Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) by Kelly Clarkson

 

Lyrics

 

You know the bed feels warmer
Sleeping here alone
You know I dream in colour
And do the things I want

You think you got the best of me
Think you’ve had the last laugh
Bet you think that everything good is gone
Think you left me broken down
Think that I’d come running back
Baby you don’t know me, cause you’re dead wrong

(Chorus)

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn’t mean I’m lonely when I’m alone
What doesn’t kill you makes a fighter
Footsteps even lighter
Doesn’t mean I’m over cause you’re gone

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, stronger
Just me, myself and I
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn’t mean I’m lonely when I’m alone

You heard that I was starting over with someone new
They told you I was moving on over you

You didn’t think that I’d come back
I’d come back swinging
You try to break me, but you see

Chorus

Thanks to you I got a new thing started
Thanks to you I’m not the broken-hearted
Thanks to you I’m finally thinking about me
You know in the end the day you left was just my beginning
In the end…

Chorus

(When I’m alone)

 

 

Vocabulary Boost:

 

• to dream in color – to have positive hopeful thoughts
• to have the last laugh – to succeed when others thought you would not
• to be dead wrong – to be completely wrong
• to stand tall – to be proud of yourself
• to be over  – to be finished, to lose
• to be over someone/something –  to move on when you have broken up with someone
• to come back swinging – return with a fighting spirit

 

Verb Pattern:

 

Kelly uses the expression “Thanks to you…” in the song and this expression means “due to you” or ” because of you”. We can use it when we are grateful about something.

 

• Thanks to you I’ve passed my exam. Our study group was very useful.
• Thanks to you I can now face my problems.

 

It can also be used in it’s negative version when we want to take full credit for something:

 

• No thanks to you I managed to complete the project.(you didn’t lend any support)
• No thanks to him I got my kids to school on time. (he did something that was delaying the process)

 

Interpretation

 

Empowering song by Kelly Clarkson! We can interpret this as a breakup song so she is stronger after all the pain she endured in her previous relationship. We can also see it as her singing to all the people that didn’t think she would amount to much.  Either way, it is such an energizer for me.

 

How about you? Do you like Kelly Clarkson?

 

Lem..xo!