I Am Not Okay – English Lyrics

• By: Jelly Roll
• Album: Beautifully Broken

Lyrics & Translation

Delve into the raw honesty and uplifting message of Jelly Roll's "I Am Not Okay." This powerful song offers a unique opportunity to connect with authentic American English expression, exploring vulnerability, resilience, and faith. Through its relatable lyrics and heartfelt delivery, you can learn common phrases for discussing emotions and understanding the journey from despair to hope, all while experiencing a contemporary country sound that speaks to the human condition.

[English]

I am not okay

I'm barely getting by

I'm losing track of days

And losing sleep at night

I am not okay

I'm hanging on the rails

So if I say I'm fine

Just know I learned to hide it well

I know, I can't be the only one

Who's holding on for dear life

But God knows, I know

When it's all said and done

I'm not okay

But it's all gonna be alright

It's not okay

But we're all gonna be alright

I woke up today

I almost stayed in bed

Had the devil on my back

And voices in my head

Some days, it ain't all bad

Some days, it all gets worse

Some days, I swear I'm better off

Layin' in that dirt

I know, I can't be the only one

Who's holding on for dear life

But God knows, I know

When it's all said and done

I'm not okay

But it's all gonna be alright

It's not okay

But we're all gonna be alright

Gonna be alright

Gonna be alright

I know one day

We'll see the other side

The pain'll wash away

In a holy water tide

And we all gonna be alright

I know, I can't be the only one

Who's holding on for dear life

But God knows, I know

When it's all said and done

I'm not okay

But it's all gonna be alright

It's not okay

But we're all gonna be alright

I'm not okay

But it's all gonna be alright

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
okay /oʊˈkeɪ/ A1	adjective - satisfactory but not exceptionally good
losing /ˈluːzɪŋ/ A2	verb - to misplace or be deprived of something
track /træk/ B1	noun - a course or path followed verb - to follow the trail of; pursue
sleep /sliːp/ A1	noun - a condition of rest for the body and mind verb - to be in a state of rest
hanging /ˈhæŋɪŋ/ B1	verb - to suspend or be suspended from above
rails /reɪlz/ B1	noun - a bar fixed horizontally for any of various purposes, such as to form part of a fence or barrier
hide /haɪd/ A2	verb - to keep something secret; to conceal
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter
woke /woʊk/ A1	verb - past tense of wake; to cease to sleep
devil /ˈdevəl/ B1	noun - the supreme spirit of evil
voices /ˈvɔɪsɪz/ A2	noun - the sound produced in a person's larynx and uttered through the mouth
head /hed/ A1	noun - the part of the body above the neck where the brain is
bad /bæd/ A1	adjective - of poor quality or a low standard
worse /wɜːrs/ A2	adjective - of poorer quality or lower standard
dirt /dɜːrt/ A2	noun - a substance, such as mud or dust, that makes something dirty
pain /peɪn/ A2	noun - physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury.
wash /wɒʃ/ A2	verb - to clean with water
holy /ˈhoʊli/ B1	adjective - dedicated or consecrated to God or a religious purpose
water /ˈwɔːtər/ A1	noun - a colorless, transparent, odorless, and tasteless liquid

Key Grammar Structures

• I'm barely getting by

  ➔ Adverb of Degree + Gerund

  ➔ "barely" is an adverb of degree indicating a small amount or difficulty. "getting by" is a gerund phrase functioning as the object. It shows the speaker is managing to survive but with difficulty.

• So if I say I'm fine, Just know I learned to hide it well

  ➔ Conditional Sentence (Zero/First Conditional Hybrid) + Infinitive of Purpose

  ➔ "If I say I'm fine..." uses the present simple tense implying a Zero or First conditional element (though the consequence is less direct). "learned to hide it well" uses the infinitive "to hide" which can express purpose or result. Here, it indicates a learned skill.

• I know, I can't be the only one Who's holding on for dear life

  ➔ Relative Clause with 'Who' + Phrasal Verb

  ➔ "Who's holding on for dear life" is a relative clause modifying "one." "holding on for dear life" is a phrasal verb meaning to try very hard to avoid danger or failure.

• But God knows, I know When it's all said and done

  ➔ Subordinate Clause with 'When' + Idiomatic Expression (Passive Voice)

  ➔ "When it's all said and done" introduces a subordinate clause. "It's all said and done" is an idiom meaning when everything is finished and the results are known. It uses the passive voice to indicate that the action is being done *to* the subject.

• Some days, I swear I'm better off Layin' in that dirt

  ➔ Ellipsis + Comparative Adjective + Informal Contraction (Layin')

  ➔ There's an ellipsis where "that" is omitted before "I'm". "better off" is a comparative adjective phrase. "Layin'" is an informal contraction of "laying", showing colloquial speech.

• The pain'll wash away In a holy water tide

  ➔ Future Simple with Contraction ('ll) + Prepositional Phrase

  ➔ "pain'll wash away" is the future simple tense, showing a prediction. "'ll" is a contraction of "will". "In a holy water tide" is a prepositional phrase modifying the verb.