Abracadabra – English Lyrics

• By: Lady Gaga
• Album: MAYHEM

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Lady Gaga's "Abracadabra," a vibrant track that showcases rich vocabulary and expressive phrasing related to themes of resilience, self-acceptance, and overcoming inner challenges. Its captivating rhythms, pulsating beats, and evocative lyrics offer an engaging way to explore English expressions in a powerful, theatrical pop context, reminiscent of Gaga's early works.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
dance /dæns/ A1	verb - to move rhythmically to music noun - a rhythmic movement of the body, usually to music
die /daɪ/ A1	verb - to stop living
toll /toʊl/ B2	noun - a charge for the privilege of using a road, bridge, or ferry verb - to sound with a slow, uniform succession of strokes, as a bell
angels /ˈeɪndʒəlz/ B1	noun - spiritual beings believed to act as messengers of God
circles /ˈsɜːrklz/ A2	noun - a round plane figure whose boundary consists of points equidistant from the center
clouds /klaʊdz/ A1	noun - a visible mass of condensed water vapor floating in the atmosphere
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
distance /ˈdɪstəns/ B1	noun - the length of space between two points
devil /ˈdevl/ B2	noun - the supreme spirit of evil; Satan
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - a hollow muscular organ that pumps the blood through the circulatory system by rhythmic contraction and dilation
magic /ˈmædʒɪk/ B1	noun - the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces adjective - beautiful or delightful in such a way as to seem removed from everyday life
dark /dɑːrk/ A2	adjective - with little or no light
moonlight /ˈmuːnlaɪt/ B1	noun - the light from the moon
empty /ˈempti/ B1	adjective - containing nothing; not filled or occupied
fight /faɪt/ A2	noun - a violent confrontation or struggle verb - take part in a violent struggle involving physical force or weapons
game /ɡeɪm/ A1	noun - a form of play or sport, especially a competitive one played according to rules and decided by skill, strength, or chance
poem /ˈpoʊəm/ B1	noun - a piece of writing that expresses emotions, ideas, or tells a story in a specific form
red /rɛd/ A1	adjective - of a color like that of blood or a ripe tomato noun - a color like that of blood or a ripe tomato
words /wɜːrdz/ A1	noun - a unit of language, consisting of one or more spoken sounds or their written representation, that functions as a principal carrier of meaning
haunting /ˈhɔːntɪŋ/ B2	adjective - poignant and evocative; difficult to ignore or forget
trance /træns/ B2	noun - a half-conscious state, seemingly between sleeping and waking, in which ability to function voluntarily may be suspended
spell /spel/ B1	noun - a form of words used as a magical charm or incantation. verb - write or name the letters that constitute (a word)
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period of darkness between sunset and sunrise
tongue /tʌŋ/ B1	noun - the fleshy muscular organ in the mouth of a mammal, used for tasting, licking, swallowing, and articulating speech
death /dɛθ/ B1	noun - the action or fact of dying or being killed; the end of the life of a person or organism
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection verb - feel deep affection for (someone)
beat /biːt/ A2	noun - a main accent or rhythmic unit in music verb - strike (someone) repeatedly and forcefully
feet /fiːt/ A1	noun - the lower extremity of the leg below the ankle, on which a person stands or walks.
floor /flɔːr/ A1	noun - the lower surface of a room or vehicle, on which one may walk
fire /ˈfaɪər/ A1	noun - combustion or burning, in which substances combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically give out bright light, heat, and smoke.
road /roʊd/ A1	noun - a way or course for traveling between two places
west /west/ A1	noun - the direction toward the point of the horizon where the sun sets adjective - lying toward or situated in the west
dust /dʌst/ A2	noun - fine, dry powder consisting of tiny particles of earth or waste matter
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole
feeling /ˈfiːlɪŋ/ A2	noun - an emotional state or reaction
passion /ˈpæʃən/ B2	noun - strong and barely controllable emotion
return /rɪˈtɜːrn/ A2	noun - an act of coming or going back to a place or activity verb - go or come back to a place or person
phantom /ˈfæntəm/ C1	noun - a ghost or apparition.
melody /ˈmɛlədi/ B2	noun - a sequence of single notes that is musically satisfying
sinful /ˈsɪnfəl/ B2	adjective - wicked and immoral

Key Grammar Structures

• PAY THE TOLL TO THE ANGELS

  ➔ Imperative mood (Pay)

  ➔ Using the base form of the verb to issue a command or request. Here, it's a metaphorical instruction.

• DRAWING CIRCLES IN THE CLOUDS

  ➔ Present participle as a noun modifier (Drawing)

  ➔ The present participle "drawing" describes the action being performed. It creates a sense of ongoing action and imagery.

• KEEP YOUR MIND ON THE DISTANCE

  ➔ Imperative mood (Keep)

  ➔ Another use of the imperative to provide a command or instruction. It emphasizes the importance of focus.

• WHEN THE DEVIL TURNS AROUND

  ➔ Subordinate clause with "when"

  ➔ Introducing a condition or time frame. The main clause (implied: something will happen) is dependent on the timing of the devil turning around.

• HOLD ME IN YOUR HEART TONIGHT

  ➔ Imperative mood (Hold)

  ➔ Another use of imperative, a plea for affection or remembrance.

• LIKE A POEM SAID BY A LADY IN RED

  ➔ Simile using "like"

  ➔ Comparing something to something else (the situation to a poem) to create a vivid image and convey a deeper meaning.

• YOU HEAR THE LAST FEW WORDS OF YOUR LIFE

  ➔ Simple Present tense (hear)

  ➔ Describing a general truth or a likely event within the song's narrative. Though happening in the future, it is presented as a certain outcome.

• IT’S TIME TO CAST YOUR SPELL ON THE NIGHT

  ➔ Idiomatic expression "It's time to..."

  ➔ Indicates that a specific action should be taken at this moment. It suggests urgency and a call to action.

• DEATH OR LOVE TONIGHT

  ➔ Elliptical sentence (omitting the verb and subject)

  ➔ The full sentence would likely be "Choose death or love tonight". The omission creates a sense of immediacy and dramatic choice.

• DON’T WASTE TIME ON A FEELING

  ➔ Negative Imperative Mood (Don't waste)

  ➔ A command or warning against a particular action, to not spend valuable time on transient emotions.