You First – English Lyrics

• By: Paramore
• Album: This Is Why

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Paramore's "You First" to explore a song rich with emotional depth and relatable themes of self-preservation and the complexities of human nature. Its energetic sound and poignant lyrics offer an authentic glimpse into modern rock vocabulary and expression, making it a powerful track for language learners to connect with contemporary English through music.

[English]

Living well is not my kind of revenge

You should take it from me

Living well is just a privilege

Thought I'd simmer down as I got older

Can't shake the devil sitting on my shoulder

Who invited you?

Just like a stray animal, I keep feeding scraps

I give it my energy and it keeps on coming back

Just like a stray animal, I keep feeding scraps

I give it my energy and it keeps on coming

Everyone is a bad guy

And there's no way, no way to know

Who's the worst

Karma's gonna come for all of us

And I hope, well, I hope, I just hope

She comes, comes for you first, oh

Which wolf wins?

I guess it really depends, just gotta wait and see

Which one's appetite's the biggest?

Turns out I'm living in a horror film

Where I'm both the killer and the final girl

So who, who are you?

Just like a stray animal, I keep feeding scraps

I give it my energy and it keeps on coming back

Just like a stray animal, I keep feeding scraps

I give it my energy and it keeps on coming

Everyone is a bad guy

And there's no way, no way to know

Who's the worst

'Cause karma's gonna come for all of us

And I hope, well, I hope, I just hope

She comes, comes for you first, oh

...

Never said I wasn't petty

Never said I wasn't petty

I never said I wasn't petty

You can bet I don't regret it for a second

It's a pleasure, it's a reckoning

Never said I wasn't petty

I'll do better when you're better

Let me revel in your defeat

Everyone is a bad guy

And there's no way, no way to know

Who's the worst

Karma's gonna come for all of us

And I hope, well, I hope, I just hope

She comes, comes for you first, oh

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
revenge /rɪˈvɛndʒ/ B2	noun - the act of retaliating against someone for a wrong
privilege /ˈprɪvlɪdʒ/ C1	noun - a special right or advantage granted to a particular person or group
simmer /ˈsɪmər/ C1	verb - to cook something slowly at a low temperature; figuratively, to stay calm but active beneath the surface
devil /ˈdɛvəl/ A2	noun - an evil spirit or a person who is wicked
shoulder /ˈʃoʊldər/ A2	noun - the part of the body between the neck and the arm
stray /streɪ/ B1	adjective - lost or wandering, not owned or cared for
animal /ˈænɪməl/ A2	noun - a living organism that is not a plant, typically capable of moving and sensing
scraps /skræps/ B1	noun - small pieces or fragments, especially of food
energy /ˈɛnɚdʒi/ B1	noun - the capacity for vigorous activity; power
karma /ˈkɑːrmə/ C1	noun - the concept that a person's actions determine their future fate
appetite /ˈæpətˌaɪt/ B2	noun - a natural desire to satisfy a bodily need, especially for food
horror /ˈhɔːrɚ/ B1	noun - an intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust
killer /ˈkɪlər/ B1	noun - a person who kills; something that is extremely effective or intense
petty /ˈpɛti/ B2	adjective - of little importance; spitefully small-minded
reckoning /ˈrɛkənɪŋ/ C1	noun - the act of calculating or judging; a time when one must face the consequences of one's actions
defeat /dɪˈfit/ B2	noun - the act of being beaten or losing; a loss
worst /wɜːrst/ A2	adjective - the most undesirable or unpleasant
depends /dɪˈpɛndz/ B1	verb - to be determined by or contingent upon something else
wait /weɪt/ A1	verb - to stay in one place or remain inactive until something happens
wolf /wʊlf/ A2	noun - a wild carnivorous mammal of the dog family

Key Grammar Structures

• Living well is not my kind of revenge

  ➔ Gerund phrase as subject

  ➔ "Living well" acts as the noun/subject of the sentence.

• Thought I'd simmer down as I got older

  ➔ Ellipsis (Subject omission) and past modal

  ➔ "I" is implied before "thought"; "would" represents a future-in-the-past.

• Karma's gonna come for all of us

  ➔ Future intention (Be going to)

  ➔ "Gonna" is the colloquial form of "going to," indicating a strong prediction or certainty.

• Which one's appetite's the biggest?

  ➔ Superlative adjective

  ➔ "Biggest" is used to compare more than two things or concepts.

• Where I'm both the killer and the final girl

  ➔ Correlative conjunctions (Both... and...)

  ➔ "Both... and..." is used to emphasize that two roles coexist.

• Never said I wasn't petty

  ➔ Double negative / Litotes

  ➔ "Never" and "wasn't" create a structure that affirms the speaker's pettiness.

• I'll do better when you're better

  ➔ First conditional / Future time clause

  ➔ "When" introduces a future condition, using the present tense to refer to the future.

• Let me revel in your defeat

  ➔ Imperative structure

  ➔ "Let me" is a standard way to give a command or express a strong desire to do something.