911 – English Lyrics

• By: Lady Gaga

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a journey into Lady Gaga's unique artistic world with "911," a compelling track from her album "Chromatica." This song offers a profound insight into her experiences with mental health and the medication she takes. Learners can explore rich vocabulary related to emotions, mental states, and metaphors, while also appreciating how Gaga uses evocative imagery and a distinctive sound to transform deeply personal struggles into universally resonant art. Its candid lyrics and symbolic storytelling make "911" a powerful piece for understanding authentic expression in English.

[English]

[wind rustling]

♪ ♪

[horse neighing]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

<i>♪ Turning up emotional faders</i> ♪

<i>♪ Keep repeating self-hating phrases</i> ♪

<i>♪ I have heard enough of these voices</i> ♪

<i>♪ Almost like I have no choice</i> ♪

<i>♪ This is biological stasis </i> ♪

<i>♪ My mood’s shifting too manic places</i> ♪

<i>♪ Wish I laughed and kept</i> <i>The good friendships</i> ♪

<i>♪ Watch life</i> <i>Here I go again</i> ♪

<i>♪ I can’t see me cry</i> ♪

<i>♪ Can’t see me cry ever again</i> ♪

<i>♪ (Ooo)</i> ♪

<i>♪ I can’t see me cry</i> ♪

<i>♪ Can’t see me cry this is the end</i> ♪

<i>♪ (Ooo)</i> ♪

<i>♪ My biggest enemy is me</i> ♪

<i>♪ Pop a 911</i> ♪

<i>♪ My biggest enemy is me</i> ♪

<i>♪ Pop a 911</i> ♪

<i>♪ My biggest enemy is me</i> ♪

<i>♪ Ever since day one</i> ♪

<i>♪ Pop a 911</i> ♪

<i>♪ Then pop another one</i> ♪

<i>♪ Keep my dolls inside diamond boxes</i> ♪

<i>♪ Save them 'til I know I’m gon’ drop this</i> ♪

<i>♪ Front I’ve felt me around me oasis</i> ♪

<i>♪ Paradise is in my hand</i> ♪

<i>♪ Holding on so tight to this status</i> ♪

<i>♪ It’s not real, but I’ll try to grab it</i> ♪

<i>♪ Keep myself in beautiful places</i> ♪

<i>♪ Paradise is in my hands</i> ♪

<i>♪ I can’t see me cry</i> ♪

<i>♪ Can’t see me cry ever again</i> ♪

<i>♪ (Ooo)</i> ♪

<i>♪ I can’t see me cry</i> ♪

<i>♪ Can’t see me cry this is the end</i> ♪

<i>♪ (Ooo)</i> ♪

<i>♪ My biggest enemy is me</i> ♪

<i>♪ Pop a 911</i> ♪

<i>♪ My biggest enemy is me</i> ♪

<i>♪ Pop a 911</i> ♪

<i>♪ My biggest enemy is me</i> ♪

<i>♪ Ever since day one</i> ♪

<i>♪ Pop a 911</i> ♪

<i>♪ Then pop another one</i> ♪

<i>♪ Pop another one</i> ♪

<i>♪ Pop a 911</i> ♪

<i>♪ Then pop another one</i> ♪

<i>♪ I can’t see me cry</i> ♪

<i>♪ Can’t see me cry ever again</i> ♪

<i>♪ (Ooo)</i> ♪

<i>♪ I can’t see me cry</i> ♪

<i>♪ Can’t see me cry this is the end</i> ♪

<i>♪ (Ooo)</i> ♪

<i>♪ My biggest enemy is me</i> ♪

<i>♪ Pop a 911</i> ♪

<i>♪ My biggest enemy is me</i> ♪

<i>♪ Pop a 911</i> ♪

<i>♪ My biggest enemy is me</i> ♪

<i>♪ Ever since day one</i> ♪

<i>♪ Pop a 911</i> ♪

<i>♪ Then pop another one</i> ♪

<i>♪ Please patch the line</i> ♪

<i>♪ Please patch the line</i> ♪

<i>♪ Need a 911</i> <i>Can you patch the line? </i> ♪

<i>♪ Please patch the line</i> ♪

<i>♪ Please patch the line</i> ♪

<i>♪ Need a 911</i> <i>Can you patch the line?</i> ♪

[screaming]

[defibrillator whirring]

[man] All clear.

[gasp]

[paramedic] Shh. Stay calm. Just gonna check you out.

You'll be fine. You were in an accident.

Anybody die?

[paramedic] We're gonna ask you a few questions.

[doctor] Are you on any medications right now?

I didn’t have pain pills.

-Everything's fine. -Stefani, look at me.

-My leg. -You're leg is gonna be fine.

-I can't feel it. -The tourniquet

♪ ♪

[Stefani] I can't feel my body.

♪ ♪

-I'm sorry. -Your leg is gonna be fine.

♪ ♪

I don't want to die.

[indistinct voices over radio]

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
emotional /ɪˈmoʊʃənl/ B1	adjective - relating to emotions; showing strong feelings.
fader /ˈfeɪdər/ C1	noun - a control on an audio mixer that is used to gradually increase or decrease the level of a sound or image.
self-hating /ˌself ˈheɪtɪŋ/ C1	adjective - feeling or expressing hatred for oneself.
phrase /freɪz/ B1	noun - a small group of words forming a conceptual unit, or a short expression or remark.
voice /vɔɪs/ A2	noun - the sound produced in a person's larynx and uttered through the mouth, as speech or song. noun - an opinion, wish, or decision (often referring to internal thoughts, as in 'voices in my head').
stasis /ˈsteɪsɪs/ C1	noun - a period or state of inactivity or equilibrium.
manic /ˈmænɪk/ B2	adjective - relating to or affected by mania; showing wild, apparently deranged, excitement and energy.
mood /muːd/ A2	noun - a temporary state of mind or feeling.
cry /kraɪ/ A1	verb - to shed tears, typically as an expression of distress, pain, or sorrow. noun - a sound made by crying or weeping.
enemy /ˈenəmi/ B1	noun - a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something.
pop /pɑːp/ B2	verb - (informal) to take a pill, drug, or other substance orally. verb - to make a short, sharp, explosive sound.
911 /ˌnaɪn wʌn ˈwʌn/ B2	noun - the emergency telephone number in the United States and Canada. noun - a call for urgent help or assistance, often used metaphorically for a crisis (or, in the song, a medication taken in a crisis).
doll /dɑːl/ A2	noun - a small model of a human figure, used as a child's toy.
oasis /oʊˈeɪsɪs/ B2	noun - a fertile spot in a desert, where water is found. noun - a pleasant or peaceful area or period in the midst of a difficult, troubled, or hectic place or situation.
paradise /ˈpærədaɪs/ B1	noun - an ideal or idyllic place or state.
status /ˈstætəs/ B2	noun - the current state of something; a position in society or profession.
patch /pætʃ/ B2	verb - to mend or strengthen (fabric or a garment) with a patch. verb - to connect (someone or something) to a telecommunications network or system.
line /laɪn/ B2	noun - a telephone connection or a telephone wire. noun - a long, narrow mark or band.

Key Grammar Structures

• Keep repeating self-hating phrases

  ➔ Keep + Gerund

  ➔ This structure ("keep" followed by a verb ending in "-ing") is used to express a continuous or repeated action.

• Almost like I have no choice

  ➔ "Like" as a conjunction (meaning "as if" / "as though")

  ➔ Here, "like" functions as a conjunction, introducing a clause that describes a comparison or a hypothetical situation, similar to "as if" or "as though".

• Wish I laughed and kept The good friendships

  ➔ Subjunctive mood with "Wish" (Wish + Past Simple)

  ➔ This structure expresses a desire for a present or past situation to be different from reality, often for something that is impossible or unlikely. The past simple ("laughed," "kept") refers to a desire about the past.

• I can’t see me cry

  ➔ Verb of perception ("see") + Object Pronoun + Bare Infinitive

  ➔ The structure "verb of perception + object + bare infinitive" ("see" + "me" + "cry") is used to describe perceiving a complete action or event. Note the colloquial use of "me" instead of "myself".

• My biggest enemy is me

  ➔ Superlative Adjective + Predicate Nominative (colloquial pronoun use)

  ➔ "Biggest" is the superlative form of "big," indicating the highest degree of size or importance. The use of "me" after "is" is common in informal speech, though grammatically "I" would be preferred.

• Save them 'til I know I’m gon’ drop this

  ➔ Contraction "gon'" within a Temporal Clause

  ➔ 'Gon'" is an informal contraction of "going to," which indicates a future action or intention. It's used here within a temporal clause introduced by "'til" (until), specifying when the saving action will end.

• Ever since day one

  ➔ "Ever since" (Time Expression)

  ➔ "Ever since" is used to emphasize that something has been continuous from a specific point in the past ("day one") up to the present moment.

• Can you patch the line?

  ➔ Modal Verb "Can" for request/ability

  ➔ The modal verb "can" is used here to ask if someone is able to perform an action (ability) or to make a polite request.

• You were in an accident.

  ➔ Past Simple with Prepositional Phrase

  ➔ The past simple tense ("were") indicates a completed state or event in the past. The prepositional phrase "in an accident" is a common collocation describing a situation.