XO – English Lyrics

• By: Kelsea Ballerini
• Album: PATTERNS

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Kelsea Ballerini's "XO" and discover how to turn heartbreak into a powerful statement of self-worth. This song is a lesson in recognizing your value and understanding the nuances of relationships, all while enjoying Ballerini's signature country-pop sound.

[English]

You might be sitting there holding my hand

You might be acting like you're my man

While we listen to the cover band, thinking you're a rockstar

Singing my favorite song

Trying to cover up the fact that the girl from your past

Hasn't been here all along

You're still in love with your ex, oh

And I ain't one to be nobody's second best, no

Stop holding onto me when the truth is you can't let go

I think we both know

I'm looking in your eyes and I can see just what you're doing, baby

I'm the one you're losing, you can't help it

You keep choosing your ex, oh

...

Well, I might be platinum blonde, but I ain't dumb

Baby, I see you're here with me, but you ain't moved on

I'm sitting in the middle of a flame still burning

Boy, I ain't your match

You can stop all the pretending 'cause when this night's ending

You're still gonna want her back

You're still in love with your ex, oh

And I ain't one to be nobody's second best, no

Stop holding onto me when the truth is you can't let go

I think we both know

I'm looking in your eyes and I can see just what you're doing, baby

I'm the one you're losing, you can't help it

You keep choosing your ex, oh

...

You're still in love with your- (oh, oh)

You're still in love with your- (oh, yeah)

You're still in love with your ex, oh

And I ain't one to be nobody's second best, no

Stop holding onto me when the truth is you can't let go

I think we both know, yeah

I think we both know

You're still in love with your ex, oh

And I ain't one to be nobody's second best, no

Stop holding onto me when the truth is you can't let go

I think we both know

I'm looking in your eyes and I can see just what you're doing, baby

I'm the one you're losing, you can't help it

You keep choosing your ex, oh

Still in love with your-

(Looking in your eyes and I can see just what you're doing, baby)

Oh yeah

Still in love with your-

(Looking in your eyes and I can see just what you're doing, baby)

Still in love with your ex

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
ex /ɛks/ B1	noun - a person's former spouse or partner
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of deep affection verb - feel deep affection for (someone)
best /bɛst/ A1	adjective - of the most excellent or desirable type or quality noun - that which is the most excellent, outstanding, or suitable
truth /truːθ/ B1	noun - the quality or state of being true
know /noʊ/ A1	verb - have information or an understanding of
choose /tʃuːz/ A2	verb - select (someone or something) as being the best or most appropriate from a range of alternatives
lose /luːz/ A2	verb - be deprived of or cease to have or retain (something)
hold /hoʊld/ A2	verb - grasp, carry, or support with one's hands
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - the organs of sight
see /siː/ A1	verb - perceive with the eyes; discern visually
baby /ˈbeɪbi/ A1	noun - an infant or very young child noun - (as a term of endearment) darling
dumb /dʌm/ B1	adjective - temporarily speechless or unable to speak adjective - (informal) stupid
flame /fleɪm/ B1	noun - a hot glowing body of ignited gas that is generated by something on fire
burn /bɜːrn/ A2	verb - (of a fire or flame) produce heat or light
pretend /prɪˈtɛnd/ B1	verb - behave so as to make it appear that something is the case when in fact it is not
past /pæst/ A2	noun - the time or a period of time before the moment of speaking or writing adjective - gone by in time and no longer existing
rockstar /ˈrɒkstɑːr/ B1	noun - a famous and successful singer or performer of rock music
favorite /ˈfeɪvərɪt/ A2	adjective - preferred before all others of the same kind
match /mætʃ/ B1	noun - a person or thing that is equal to another in quality, strength, or suitability noun - a small thin stick made of wood or cardboard and tipped with a composition that ignites when rubbed on a rough surface
band /bænd/ A2	noun - a group of musicians who play popular music together noun - a strip of material used for fastening things or as a decoration

Key Grammar Structures

• You might be sitting there holding my hand

  ➔ modal verb 'might' + base form of verb to express possibility

  ➔ 'might' indicates that the action is possible but not certain.

• trying to cover up the fact that the girl from your past

  ➔ gerund ('trying') + infinitive ('to cover') to express an ongoing effort or purpose

  ➔ 'trying' is a gerund indicating an ongoing effort, and 'to cover' is an infinitive showing purpose.

• And I ain't one to be nobody's second best, no

  ➔ negative form of 'am not' with 'ain't' + noun phrase to express self-definition

  ➔ 'ain't' is a colloquial contraction of 'am not,' used here for emphasis in negative statements.

• I'm sitting in the middle of a flame still burning

  ➔ present continuous tense ('am sitting') + prepositional phrase ('in the middle of') + present participle ('burning')

  ➔ The present continuous ('am sitting') describes an ongoing action, and 'burning' is a present participle modifying 'flame.'

• You're still in love with your ex

  ➔ present simple tense ('are') + adverb ('still') + prepositional phrase ('in love with')

  ➔ 'are' in the present simple tense indicates a current state; 'still' emphasizes that the state persists.

• I'm the one you're losing

  ➔ contraction of 'I am' + relative pronoun ('the one') + present participle ('losing')

  ➔ 'I'm' is a contraction of 'I am.' 'The one' is a relative pronoun referring to the subject, and 'losing' is a present participle indicating the action.