willow – English Lyrics

• By: Taylor Swift
• Album: evermore

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a lyrical journey with Taylor Swift's "willow," a beautifully crafted chamber folk song rich with metaphors and evocative imagery. Through its intricate storytelling about love, desire, and resilience, you can explore poetic English expressions and learn how to convey deep emotions. The song's gentle yet powerful narrative and its connection to the "evermore" album's magical world make it a captivating listen for language learners and music enthusiasts alike.

[English]

♪ ♪

♪ I'M LIKE THE WATER WHEN YOUR SHIP ROLLED IN THAT NIGHT ♪

♪ ROUGH ON THE SURFACE BUT YOU CUT THROUGH LIKE A KNIFE ♪

♪ AND IF IT WAS AN OPEN/SHUT CASE ♪

♪ I NEVER WOULD'VE KNOWN FROM THAT LOOK ON YOUR FACE ♪

♪ LOST IN YOUR CURRENT LIKE A PRICELESS WINE ♪

♪ THE MORE THAT YOU SAY THE LESS I KNOW ♪

♪ WHEREVER YOU STRAY I FOLLOW ♪

♪ I'M BEGGING FOR YOU TO TAKE MY HAND ♪

♪ WRECK MY PLANS, THAT'S MY MAN ♪

♪ LIFE WAS A WILLOW AND IT BENT RIGHT TO YOUR WIND ♪

♪ HEAD ON THE PILLOW I COULD FEEL YOU SNEAKING IN ♪

♪ AS IF YOU WERE A MYTHICAL THING ♪

♪ LIKE YOU WERE A TROPHY OR A CHAMPION RING ♪

♪ AND THERE WAS ONE PRIZE I'D CHEAT TO WIN ♪

♪ THE MORE THAT YOU SAY THE LESS I KNOW ♪

♪ WHEREVER YOU STRAY I FOLLOW ♪

♪ I'M BEGGING FOR YOU TO TAKE MY HAND ♪

♪ WRECK MY PLANS, THAT'S MY MAN ♪

♪ YOU KNOW THAT MY TRAIN COULD TAKE YOU HOME ANYWHERE ELSE IS HOLLOW ♪

♪ I'M BEGGING FOR YOU TO TAKE MY HAND ♪

♪ WRECK MY PLANS THAT'S MY MAN ♪

♪ LIFE WAS A WILLOW AND IT BENT RIGHT TO YOUR WIND ♪

♪ THEY COUNT ME OUT TIME AND TIME AGAIN ♪

♪ LIFE WAS A WILLOW AND IT BENT RIGHT TO YOUR WIND ♪

♪ BUT I COME BACK STRONGER THAN A 90'S TREND ♪

♪ WAIT FOR THE SIGNAL AND I'LL MEET YOU AFTER DARK ♪

♪ SHOW ME THE PLACES WHERE THE OTHERS GAVE YOU SCARS ♪

♪ NOW THIS IS AN OPEN/SHUT CASE ♪

♪ GUESS I SHOULD'VE KNOWN FROM THE LOOK ON YOUR FACE ♪

♪ EVERY BAIT AND SWITCH WAS A WORK OF ART ♪

♪ THE MORE THAT YOU SAY THE LESS I KNOW ♪

♪ WHEREVER YOU STRAY I FOLLOW ♪

♪ I'M BEGGING FOR YOU TO TAKE MY HAND ♪

♪ WRECK MY PLANS, THAT'S MY MAN ♪

♪ YOU KNOW THAT MY TRAIN COULD TAKE YOU HOME ANYWHERE ELSE IS HOLLOW ♪

♪ I'M BEGGING FOR YOU TO TAKE MY HAND ♪

♪ WRECK MY PLANS THAT'S MY MAN ♪

♪ THE MORE THAT YOU SAY THE LESS I KNOW ♪

♪ WHEREVER YOU STRAY I FOLLOW ♪

♪ I'M BEGGING FOR YOU TO TAKE MY HAND ♪

♪ WRECK MY PLANS, THAT'S MY MAN ♪

♪ YOU KNOW THAT MY TRAIN COULD TAKE YOU HOME ANYWHERE ELSE IS HOLLOW ♪

♪ I'M BEGGING FOR YOU TO TAKE MY HAND ♪

♪ WRECK MY PLANS THAT'S MY MAN ♪

♪ HEY, THAT'S MY MAN ♪

♪ THAT'S MY MAN ♪

♪ YEAH, THAT'S MY MAN ♪

♪ EVERY BAIT AND SWITCH WAS A WORK OF ART ♪

♪ THAT'S MY MAN ♪

♪ HEY, THAT'S MY MAN ♪

♪ I'M BEGGING FOR YOU TO TAKE MY HAND ♪

♪ WRECK MY PLANS ♪

♪ THAT'S MY MAN ♪

♪ ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
willow /ˈwɪloʊ/ B1	noun - a tree or shrub of temperate climates that typically has narrow leaves and drooping branches.
ship /ʃɪp/ A1	noun - a large boat for transporting people or goods by sea.
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period from sunset to sunrise in each twenty-four hours.
knife /naɪf/ A2	noun - an instrument composed of a blade fixed into a handle, used for cutting.
face /feɪs/ A1	noun - the front part of the head, from the forehead to the chin.
lost /lɔːst/ A2	adjective - unable to find one's way; not knowing one's whereabouts. verb - past tense of lose
wine /waɪn/ A2	noun - an alcoholic drink made from fermented grapes.
hand /hænd/ A1	noun - the end part of a person's arm beyond the wrist, including the fingers and thumb.
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.
wind /wɪnd/ A1	noun - the perceptible natural movement of the air, especially in the form of a current of air blowing from a particular direction.
head /hed/ A1	noun - the part of the body above the neck where the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and brain are.
pillow /ˈpɪloʊ/ A2	noun - a rectangular cloth bag stuffed with feathers, foam rubber, or other soft materials, used to support the head when lying or sleeping.
trophy /ˈtroʊfi/ B1	noun - a cup or other decorative object awarded as a prize for a victory or success.
champion /ˈtʃæmpiən/ B1	noun - a person who has defeated all rivals in a competition or sporting event.
ring /rɪŋ/ A1	noun - a small circular band, typically made of precious metal and often set with one or more gemstones, worn on a finger.
home /hoʊm/ A1	noun - the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household.
dark /dɑːrk/ A2	adjective - with little or no light.
art /ɑːrt/ A2	noun - the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.

Key Grammar Structures

• I'M LIKE THE WATER WHEN YOUR SHIP ROLLED IN THAT NIGHT

  ➔ Simile (using 'like')

  ➔ This line uses a simile to compare the speaker to water, emphasizing the arrival of the other person ('your ship') being a significant event. The word "like" creates a direct comparison.

• ROUGH ON THE SURFACE BUT YOU CUT THROUGH LIKE A KNIFE

  ➔ Contrast (rough vs. cut through), Simile (using 'like')

  ➔ This line uses both contrast and simile. "Rough on the surface" contrasts with "cut through", highlighting the speaker's initial exterior versus how the other person's actions affected them deeply. "Like a knife" is the simile, emphasizing the sharp and impactful nature of those actions.

• IF IT WAS AN OPEN/SHUT CASE, I NEVER WOULD'VE KNOWN FROM THAT LOOK ON YOUR FACE

  ➔ Third Conditional (mixed)

  ➔ This line uses a mixed third conditional. The 'if' clause refers to a past situation ("If it was an open/shut case"), and the main clause refers to a past result that is now affecting the present understanding ("I never would've known"). It expresses regret or a hypothetical past different from reality.

• LOST IN YOUR CURRENT LIKE A PRICELESS WINE

  ➔ Simile (using 'like')

  ➔ Uses the simile 'like a priceless wine' to describe the feeling of being lost in the other person's presence. The comparison emphasizes the value and intoxicating nature of that experience.

• THE MORE THAT YOU SAY, THE LESS I KNOW

  ➔ The more...the less construction (correlated comparative)

  ➔ This is a construction that shows how two things change in relation to each other. As the amount of speaking increases ("the more you say"), the amount of understanding decreases ("the less I know").

• WHEREVER YOU STRAY I FOLLOW

  ➔ Adverbial Clause of Place (using 'wherever')

  ➔ This uses 'wherever' to indicate that the speaker will follow the other person no matter where they go. 'Wherever you stray' is an adverbial clause modifying the verb 'follow'.

• I'M BEGGING FOR YOU TO TAKE MY HAND

  ➔ Gerund/Infinitive after a verb ('begging for you to take')

  ➔ "Begging" is used with the preposition "for" and followed by the infinitive phrase "you to take my hand". It expresses a strong desire or plea.

• LIFE WAS A WILLOW AND IT BENT RIGHT TO YOUR WIND

  ➔ Metaphor (Life is a willow)

  ➔ This line uses a metaphor, comparing life to a willow tree, which bends easily in the wind, symbolizing how easily the speaker adapted to the influence of the other person ('your wind').