Creep – English Lyrics

• By: Radiohead
• Album: Pablo Honey

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a powerful and immersive experience, and Radiohead's "Creep" offers a unique entry point into the English language through its raw and emotional lyrics. The song's straightforward yet poignant vocabulary allows learners to connect with universal feelings of inadequacy and longing. What makes "Creep" special for language learners is its clear articulation and the emotional weight behind every word, making the language both memorable and impactful.

[English]

When you were here before

Couldn't look you in the eye

You're just like an angel

Your skin makes me cry

You float like a feather

In a beautiful world

I wish I was special

You're so fucking special

But I'm a creep

I'm a weirdo

What the hell am I doing here?

I don't belong here

I'm a creep

I'm a weirdo

What the hell am I doing here?

I don't belong here

I don't care if it hurts

I wanna have control

I want a perfect body

I want a perfect soul

I want you to notice

When I'm not around

You're so fucking special

I wish I was special

But I'm a creep

I'm a weirdo

What the hell am I doing here?

I don't belong here

I'm a creep

I'm a weirdo

What the hell am I doing here?

I don't belong here

You made me lose my mind

I don't know what I feel inside

I don't know what I feel inside

I don't know what I feel inside

You made me lose my mind

I don't know what I feel inside

I don't know what I feel inside

I don't know what I feel inside

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
creep /kriːp/ B1	noun - a person who behaves in a way that makes others uncomfortable
weirdo /ˈwɪrdoʊ/ B2	noun - a socially awkward or strange person
special /ˈspeʃəl/ A2	adjective - unique or exceptional
control /kənˈtroʊl/ B1	noun - power to influence behavior verb - to direct behavior
feather /ˈfɛðər/ B1	noun - light structure covering a bird's body
angel /ˈeɪndʒəl/ B1	noun - spiritual being symbolizing purity
belong /bɪˈlɔːŋ/ A2	verb - to fit in a particular environment
notice /ˈnoʊtɪs/ B1	verb - to become aware of something
float /floʊt/ B1	verb - to move gently through air/water
perfect /ˈpɜːrfɪkt/ A2	adjective - flawless or ideal
soul /soʊl/ B2	noun - spiritual essence of a person
mind /maɪnd/ A2	noun - human consciousness

Key Grammar Structures

• When you were here before

  ➔ Past Simple

  ➔ The verb "were" is the past simple form of "be" used to describe a past state.

• Couldn't look you in the eye

  ➔ Modal verb (negative) + base verb

  ➔ "Couldn't" is the negative form of the modal verb "could" followed by the base verb "look".

• You're just like an angel

  ➔ Present Simple (to be) + complement

  ➔ "You're" is the contraction of "you are"; the verb "are" is in the present simple and links the subject to the complement "just like an angel".

• Your skin makes me cry

  ➔ Simple Present (causative verb)

  ➔ "makes" is a present‑simple verb that expresses causation: the subject "your skin" causes the object "me" to "cry".

• I wish I was special

  ➔ Wish + Past Simple (unreal present)

  ➔ "wish" is followed by the past simple "was" to talk about a situation that is not true in the present.

• What the hell am I doing here?

  ➔ Present Continuous (question) with inversion

  ➔ The auxiliary "am" precedes the subject "I" to form a question in the present continuous: "am I doing".

• I don't belong here

  ➔ Present Simple Negative

  ➔ "don't" is the negative form of "do" used with the base verb "belong" in the present simple.

• I want a perfect body

  ➔ Simple Present with transitive verb + noun phrase

  ➔ "want" is a transitive verb in the present simple; it takes the noun phrase "a perfect body" as its object.

• I don't know what I feel inside

  ➔ Indirect question (embedded "what" clause)

  ➔ "what I feel inside" is a noun clause introduced by "what" that functions as the object of "know".