Wintertime – English Lyrics

• By: Cordae
• Album: The Lost Boy

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Cordae's "Wintertime" to explore not just a captivating blend of introspective lyrics and smooth hip-hop production, but also a raw, honest narrative of overcoming anxiety and finding purpose. This song offers a window into contemporary American English, particularly the vocabulary and expressions used to describe personal struggles and triumphs in a relatable and poetic way. Its intricate rhymes and storytelling make it an excellent choice for language learners to appreciate lyrical depth and flow in modern rap.

[English]

Uh, okay, we all got skeletons in our closet from a shady past

Made me brag about my Mercedes, Jag

Going fast, made me crash

My ex keep fuckin' up my car with her crazy ass

Lately, sad

Reminisce the times, please take me back

Aimin' for the top, I'm on target like a Brady pass

Did a show for eighty cash, and threw it in my lady bag

That was fuckin' easy money, sniper, on my KD swag

Thought about quittin', I'm a warrior, can take the jab

Whoever said shit was easy forever lied

I mesmerize, how simple decisions can jeopardize

When Martin Luther cheated and stared in Coretta's eyes

This is lyrical exercise, told my idols to step aside

My mama said I'm buggin', no need for the pesticides

Was just waitin' tables, gave customers extra fries

Maya Angelou with accounts, I just let it rise

And hopefully my words never die

Wintertime and it's rainin'

But shit, I don't be complainin'

Summer's cold, shit is dangerous

Yeah, I can feel the changes (Uh)

Try to take a walk up in my shoes

A nigga rappin' like I really got somethin' to prove

'Cause motherfucker, I do

I climb hills, niggas was sleepin', on Nyquil

Paint a picture vivid, dawg, on everything, my life's real

Was just in college, strugglin' to get a nice meal

Made it out the gutter, then that's all because of my skills

All because the glory, nigga, let me tell my story

I am not that nigga with potential, I am not a worry

I was lost like Dory, but I'm finally found

Was addicted to the Xans to calm anxiety down

And I never would admit because society clowns

Any nigga with a problem, they can't quiet me now, nigga

Wintertime and it's rainin'

But shit, I don't be complainin'

Summer's cold, shit is dangerous

Yeah, I can feel the changes

...

Know where you come from, it's easy to tell where you going

Yeah

Just keep dreaming 'til you find out

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
crash /kræʃ/ B1	verb - to collide violently with something noun - a violent collision
sad /sæd/ A2	adjective - feeling or showing sorrow; unhappy
target /ˈtɑːrɡɪt/ B1	noun - a person or object that is deliberately chosen as the aim of attack or criticism verb - to aim an attack or criticism at
money /ˈmʌni/ A1	noun - a current medium of exchange in the form of coins and banknotes
warrior /ˈwɔːriər/ B1	noun - a brave or experienced soldier or fighter
decisions /dɪˈsɪʒənz/ B1	noun - a conclusion or resolution reached after consideration
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - organs of vision
exercise /ˈeksərsaɪz/ B1	noun - activity requiring physical effort, carried out to sustain or improve health and fitness verb - engage in physical activity to sustain or improve health and fitness.
tables /ˈteɪblz/ A1	noun - a piece of furniture with a flat top supported by legs
customers /ˈkʌstəmərz/ A2	noun - a person who buys goods or services from a shop or business
words /wɜːrdz/ A1	noun - a unit of language that has meaning and can be spoken or written
wintertime /ˈwɪntərtaɪm/ A2	noun - the season of winter
summer /ˈsʌmər/ A1	noun - the warmest season of the year
changes /ˈtʃeɪndʒɪz/ A2	noun - the act or instance of making or becoming different
shoes /ʃuːz/ A1	noun - footwear
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter
college /ˈkɑːlɪdʒ/ A2	noun - an educational institution or establishment

Key Grammar Structures

• Made me brag about my Mercedes, Jag Going fast, made me crash

  ➔ Causative 'make' + infinitive without 'to'

  ➔ The structure "made me brag" uses the causative verb "make" followed by an object pronoun ("me") and the base form of the verb ("brag") without "to". It means something/someone caused the speaker to brag.

• My ex keep fuckin' up my car with her crazy ass

  ➔ Use of 'keep' + '-ing' form to describe a repeated action

  ➔ "Keep fuckin' up" indicates that the ex-girlfriend is repeatedly damaging the car. The construction "keep + verb + -ing" indicates a continuous or repeated action.

• Reminisce the times, please take me back

  ➔ Imperative verb 'take' with an object pronoun and preposition 'back'

  ➔ "Take me back" is a phrasal verb used in an imperative sense, requesting someone or something (in this case, the past) to return the speaker to a previous state or time. 'Take' is a verb, 'me' is object pronoun and 'back' is a preposition.

• Thought about quittin', I'm a warrior, can take the jab

  ➔ Modal verb 'can' indicating ability

  ➔ "Can take the jab" indicates the speaker's ability to withstand or endure hardship. 'Can' expresses ability or possibility.

• Whoever said shit was easy forever lied

  ➔ Relative clause with 'whoever' as the subject

  ➔ "Whoever said shit was easy forever" is a relative clause acting as the subject of the sentence. "Whoever" refers to any person or people who made the statement, and that person or people lied.

• I mesmerize, how simple decisions can jeopardize

  ➔ Indirect Question with 'how'

  ➔ The phrase "how simple decisions can jeopardize" functions as an indirect question. The speaker is marveling at *the way in which* simple decisions have the ability to jeopardize things.