," that's what I'm telling myself

(Over and over)

But I'm lying to myself 'cause I know I don't want nobody else

'Cause these lips are missing you (missing you)

'Cause these lips ain't kissing you (kissing you)

These eyes put up a fight

But once again, these tears always win

These arms are wanting you (wanting you)

'Cause these arms ain't holding you (holding you)

These eyes put up a fight

But once again, these tears always win

Tell me when the hell this loneliness is gonna be over (gonna be over)

When everything in this room reminds me of you

Every time I think I'm getting closer

These tears drown me out and once again, I lose

'Cause these lips are missing you (missing you)

'Cause these lips ain't kissing you (kissing you)

I'll put up a fight

But once again, these tears always win

These arms are wanting you (wanting you)

'Cause these arms ain't holding you (holding you)

These eyes put up a fight

But once again, these tears always win

Crying like oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh

These eyes put up a fight

But once again, these tears always win

Crying like oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh

These eyes put up a fight

But once again, these tears always win

These eyes put up a fight

But once again, these tears always win

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
missing /ˈmɪsɪŋ/ A2	verb - to feel sadness or longing for someone or something absent
tears /tɪrz/ A1	noun - drops of liquid from the eyes as a result of emotion
win /wɪn/ A1	verb - to be successful or victorious in a competition or conflict
fight /faɪt/ A1	verb - to struggle or contend against someone or something
lips /lɪps/ A1	noun - the fleshy part surrounding the mouth
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - the organ of sight
arms /ɑrmz/ A1	noun - the upper limbs of the body
loneliness /ˈloʊnliˌnɛs/ B1	noun - sadness because one has no friends or company
candle /ˈkændəl/ A1	noun - a cylindrical wax object with a wick, providing light when burned
witness /ˈwɪtnəs/ B1	verb - to see or know something happen
tuck /tʌk/ A2	verb - to put something in a safe or comfortable place
pillow /ˈpɪloʊ/ A1	noun - a soft bag filled with material, used to rest the head
cover /ˈkʌvər/ A1	noun - something that is placed over or in front of something else
hold /hoʊld/ A1	verb - to have or keep something in one's hand or arms
remind /rɪˈmaɪnd/ A2	verb - to make someone remember something
drown /draʊn/ B1	verb - to sink underneath the surface of a liquid and be unable to breathe

Key Grammar Structures

• But they can't take your place, 'cause they never gonna hold me tight

  ➔ Contractions + Informal Future

  ➔ 'Can't' (cannot contraction) and 'gonna' (informal future replacing 'going to') show colloquial speech. 'Cause' = because.

• 'Cause these lips ain't kissing you

  ➔ Negative Contraction

  ➔ 'Ain't' is colloquial negation for am not/is not/are not/has not/have not. Here meaning 'are not'.

• But once again, these tears always win

  ➔ Adverb of Frequency

  ➔ 'Always' emphasizes recurring action. 'Win' in present simple indicates habitual outcome.

• If these walls could sing about everything they've witnessed

  ➔ Second Conditional + Present Perfect

  ➔ 'If... could' introduces hypothetical situation (conditional). 'They've witnessed' uses present perfect for past action with present relevance.

• But I'm lying to myself

  ➔ Present Continuous + Reflexive Pronoun

  ➔ Present continuous ('I'm lying') shows ongoing self-deception. Reflexive pronoun 'myself' emphasizes subject is both doer and receiver.

• Tell me when the hell this loneliness is gonna be over

  ➔ Question Word + Emphatic Colloquialism

  ➔ 'When' introduces indirect question. 'The hell' intensifies emotion colloquially. 'Gonna be over' shows informal future passive.

• Every time I think I'm getting closer

  ➔ Time Clause + Present Continuous

  ➔ 'Every time I think' establishes recurring time frame. 'I'm getting closer' uses progressive tense for gradual change.

• But once again, these tears always win

  ➔ Adverbial Phrase + Simple Present

  ➔ 'Once again' introduces recurrence adverbially. Simple present 'win' expresses unchanging truth/habit.

• You're better off

  ➔ Comparative Adjective Phrase

  ➔ 'Better off' = in improved circumstances. Comparative adjective implying contrast between situations.

• These tears drown me out

  ➔ Phrasal Verb + Pronoun

  ➔ 'Drown (someone) out' = overwhelm emotionally. Object pronoun 'me' positioned before particle 'out'.