Flaws – English Lyrics

• By: Bastille
• Album: &

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Bastille's "Flaws," a synth-pop track that combines an upbeat sound with deeply introspective lyrics about self-acceptance. Its distinct British English vocals offer a fantastic opportunity for language learners to engage with authentic pronunciation and nuanced emotional expression while exploring universal themes of vulnerability and embracing who you are.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
flaw /flɔː/ B2	noun - a defect or shortcoming in something
wonderful /ˈwʌndərfl/ B1	adjective - extremely good or pleasing
mess /mes/ A2	noun - a state of disorder or untidiness
undo /ʌnˈduː/ B1	verb - to reverse or cancel the effect of something
inherit /ɪnˈhɛrɪt/ B2	verb - to receive (property, traits, etc.) from someone after they die
pass /pæs/ A2	verb - to move or go past something
hole /hoʊl/ A1	noun - an opening or empty space in something solid
soul /soʊl/ B1	noun - the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being
fill /fɪl/ A1	verb - to make something full by putting something into it verb - to satisfy a need or desire
wear /wɛr/ A1	verb - to have clothing on one's body
bury /ˈbɛri/ B1	verb - to put something in the ground and cover it with earth
dig /dɪɡ/ A1	verb - to break up and move earth with a tool or hands
finish /ˈfɪnɪʃ/ A2	verb - to bring something to an end
start /stɑːrt/ A1	verb - to begin doing something
exhume /ɪkˈsjuːm/ C1	verb - to dig up a buried body or thing
doom /duːm/ B2	verb - to cause something to have an unfortunate or disastrous end
count /kaʊnt/ A2	verb - to determine the total number of something
unturned /ʌnˈtɜrnd/ C1	adjective - not having been turned over or examined; left as it is

Key Grammar Structures

• When all of your flaws and all of my flaws are laid out one by one

  ➔ Passive Voice, Quantifiers

  ➔ The sentence uses the passive voice ("are laid out") to emphasize the *flaws* being revealed, rather than who is revealing them. "All of" functions as a quantifier, indicating totality. The phrase 'one by one' adds detail about the manner of the laying out.

• We pick ourselves undone

  ➔ Reflexive Pronoun, Phrasal Verb

  ➔ "Ourselves" is a reflexive pronoun, indicating that the subject (we) is both performing and receiving the action. "Undone" functions as an adjective describing the state of being 'picked apart' or 'destroyed' emotionally. The phrasal verb 'pick undone' implies a deliberate self-deconstruction.

• There's a hole in my soul I can't fill it

  ➔ Existential 'There is/are', Pronoun Reference

  ➔ The sentence begins with an existential 'There is' construction, indicating the existence of a 'hole'. The pronoun 'it' clearly refers back to 'the hole', avoiding repetition. This is a common way to maintain flow in English.

• You have always worn your flaws upon your sleeve

  ➔ Present Perfect, Idiomatic Expression

  ➔ The present perfect ("have always worn") indicates an action that started in the past and continues to be true in the present. "Upon your sleeve" is an idiom meaning to openly display one's emotions or weaknesses.