Crystalised – English Lyrics

• By: The xx
• Album: xx

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the ethereal soundscape of The xx's "Crystalised," a song that masterfully uses hushed vocals and minimalist instrumentation to convey complex emotions. Learning English through this track offers a unique opportunity to explore nuanced vocabulary related to vulnerability, relationships, and internal conflict, while appreciating the beauty of concise and evocative lyricism. Its call-and-response vocal style also provides a great way to practice listening to different voices and understanding dialogue within a song.

[English]

You've applied the pressure to have me crystalised

And you've got the faith, that I could bring paradise

I'll forgive and forget before I'm paralysed

Do I have to keep up the pace to keep you satisfied?

Ay, ay

Things have gotten closer to the sun, and I've done things in small doses

So don't think that I'm pushing you away when you're the one that I've kept closest

...

Ay, ay, ay

Ay, ay, ay

Ay, ay, ay

Ay, ay, ay

You don't move slow, I'm taking steps in my direction

The sound resounds, echo, does it lessen your affection? No

You say I'm foolish for pushing this aside

But burn down our home, I won't leave alive

Ay, ay, ay

Glaciers have melted to the sea, I wish the tide would take me over

I've been down on my knees, and you just keep on getting closer

Ay, ay, ay

Ay, ay, ay

Ay, ay, ay

Ay, ay, ay

...

Glaciers have melted to the sea (things have gotten closer to the sun)

I wish the tide would take me over (and I've done things in small doses)

I've been down onto my knees (so don't think that I'm pushing you away)

And you just keep on getting closer (when you're the one that I've kept closest)

Go slow, go slow, woah-oh

Go slow, go slow, woah-oh

Go slow

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
pressure /ˈpreʃər/ B1	noun - the force that is produced when something presses or pushes against something else
crystalised /ˈkrɪstəlaɪzd/ C1	verb - to cause to form crystals; to make or become definite or clear
faith /feɪθ/ B1	noun - complete trust or confidence in someone or something
paradise /ˈpærədaɪs/ B2	noun - an ideal or idyllic place or state
forgive /fərˈɡɪv/ B1	verb - stop feeling angry or resentful toward (someone) for an offense, flaw, or mistake.
forget /fərˈɡet/ A1	verb - fail to remember
paralysed /ˈpærəlaɪzd/ B2	adjective - unable to move or feel all or part of the body, typically as a result of illness, injury, or a medical condition.
pace /peɪs/ B1	noun - the speed at which someone or something moves verb - walk at a slow or steady speed
satisfy /ˈsætɪsfaɪ/ B1	verb - meet the expectations, needs, or desires of (someone)
doses /ˈdəʊsɪz/ B1	noun - a quantity of a medicine or drug taken or recommended to be taken at a particular time
steps /steps/ A1	noun - an act of putting one foot in front of the other in walking.
direction /dəˈrekʃən/ A2	noun - a course along which someone or something moves.
affection /əˈfekʃən/ B2	noun - a gentle feeling of fondness or liking.
foolish /ˈfuːlɪʃ/ A2	adjective - lacking good sense or judgment; unwise.
burn /bɜːrn/ A2	verb - be on fire; be consumed by fire.
alive /əˈlaɪv/ A2	adjective - living, not dead.
glaciers /ˈɡleɪʃərz/ C1	noun - a slowly moving mass or river of ice formed by the accumulation and compaction of snow on mountains or near the poles.
tide /taɪd/ B1	noun - the alternate rising and falling of the sea, usually twice in each lunar day.
knees /niːz/ A1	noun - the joint of the leg that allows the leg to bend.

Key Grammar Structures

• You've applied the pressure to have me crystalised

  ➔ Present Perfect tense

  ➔ "You've applied" indicates an action that was completed recently or has relevance to the present.

• And you've got the faith, that I could bring paradise

  ➔ Modal verb "could" used for possibility

  ➔ "Could" expresses the possibility or ability to do something in the future or hypothetically.

• Things have gotten closer to the sun

  ➔ Present perfect tense with "have gotten"

  ➔ "Have gotten" (British English: "have got") indicates an action that has been completed and has relevance to the present.

• And you just keep on getting closer

  ➔ Present continuous tense with "keep on"

  ➔ "Keep on" + verb form indicates the action is continuing or repeating.

• I wish the tide would take me over

  ➔ Subjunctive mood (wish + past tense/modal verb)

  ➔ "Wish" expresses a desire for a different reality, often using past tense or modal verbs to convey hypothetical situations.

• Glaciers have melted to the sea

  ➔ Present perfect tense

  ➔ "Have melted" indicates an action that started in the past and has relevance to the present.

• I wish the tide would take me over

  ➔ Subjunctive mood (wish + past modal)

  ➔ Using "wish" with the past tense or modal verb expresses desire for a situation different from reality.