The Life of a Showgirl – English Lyrics

• By: Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter
• Album: The Life of a Showgirl

Lyrics & Translation

Immerse yourself in the world of showbiz with Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter's duet, "The Life of a Showgirl." This final track of Swift's album offers more than just catchy melodies; through the metaphor of a seasoned showgirl named Kitty, you can learn about the demanding realities and sacrifices hidden behind the glitz and glamour of superstardom, making this song a poignant lesson in resilience and earned success.

[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 bitches

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 /ˈʃoʊɡɜːrl/ B2	noun - a woman who performs in a show, often in theatrical or musical entertainment
bouquet /boʊˈkeɪ/ B1	noun - a bunch of flowers arranged in an attractive way
pretty /ˈprɪti/ A1	adjective - attractive in appearance
witty /ˈwɪti/ B1	adjective - clever and humorous, showing quick thinking
money /ˈmʌni/ A1	noun - a system of coins and notes used for buying and selling things
dream /driːm/ A1	noun - a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep
peach /piːtʃ/ A2	noun - a juicy fruit with a fuzzy skin and a large stone
kitten /ˈkɪtn/ A2	noun - a young cat
menace /ˈmɛnəs/ B2	noun - a person or thing that is likely to cause harm
magnificent /mæɡˈnɪfɪsənt/ B1	adjective - impressive in appearance or achievements
hustle /ˈhʌsl/ B2	noun - hard work and determination, especially to get things done
pain /peɪn/ A1	noun - physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury
lipstick /ˈlɪpstɪk/ B1	noun - a cosmetic product applied to the lips to color them
lace /leɪs/ B1	noun - a delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an open, woven pattern
sequins /ˈsiːkwɪnz/ B2	noun - small shiny disks sewn onto clothing for decoration
immortal /ɪˈmɔːrtl/ B2	adjective - living or lasting forever
kismet /ˈkɪzmet/ C1	noun - destiny or fate

Key Grammar Structures

• They gave her the keys to this city

  ➔ Simple Past Tense

  ➔ Uses the simple past tense to describe a completed action in the past: "gave".

• Then they said she didn't do it legitly

  ➔ Past Simple Negative

  ➔ Uses the negative form of the past simple to indicate an action that did not occur in the past: "didn't do".

• Looking back I guess it was kismet

  ➔ Past Simple of 'to be' (was)

  ➔ Uses the past simple of 'to be' ("was") to describe a state or condition in the past.

• You're sweeter than a peach

  ➔ Comparative Adjective

  ➔ Uses a comparative adjective ("sweeter") to compare the degree of sweetness.

• You're never, ever gonna

  ➔ Future Tense (informal)

  ➔ Uses "gonna" which is a colloquial shortening of "going to" to express future intentions or predictions.

• The more you play the more that you pay

  ➔ Double Comparative

  ➔ This structure shows that as one quantity increases, so does another. "The more... the more..."

• Her father whored around like all men did

  ➔ Simile with "like" and past simple 'did' as a substitute verb

  ➔ The phrase compares the father's behavior to 'all men'. 'Did' is used as a substitute for the verb 'whored around' to avoid repetition. The simile clarifies and amplifies the father's actions.

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

  ➔ Conditional sentence type 2 (unreal/hypothetical) using 'would' in the main clause.

  ➔ 'I'd sell' expresses a hypothetical situation. The use of 'would' (shortened to 'd) indicates something that is unlikely or contrary to fact.

• Pain hidden by the lipstick and lace

  ➔ Past participle as adjective

  ➔ The word "hidden" is a past participle acting as an adjective. It describes the kind of pain.