Concrete – English Lyrics

• By: Tom Odell
• Album: Best Day Of My Life

Lyrics & Translation

Unlock the heartfelt English lyrics of Tom Odell's "Concrete" and explore its powerful message about valuing authentic connection over material possessions. This song offers a beautiful insight into expressions of deep longing and the desire for genuine intimacy, making it a perfect track to immerse yourself in emotional English vocabulary and poetic phrasing.

[English]

Got me in my hotel room

...

More pillows I could ever use

I think they call it luxury

...

But it doesn't make a difference to me

'Cause I sleep on a bed that's made of concrete

Just the two of us and no sheet

Just your feet rubbing up against my

...

Staring at the picture on the wall

Yeah it's pretty clever but it's got no soul

Show me your masterpiece

...

And it wouldn't make difference to me

'Cause I sleep on a bed that's made of concrete

Just the two of us and no sheet

Just your feet rubbing up against my

Oh rubbing up against my

Oh rubbing up against my

I see all these aeroplanes

But just wanna walk

Baby, it's happening

But I just wanna talk

...

So baby, won't you come back

Oh I need something real

I sleep on a bed that's made of concrete

Just the two of us and no sheets

Your feet rubbing up against my

I sleep on a bed that's made of concrete

Just the two of us and no sheet

Just your feet rubbing up against my

Rubbing up against my

Oh rubbing up against my

Oh rubbing up against my

Rubbing up against my

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
sleep /sliːp/ A1	verb - to rest in a state of unconsciousness
concrete /ˈkɒŋ.kriːt/ A1	noun - a building material made from cement, sand, and water adjective - specific and clear, not abstract
luxury /ˈlʌk.ʃə.ri/ A2	noun - great comfort and extravagant living
difference /ˈdɪf.rəns/ A2	noun - the state of being unlike or distinct
stare /stɛər/ A2	verb - to look at something with fixed eyes for a long time
masterpiece /ˈmɑː.stər.piːs/ B1	noun - a work of outstanding creativity, skill, or workmanship
rub /rʌb/ A1	verb - to move one's hand or an object over a surface repeatedly
aeroplane /ˈɛə.rəʊ.pleɪn/ A1	noun - a vehicle that flies, also known as an airplane
walk /wɔːk/ A1	verb - to move on foot at a slower pace than running
talk /tɔːk/ A1	verb - to speak to someone
real /rɪəl/ A1	adjective - actually existing as a thing
clever /ˈkliː.vər/ A2	adjective - intelligent and quick to understand or learn
soul /soʊl/ B1	noun - the spiritual part of a person
pillow /ˈpɪl.oʊ/ A1	noun - a soft bag filled with feathers, foam, or air, used to rest the head
happening /ˈhæp.ən.ɪŋ/ A2	noun - an event or occurrence

Key Grammar Structures

• Got me in my hotel room

  ➔ Passive Voice

  ➔ The verb "got" is used here in a passive construction to express that the speaker is in the hotel room as a result of some external force (e.g., booking).

• More pillows I could ever use

  ➔ Comparative Adjective + Modal Verb (could)

  ➔ "More" indicates a comparison. "Could" expresses potential or ability, indicating the speaker could potentially use more pillows than they actually do.

• But it doesn't make a difference to me

  ➔ Present Simple (negative) + Idiom "make a difference"

  ➔ The sentence uses the present simple tense in its negative form to express a general truth about the speaker's feelings. "Make a difference" is an idiom meaning to have an impact or importance.

• 'Cause I sleep on a bed that's made of concrete

  ➔ Subordinating conjunction "'Cause" + Relative clause "that's made of concrete"

  ➔ 'Cause is a contraction of "because", used to introduce the reason for the preceding statement. The relative clause "that's made of concrete" modifies "a bed," providing further description.

• Just the two of us and no sheet

  ➔ Ellipsis of a verb + use of "and" to connect phrases

  ➔ The verb "are" (or similar) is omitted for conciseness. "And" connects two parallel phrases. This creates a specific image by focusing on key elements.

• Just your feet rubbing up against my

  ➔ Gerund "rubbing" + Prepositional phrase

  ➔ "Rubbing" functions as a gerund (a verb acting as a noun). The prepositional phrase "up against my" provides context and describes the action.

• Show me your masterpiece

  ➔ Imperative mood + Direct Object

  ➔ The sentence is a command or request. "Show" is in the imperative mood, and "masterpiece" is the direct object.

• I see all these aeroplanes

  ➔ Present Simple + Plural Noun

  ➔ Simple statement of fact using the present simple. "Aeroplanes" is the plural form of the noun.

• Baby, it's happening

  ➔ Present Continuous Tense

  ➔ This uses the present continuous tense to describe an action that is happening now or around the time of speaking.

• Oh I need something real

  ➔ Pronoun (Something) + Adjective

  ➔ "Something" is an indefinite pronoun. "Real" is the adjective describing "something".