Burning Heart – English Lyrics

• By: Survivor
• Album: Vital Signs

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the themes of resilience and determination with Survivor's "Burning Heart," a song that encapsulates the spirit of the 1980s and the challenges of the Cold War era. Through its powerful lyrics and driving rhythm, this anthem offers a unique insight into the mindset of perseverance and the battle against all odds.

[English]

Two worlds collide

Rival nations

It's a primitive clash

Venting years of frustration

Bravely we hope

Against all hope

There is so much at stake

Seems our freedom's up

Against the ropes

Does the crowd understand?

Is it East versus West

Or man against man?

Can any nation stand alone?

In the burning Heart

Just about to burst

There's a quest for answers

...

An unquenchable thirst

In the darkest night

Rising like a spire

In the burning heart

The unmistakable fire

In the burning heart

...

In the warrious code

There's no surrender

Though his body says stop

His spirit cries, never!

Deep in our soul

A quiet ember

Know it's you against you

It's the paradox

That drives us all

It's a battle of wills

In the heat of attack

It's the passion that kills

The victory is yours alone

In the burning heart

Just about to burst

There's a quest for answers

An unquenchable thirst

In the darkest night

Rising like a spire

In the burning heart

The unmistakable fire

...

In the burning heart

Just about to burst

There's a quest for answers

An unquenchable thirst

In the darkest night

Rising like a spire

In the burning heart

The unmistakable fire

In the burning heart

Just about to burst

There's a quest for answers

An unquenchable thirst

In the darkest night

Rising like a spire

In the burning heart

The unmistakable fire

...

In the burning heart

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
collide /kəˈlaɪd/ B2	verb - to hit something violently
rival /ˈraɪvəl/ B2	adjective - competing noun - a person or thing competing with another for the same objective or for superiority in the same field of activity.
nations /ˈneɪʃənz/ B1	noun - a large body of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory.
clash /klæʃ/ B2	noun - a violent confrontation verb - to come into conflict
frustration /frʌˈstreɪʃən/ B2	noun - the feeling of being upset or annoyed as a result of being unable to change or achieve something.
hope /hoʊp/ A2	verb - to want something to happen or be true noun - a feeling of optimism
stake /steɪk/ B2	noun - something that you risk losing if you are unsuccessful
freedom /ˈfriːdəm/ A2	noun - the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance.
crowd /kraʊd/ A2	noun - a large number of people gathered together in a public place
burning /ˈbɜːrnɪŋ/ B1	adjective - on fire; intensely hot. verb - to produce flames and heat
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - a hollow muscular organ that pumps the blood through the circulatory system by rhythmic contraction and dilation.
burst /bɜːrst/ B1	verb - break open or apart suddenly and violently, especially as a result of internal pressure. noun - a sudden outbreak
quest /kwest/ B2	noun - a long or arduous search for something.
answers /ˈænsərz/ A2	noun - a reply to a question or a solution to a problem. verb - say something in response to a question.
thirst /θɜːrst/ B2	noun - a feeling of needing or wanting to drink something. noun - a strong desire for something.
darkest /ˈdɑːrkɪst/ A2	adjective - with little or no light.
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period from sunset to sunrise in each twenty-four hours.
rising /ˈraɪzɪŋ/ A2	verb - getting up
fire /ˈfaɪər/ A1	noun - combustion or burning, in which substances combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically give out bright light, heat, and smoke.
warrior /ˈwɔːriər/ B1	noun - a brave or experienced soldier or fighter.
code /koʊd/ B1	noun - a set of rules or principles.
surrender /səˈrendər/ B2	verb - to stop fighting and admit defeat. noun - the act of surrendering
body /ˈbɑːdi/ A1	noun - the physical structure of a person or an animal, including the bones, flesh, and organs.
spirit /ˈspɪrɪt/ B1	noun - the nonphysical part of a person, the soul.

Key Grammar Structures

• It's a primitive clash

  ➔ Present simple tense (descriptive). Use of 'it's' as a contraction.

  ➔ The sentence uses the present simple to describe a general or ongoing situation. "It's" is a contraction of "it is". Here, it presents the clash as fundamentally basic.

• Bravely we hope, against all hope

  ➔ Adverb placement at the beginning for emphasis. Prepositional phrase 'against all hope'.

  ➔ "Bravely" is placed at the beginning to emphasize the manner in which they hope. "Against all hope" is a phrase that means even though there is little or no reason to expect something to happen, one still hopes for it.

• Seems our freedom's up against the ropes

  ➔ Possessive 'freedom's'. Phrasal verb 'up against' indicating a difficult situation.

  ➔ "Freedom's" shows possession, indicating that the freedom belongs to them. "Up against the ropes" is an idiom meaning in a very difficult or losing situation, often referring to boxing.

• Can any nation stand alone?

  ➔ Modal verb 'can' indicating ability or possibility. Question formation with subject-verb inversion.

  ➔ "Can" expresses the possibility of a nation being able to stand alone. The word order (Can + subject + verb) creates a question.

• There's a quest for answers

  ➔ Existential 'there is' (contracted to 'there's'). Indefinite article 'a' before a singular countable noun.

  ➔ "There's" indicates the existence of something, in this case, a quest. "A" signifies that it is one such quest among many possible quests.

• An unquenchable thirst

  ➔ Indefinite article 'an' before a vowel sound. Adjective 'unquenchable' forming a compound noun phrase.

  ➔ "An" is used instead of "a" because "unquenchable" starts with a vowel sound. "Unquenchable" describes the type of thirst, indicating that it cannot be satisfied.

• Rising like a spire

  ➔ Present participle 'rising' used as an adjective/part of a simile. Use of the preposition 'like' to create a simile.

  ➔ "Rising" describes the way something is moving or appearing. The word "like" is used to compare the rising action to the image of a spire, which is a tall, pointed structure.

• Though his body says stop, his spirit cries, never!

  ➔ Subordinating conjunction 'though' introducing a contrasting idea. Use of 'says' and 'cries' to personify the body and spirit. Use of 'never!' as a strong interjection.

  ➔ "Though" connects two contrasting ideas. "Says" and "cries" are used to give the body and spirit human qualities. "Never!" is a strong, emotional refusal to give up.