Atlantic – English Lyrics

• By: Keane

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the evocative soundscape of Keane's "Atlantic," a song that masterfully uses its emotional depth and unique piano-led instrumentation to convey universal fears of loneliness and aging. Learning the lyrics of this track can offer insights into nuanced emotional expression in English, while appreciating Keane's distinctive musical style, which beautifully blends vulnerability with grandeur. It's a prime example of how a song can transform simple words into a profound emotional journey.

[English]

I hope all my days will be lit by your face

I hope all the years will hold tight our promises

I don't wanna be old and sleep alone

An empty house is not a home

I don't wanna be old and feel afraid

I don't wanna be old and sleep alone

An empty house is not a home

I don't wanna be old and feel afraid

And if I need anything at all

Oh, Ah, Oh

I need a place that's hidden in the deep

Where lonely angels sing to you sleep

Though all the world is broken

I need a place where I can make my bed

A lover's lap where I can lay my head

'Cause now the room is spinning

The day's beginning

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
days /deɪz/ A1	noun - a period of 24 hours
lit /lɪt/ B1	verb - past tense of light: to illuminate
face /feɪs/ A1	noun - the front of the head
years /jɪərz/ A1	noun - a period of 365 days
hold /həʊld/ A2	verb - to keep or grasp
tight /taɪt/ B1	adjective - firmly in position; not easily moved.
promises /ˈprɒmɪsɪz/ B1	noun - a declaration assuring that one will do something
old /əʊld/ A1	adjective - having lived for a long time
sleep /sliːp/ A1	verb - to rest in a state of reduced consciousness noun - the natural state of rest
alone /əˈləʊn/ A1	adjective - without other people
house /haʊs/ A1	noun - a building for human habitation
empty /ˈempti/ A2	adjective - containing nothing
afraid /əˈfreɪd/ A2	adjective - feeling fear
place /pleɪs/ A1	noun - a particular position or point in space
hidden /ˈhɪdn/ B1	adjective - kept out of sight
angels /ˈeɪndʒəlz/ B1	noun - a spiritual being believed to act as a messenger of God
sing /sɪŋ/ A1	verb - to make musical sounds with the voice
broken /ˈbrəʊkən/ B1	adjective - damaged or in pieces
bed /bed/ A1	noun - a piece of furniture for sleeping on
lover's /ˈlʌvərz/ B1	adjective - belonging to a person who loves another person
head /hed/ A1	noun - the part of the body above the neck
room /ruːm/ A1	noun - a space that can be used for a particular purpose
spinning /ˈspɪnɪŋ/ B1	verb - to rotate or cause to rotate rapidly.
day's /deɪz/ A1	noun - relating to the period of 24 hours
beginning /bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/ A2	noun - the point in time or space at which something starts

Key Grammar Structures

• I hope all my days will be lit by your face

  ➔ Future with 'will' + Passive Voice

  ➔ The sentence expresses a wish for the future. 'Will be lit' is a passive construction, meaning the days are *receiving* the action of being lit, rather than actively lighting themselves. The verb 'lit' here functions as an adjective describing the state of the days.

• I don't wanna be old and sleep alone

  ➔ Contraction + Infinitive Phrase + Coordinate Conjunction

  ➔ 'Don't wanna' is a common contraction of 'do not want to'. 'To be old' and 'to sleep alone' are infinitive phrases functioning as complements to 'wanna'. 'And' connects these two ideas.

• Though all the world is broken

  ➔ Subordinating Conjunction + Passive Voice

  ➔ 'Though' introduces a concessive clause, meaning something is true *despite* another fact. 'Is broken' is in the passive voice, indicating the world is *receiving* the action of being broken.

• I need a place where I can make my bed

  ➔ Relative Clause + Modal Verb

  ➔ 'Where' introduces a relative clause modifying 'place'. 'Can make' uses the modal verb 'can' to express ability or possibility. The entire clause functions as an adjective describing the type of place needed.