Tell Me – English Lyrics

• By: Hunter Hayes
• Album: Wild Blue Complete

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a powerful journey, and 'Tell Me' by Hunter Hayes is a great starting point. The song's clear and emotional lyrics can help you grasp nuances of expression in English, particularly around themes of love and loss. Its heartfelt narrative makes the language both accessible and memorable, offering a special way to connect with the emotional side of storytelling in song.

[English]

Big dreams even time couldn't change

No fear, just a heart full of break

You don't feel you belong in this place

And you're askin', and you're askin'

How to pack, how to find your own freedom

How to find all the things that you're needin'

I'll be one of the things that you're leavin'

I feel it, I can see it

And you know if I'm lyin'

So I won't even try

I don't mean to be quiet

But I know you need to fly

Tell me what to do about it

Tell me how to say goodbye

How am I supposed to live without you?

Don't wanna lose my world tonight

Tell me this will make you happy

What am I supposed to say?

Tell me what to do about it

Does it have to end this way?

Make a joke, make it seem like it's nothin'

Write a note so that I can keep somethin'

I'm a mess and you know I'm not good at pretendin'

Oh, no

So we smile while we're cryin'

Holdin' notions back inside

And I try to be quiet

As I watch our dreams collide

Tell me what to do about it

Tell me how to say goodbye

How am I supposed to live without you?

Don't wanna lose my world tonight

Tell me this will make you happy

What am I supposed to say?

Tell me what to do about it

Does it have to end this way?

And you know if I'm lyin'

So I won't even try

I don't mean to be quiet

But I know you need to fly

So tell me what to do about it

Tell me how to say goodbye

How am I supposed to live without you?

Don't wanna lose my world tonight

Tell me this will make you happy

What am I supposed to say?

Tell me what to do about it

Does it have to end this way?

Oh, tell me what to do about it

Does it have to end this way?

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
dreams /driːmz/ B1	noun - a series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep noun - a cherished aspiration or goal
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - the organ that pumps blood through the body noun - the centre of a person's emotions
freedom /ˈfriːdəm/ B2	noun - the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - the earth, together with all of its countries, peoples and natural features
goodbye /ɡʊdˈbaɪ/ B1	noun - a parting phrase used to express good wishes when leaving
pretend /prɪˈtɛnd/ B2	verb - to act as if something is true when it is not
collide /kəˈlaɪd/ C1	verb - to come into forceful contact
smile /smaɪl/ A1	verb - to make a facial expression indicating pleasure
cry /kraɪ/ A1	verb - to shed tears
lie /laɪ/ A1	verb - to make a false statement intentionally
fly /flaɪ/ A1	verb - to move through the air using wings
ask /æsk/ A1	verb - to request information or an answer
find /faɪnd/ A1	verb - to discover or locate something
feel /fiːl/ A1	verb - to experience an emotion or physical sensation
lose /luːz/ A1	verb - to fail to keep or maintain something
happy /ˈhæpi/ A1	adjective - feeling pleasure or contentment
quiet /ˈkwaɪət/ A1	adjective - making little or no noise
mess /mɛs/ A2	noun - a state of disorder or untidiness
big /bɪɡ/ A1	adjective - large in size

Key Grammar Structures

• Big dreams even time couldn't change

  ➔ Past Perfect

  ➔ The phrase 'couldn't change' uses the past perfect to indicate an action that was already completed in the past before another past action.

• You don't feel you belong in this place

  ➔ Present Simple with 'don't'

  ➔ The use of 'don't' with the base form of the verb 'feel' creates a negative sentence in the present simple tense, indicating a habitual or general truth.

• How to pack, how to find your own freedom

  ➔ Infinitive of Purpose

  ➔ The infinitive form 'to pack' and 'to find' is used to express purpose or intention after the question word 'how'.

• I'll be one of the things that you're leavin'

  ➔ Future Simple with 'will'

  ➔ The contraction 'I'll' is the future simple tense with 'will', indicating a future action or prediction.

• So I won't even try

  ➔ Negative Future with 'won't'

  ➔ The contraction 'won't' is used to form a negative future tense, indicating that the speaker will not perform the action.

• As I watch our dreams collide

  ➔ Present Continuous

  ➔ The phrase 'watch our dreams collide' uses the present continuous tense to describe an action happening now.

• Tell me what to do about it

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ The phrase 'Tell me' is in the imperative mood, used to give a direct command or request.

• Does it have to end this way?

  ➔ Present Simple in Questions

  ➔ The present simple tense is used in a question to ask about a general truth or habitual action.