1989/Our Way – English Lyrics

• By: Portugal. The Man
• Album: Censored Colors

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the poignant depths of Portugal. The Man’s “1989/Our Way,” a song born from childhood anxieties about the Gulf War. This track offers a unique opportunity to delve into the language of raw emotion and historical reflection, set against a backdrop of experimental rock that challenges and inspires. Discover how personal fears can be transformed into compelling art .

[English]

But we found that we were always lost,

And we will never find our way.

But we found that we were always lost,

And we will never find our way.

But we found that we were always lost,

And we will never find our way.

But we found that we were always lost,

And we will never find our way.

But we found that we were always lost,

And we will never find our way.

But we found that we were always lost,

And we will never find our way.

But we found that we were always lost,

And we will never find our way.

But we found that we were always lost,

And we will never find our way.

But we found that we were always lost,

And we will never find our way.

But we found that we were always lost,

And we will never find our way.

But we found that we were always lost,

And we will never find our way.

But we found that we were always lost,

And we will never find our way.

Key Grammar Structures

• But we found that we were always lost,

  ➔ Subordinating Conjunction 'that' introducing a Noun Clause

  ➔ The word "that" introduces a noun clause ("that we were always lost") which functions as the direct object of the verb "found", explaining what was found.

• But we "found" that we were always lost,

  ➔ Past Simple Tense

  ➔ The verb "found" is in the past simple tense, indicating an action or discovery that was completed at a specific time in the past.

• But we found that we were always "lost",

  ➔ Past Participle used as an Adjective

  ➔ The word "lost" is a past participle functioning as an adjective, describing the state of "we". It signifies being unable to find one's way.

• But we found that we were "always" lost,

  ➔ Adverb of Frequency

  ➔ The adverb "always" indicates that the state of being lost was continuous or habitual in the past. It emphasizes the constant nature of the situation.

• And we "will never find" our way.

  ➔ Future Simple Tense with 'will'

  ➔ The structure "will find" is the future simple tense, used here to express a prediction or a strong belief about an action that will not happen in the future.

• And we will "never" find our way.

  ➔ Adverb of Negation/Frequency ('never')

  ➔ The adverb "never" is used to emphatically negate the verb "find" in the future, meaning the action will not happen at any time.

• And we will never find "our" way.

  ➔ Possessive Adjective

  ➔ The possessive adjective "our" modifies the noun "way", indicating that the path or solution belongs to or is related to "we".

• "But" we found that we were always lost, "And" we will never find our way.

  ➔ Coordinating Conjunctions ('But', 'And')

  ➔ "But" introduces a contrast between the two clauses, while "And" joins two related ideas, adding information about the consequence of being lost.