A Kind of Magic – English Lyrics

• By: Queen
• Album: A Kind of Magic

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Queen's electrifying "A Kind of Magic," a song that beautifully blends vibrant pop-rock with the epic fantasy of "Highlander." Its clear, impactful lyrics and memorable chorus offer a fantastic opportunity to grasp English phrases related to destiny, power, and timelessness. Discover how the catchy rhythm and iconic vocal delivery make complex themes accessible and unforgettable, ideal for any language learner. What makes this song special is its seamless fusion of cinematic inspiration with Queen's signature theatrical flair, providing both a thrilling musical experience and a rich linguistic journey.

[English]

It's a kind of magic

It's a kind of magic

A kind of magic (No way)

One dream, one soul

One prize, one goal

One golden glance of what should be

It's a kind of magic

One shaft of light that shows the way

No mortal man can win this day

It's a kind of magic

The bell that rings inside your mind

Is challenging the doors of time

It's a kind of magic

The waiting seems eternity

The day will dawn of sanity (Ooh ooh ooh ooh)

Is this a kind of magic?

It's a kind of magic

There can be only one

This rage that lasts a thousand years

Will soon be done

This flame that burns inside of me

I'm hearing secret harmonies

It's a kind of magic

The bell that rings inside your mind

Is challenging the doors of time

...

It's a kind of magic

...

It's a kind of magic

...

This rage that lasts a thousand years

Will soon be, will soon be, will soon be done

This is (this is) a kind (a kind) of magic (yeah)

There can be only one (one, one, one)

This rage that lasts a thousand years

Will soon be done (done)

...

Magic (it's a kind of magic)

It's a kind of magic

Magic magic magic (magic)

...

(Magic) Aa ha ha haa, it's magic (Magic)

...

It's a kind of magic

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
magic /ˈmædʒɪk/ A2	noun - the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces. adjective - used in or produced by magic.
dream /driːm/ A2	noun - a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep.
soul /soʊl/ B1	noun - the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal.
prize /praɪz/ B1	noun - a thing given as a reward to the winner of a competition or in recognition of achievement.
goal /ɡoʊl/ A2	noun - the object of a person's ambition or effort; an aim or desired result.
golden /ˈɡoʊldən/ B1	adjective - made of or resembling gold.
glance /ɡlæns/ B2	noun - a quick look. verb - take a brief or hurried look.
shaft /ʃæft/ B2	noun - a ray or beam of light.
light /laɪt/ A1	noun - the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible.
win /wɪn/ A2	verb - be successful or victorious in a contest or conflict.
day /deɪ/ A1	noun - each of the twenty-four-hour periods, reckoned from one midnight to the next, into which a year is divided.
bell /bel/ A2	noun - a hollow metal object, typically cup-shaped, that resonates when struck, producing a ringing sound.
mind /maɪnd/ A2	noun - the element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences, to think, and to feel; the faculty of consciousness and thought.
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.
waiting /ˈweɪtɪŋ/ A2	verb - staying where one is or delaying action until a particular time or event.
eternity /ɪˈtɜːrnəti/ B2	noun - infinite or unending time.
dawn /dɔːn/ B1	noun - the first appearance of light in the sky before sunrise. verb - (of a day) begin.
sanity /ˈsænəti/ C1	noun - the ability to think and behave in a normal and rational manner; sound mental health.
rage /reɪdʒ/ B2	noun - violent, uncontrollable anger.
years /jɪərz/ A1	noun - the time that it takes the earth to travel around the sun once
flame /fleɪm/ B1	noun - a tongue of fire.
burns /bɜːrnz/ A2	verb - be damaged or destroyed by fire.
hearing /ˈhɪərɪŋ/ A2	verb - perceiving with the ear.
secret /ˈsiːkrət/ A2	adjective - not known or seen or not meant to be known or seen by others.
harmonies /ˈhɑːrməniz/ B2	noun - the combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce chords and chord progressions having a pleasing effect.

Key Grammar Structures

• One golden glance of what *should be*

  ➔ Modal verb 'should' + be (infinitive)

  ➔ Uses 'should be' to express something that is ideally or rightfully the case. It suggests an expectation or a desirable state. For B2-C1 learners, it reinforces the use of modals for speculation and expectation.

• No mortal man *can win* this day

  ➔ Modal verb 'can' + infinitive (bare infinitive)

  ➔ Uses the modal verb "can" to express ability or possibility. In this context, it means no one has the ability to win on this particular day. It is followed by the bare infinitive form of the verb "win".

• The bell *that rings* inside your mind...

  ➔ Relative clause (defining relative clause) using 'that'

  ➔ Uses "that" to introduce a defining relative clause, which provides essential information about the noun it modifies (the bell). 'That rings inside your mind' specifies which bell is being referred to.

• The waiting *seems* eternity

  ➔ Linking verb 'seems' connecting the subject to a noun (eternity)

  ➔ Uses the linking verb "seems" to connect the subject "the waiting" to the noun "eternity." In this case, 'seems' expresses the speaker's perception or impression of the waiting, implying it feels as if it's lasting forever.

• There *can be* only one

  ➔ Existential 'there' + modal verb 'can' + 'be'

  ➔ The existential 'there' introduces the existence of something, here combined with the modal 'can' to indicate possibility or permission. 'There can be only one' means it is possible for only one to exist, often implying a restriction or limitation.

• This rage *that lasts* a thousand years...

  ➔ Relative clause with 'that' (defining/restrictive)

  ➔ 'That lasts a thousand years' is a defining relative clause that specifies which rage is being talked about. The clause is essential to the meaning of the sentence and cannot be removed without changing the sentence's core meaning.

• Will *soon be done*

  ➔ Future Simple Passive Voice ('will' + 'be' + past participle)

  ➔ The structure 'will be done' indicates that an action will be completed in the future, and it is the passive voice, so the subject is receiving the action. "This rage will soon be done" means the rage will be stopped, concluded, or finished sometime soon.

• This flame that burns inside of me, *I'm hearing* secret harmonies

  ➔ Present Continuous for something happening around now (progressive aspect)

  ➔ 'I'm hearing' uses the present continuous to emphasize that the act of hearing the secret harmonies is happening at or around the current time. This usage can also imply a sense of surprise or discovery.