Believe – English Lyrics

• By: Elton John
• Album: Made In England

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a linguistic and emotional journey with Elton John's “Believe.” This powerful ballad offers a chance to explore profound themes of love, faith, and humanity through its beautifully crafted English lyrics. The song's universal message and clear, emotive vocals make it an excellent and inspiring piece for language learners to connect with and understand.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
believe /bɪˈliːv/ B2	verb - to accept something as true or real
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - a deep feeling of affection or care verb - to feel deep affection for someone
boundaries /ˈbaʊndr.ər.iz/ B2	noun - limits that define the edge of an area or concept
boundaries /ˈbaʊndr.ər.iz/ B2	noun - limits that define the edge of an area or concept
boundaries /ˈbaʊndr.ər.iz/ B2	noun - limits that define the edge of an area or concept
boundaries /ˈbaʊndr.ər.iz/ B2	noun - limits that define the edge of an area or concept
hate /heɪt/ B1	noun - an intense feeling of dislike verb - to feel intense dislike for someone or something
destiny /ˈdɛs.tɪ.ni/ B2	noun - the future or outcome that is unavoidable
cancer /ˈkænsər/ B2	noun - a malignant growth or disease
money /ˈmʌn.i/ A2	noun - currency used to buy goods and services
war /wɔːr/ A2	noun - conflict between groups usually involving violence
churches /ˈtʃɜːtʃɪz/ A2	noun - buildings for Christian worship
politics /ˈpɒl.ɪ.tɪks/ B2	noun - activities associated with governance and power
crumbles /ˈkrʌm.bəlz/ B2	verb - to break into small pieces
sleeps /sliːps/ A2	verb - to rest with eyes closed

Key Grammar Structures

• I BELIEVE IN LOVE, IT'S ALL WE GOT

  ➔ Present Simple (belief) and Shortened Relative Clause

  ➔ "I believe" expresses a present belief. "It's all we got" is a shortened form of "It is all that we have got" where "that we have got" is the relative clause, and "that" can often be omitted.

• LOVE HAS NO BOUNDARIES, COSTS NOTHING TO TOUCH

  ➔ Present Simple (general truth) and Infinitive of Purpose

  ➔ "Love has no boundaries" expresses a general truth using the present simple. "Costs nothing to touch" - "to touch" here indicates the purpose of the action (or inaction).

• WAR MAKES MONEY, CANCER SLEEPS

  ➔ Present Simple (general truth)

  ➔ Both clauses use the present simple to express general truths or statements about the way the world is perceived.

• CURLED UP IN MY FATHER AND THAT MEANS SOMETHING TO ME

  ➔ Past Participle as adjective, Compound Sentence

  ➔ "Curled" is a past participle acting as an adjective to describe an unmentioned subject (e.g., "Cancer curled up..."). The two clauses are joined by "and", forming a compound sentence.

• THOSE WHO THINK DIFFERENCE IS THE CHILD OF DISEASE

  ➔ Relative Clause with 'who' as subject; Noun Clause as subject complement

  ➔ "Those *who think difference is the child of disease*" - "who think difference is the child of disease" is a relative clause describing "those." "Difference is the child of disease" is a noun clause acting as the subject complement after the verb "think."

• WITHOUT LOVE I WOULDN'T BELIEVE

  ➔ Conditional Sentence Type 2 (Hypothetical/Unreal)

  ➔ This is a type 2 conditional sentence. The "if" clause is implied ("if I didn't have love"). The main clause uses "would + infinitive" to express a hypothetical result.

• I COULDN'T BELIEVE IN YOU

  ➔ Modal Verb of Ability (Negative)

  ➔ "Couldn't" is the negative form of "could," indicating a lack of ability or possibility. In this case, a hypothetical lack of belief.