Black Mambo – English Lyrics

• By: Glass Animals
• Album: ZABA

Lyrics & Translation

“Black Mambo” offers a fantastic opportunity to dive into the English language through its rich, narrative-driven lyrics. The song tells a vivid story, allowing you to learn descriptive vocabulary and understand metaphorical language. Its unique psychedelic and indie-pop sound makes for an engaging and memorable learning experience, showcasing how music can paint a complex picture with words.

[English]

[♪♪♪]

♪ "What'll it be now, Mr Mole?" ♪

♪ Whispers sloth in curls of smoke ♪

♪ Take a back seat, or play pharaoh ♪

♪ Dance with me and shake your bones ♪

♪ Slow down, it's a science ♪

♪ He's been waiting to bring you down ♪

♪ Snake eyed with a sly smile ♪

♪ He can hold you ♪

♪ And shake you, child ♪

♪ Leopards laze each on plush pillows ♪

♪ Slender capes of red and chrome ♪

♪ Paperback dreams in their deep doze ♪

♪ Twitch their toes to black mambo ♪

♪ Slow down, it's a science ♪

♪ He's been waiting to bring you down ♪

♪ Snake eyed with a sly smile ♪

♪ He can hold you ♪

♪ And shake you, child ♪

♪ (Ooh) ♪

♪ (Ooh) ♪

♪ (Ooh) ♪

♪ "Wanna play cheat now?" Says the sloth ♪

♪ A domino flush to his nose ♪

♪ Tickle that cheek ♪

♪ And take your throne ♪

♪ Pump your veins with gushing gold ♪

♪ Slow down, it's a science ♪

♪ He's been waiting ♪

♪ To bring you down ♪

♪ Snake eyed with a sly smile ♪

♪ He can hold you ♪

♪ And shake you, child ♪

♪ We can hold you ♪

♪ We can hold you ♪

♪ We can hold you ♪

♪ We can hold you ♪

♪ We can hold you ♪

♪ We can hold you ♪

♪ We can hold you ♪

♪ We can hold you ♪

[♪♪♪]

Key Grammar Structures

• "What'll it be now, Mr Mole?"

  ➔ Contraction of "What will" / Future Simple Question

  ➔ "What'll" is a common informal contraction of "What will," used here to ask about a choice or decision in the future.

• Whispers sloth in curls of smoke

  ➔ Inverted Subject-Verb Order

  ➔ The subject "sloth" comes *after* the verb "whispers" for stylistic emphasis, often found in poetry or narrative.

• Take a back seat, or play pharaoh

  ➔ Imperative Mood / Idiomatic Expression

  ➔ "Take a back seat" is an idiom meaning to be less involved or to give up control. The verbs "Take" and "play" are in the imperative mood, giving a command or suggestion.

• He's been waiting to bring you down

  ➔ Present Perfect Continuous + Infinitive of Purpose

  ➔ "He's been waiting" (he has been waiting) emphasizes an action that started in the past and continues up to the present. "To bring you down" is an infinitive phrase expressing the *purpose* of his waiting.

• Snake eyed with a sly smile

  ➔ Compound Adjective / Prepositional Phrase as Adjective

  ➔ "Snake eyed" is a compound adjective describing the subject's eyes. "With a sly smile" is a prepositional phrase acting adjectivally, further describing the subject's appearance or manner.

• Leopards laze each on plush pillows

  ➔ Distributive "each" / Simple Present

  ➔ "Each" emphasizes that the action of "lazing" applies individually to every leopard. "Laze" is in the simple present, describing a habitual or characteristic action.

• Twitch their toes to black mambo

  ➔ Preposition "to" indicating accompaniment/response

  ➔ The preposition "to" here indicates that the action of "twitching their toes" is done *in response to* or *in time with* the music, "black mambo."

• "Wanna play cheat now?" Says the sloth

  ➔ Informal Contraction "wanna" / Reported Speech (inverted)

  ➔ "Wanna" is an informal contraction of "want to." The sentence also uses inverted subject-verb order ("Says the sloth") for the reporting verb, common in dialogue.

• Pump your veins with gushing gold

  ➔ Imperative Mood / Metaphorical Language

  ➔ "Pump" is an imperative verb. The phrase "pump your veins with gushing gold" is a vivid metaphor, suggesting an infusion of power, wealth, or vitality.

• We can hold you

  ➔ Modal Verb "can" for possibility/ability

  ➔ The modal verb "can" expresses the ability or possibility of the subject "we" to "hold" someone, suggesting a sense of control, support, or perhaps entrapment.