Wrecking Ball – English Lyrics

• By: Miley Cyrus
• Album: Bangerz

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the raw emotion and powerful vocals of Miley Cyrus in 'Wrecking Ball,' a defining pop anthem of heartbreak and vulnerability. Discover the story behind the song's creation, its controversial music video, and the impact it had on Cyrus's career, while learning about the universal themes of love and loss expressed through its poignant lyrics.

[English]

We clawed, we chained our hearts in vain

We jumped, never asking why

We kissed, I fell under your spell

A love no one could deny

Don't you ever say I just walked away

I will always want you

I can't live a lie, running for my life

I will always want you

I came in like a wrecking ball

I never hit so hard in love

All I wanted was to break your walls

All you ever did was wreck me

Yeah, you, you wreck me

I put you high up in the sky

And now, you're not coming down

It slowly turned, you let me burn

And now, we're ashes on the ground

Don't you ever say I just walked away

I will always want you

I can't live a lie, running for my life

I will always want you

I came in like a wrecking ball

I never hit so hard in love

All I wanted was to break your walls

All you ever did was wreck me

I came in like a wrecking ball

Yeah, I just closed my eyes and swung

Left me crashing in a blazin' fall

All you ever did was wreck me

Yeah, you, you wreck me

I never meant to start a war

I just wanted you to let me in

And instead of using force

I guess I should've let you in

I never meant to start a war

I just wanted you to let me in

I guess I should've let you in

Don't you ever say I just walked away

I will always want you

I came in like a wrecking ball

I never hit so hard in love

All I wanted was to break your walls

All you ever did was wreck me

I came in like a wrecking ball

Yeah, I just closed my eyes and swung

Left me crashing in a blazin' fall

All you ever did was wreck me

Yeah, you, you wreck me

Yeah, you, you wreck me

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
hearts /hɑːrts/ A1	noun - organ pumping blood
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection verb - to feel deep affection for someone
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter
wrecking /ˈrekɪŋ/ B2	verb - to destroy or severely damage
ball /bɔːl/ A1	noun - a round object
walls /wɔːlz/ A1	noun - a vertical structure that encloses or divides an area
sky /skaɪ/ A1	noun - the region of the atmosphere and outer space seen from the earth
ashes /ˈæʃɪz/ B2	noun - the powdery residue left after the burning of a substance
ground /ɡraʊnd/ A1	noun - the solid surface of the earth
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - organs of vision
war /wɔːr/ B1	noun - a state of armed conflict between different nations or groups
force /fɔːrs/ B1	noun - strength or energy as an attribute of physical action or movement
vain /veɪn/ B2	adjective - producing no result; useless
spell /spel/ B2	noun - a form of words used as a magical charm or incantation
blazin /ˈbleɪzɪn/ B2	adjective - burning fiercely or brightly

Key Grammar Structures

• We clawed, we chained our hearts in vain

  ➔ Past Simple Tense (clawed, chained)

  ➔ The use of the past simple indicates completed actions in the past. "clawed" and "chained" describe actions that were finished.

• Don't you ever say I just walked away

  ➔ Imperative (Don't) + Emphasis (ever)

  ➔ "Don't" is an imperative giving a command, and "ever" intensifies the command, making it stronger. It emphasizes that the speaker never wants to hear that accusation.

• I can't live a lie, running for my life

  ➔ Modal Verb (can't) + Gerund (running)

  ➔ "can't" expresses inability or impossibility. "running" is a gerund, a verb acting as a noun, describing the act of running.

• I came in like a wrecking ball

  ➔ Simile (like)

  ➔ "like" is used to make a comparison between the speaker's entrance and a wrecking ball. It shows the force and destructive nature of her arrival.

• All I wanted was to break your walls

  ➔ Past Tense (wanted) + Infinitive (to break)

  ➔ "wanted" is in the past tense, indicating a desire in the past. "to break" is an infinitive used as a noun complement, specifying what the speaker wanted.

• And now, you're not coming down

  ➔ Present Continuous (you're not coming)

  ➔ The present continuous emphasizes that the action is ongoing and probably temporary. It implies a current state or situation.

• Left me crashing in a blazin' fall

  ➔ Past Participle as Adjective (Left) + Present Participle as Adjective (blazin')

  ➔ "Left" describes the state the speaker was put in. "blazin'" (blazing) describes the type of fall. Participles adding details to the noun.

• I guess I should've let you in

  ➔ Modal Verb (should) + Perfect Infinitive (have let)

  ➔ "should have + past participle" expresses regret about something that did not happen in the past. It suggests the speaker believes it would have been better to let the other person in.