Tough Luck – English Lyrics

• By: Laufey, Spencer Stewart

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the empowering story of 'Tough Luck' and learn English through its sharp and direct lyrics. This song is a masterclass in expressing strong emotions with poetic grace, making it a unique and compelling way to expand your vocabulary and understanding of nuanced expression in English.

[English]

Are you tired? I can tell that you're tired

Your eyes turn gray, you beg me to be silent

You said I can't read your mind

But I'm reading it just fine

You think you're so misunderstood

The black cat of your neighborhood

Tough luck, my boy, your time is up

I'll break it first, I've had enough

Of waiting 'til you lie and cheat

Just like you did to the actress before me

Oops, she doesn't even know

You won't be missed, I'm glad to see you go

Tough luck, tough luck

Since we're spilling secrets

Does your mother even know? (Mother even know)

You demoralized, effaced me just to feed your frail ego (oh)

When you're screaming at the TV

Cussing out opposing football teams

You said I'd never understand the things that make a man a man

Tough luck, my boy, your time is up

I'll break it first, I've had enough

Of waiting 'til you lie and cheat

Just like you did to the actress before me

Oops, she doesn't even know

You won't be missed, I'm glad to see you

I should congratulate thee for so nearly convincing me

I'm not quite as smart as I seem

That I'm a loudmouthed nobody

My accent and music are dumb

Your tattoos are no better, hun

The proof says you're tragic as fuck

The truth is that's just tough, tough luck (tough luck)

Tough, tough luck (tough luck)

Tough, tough luck (tough, tough luck)

...

(Tough, tough luck)

Tough luck, my boy, your time is up

I'll break it first, I've had enough

Of waiting 'til you lie and cheat

Just like you did to the actress before me

Oops, she doesn't even know

You won't be missed, I'm glad to see you go

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
tired /ˈtaɪərd/ A2	adjective - feeling a need to rest or sleep
mind /maɪnd/ B1	noun - the part of a person that thinks, feels, and knows
break /breɪk/ A2	verb - to separate into pieces verb - to end a relationship
wait /weɪt/ A2	verb - to remain inactive in expectation
lie /laɪ/ B1	verb - to intentionally tell an untruth
cheat /tʃiːt/ B1	verb - to act dishonestly or unfairly
miss /mɪs/ A2	verb - to feel sadness because of the absence of someone or something
secrets /ˈsiːkrəts/ B1	noun - things that are kept hidden or unknown
mother /ˈmʌðər/ A1	noun - a female parent
ego /ˈiːɡoʊ/ C1	noun - a person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance
scream /skriːm/ B1	verb - to give a loud, piercing cry
understand /ˌʌndərˈstænd/ B1	verb - to perceive the intended meaning of words, language, or a speaker
man /mæn/ A1	noun - an adult male human
congratulate /kənˈɡrætʃuleɪt/ B2	verb - to express pleasure to someone about their achievement or success
smart /smɑːrt/ B1	adjective - having or showing a quick-witted intelligence
accent /ˈæksənt/ B1	noun - a distinctive way of pronouncing a language
tragic /ˈtrædʒɪk/ C1	adjective - causing or involving great suffering and distress
truth /truːθ/ B1	noun - the quality or state of being true

Key Grammar Structures

• You said I can't read your mind / But I'm reading it just fine

  ➔ Modal verb + infinitive, Present Continuous

  ➔ The use of 'can't' expresses inability. 'Reading it just fine' uses the present continuous to emphasize an ongoing action and a sense of certainty. The contrast highlights the speaker's perception.

• Tough luck, my boy, your time is up

  ➔ Vocative, Simple Present

  ➔ "My boy" is a vocative, directly addressing the subject. 'Your time is up' uses the simple present to state a fact or a definitive conclusion.

• I'll break it first, I've had enough

  ➔ Future Simple, Present Perfect

  ➔ "I'll break it first" expresses a future intention. "I've had enough" uses the present perfect to indicate an experience that has led to a current state of feeling.

• Just like you did to the actress before me

  ➔ Past Simple, Prepositional Phrase

  ➔ "Did" is the past simple of 'do', indicating a completed action in the past. 'Before me' is a prepositional phrase modifying 'actress'.

• You demoralized, effaced me just to feed your frail ego

  ➔ Past Simple (implied subject 'you'), Infinitive of Purpose

  ➔ The verbs 'demoralized' and 'effaced' are in the past simple, describing completed actions. 'To feed your frail ego' is an infinitive phrase expressing the purpose of those actions.