Ceremony – English Lyrics

• By: New Order

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into "Ceremony" by New Order, a pivotal song that marked the birth of a legendary band from the ashes of another. Through its melancholic yet hopeful sound and evocative lyrics, you can explore themes of transition, grief, and the enduring human spirit. Its unique backstory, involving deciphered lyrics from a lost voice, makes it a fascinating piece of music history, offering rich cultural and emotional insights that enhance language learning and appreciation of artistic resilience.

[English]

This is why events unnerve me

They find it all, a different story

Notice whom for wheels are turning

Turn again and turn towards this time

All she asks is the strength to hold me

Then again the same old story

World will travel, oh so quickly

Travel first and lean towards this time

...

Oh, I'll break them down, no mercy shown

...

Heaven knows, it's got to be this time

Watching her, these things she said

The times she cried

Too frail to wake this time

...

Oh, I'll break them down, no mercy shown

Heaven knows, it's got to be this time

Avenues all lined with trees

Picture me and then you start watching

Watching forever, forever

Watching love graw, forever

Letting me know, forever

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
events /ɪˈvɛnts/ B1	noun - a thing that happens or takes place, especially one of importance
unnerve /ʌnˈnɜːrv/ C1	verb - to make someone feel nervous or frightened
story /ˈstɔːri/ A1	noun - an account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment
wheels /wiːlz/ A2	noun - a circular object that revolves on an axle and is fixed below a vehicle or other object to enable it to move easily over the ground
turning /ˈtɜːrnɪŋ/ B1	verb - to move in a circular direction around an axis or center noun - a place where a road or path bends or forks
strength /strɛŋθ/ B2	noun - the quality or state of being physically strong
hold /hoʊld/ A2	verb - grasp, carry, or support with one's hands
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - the earth, together with all of its countries, people, and natural features
travel /ˈtrævəl/ A1	verb - make a journey, typically of some length
lean /liːn/ B1	verb - be in or move into a sloping position
break /breɪk/ A2	verb - separate or cause to separate into pieces as a result of a blow, shock, or strain
mercy /ˈmɜːrsi/ B2	noun - compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm
heaven /ˈhɛvən/ A2	noun - a place regarded in various religions as the abode of God or the gods and the good after death
frail /freɪl/ B2	adjective - weak and delicate
avenues /ˈævənjuːz/ B2	noun - a broad road in a town or city, typically having trees at regular intervals along its sides
lined /laɪnd/ B1	verb - to form or mark with a line
trees /triːz/ A1	noun - a woody perennial plant, typically having a single stem or trunk growing to a considerable height and bearing lateral branches at some distance from the ground
grow /ɡroʊ/ A1	verb - to increase in size or develop

Key Grammar Structures

• This is why events unnerve me

  ➔ Inversion for Emphasis

  ➔ Normally, it would be "Events unnerve me. This is why." The inversion puts emphasis on "This is why".

• Notice whom for wheels are turning

  ➔ Archaic/Poetic Relative Pronoun Usage

  ➔ "Whom" is used as a relative pronoun. In modern English, "who" would often be used instead, even when referring to the object of a preposition.

• All she asks is the strength to hold me

  ➔ Subjunctive Mood (implied)

  ➔ The sentence implies "All she asks is that she *have* the strength to hold me." The word *have* (subjunctive) is often omitted in modern English.

• Heaven knows, it's got to be this time

  ➔ Ellipsis

  ➔ The phrase "Heaven knows" is a shortened version of "Heaven only knows". The word "only" is omitted for brevity.

• Too frail to wake this time

  ➔ Elliptical Clause/Reduced Clause

  ➔ This is a shortened form of a clause. It could be interpreted as "She is too frail to wake this time" or "(Being) Too frail to wake this time."

• Avenues all lined with trees

  ➔ Adjectival Phrase

  ➔ "Lined with trees" acts as an adjective describing the avenues. It's a participial phrase functioning as an adjective.

• Watching love graw, forever

  ➔ Non-finite Clause with Verb + Object

  ➔ "Watching love graw" uses a present participle "watching" followed by the object "love", and modifying verb "graw", acting like a clause without a subject. The misspelling of "grow" is artistic license.