Babel – English Lyrics

• By: Mumford & Sons
• Album: Babel

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into "Babel" by Mumford & Sons, a powerful folk-rock anthem from their Grammy-winning album. This song offers a rich tapestry of poetic English lyrics, steeped in biblical imagery and universal themes of human ambition, struggle, and the search for grace. Learning the language through "Babel" allows you to connect with profound emotional depth and intricate storytelling, showcasing how English can convey complex spiritual and personal journeys within a vibrant musical landscape.

[English]

'Cause I know that time has numbered my days

And I'll go along with everything you say

...

But I'll ride home laughing, look at me now

Then the walls of my town, they come crumbling down

...

And my ears hear the call of my unborn sons

And I know their choices colour all I've done

...

But I'll explain it all to the watchman's son

I ain't ever lived a year better spent in love

...

'Cause I'll know my weakness, know my voice

And I'll believe in grace and choice

And I know perhaps my heart is farce

But I'll be born without a mask, woo

...

Like the city that nurtured my greed and my pride

I stretched my arms into the sky

...

I cry Babel! Babel! Look at me now

Then the walls of my town, they come crumbling down

...

You ask where will we stand in the winds that will howl

As all we see will slip into the cloud

...

So come down from your mountain and stand where we've been

You know our breath is weak and our body thin

...

Press my nose up to the glass around your heart

I should've known I was weaker from the start

You'll build your walls and I will play my bloody part

To tear, tear them down

Well I'm gonna tear, tear them down

'Cause I know my weakness, know my voice

And I'll believe in grace and choice

And I know perhaps my heart is farce

But I'll be born without a mask

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
know /noʊ/ A2	verb - to have information or understanding about something
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - a period during which something happens
ride /raɪd/ A2	verb - to sit on and control the movement of a vehicle or animal
laugh /læf/ A1	verb - to make sounds that show you think something is funny
walls /wɔlz/ A2	noun - the vertical sides of a room or building
heart /hɑrt/ A1	noun - the organ in your chest that sends the blood around your body
cry /kraɪ/ A1	verb - to make a loud sound because you are sad or in pain
weakness /ˈwiːk.nəs/ B1	noun - the state of being weak or not strong
grace /ɡreɪs/ B2	noun - simple elegance or refinement of movement
choice /tʃɔɪs/ B1	noun - the act of selecting or making a decision
cloud /klaʊd/ A2	noun - a visible mass of condensed water vapor floating in the atmosphere
mountain /ˈmaʊn.tɪn/ A2	noun - a large natural elevation of the earth's surface
part /pɑrt/ A1	noun - a piece or segment of something
tears /tɪrz/ A2	noun - drops of clear salty liquid produced by the eyes
build /bɪld/ A2	verb - to construct something by putting parts together
nurtured /ˈnɜr.tʃərd/ B2	verb - to care for and encourage the growth or development of someone or something

Key Grammar Structures

• 'Cause I know that time has numbered my days

  ➔ Present perfect tense

  ➔ The phrase "has numbered" indicates an action that has relevance to the present.

• But I'll ride home laughing, look at me now

  ➔ Future simple tense

  ➔ The phrase "I'll ride" indicates a future action.

• And I know their choices colour all I've done

  ➔ Present simple tense

  ➔ The phrase "I know" indicates a general truth or fact.

• You'll build your walls and I will play my bloody part

  ➔ Future simple tense with modal verb

  ➔ The phrase "You'll build" indicates a future action that someone else will take.

• And I'll believe in grace and choice

  ➔ Future simple tense

  ➔ The phrase "I'll believe" indicates a future intention or decision.

• I should've known I was weaker from the start

  ➔ Modal perfect tense

  ➔ The phrase "should've known" indicates a past obligation or expectation that was not met.

• To tear, tear them down

  ➔ Infinitive form

  ➔ The phrase "to tear" is in the infinitive form, indicating purpose or intention.