Thumbtack – English Lyrics

• By: Blondshell
• Album: If You Asked For A Picture

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Somewhere in the [00:09.160] village you're a [00:09.760] star

Something's feeling [00:16.960] different

I'll pretend I [00:21.410] don't remember

What it's like when [00:25.640] you're around

Why I asked you [00:29.090] to get out

Of California [00:32.770] and you did

You're a thumbtack in [00:36.100] my side

A dog bite

You distract

From what's worse so [00:45.910] I will let you

Keep a ball chain [00:50.160] on my leg

Keep fucking with [00:53.850] my head

'Cause it's not as [00:57.330] bad as what I [00:58.460] do to myself

Somewhere in the [01:10.160] village at a [01:10.940] bar

You lie about the [01:14.280] business

To someone who [01:17.080] won't remember

What it's like when [01:20.060] you're around

Is why I asked you [01:24.110] to get out

Of my apartment

And you left

You're a thumbtack in [01:31.380] my side

A dog bite

You distract

From what's worse so [01:40.280] I will let you

Keep a ball chain [01:44.610] on my leg

Keep fucking with [01:48.350] my head

'Cause it's not as [01:51.470] bad as what I [01:52.870] do to myself

"Laura" by Bat For [01:57.300] Lashes played on the [01:58.630] comedown

When you get drunk [02:02.650] you get nice

So I will be your [02:06.390] shadow

Take me to hell [02:09.320] and then

Keep me out of [02:12.150] my own mind

'Cause letting you [02:16.210] in my head

Is easier than [02:19.750] my obsession

You're not even a [02:24.390] good friend

But I'll let you act [02:27.800] like that's the [02:28.870] problem

A thumbtack in my [02:32.780] side

A dog bite

You distract

From what's worse so [02:41.270] I will let you

Keep a ball chain [02:45.320] on my leg

Keep fucking with [02:48.890] my head

'Cause it's not as [02:52.140] bad as what I [02:53.460] do to myself

Ah-ah

Ah-ah

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
thumbtack /ˈθʌm.tæk/ A2	noun - a small pin with a flat, broad head, used for fastening papers to a surface
distract /dɪˈstrækt/ A2	verb - to divert attention from something
fucking /ˈfʌkɪŋ/ B1	adjective - an offensive term used for emphasis or to express anger
obsession /əbˈseʃən/ B1	noun - an idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person's mind
comedown /ˈkɒm.daʊn/ B2	noun - a decline or deterioration from a previous state, especially after a period of excitement or success
shadow /ˈʃæd.oʊ/ A1	noun - a dark area or shape produced by an object blocking light
hell /hɛl/ A1	noun - a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife, according to some religions
nice /naɪs/ A1	adjective - pleasant, kind, or attractive
drunk /drʌŋk/ A1	adjective - intoxicated by alcohol
apart /əˈpɑːrt/ A2	adverb - separated by a distance
business /ˈbɪznəs/ A1	noun - a person's work or occupation
lie /laɪ/ A1	verb - to say something that is not true
remember /rɪˈmɛmbər/ A1	verb - to have or keep an image or idea in one's mind
worse /wɜːrs/ A1	adjective - of poorer quality or lower standard
head /hɛd/ A1	noun - the upper part of the human body

Key Grammar Structures

• Somewhere in the village you're a star

  ➔ Present Simple (to be)

  ➔ The line uses the present simple “you **'re** a star” to describe a current state.

• I'll pretend I don't remember

  ➔ Future Simple with 'will' + bare infinitive; Negation with 'don't'

  ➔ “I **'ll** pretend” uses the future simple ‘will’ + verb; “don’t” is the negative form of “do not”.

• Why I asked you to get out

  ➔ Embedded (indirect) question

  ➔ The clause “Why **I asked** you to get out” is an embedded question; it does not end with a question mark.

• You're a thumbtack in my side

  ➔ Predicative noun phrase (metaphor)

  ➔ The noun phrase “a **thumbtack** in my side” functions as a predicative complement after the verb “be”.

• It's not as bad as what I do to myself

  ➔ Comparative structure ‘not as … as’

  ➔ The phrase “not **as** bad **as** what I do to myself” uses the comparative “not as … as” to compare two situations.

• When you get drunk you get nice

  ➔ Zero conditional (present + present)

  ➔ The clause “When you **get** drunk you **get** nice” expresses a general truth using the zero conditional.

• Take me to hell and then keep me out of my own mind

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ Both “**Take** me to hell” and “**keep** me out of my own mind” are commands, using the base form of the verb.

• Let you act like that's the problem

  ➔ Causative verb ‘let’ + bare infinitive

  ➔ In “**Let** you **act** like that's the problem”, “let” is a causative verb followed by the bare infinitive “act”.

• You're not even a good friend

  ➔ Emphatic ‘even’ with negative statement

  ➔ The adverb “**even**” adds emphasis: “You’re **not even** a good friend”.