Who Is It – English Lyrics

• By: Michael Jackson
• Album: Dangerous

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music can be an incredibly rewarding experience, and Michael Jackson's 'Who Is It' offers a powerful entry point into the nuances of English expression. The song's lyrics provide a rich vocabulary for emotions like heartbreak, betrayal, and desperation, all delivered with Jackson's signature vocal passion. What makes this song special for learners is its clear narrative and the raw, direct questions posed in the chorus, making it easier to grasp the context and emotional weight of the words. By exploring 'Who Is It,' you can not only expand your vocabulary but also gain a deeper understanding of how tone and performance can convey meaning in English.

[English]

I gave her money

I gave her time

I gave her everything

Inside one heart could find

I gave her passion

My very soul

I gave her promises

And secrets so untold

And she promised me forever

And a day we'd live as one

We made our vows

We'd live a life anew

And she promised me in secret

That she'd love me for all time

It's a promise so untrue

Tell me what will i do?

And it doesn't seem to matter

And it doesn't seem right

'Cause the will has brought

No fortune

Still i cry alone at night

Don't you judge of my composure

'Cause i'm lying to myself

And the reason why she left me

Did she find in someone else?

(Who is it?)

It is a friend of mine

(Who is it?)

Is it my brother!

(Who is it?)

Somebody hurt my soul, now

(Who is it?)

I can't take this stuff no more

I am the damned

I am the dead

I am the agony inside

The dying head

This is injustice

Woe unto thee

I pray this punishment

Would have mercy on me

And she promised me forever

That we'd live our life as one

We made our vows

We'd live a love so true

It seems that she has left me

For such reasons unexplained

I need to find the truth

But see what will i do!

And it doesn't seem to matter

And it doesn't seem right

'Cause the will has brought

No fortune

Still i cry alone at night

Don't you judge of my composure

'Cause i'm bothered everyday

And she didn't leave a letter

She just up and ran away

(Who is it?)

It is a friend of mine

(Who is it?)

Is it my brother?

(Who is it?)

Somebody hurt my soul, now

(Who is it?)

I can't take it 'cause i'm lonely

...

(Who is it?)

It is friend of mine

(Who is it?)

To me i'm bothered

(Who is it?)

Somebody hurt my soul, now

(Who is it?)

I can't take it 'cause i'm lonely

And it doesn't seem to matter

And it doesn't seen right

'Cause the will has brought

No fortune

Still i cry alone at night

Don't you judge of my composure

'Cause i'm lying to myself

And the reason why she left me

Did she find someone else?

And it doesn't seem to matter

And it doesn't seem right

'Cause the will has brought

No fortune

Still i cry alone at night

Don't you judge of my composure

'Cause i'm bothered everyday

And she didn't leave a letter

She just up and ran away

And it doesn't seem to matter

And it doesn't seem right

'Cause the will has brought

No fortune

Still i cry alone at night

Don't you judge of my composure

'Cause i'm lying to myself

And the reason why she left me

Did she find someone else?

And it doesn't seem to matter

And it doesn't seem right

'Cause the will has brought

No fortune

Still i cry alone at night

Don't you judge of my composure

'Cause i'm bothered everyday

And she didn't leave a letter

She just up and ran away

And it doesn't seem to matter

And it doesn't seem right

'Cause the will has brought

No fortune

Still i cry alone at night

Don't you judge of my composure

'Cause i'm bothered everyday

And she didn't leave a letter

She just up and ran away

And it doesn't seem to matter

And it doesn't seem right

'Cause the will has brought

No fortune

Still i cry alone at night

Don't you judge of my composure

'Cause i'm lying to myself

And the reason why she left me

Did she find someone else?

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
passion /ˈpæʃ.ən/ B2
promise /ˈprɒm.ɪs/ or /ˈprɑː.mɪs/ B2
secrets /ˈsiː.krəts/ B2
forgive /fərˈɡɪv/ B2
betray /bɪˈtreɪ/ C1
lonely /ˈloʊnli/ A2
cry /kraɪ/ A2
judge /dʒʌdʒ/ B2
mercy /ˈmɜːr.si/ C1
name /neɪm/ A1
love /lʌv/ A1
find /faɪnd/ A2
heart /hɑːrt/ A2
live /lɪv/ or /laɪv/ B1

Key Grammar Structures

• And she promised me forever

  ➔ Simple past tense with 'promised'

  ➔ The phrase indicates a completed action in the past with an implication of a promise made.

• Tell me what will I do?

  ➔ Future simple tense with 'will' + base verb

  ➔ Expresses a question about what the speaker plans or intends to do in the future.

• I am bothered every day

  ➔ Present tense 'am' + past participle 'bothered'

  ➔ Indicates a current ongoing feeling or state of being annoyed or troubled.

• She just up and ran away

  ➔ Prepositional phrase 'up and' indicating suddenness or abruptness

  ➔ The phrase emphasizes the sudden and unanticipated action of running away without warning.

• And she didn't leave a letter

  ➔ Negative past tense with 'didn't' + base verb

  ➔ Expresses that in the past she did not leave a letter, indicating an action that was not performed.

• Still I cry alone at night

  ➔ Adverb 'still' + simple present tense 'cry'

  ➔ The adverb 'still' emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action, indicating that the crying continues despite other circumstances.

• And she promised me in secret

  ➔ Preposition 'in' + noun 'secret' indicating the manner of promise

  ➔ The phrase indicates that the promise was made privately or confidentially, emphasizing secrecy.