Crash First – English Lyrics

• By: honestav, mgk
• Album: Sweet American Boy

Lyrics & Translation

‘Crash First’ is a perfect song for English learners interested in modern colloquialisms related to emotional volatility and high-energy relationships. The song uses intense, metaphorical language that makes learning English vocabulary surrounding intense emotions and life experiences both engaging and memorable.

[English]

I fill my lungs with half my worth and

try to go numb so that I can't hurt cuz

at my highs I'm at my worst and I can't

fly until I crash first. Everyone's

seeing me screaming. Been that since

birth. Everyone seeing this money I'm

blowing, but nobody's seeing the work.

Look at I'm high like you. For me, the

pills don't work. I like digging in a

bag. I like smoking till it hurt.

>> And if my eyes roll back, then let the

tears come first. Holding those in too

long. Faking it like I'm too strong.

>> And when my eyes roll back, throw my

body in the damn and things in my

pocket. Will you hide them from my will

you tell the world I loved hard? Can you

make them understand that all the things

I was struggling with didn't make me

less a man?

>> And all of the trauma I'm trying to bury

probably made me who I am. Think growing

up broken was necessary so I could fix

my film. And part of me died on his

deathbed holding my daddy's hand. Just

tell my daughters a father will drown if

that means they can swim. I fill my

lungs with half my worth and try to go

numb so that I can't hurt. Cuz at my

highs, I'm at my worst. And I can't fly

until I crash first. I know that it

takes time. I'm coming to get you.

Walking a straight line. I need me a

breakthrough. I'm smoking a grave vine,

sipping a grape juice. Chopping a white

line. It's getting harder to face you.

>> Oh god.

My ass off the wheel speed. I said I

hate you like I didn't mean it. Open

rose from my nose. Still bleeding. Only

you can clean me up. I'm still feeding

cold sweats in these beds. Can't treat

it. No sleep. I'm a party through the

weekend. Kosine brush smoke. I'm

breathing. Somebody save me. I've been

falling off the deep end. All I know is

I don't know how to give a [ __ ] All I

know is I don't know how to give a [ __ ]

Don't give a [ __ ] now. I never give a

[ __ ] now. All I know is I don't know how

to give a [ __ ] Under pressure, I don't

got control of my aggression. Under the

influence, I'm about to make a bad

impression. Only ammunition and a

weapon. And I've been smoking on this

[ __ ] since I was adolescent. Play sixes.

I'm trying to get number seven. I wonder

if they got a spot for junkies up in

heaven. Leave a message if they don't

find my body in the can if they want my

confession. Take my hands off the wheel

while speeding. I hate you and I didn't

mean it. Open wounds from my nose. Still

bleeding. Only you can pick me up.

Cold sweat seed.

No sleep, no party to the weekend. Can't

see the smoke. I'm breathing. Somebody

save me. I've been falling out the deep.

All I know is I don't know how to give a

[ __ ]

Give a [ __ ] I never

know.

Closer.

Closer.

Closer. Go, go, go, go. Get closer.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
numb /nʌm/ B2	adjective - deprived of the power of sensation
worth /wɜːrθ/ B1	noun - the value or importance of something
trauma /ˈtrɔːmə/ C1	noun - a deeply distressing or disturbing experience
bury /ˈbɛri/ B1	verb - to put or hide something under the ground
struggling /ˈstrʌɡlɪŋ/ B2	verb - striving to achieve or resist something
necessary /ˈnɛsəˌsɛri/ A2	adjective - needed to be done or achieved
deathbed /ˈdɛθˌbɛd/ C2	noun - the bed in which a person dies
drown /draʊn/ B2	verb - to die through submersion in water
breakthrough /ˈbreɪkˌθruː/ B2	noun - a significant development or achievement
pressure /ˈprɛʃər/ B1	noun - the use of persuasion or intimidation
aggression /əˈɡrɛʃən/ B2	noun - hostile or violent behavior
influence /ˈɪnfluəns/ B2	noun - the capacity to have an effect on character or behavior
impression /ɪmˈprɛʃən/ B1	noun - an idea, feeling, or opinion about something
ammunition /ˌæmjuˈnɪʃən/ C1	noun - a supply or quantity of bullets and shells
adolescent /ˌædəˈlɛsənt/ B2	adjective - relating to the teenage years
confession /kənˈfɛʃən/ B2	noun - a formal statement admitting that one is guilty of a crime

Key Grammar Structures

• I can't fly until I crash first.

  ➔ Conjunction of time: 'until'

  ➔ 'Until' is used here to indicate that one action (flying) cannot happen before another action (crashing) is completed.

• All the things I was struggling with didn't make me less a man.

  ➔ Relative clause (omitted 'that/which')

  ➔ The phrase 'All the things (that) I was struggling with' uses a reduced relative clause to describe 'things'.

• Think growing up broken was necessary so I could fix my film.

  ➔ Gerund as a subject

  ➔ 'Growing' is a gerund acting as the subject of the clause.

• I'm coming to get you.

  ➔ Present Continuous for future intent

  ➔ The speaker uses 'I'm coming' to express a firm plan or immediate future action.

• Will you hide them from my... will you tell the world I loved hard?

  ➔ Future Simple (Interrogative)

  ➔ 'Will you...' is used to make a request or ask about a future possibility.

• Part of me died on his deathbed holding my daddy's hand.

  ➔ Participle phrase (holding...)

  ➔ 'Holding' describes the state of the speaker while the main action ('died') was occurring.

• Under the influence, I'm about to make a bad impression.

  ➔ Be about to + verb

  ➔ The structure 'be about to' indicates an action that is going to happen in the very near future.

• I've been smoking on this since I was adolescent.

  ➔ Present Perfect Continuous

  ➔ 'I've been smoking' emphasizes an action that started in the past and continues to the present.