TN – English Lyrics

• By: Morgan Wallen

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a powerful way to connect with its culture, and Morgan Wallen's 'TN' offers a heartfelt introduction to the dialect and identity of Tennessee. The song is filled with authentic local references that provide a window into Southern American life and slang. What makes this song special is its emotional honesty, blending pride of place with the universal pain of heartbreak, making it a relatable and memorable way to experience the stories and sounds of modern country music.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
liquor /ˈlɪkər/ B1	noun - an alcoholic drink, especially distilled spirits
truck /trʌk/ A1	noun - a large motor vehicle for transporting goods
buck /bʌk/ B1	noun - a male deer; also a slang term for a dollar
tag /tæɡ/ A1	noun - a label attached to something for identification
dust /dʌst/ A1	noun - fine dry particles of matter
breath /brɛθ/ A2	noun - the air taken into or expelled from the lungs verb - to take a breath; to inhale or exhale
JD /ˌdʒeɪ ˈdiː/ C1	noun - Jack Daniel's, a brand of Tennessee whiskey
Dixie /ˈdɪksi/ B2	noun - the Southern United States, especially the states that formed the Confederacy
UT /juː ˈtiː/ B2	noun - abbreviation for the University of Tennessee
Smoky /ˈsmoʊki/ B2	adjective - filled with or resembling smoke; used in the name “Smoky Mountains”
Mountain /ˈmaʊntən/ A2	noun - a large natural elevation of the earth's surface
Rocky /ˈrɒki/ B2	adjective - covered with or consisting of rocks; also the name of a famous mountain song “Rocky Top”
dollar /ˈdɒlər/ A2	noun - the basic unit of currency in the United States
Nashville /ˈnæʃvɪl/ B2	noun - the capital city of Tennessee, known as “Music City”
moonshine /ˈmuːnʃaɪn/ B2	noun - illegally produced distilled alcohol, especially in the rural United States
I-40 /aɪ ˈfɔːrti/ C1	noun - Interstate 40, a major east‑west highway that runs through Tennessee
keep /kiːp/ A2	verb - to retain or continue to have
bet /bɛt/ B1	verb - to risk a sum of money on an uncertain outcome

Key Grammar Structures

• It's the liquor in my cup

  ➔ Present simple (contraction of "it is")

  ➔ The verb "is" is contracted to ""It's"" to state a fact.

• When I take my last breath, it's the dirt that they gonna bury me in

  ➔ Future intention with "going to" (colloquial "gonna")

  ➔ "they ""gonna"" bury me" means "they are going to bury me".

• But I'd bet my last Rocky Top dollar that she's in CO or CA or back home in GA

  ➔ Conditional modal "would" + infinitive

  ➔ "I'd" is a contraction of "I would"; it expresses a hypothetical action.

• Now the one thing I's needin' is the only damn thing I couldn't keep in

  ➔ Past modal "couldn't" for inability

  ➔ "couldn't" means "was not able to"; it shows lack of ability in the past.

• There ain't enough sad songs down in Nashville

  ➔ Existential "there is/are" with negative colloquial "ain't"

  ➔ "There ain't" is informal for "There aren't"; it denies the existence of enough songs.

• She took that night when I couldn't talk her outta leavin'

  ➔ Modal "could" in past negative + phrasal verb "talk someone out of"

  ➔ "couldn't talk her outta leavin'" means "was not able to persuade her not to leave".

• It's the number she ain't gonna pick up

  ➔ Future negative "going to" with colloquial "ain't"

  ➔ "ain't gonna pick up" = "is not going to pick up"; it predicts a future refusal.

• I woulda gone with her but I couldn't give up

  ➔ Perfect conditional "would have" (colloquial "woulda")

  ➔ "woulda gone" is the informal contraction of "would have gone"; it expresses an unreal past action.