The Life of a Showgirl – English Lyrics

• By: Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a fantastic journey, and 'The Life of a Showgirl' offers a compelling story to dive into. The song's narrative structure, with its shifting perspectives between an aspiring artist and her seasoned idol, provides a rich context for understanding nuanced vocabulary related to fame, ambition, and disillusionment. The conversational lyrics and vivid imagery make it a great song for learners to explore storytelling and metaphorical language in English.

[English]

Her name was Kitty

Made her money being pretty and witty

They gave her the keys to this city

Then they said she didn't do it legitly

I bought a ticket

She's dancing in her garters and fishnets

50 in the cast, zero missteps

Looking back I guess it was kismet

I waited by the stage door

Packed in with the autograph hounds

Barking her name

Then glowing like the end of a cigarette

Wow, she came out

I said, "You're living my dream."

Then she said to me

"Hey, thank you for the lovely bouquet

You're sweeter than a peach

But you don't know the life of a showgirl, babe

And you're never, ever gonna

Wait, the more you play the more that you pay

You're softer than a kitten so

You don't know the life of a showgirl, babe

And you're never gonna wanna"

She was a menace

The baby of the family in Lenox

Her father whored around like all men did

Her mother took pills and played tennis

So she waited by the stage door

As the club promoter arrived

She said, "I'd sell my soul to have a taste of a magnificent life, that's all mine."

But that's not what showgirls get

They leave us for dead

"Hey, thank you for the lovely bouquet

You're sweeter than a peach

But you don't know the life of a showgirl, babe

And you're never, ever gonna

Wait, the more you play the more that you pay

You're softer than a kitten so

You don't know the life of a showgirl, babe

And you're never gonna wanna"

I took her pearls of wisdom

Hung them from my neck

I paid my dues with every bruise

I knew what to expect

You wanna take a skate on the ice inside my veins

They ripped me off like false lashes

And then threw me away

And all the headshots on the walls

of the dance hall are of the witches

who wish I'd hurry up and die

But, I'm immortal now, baby dolls

I couldn't if I tried ...

So I say

"Thank you for the lovely bouquet

I'm married to the hustle

And now I know the life of a showgirl, babe

And I'll never know another

Pain hidden by the lipstick and lace

Sequins are forever and now I know the life of a showgirl, babe

Wouldn't have it any other way"

Thank you for the lovely bouquet

Wouldn't have it any other way

Thank you for the lovely bouquet

Hey Kitty

Now I make my money being pretty and witty

Thank you for the lovely bouquet

Thank you for an unforgettable night

We will see you next time

Give it up for the band

And the dancers

And of course, Sabrina

I love you, Taylor!

That's our show

We love you so much

Goodnight!

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
showgirl /ˈʃoʊ.gɜːrl/ B2	noun - a female performer who dances or sings in a theatrical show, often wearing elaborate costumes
bouquet /buˈkeɪ/ B2	noun - an arrangement of flowers, especially a bunch that is given as a gift
stage /steɪdʒ/ A2	noun - the platform where performers act or sing
dream /driːm/ A1	noun - a series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep or an aspiration
money /ˈmʌni/ A1	noun - currency used for buying goods and services
garters /ˈɡɑːrtərz/ B1	noun - elastic bands worn around the leg to hold up stockings
fishnets /ˈfɪʃ.nɛt/ B2	noun - a mesh fabric, usually made of nylon, used for stockings or lingerie
kismet /kɪzˈmɛt/ C1	noun - destiny; the predetermined or inevitable course of events
immortal /ɪˈmɔːrtəl/ C1	adjective - living forever; never dying
hustle /ˈhʌsəl/ B2	verb - to work energetically and aggressively to achieve a goal, especially in business noun - busy activity or a scam involving deception
missteps /ˈmɪsˌstɛps/ B2	noun - mistakes or errors, especially in judgment or conduct
pearls /pɜːrlz/ B1	noun - smooth, round, lustrous gems formed within the shells of certain mollusks
wisdom /ˈwɪzdəm/ B2	noun - the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment
lipstick /ˈlɪp.stɪk/ B1	noun - a colored cosmetic product applied to the lips
sequins /ˈsiː.kwɪnz/ B2	noun - small, shiny discs used as decoration on clothing

Key Grammar Structures

• They gave her the keys to this city

  ➔ Past Simple Tense, Indirect Object

  ➔ The sentence uses the Past Simple to describe a completed action. 'Her' is the indirect object, receiving the 'keys' (direct object). The structure is Subject-Verb-Indirect Object-Direct Object.

• You're sweeter than a peach

  ➔ Comparative Adjective

  ➔ This sentence uses the comparative form of the adjective 'sweet' ('sweeter') to compare the person being addressed to a peach. The structure is 'Subject + Verb to be + comparative adjective + than + noun'.

• Wait, the more you play the more that you pay

  ➔ Correlative Conjunctions (the...the), Present Simple (general truth)

  ➔ This line uses the correlative conjunction 'the...the' to express a proportional relationship. The Present Simple indicates a general truth or a habitual action. 'Play' and 'pay' are used in a metaphorical sense.

• She said, "I'd sell my soul to have a taste of a magnificent life, that's all mine."

  ➔ Reported Speech, Conditional Sentence (Second Conditional)

  ➔ This is reported speech, conveying what 'she' said. 'I'd sell my soul' is a second conditional ('I would sell' + infinitive) expressing an unreal or hypothetical situation. 'That's all mine' emphasizes possession.

• I couldn't if I tried...

  ➔ Modal Verb (couldn't), Infinitive

  ➔ 'Couldn't' is the negative form of 'could', expressing inability. The ellipsis (...) suggests an implied action or state that is impossible even with effort.