Lyrics & Translation
“All My Friends” is a nearly eight-minute journey of introspection and catharsis, making it an excellent song for language learners to dive into. The repetitive yet evolving musical structure, built on a simple piano riff and gradually layered instrumentation, allows for focused listening on James Murphy's distinctive vocals and poignant lyrics. The song's emotional depth, exploring themes of friendship, nostalgia, and the passage of time, offers a rich context for understanding nuanced English vocabulary and expressions related to human connection and life experiences. Its universally relatable themes and building intensity create an immersive experience, encouraging repeated listens and deeper engagement with the language.
[English]
That's how it startsWe go back to your house
You check the charts
And start to figure it out
And if it's crowded, all the better
Because we know we're gonna be up late
But if you're worried about the weather
Then you picked the wrong place to stay
That's how it starts
And so it starts
You switch the engine on
We set controls for the heart of the sun
One of the ways we show our age
And if the sun comes up, if the sun comes up, if the sun comes up
And I still don't wanna stagger home
Then it's the memory of our betters
That are keeping us on our feet
You spent the first five years trying to get with the plan
And the next five years trying to be with your friends again
You're talking 45 turns just as fast as you can
Yeah, I know it gets tired, but it's better when we pretend
It comes apart
The way it does in bad films
Except the part
Where the moral kicks in
Though when we're running out of the drugs
And the conversation's winding away
I wouldn't trade one stupid decision
For another five years of life
You drop the first ten years just as fast as you can
And the next ten people who are trying to be polite
When you're blowing eighty-five days in the middle of France
Yeah, I know it gets tired, only where are your friends tonight?
And to tell the truth
Oh, this could be the last time
So here we go
Like a sales force into the night
And if I made a fool, if I made a fool, if I made a fool
On the road, there's always this
And if I'm sewn into submission
I can still come home to this
And with a face like a dad and a laughable stand
You can sleep on the plane or review what you said
When you're drunk and the kids look impossibly tanned
You think over and over, "Hey, I'm finally dead"
Oh, if the trip and the plan come apart in your hand
You can turn it on yourself, you ridiculous clown
You forgot what you meant when you read what you said
And you always knew you were tired, but then
Where are your friends tonight?
Where are your friends tonight?
Where are your friends tonight?
If I could see all my friends tonight
If I could see all my friends tonight
If I could see all my friends tonight
If I could see all my friends tonight
Key Vocabulary
| Vocabulary | Meanings |
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starts /stɑːrts/ A1 |
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house /haʊs/ A1 |
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charts /tʃɑːrts/ B1 |
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crowded /ˈkraʊdɪd/ B1 |
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worried /ˈwʌrid/ A2 |
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weather /ˈweðər/ A1 |
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engine /ˈendʒɪn/ A2 |
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heart /hɑːrt/ A1 |
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sun /sʌn/ A1 |
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age /eɪdʒ/ A1 |
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home /hoʊm/ A1 |
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memory /ˈmeməri/ B1 |
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betters /ˈbetərz/ B2 |
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friends /frendz/ A1 |
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tired /ˈtaɪərd/ A2 |
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films /fɪlmz/ A1 |
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moral /ˈmɔːrəl/ B2 |
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running /ˈrʌnɪŋ/ A1 |
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drugs /drʌɡz/ B1 |
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conversation /ˌkɒnvərˈseɪʃn/ B1 |
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decision /dɪˈsɪʒn/ B1 |
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truth /truːθ/ B1 |
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force /fɔːrs/ B1 |
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fool /fuːl/ B1 |
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road /roʊd/ A1 |
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face /feɪs/ A1 |
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dad /dæd/ A1 |
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kids /kɪdz/ A1 |
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clown /klaʊn/ B1 |
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Key Grammar Structures
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If it's crowded, all the better
➔ The + comparative, the + comparative.
➔ Expresses a proportional increase or decrease. The structure "The + comparative, the + comparative" indicates that as one thing increases (or decreases), another thing also increases (or decreases). Here, "the more crowded" (if it's crowded) implies "the better".
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We set controls for the heart of the sun
➔ Metaphorical use of prepositions.
➔ The preposition "for" is used metaphorically to indicate direction or intention. They aren't literally controlling the sun, but setting their goals/intentions towards something ambitious and potentially destructive ("the heart of the sun").
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I still don't wanna stagger home
➔ Use of "wanna" (want to) and negation with "still".
➔ "Wanna" is an informal contraction of "want to." "Still don't wanna" implies a continuing desire *not* to go home, even after a long time or despite other circumstances.
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It's better when we pretend
➔ Use of "when" as a conjunction to introduce a conditional clause.
➔ "When" introduces a specific condition: *if* we pretend, things are better. This implies that pretending provides a temporary escape or improvement in their situation.
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Where are your friends tonight?
➔ Question formation with "where" and the present simple tense.
➔ This is a direct question asking about the location of someone's friends. "Where" is the interrogative adverb, and "are" is the verb 'to be' in the present tense, conjugated to agree with the plural subject "your friends."
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Oh, this could be the last time
➔ Use of modal verb "could" to express possibility.
➔ "Could" indicates that something is possible but not certain. In this context, it suggests a recognition that the present moment might not be repeated, emphasizing its potential importance and fragility. "Could be" demonstrates a level of uncertainty less definite than "will be."
