Golden Slumbers – English Lyrics

• By: Dua Lipa
• Album: Live Acoustic EP

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Once there was a way

To get back homeward

...

Once there was a way

To get back home

Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry

And I will sing a lullaby

Golden slumbers fill your eyes

Smiles awake you when you rise

Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry

And I will sing a lullaby

And I will sing a lullaby

Once there was a way

To get back homeward

...

Once there was a way

To get back home

Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry

And I will sing a lullaby

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
way /weɪ/ A2	noun - a method or route
home /hoʊm/ A1	noun - the place where one lives
homeward /ˈhoʊm.wɚd/ C1	adjective - toward home
sleep /sliːp/ A1	verb - to rest with eyes closed noun - the state of being asleep
pretty /ˈprɪt.i/ A2	adjective - attractive; fairly
darling /ˈdɑːr.lɪŋ/ B1	noun - a beloved person
cry /kraɪ/ A1	verb - to shed tears
sing /sɪŋ/ A1	verb - to produce musical sounds with the voice
lullaby /ˈlʌl.ə.baɪ/ B2	noun - a soothing song sung to children at bedtime
golden /ˈɡoʊl.dən/ B1	adjective - made of or having the colour of gold
slumbers /ˈslʌm.bɚz/ C1	noun - periods of sleep; deep rest
fill /fɪl/ A2	verb - to make something full or to occupy space
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - organs of sight; the pair of visual organs
smiles /smaɪlz/ A2	noun - expressions of happiness shown by turning up the corners of the mouth
awake /əˈweɪk/ B1	verb - to stop sleeping adjective - not sleeping; alert
rise /raɪz/ A2	verb - to move upward; to get up from a lying position
get /ɡɛt/ A1	verb - to obtain, receive, or become

Key Grammar Structures

• Once there was a way

  ➔ Simple Past Tense (existential there)

  ➔ The verb "was" is in the simple past, showing a completed state in the past.

• To get back homeward

  ➔ Infinitive phrase (purpose)

  ➔ The infinitive "to get" expresses the purpose of the previous clause.

• Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry

  ➔ Imperative mood (negative command) with direct address

  ➔ "Sleep" and "do not cry" are commands; "pretty darling" is a vocative phrase.

• And I will sing a lullaby

  ➔ Future simple with modal "will"

  ➔ "will" + base verb "sing" forms the simple future, indicating a future action.

• Golden slumbers fill your eyes

  ➔ Simple present tense (subject‑verb agreement)

  ➔ "Golden slumbers" (plural subject) takes the plural verb "fill".

• Smiles awake you when you rise

  ➔ Simple present with adverbial "when" clause

  ➔ "when you rise" is a subordinate clause indicating the time of the main action "awake".

• Do not cry

  ➔ Negative imperative

  ➔ "Do not" + base verb "cry" forms a prohibition.

• And I will sing a lullaby

  ➔ Future simple with modal "will" (repetition for emphasis)

  ➔ The structure "will + verb" again shows a future intention; the repetition stresses the promise.