Affluenza – English Lyrics

• By: Conan Gray
• Album: Kid Krow

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the themes of wealth, emotional well-being, and social commentary in Conan Gray's "Affluenza." This song offers a unique perspective on the lives of affluent youth and the challenges they face, providing an opportunity to analyze social issues and expand your vocabulary related to economics and emotions.

[English]

Mama's got a new man

And daddy's got a new mansion to keep

He never really calls back

'Cause he's got too many finances to reap

Money, money, ain't it funny, honey

When you get what you need

Baby, life is a breeze

Money, money, give me money, money

'Til I'm bloody, bloody

All these kids have got affluenza

Goin' wreckin' their daddy's Benz, ah

Crystal liquor cups and designer drugs, oh, oh

They say, "Money can't buy you no love"

But a diamond cheers you right up

Give me none of your affluence, oh

Affluenza, affluenza

Every day's your birthday

You threw a party, but you kinda hate all your friends

So you're crying in the driveway

Killin' time, gettin' high, can't wait 'til it ends

Money, money, ain't it funny, honey

When you get what you need

Baby, life is a breeze

Money, money, give me money, money

'Til I'm bloody, bloody

All these kids have got affluenza

Goin' wreckin' their daddy's Benz, ah

Crystal liquor cups and designer drugs, oh, oh

They say, "Money can't buy you no love"

But a diamond cheers you right up

Give me none of affluence, oh

Affluenza, affluenza

Fat stacks, cold cash

You've always had it real lavish, first-class

Trust fund, gold tongue

80 grand in both your hands, but no love

All these kids have got affluenza

Goin' wreckin' their daddy's Benz, ah

Crystal liquor cups and designer drugs, oh, oh

They say, "Money can't buy you no love" (can't buy you no love)

But a diamond cheers you right up

Give me none of your affluence, oh

Affluenza, affluenza

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
affluenza /ˌæfluˈɛnzə/ C2	noun - A psychological condition caused by extreme wealth, leading to lack of motivation or responsibility
mansion /ˈmænʃən/ B1	noun - A large, impressive house
finances /ˈfaɪnænsɪz/ B2	noun - Monetary resources or management of money
bloody /ˈblʌdi/ B2	adjective - Covered in or resembling blood; used for emphasis
Benz /bɛnz/ B2	noun - Short for Mercedes-Benz, symbolizing luxury cars
designer /dɪˈzaɪnər/ B2	adjective - Made by a famous designer; exclusive and expensive
affluence /ˈæfluəns/ C1	noun - Abundance of wealth or property
lavish /ˈlævɪʃ/ C1	adjective - Sumptuously rich or extravagant
stacks /stæks/ B2	noun - Large quantities of money (slang)
reap /riːp/ B2	verb - To harvest or gain benefits
wreckin' /ˈrɛkɪn/ B1	verb - Destroying or damaging severely (colloquial)
breeze /briːz/ B1	noun - Something easy or effortless
trust /trʌst/ B1	noun - Fund established for inheritance management
fund /fʌnd/ B1	noun - Sum of money saved for a purpose
first-class /ˌfɜːrstˈklæs/ B2	adjective - Of the highest quality or luxury category

Key Grammar Structures

• 'Cause he's got too many finances to reap

  ➔ `too many` + plural noun; Infinitive of purpose

  ➔ `too many` is used before plural countable nouns to indicate an excessive quantity. The infinitive "to reap" shows the purpose or result of having those finances.

• Money, money, ain't it funny, honey

  ➔ Colloquial `ain't`; Question tag

  ➔ `ain't` is an informal contraction for "is not," "are not," "has not," or "have not." Here, it's used in a question tag structure ("ain't it funny?") for emphasis and a conversational tone.

• When you get what you need

  ➔ Noun clause with `what`

  ➔ The phrase "what you need" functions as a noun clause, meaning "the thing that you need." It acts as the direct object of the verb "get."

• Goin' wreckin' their daddy's Benz, ah

  ➔ Informal present participle; Continuous action/consequence

  ➔ `Goin'` is an informal contraction of "going." Both "goin'" and "wreckin'" are present participles (`-ing` forms) used here to describe an ongoing action or a consequence, often implying a lack of care or purpose.

• They say, "Money can't buy you no love"

  ➔ Double negative for emphasis; Modal verb `can't`

  ➔ The phrase "`can't buy you no love`" uses a double negative (can't + no) which is grammatically incorrect in standard English but commonly used in informal speech and song lyrics for emphasis, meaning "can't buy you any love at all." "Can't" is a modal verb expressing impossibility.

• But a diamond cheers you right up

  ➔ Phrasal verb; Adverb for emphasis

  ➔ `cheers up` is a phrasal verb meaning to make someone feel happier. The adverb "right" is used here to intensify the action, meaning 'completely' or 'immediately'.

• Killin' time, gettin' high, can't wait 'til it ends

  ➔ Parallel present participles; `can't wait until`

  ➔ `Killin'` and `Gettin'` are informal contractions of "killing" and "getting." The parallel use of present participles (`-ing` forms) describes simultaneous or consecutive actions. "Can't wait 'til it ends" expresses strong anticipation for something to finish, with 'til being an informal contraction of "until."

• You've always had it real lavish, first-class

  ➔ Present Perfect with `always`; Colloquial `real` as adverb

  ➔ The Present Perfect tense with "always" indicates an action or state that has been continuously true up to the present. "Real" is used informally here as an adverb, equivalent to "really," to intensify "lavish."

• 80 grand in both your hands, but no love

  ➔ Ellipsis (implied verb); Contrastive conjunction

  ➔ This line uses ellipsis, where the verb "you have" is implied before "80 grand." It means "You have 80 grand in both your hands." The conjunction "but" introduces a contrast between material wealth and emotional lack.