Alive – English Lyrics

• By: Sia
• Album: This Is Acting

Lyrics & Translation

Delve into Sia's "Alive," a potent and emotional pop song that can be a fantastic resource for English language learners. The track's clear, albeit intensely delivered, lyrics offer a unique opportunity to grasp powerful vocabulary related to overcoming adversity and expressing strong emotions. Its compelling narrative of survival, initially penned from Adele's perspective, makes it relatable and memorable, while Sia's distinctive vocal performance provides excellent exposure to varied pronunciation and emphasis.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
born /bɔːrn/ A2	verb - brought into life; given birth
thunderstorm /ˈθʌndərstɔːrm/ B1	noun - a storm with thunder and lightning
grew /ɡruː/ A1	verb - past tense of grow; to increase in size or amount
survived /sərˈvaɪvd/ B1	verb - continued to live or exist, especially in spite of danger or hardship
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection verb - to feel deep affection for
light /laɪt/ A1	noun - the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible
envy /ˈenvi/ B2	noun - a feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck. verb - to feel envy towards (someone).
demons /ˈdiːmənz/ B2	noun - an evil spirit or devil, especially one thought to possess a person or act as a tormentor in hell.
wind /wɪnd/ A1	noun - the perceptible natural movement of the air, especially in the form of a current of air blowing from a particular direction
grow /ɡroʊ/ A1	verb - to increase in size or amount
hope /hoʊp/ A2	noun - a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen
lies /laɪz/ B1	noun - a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive
cry /kraɪ/ A1	verb - shed tears
breathing /ˈbriːðɪŋ/ A2	verb - the process of taking air into and expelling it from the lungs.
alive /əˈlaɪv/ A1	adjective - living; not dead
solace /ˈsɑːləs/ C1	noun - comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness
strangest /ˈstreɪndʒɪst/ B1	adjective - unusual or surprising in a way that is odd or unsettling
mistake /mɪˈsteɪk/ A2	noun - an action or judgment that is misguided or wrong
pain /peɪn/ A2	noun - physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury.
forgotten /fərˈɡɑːtn/ B1	verb - past participle of forget; no longer remembered

Key Grammar Structures

• I was born in a thunderstorm

  ➔ Past Simple (Passive Voice)

  ➔ Use of the passive voice to emphasize the experience of being born rather than who performed the action. "Was born" is formed using "was" (past tense of "be") + past participle "born".

• I wanted everything I never had

  ➔ Relative Clause (Object)

  ➔ The clause "I never had" functions as a relative clause modifying "everything." The relative pronoun (which/that) is omitted as it is the object of "had."

• Where the wind don't change

  ➔ Negative Concord (Non-Standard)

  ➔ This line uses "don't" with "wind", which is grammatically incorrect in standard English (should be "doesn't"). This is an example of negative concord, a feature found in some dialects where a negative element can spread through a clause. Often used in informal speech or in song lyrics for emphasis or stylistic effect.

• And you're taught to cry into your pillow

  ➔ Present Simple (Passive Voice) with infinitive

  ➔ The passive voice "you're taught" indicates that someone else is teaching this. The infinitive phrase "to cry into your pillow" expresses the purpose or result of the teaching.

• I'm still breathing

  ➔ Present Continuous

  ➔ Describes an action that is happening at the moment of speaking. Here, it emphasizes the continuation of life despite challenges.

• I found solace in the strangest place

  ➔ Past Simple + Superlative adjective

  ➔ Using the past simple tense to describe a completed action in the past. The superlative adjective "strangest" is used to emphasize that the place was unlike any other.

• I have made every single mistake

  ➔ Present Perfect

  ➔ The present perfect tense ("have made") connects the past mistakes to the present. It suggests the consequences or results of those mistakes are still relevant.

• That you could ever possibly make

  ➔ Modal Verb + Adverb

  ➔ "Could" is a modal verb expressing possibility. "Possibly" is an adverb modifying the verb "make," emphasizing the extent of the possibility. The structure highlights the comprehensive nature of the speaker's mistakes.