Animals – English Lyrics

• By: Maroon 5

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the English language through Maroon 5's "Animals," a song that uses vivid and controversial metaphors to express intense desire. This track offers a great opportunity to learn about figurative language, particularly similes and metaphors related to primal instincts, and to engage in discussions about lyrical interpretation and artistic expression.

[English]

(camera shutter clicking)

♪ Baby I'm preying on you tonight ♪

♪ Hunt you down eat you alive ♪

♪ Just like animals ♪

♪ Animals ♪

♪ Like animals-mals ♪

♪ Maybe you think that you can hide ♪

♪ I can smell your scent for miles ♪

♪ Just like animals ♪

♪ Animals ♪

♪ Like animals-mals ♪

♪ Baby I'm ♪

♪ So what you trying to do to me ♪

♪ It's like we can't stop we're enemies ♪

♪ But we get along when I'm inside you eh ♪

♪ You're like a drug that's killing me ♪

♪ I cut you out entirely ♪

♪ But I get so high when I'm inside you ♪

♪ Yeah you can start over you can run free ♪

♪ You can find other fish in the sea ♪

♪ You can pretend it's meant to be ♪

♪ But you can't stay away from me ♪

♪ I can still hear you making that sound ♪

♪ Taking me down rolling on the ground ♪

♪ You can pretend that it was me ♪

♪ But no oh ♪

♪ Baby I'm preying on you tonight ♪

♪ Hunt you down eat you alive ♪

♪ Just like animals ♪

♪ Animals ♪

♪ Like animals-mals ♪

♪ Maybe you think that you can hide ♪

♪ I can smell your scent for miles ♪

♪ Just like animals ♪

♪ Animals ♪

♪ Like animals-mals ♪

♪ Baby I'm ♪

♪ So if I run it's not enough ♪

♪ You're still in my head forever stuck ♪

♪ So you can do what you wanna do eh ♪

♪ I love your lies I'll eat 'em up ♪

♪ But don't deny the animal ♪

♪ That comes alive when I'm inside you ♪

♪ Yeah you can start over you can run free ♪

♪ You can find other fish in the sea ♪

♪ You can pretend it's meant to be ♪

♪ But you can't stay away from me ♪

♪ I can still hear you making that sound ♪

♪ Taking me down rolling on the ground ♪

♪ You can pretend that it was me ♪

♪ But no oh ♪

♪ Baby I'm preying on you tonight ♪

♪ Hunt you down eat you alive ♪

♪ Just like animals ♪

♪ Animals ♪

♪ Like animals-mals ♪

♪ Maybe you think that you can hide ♪

♪ I can smell your scent for miles ♪

♪ Just like animals ♪

♪ Animals ♪

♪ Like animals-mals ♪

♪ Baby I'm ♪

♪ Don't tell no lie lie lie lie ♪

♪ You can't deny-ny-ny-ny ♪

♪ The beast inside-side-side-side ♪

♪ Yeah yeah yeah ♪

♪ No girl don't lie lie lie lie ♪

♪ You can't deny ny-ny-ny ♪

♪ The beast inside-side-side-side ♪

♪ Yeah yeah yeah ♪

♪ Yo ♪

♪ Whoa ♪

♪ Whoa ♪

♪ Just like animals ♪

♪ Animals ♪

♪ Like animals-mals ♪

♪ Just like animals ♪

♪ Animals ♪

♪ Like animals-mals ♪

♪ Ow ♪

♪ Baby I'm preying on you tonight ♪

♪ Hunt you down eat you alive ♪

♪ Just like animals ♪

♪ Animals ♪

♪ Like animals-mals ♪

♪ Maybe you think that you can hide ♪

♪ I can smell your scent for miles ♪

♪ Just like animals ♪

♪ Animals ♪

♪ Like animals-mals ♪

♪ Baby I'm ♪

♪ Don't tell no lie lie lie lie ♪

♪ You can't deny-ny-ny-ny ♪

♪ The beast inside-side-side-side ♪

♪ Yeah yeah yeah ♪

♪ No girl don't lie lie lie lie ♪

♪ You can't deny-ny-ny-ny ♪

♪ The beast inside-side-side-side ♪

♪ Yeah yeah yeah ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
animal /ˈænɪməl/ A1	noun - a living creature with senses and voluntary movement, typically able to move independently and having specialized sense organs and a nervous system.
prey /preɪ/ B2	verb - to hunt and kill for food; to victimize or exploit someone. noun - an animal that is hunted or killed by another animal for food; a victim.
hunt /hʌnt/ A2	verb - to chase and kill wild animals for food or sport; to search for something or someone.
eat /iːt/ A1	verb - to put food into your mouth and chew and swallow it.
alive /əˈlaɪv/ A2	adjective - living, not dead; having life.
hide /haɪd/ A2	verb - to put or keep out of sight; to prevent from being seen or discovered.
scent /sent/ B1	noun - a distinctive smell, especially one that is pleasant, or a trail left by an animal.
drug /drʌɡ/ B1	noun - a medicine or other substance which has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body; something that causes addiction.
kill /kɪl/ A2	verb - to cause the death of (a person, animal, or other living thing).
inside /ɪnˈsaɪd/ B1	noun - the inner side or surface of something; the part within; a person's character or feelings. adjective - situated on or in the inner part of something; relating to the inner self or mind.
stuck /stʌk/ B1	adjective - unable to move or be moved; fixed in a specified position or state.
lie /laɪ/ B1	noun - an intentionally false statement. verb - to make a false statement with intent to deceive; to be in a flat position on a surface.
deny /dɪˈnaɪ/ B2	verb - to state that something is not true; to refuse to admit the truth or existence of something.
beast /biːst/ B2	noun - an animal, especially a large or dangerous four-footed one; a cruel or crude person.
enemy /ˈenəmi/ B1	noun - a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something.
pretend /prɪˈtend/ B1	verb - to behave as if something is true when you know that it is not, especially in order to deceive people or to amuse yourself.

Key Grammar Structures

• ♪ Baby I'm preying on you tonight ♪

  ➔ Present Continuous for planned/ongoing aggressive action & Phrasal Verb

  ➔ The "present continuous" ("I'm preying") is used to describe an action happening at the moment or a planned future action with a strong sense of immediacy and intent. The phrasal verb "prey on" means to hunt or victimize someone.

• ♪ Just like animals ♪

  ➔ Simile using "like"

  ➔ This is a "simile" which is a figure of speech comparing two different things using the words "like" or "as" to make the description more vivid. Here, the behavior is compared to that of "animals".

• ♪ Maybe you think that you can hide ♪

  ➔ Noun Clause with "that" & Modal Verb "can"

  ➔ The phrase "that you can hide" is a "noun clause" acting as the object of the verb "think". The conjunction "that" introduces this clause. "can" is a "modal verb" expressing possibility or ability.

• ♪ But we get along when I'm inside you eh ♪

  ➔ Adverbial Clause of Time & Phrasal Verb "get along"

  ➔ "when I'm inside you" is an "adverbial clause of time" modifying the main verb "get along," indicating when the action occurs. "get along" is a "phrasal verb" meaning to have a harmonious relationship.

• ♪ You're like a drug that's killing me ♪

  ➔ Relative Clause

  ➔ "that's killing me" is a "relative clause" (or adjective clause) modifying the noun "drug". It provides additional information about the drug. "that" is the relative pronoun here.

• ♪ You can pretend it's meant to be ♪

  ➔ Modal Verb "can" & Passive Infinitive "meant to be"

  ➔ "can" is a "modal verb" indicating possibility or permission. "meant to be" is a "passive infinitive" structure, meaning something is destined or intended to happen.

• ♪ But you can't stay away from me ♪

  ➔ Negative Modal Verb "can't" & Phrasal Verb "stay away from"

  ➔ "can't" is the negative form of the "modal verb" "can," expressing inability or prohibition. "stay away from" is a "phrasal verb" meaning to keep a distance or avoid someone/something.

• ♪ I can still hear you making that sound ♪

  ➔ Verb + Object + Present Participle (Perception Verb Construction)

  ➔ This sentence uses a "perception verb" ("hear") followed by an object ("you") and then a "present participle" ("making"). This structure indicates that the subject perceives the object performing an ongoing action.

• ♪ So if I run it's not enough ♪

  ➔ First Conditional (implied consequence)

  ➔ This sentence implies a "first conditional" structure, even though the main clause isn't explicitly future simple. It expresses a real or possible situation ("if I run") and its probable consequence ("it's not enough").

• ♪ Don't tell no lie lie lie lie ♪

  ➔ Informal Double Negative for emphasis & Negative Imperative

  ➔ This line uses a "double negative" ("don't" and "no") for emphasis, which is grammatically incorrect in standard English but common in informal speech or song lyrics for rhetorical effect. It's also a "negative imperative" (command).