– English Lyrics

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

every day thousands of items of luggage

pass through the airport

they are sorted by hunters like John and

his son

Terry's job in the world is uh all

people do is loan about us don't they

yeah they say we're always on strike or

always stealing stuff from the luggage

yeah but we're on strike we can't be

stealing stuff from the luggage can we

and if we're stealing stuff from the

luggage we must be at work so the idea

that we're always doing both at the same

time it's just not true yeah paintball

mode that their bags always end up in

the wrong places see the thing is if

we're supposed to get a bag on a flight

to New York and we miss it we just sling

it on a plate of Delhi then at least

that way the passengers got the peace of

mind to know that their bag has left

London yeah allocation to get heavy up

oh yes a nightmare some people can't go

abroad without taking the kitchen sink

nowadays well ain't a problem for you

you don't live no cases no more now put

me back at 2003 so I don't if no bags no

more nah now I'm lucky not to be in a

wheelchair May yeah you was only lifting

an umbrella yeah and it wouldn't handle

though

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
luggage ˈlʌɡɪdʒ B1	noun - bags or suitcases used to carry personal belongings while traveling
airport ˈeəpɔːrt A2	noun - a place where aircraft take off and land, with facilities for passengers
sorted ˈsɔːtɪd B2	verb - arranged or organized into a particular order
hunters ˈhʌntəz B2	noun - people who pursue animals or, metaphorically, those who look for something
strike straɪk B1	noun - a work stoppage by employees to protest conditions verb - to hit or to stop work as a protest
stealing ˈstiːlɪŋ B2	verb - taking something that does not belong to you without permission
bag bæɡ A1	noun - a flexible container with an opening, used for carrying things
flight flaɪt A2	noun - the act of traveling through the air in an aircraft; a scheduled trip by plane
miss mɪs A2	verb - to fail to catch or reach something; to be absent from a scheduled event
passengers ˈpæsɪndʒəz B1	noun - people traveling in a vehicle, especially a plane or train
peace piːs B1	noun - a state of calm and freedom from disturbance or war
mind maɪnd B1	noun - the part of a person that thinks, feels and remembers
allocation ˌæləˈkeɪʃən C1	noun - the process of distributing resources or duties among people
nightmare ˈnaɪtmɛər B2	noun - a frightening or unpleasant dream; a very distressing situation
abroad əˈbrɔːd B1	adverb - in or to a foreign country
wheelchair ˈwiːlˌtʃeə(r) B2	noun - a chair fitted with wheels for a person who cannot walk
umbrella ʌmˈbrɛlə A2	noun - a portable device for protection against rain, consisting of a fabric canopy on a collapsible frame
thousands ˈθaʊzəndz A2	noun - a very large number; many thousands of something

Key Grammar Structures

• Every day thousands of items of luggage pass through the airport.

  ➔ Simple present (habitual action)

  ➔ The verb "pass" is in the simple present to show a regular, daily occurrence.

• They are sorted by hunters like John and his son.

  ➔ Passive voice (present simple passive)

  ➔ The object "they" receives the action "are sorted"; the doer is introduced with "by".

• They say we're always on strike or always stealing stuff from the luggage.

  ➔ Present continuous with "always" + reporting verb "say"

  ➔ "We're" is the contraction of "we are" in the present continuous; "always" emphasizes the repeated nature of the claim.

• But we're on strike; we can't be stealing stuff from the luggage, can we?

  ➔ Modal verb "can't", present continuous, question tag "can we?"

  ➔ "can't be stealing" shows inability in the progressive aspect; the tag "can we?" asks for confirmation.

• If we're stealing stuff from the luggage, we must be at work.

  ➔ First conditional (if + present), modal verb "must"

  ➔ "If" introduces a realistic condition; "must be" expresses a strong logical conclusion.

• The idea that we're always doing both at the same time is just not true.

  ➔ Noun clause as subject complement, gerund "doing"

  ➔ "The idea that..." is a noun phrase; "doing" functions as a gerund after "always".

• We’re supposed to get a bag on a flight to New York, and if we miss it we just sling it on a plate of Delhi.

  ➔ "be supposed to" + infinitive (obligation), first conditional, simple present

  ➔ "We're supposed to" expresses an expectation; "if we miss it" is a realistic condition, followed by the simple present "we just sling".

• Some people can’t go abroad without taking the kitchen sink.

  ➔ Modal "can’t" + infinitive, negative construction; "without + -ing"

  ➔ "can’t go" shows inability; "without taking" uses the preposition "without" followed by a gerund.

• I’m lucky not to be in a wheelchair.

  ➔ Adjective "lucky" + infinitive with negation "not to be"

  ➔ "lucky" is followed by the infinitive phrase "not to be" which expresses a negative outcome avoided.