Pretty Little Poison – English Lyrics

• By: Warren Zeiders

Lyrics & Translation

“Pretty Little Poison” by Warren Zeiders is a compelling country power ballad that offers a deep dive into the emotional complexities of a toxic attraction. Its straightforward yet evocative lyrics, coupled with Warren Zeiders' raw vocal delivery, provide an excellent opportunity for English language learners to grasp everyday emotional vocabulary and idiomatic expressions related to love, temptation, and regret. The song's relatable theme of being drawn to something harmful, despite knowing the consequences, resonates broadly and makes the lyrics particularly memorable for language acquisition.

[English]

Every night around about this time

It's like she knows I'm lonely

Rolls up when the wine is gone like a record on repeat

Leanin' on old memories

And talkin' 'bout what used to be

She'll probably be the death of me

But, damn, if it ain't sweet

She's my pretty little poison

My heartache in the night

With a kiss on her lips just like cyanide

Yeah, she came with a warning

But I didn't mind

I'll go out on that high every time

She's my pretty little poison

My pretty little poison

Shadows dancin' down the hall

Whispers that she wants me

Try my best not to fall when she falls into me

We all need some kinda fix

For me, she's the one I pick

Nothin' else will do the trick

She's all I need

She's my pretty little poison

My heartache in the night

With a kiss on her lips just like cyanide

Yeah, she came with a warning

But I didn't mind

I'll go out on that high every time

She's my pretty little poison

My pretty little poison

For some, I guess, it's alcohol

I don't want none at all

I just want you

No, I just want you

My pretty little poison

My heartache in the night

With a kiss on her lips just like cyanide

Yeah, she came with a warning

But I didn't mind

I'll go out on that high every time

She's my pretty little poison

My pretty little poison

She's my pretty little poison

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
pretty /ˈprɪti/ A2	adjective - attractive in a delicate way without being truly beautiful
little /ˈlɪtl/ A1	adjective - small in size
poison /ˈpɔɪzən/ B1	noun - a substance that causes death or injury when swallowed, inhaled, or absorbed verb - to kill or harm with poison
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period from sunset to sunrise
heartache /ˈhɑːrteɪk/ B2	noun - emotional anguish or grief, typically caused by the loss of love or a loved one
kiss /kɪs/ A1	noun - an act of touching with the lips as a sign of love, affection, or greeting verb - to touch with the lips as a sign of love, affection, or greeting
lips /lɪps/ A1	noun - either of the two fleshy parts forming the edge of the mouth
cyanide /ˈsaɪənaɪd/ C1	noun - a highly poisonous salt or ester of hydrocyanic acid
warning /ˈwɔːrnɪŋ/ B1	noun - a statement or event that indicates a potential or imminent danger, problem, or other unpleasant situation
mind /maɪnd/ A2	verb - to be annoyed or worried by something noun - the element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences, to think, and to feel
high /haɪ/ A2	adjective - of great vertical extent noun - an exhilarating or euphoric effect produced by or as if by a drug
shadows /ˈʃædoʊz/ B1	noun - a dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface
fall /fɔːl/ A1	verb - to move downward, typically rapidly and freely, without control noun - the season after summer and before winter
need /niːd/ A1	verb - require (something) because it is essential or very important
trick /trɪk/ B1	noun - a cunning act or plan designed to deceive or cheat someone verb - to deceive or cheat someone
alcohol /ˈælkəhɔːl/ B1	noun - a colorless volatile flammable liquid produced by the natural fermentation of sugars

Key Grammar Structures

• It's like she knows I'm lonely

  ➔ Subjunctive mood with 'like'

  ➔ While not a *true* subjunctive, 'like' here expresses a resemblance to something unreal or hypothetical. It implies a feeling rather than a fact. A more formal alternative could be 'as if' (It's *as if* she knows I'm lonely), which would require the subjunctive.

• Leanin' on old memories

  ➔ Ellipsis (omission of 'I am')

  ➔ The complete sentence is 'I am *leanin'* on old memories.' The subject and auxiliary verb are omitted for a more informal, conversational tone. This is common in song lyrics.

• She'll probably be the death of me

  ➔ Future tense with 'will' (contracted to 'll') indicating probability

  ➔ 'She'll' is a contraction of 'she will'. 'Will' here expresses a strong likelihood or expectation, but not a certainty. The speaker is predicting a likely outcome based on the situation.

• But, damn, if it ain't sweet

  ➔ Informal negation and 'if' clause expressing a strong feeling, double negative (ain't) for emphasis

  ➔ 'Ain't' is a non-standard contraction for 'is not', 'are not', 'am not', 'has not', or 'have not'. The phrase structure emphasizes the speaker's conflicted feelings. The 'if' clause here suggests even though something is bad, there is still something attractive about it.

• With a kiss on her lips just like cyanide

  ➔ Simile using 'like' to compare the kiss to cyanide.

  ➔ This is a powerful simile. 'Like' introduces the comparison, suggesting the kiss is dangerous and potentially deadly, similar to cyanide.

• I'll go out on that high every time

  ➔ Future tense ('I'll') expressing willingness and repetition ('every time')

  ➔ 'I'll' is a contraction of 'I will', showing a future action that the speaker is determined to repeat. 'Every time' reinforces this commitment to repeated action.

• Nothin' else will do the trick

  ➔ Double negative (nothin' and will) for emphasis, informal vocabulary (nothin')

  ➔ 'Nothin'' is a non-standard form of 'nothing'. The double negative reinforces the idea that nothing else can satisfy the speaker's need except for the subject of the song.