22 (OVER S∞∞N) – English Lyrics

• By: Bon Iver
• Album: 22, A Million

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the intricate beauty of Bon Iver's '22 (OVER S∞∞N)' and explore a unique approach to the English language. Through its fragmented lyrics and manipulated vocals, the song offers a fascinating look at how emotion and meaning can be conveyed beyond traditional grammar. It's a perfect piece for learners to see how language can be bent and reshaped to express complex feelings, making the journey of learning English a creative and deeply personal one.

[English]

It might be over soon, two two

...

(It might be over soon)

...

Where you gonna look for confirmation?

And if it's ever gonna happen

...

So as I'm standing at the station

...

It might be over soon

(All these years)

There I found you marked in constellation

(two, two)

There isn't ceiling in our garden

And then I draw an ear on you

...

So I can speak into the silence

It might be over soon (two, do, two)

(It might be over soon) Do, two

...

(And I'm gonna shout all my trouble over)

Oh and I have carried consecration

And then you expelled all decision

...

As I may stand up with a vision

(Caught daylight, goddamn right)

Within a rise there lies a scission

(It might be over soon)

...

Key Grammar Structures

• It might be over soon, two two

  ➔ Modal verb (might) for speculation

  ➔ 'Might' is used to express possibility or uncertainty about the future. Here, it suggests that the end is possible but not certain.

• Where you gonna look for confirmation?

  ➔ Going to (gonna) for future intention

  ➔ 'Gonna' is a colloquial contraction of 'going to,' used to express a future intention or plan. Here, it asks about future actions.

• There I found you marked in constellation

  ➔ Past simple (found) with past participle (marked)

  ➔ The past simple 'found' describes a completed action in the past, while 'marked' is a past participle used as an adjective to describe the state of 'you.'

• And then I draw an ear on you

  ➔ Present simple (draw) in a narrative context

  ➔ The present simple 'draw' is used here to describe a specific action within a narrative, giving it a vivid and immediate feel.

• It might be over soon (two, do, two)

  ➔ Repetition for emphasis

  ➔ The repetition of 'two, do, two' emphasizes the rhythm and the emotional weight of the line, reinforcing the idea of finality.