Slut! – English Lyrics

• By: Taylor Swift
• Album: 1989 (Taylor's Version)

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a fantastic way to connect with culture, and Taylor Swift's “Slut!” offers a unique opportunity. The song's lyrics, while emotionally direct, use vivid and sometimes metaphorical language to discuss themes of love, public perception, and defiance. By exploring the song, you can learn vocabulary related to romance and reputation, and gain insight into contemporary conversations around media and sexism. What makes this song special is its bold reclamation of a negative word and its transformation into a statement of empowerment, all set to a captivating synth-pop melody.

[English]

Flamingo pink, Sunrise Boulevard

Clink, clink, being this young is art

Aquamarine, moonlit swimming pool

What if all I need is you?

Got love-struck, went straight to my head

Got lovesick all over my bed

Love to think you'll never forget

Handprints in wet cement

Adorned with smoke on my clothes

Lovelorn and nobody knows

Love thorns all over this rose

I'll pay the price, you won't

But if I'm all dressed up

They might as well be lookin' at us

And if they call me a slut

You know it might be worth it for once

And if I'm gonna be drunk

I might as well be drunk in love

Send the code, he's waitin' there

The sticks and stones they throw froze mid-air

Everyone wants him, that was my crime

The wrong place at the right time

And I break down, then he's pullin' me in

In a world of boys, he's a gentleman

Got love-struck, went straight to my head (straight to my head)

Got lovesick all over my bed (over my bed)

Love to think you'll never forget

We'll pay the price, I guess

But if I'm all dressed up (if I'm all dressed up)

They might as well be lookin' at us (lookin' at us)

And if they call me a slut (if they call me a slut)

You know it might be worth it for once (worth it for once)

And if I'm gonna be drunk

I might as well be drunk in love

Half asleep, takin' your time

In the tangerine, neon light, this is luxury

You're not sayin' you're in love with me

But you're going to

Half awake, takin' your chances

It's a big mistake, I said, "It might blow up in your pretty face"

I'm not saying, "Do it anyway" (do it anyway)

But you're going to

Oh

And if they call me a slut!

You know it might be worth it for once

And if I'm gonna be drunk!

I might as well be drunk in love

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
flamingo /fləˈmɪŋɡoʊ/ B2	noun - a large wading bird with long legs and a long neck
love-struck /ˈlʌv strʌk/ B2	adjective - deeply affected by love
lovesick /ˈlʌvˌsɪk/ B2	adjective - experiencing a deep longing for someone you love
gentleman /ˈdʒɛntəlmən/ B1	noun - a man of good and courteous conduct
mistake /mɪˈsteɪk/ B1	noun - an action or judgment that is misguided or wrong
price /praɪs/ A2	noun - the amount of money required to purchase something
drunk /drʌŋk/ B1	adjective - intoxicated by alcohol
luxury /ˈlʌkʃəri/ B2	noun - a state of great comfort or elegance
crime /kraɪm/ B1	noun - an act that is against the law
world /wɜrld/ A1	noun - the earth and all its inhabitants
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the indefinite continued progress of existence

Key Grammar Structures

• Got love-struck, went straight to my head

  ➔ Past simple tense for completed actions

  ➔ Used to describe actions that were completed in the past.

• And if they call me a slut

  ➔ Conditional sentence (Type 1)

  ➔ Expresses a possible situation and its consequence using 'if' + present tense.

• You might as well be drunk in love

  ➔ Modal phrase 'might as well' to suggest an option or possibility

  ➔ Used to suggest that doing something is as good as or preferable to doing something else.

• Love to think you'll never forget

  ➔ Infinitive phrase expressing purpose or desire

  ➔ Uses the infinitive form 'to think' to express a desire or intention.

• In a world of boys, he's a gentleman

  ➔ Prepositional phrase 'in a world of' indicating setting or context

  ➔ The prepositional phrase describes the setting or environment.

• It's a big mistake, I said, 'It might blow up in your pretty face'

  ➔ Reported speech with modal verb 'might' to express possibility

  ➔ Uses reported speech with a modal verb to indicate possibility or uncertainty.

• Send the code, he's waitin' there

  ➔ Present continuous tense for ongoing action ('he's waitin')

  ➔ Uses the present continuous tense to describe an action happening at the moment of speaking.