House – English Lyrics

• By: Charli XCX, John Cale
• Album: Wuthering Heights (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the haunting world of Charli XCX and John Cale's "House," a song rich with evocative English lyrics inspired by the gothic intensity of 'Wuthering Heights'. Explore potent phrases about entrapment, creation, and existential longing, and immerse yourself in a unique musical landscape where "elegant and brutal" poetry meets industrial rock. This track is perfect for understanding how English can convey profound emotional depth and atmospheric storytelling.

[English]

Can I speak to you privately for a moment?

I just want to explain.

Explain the circumstances I find myself in.

What and who I really am.

I'm a prisoner to live for eternity.

I think I'm gonna die in this house.

I think I'm gonna die in this house.

I think I'm gonna die in this house.

I think I'm gonna die in this house.

I think I'm gonna die in this house.

(I think I'm gonna die in this house)

(Ah)

I think I'm gonna die in this house.

(Ah)

I think I'm gonna die in this house.

(Ah)

I think I'm gonna die in this house.

I was thinking, "What is this place?"

Am I living in another world?

Another world I created?

For what?

Do you see beauty?

I think I'm gonna die in this house.

I think I'm gonna die in this house.

I think I'm gonna die in this house.

I think I'm gonna die in this house.

I think I'm gonna die in this house.

(I think I'm gonna die in this house)

(Ah)

I think I'm gonna die in this house.

(Ah)

I think I'm gonna die in this house.

(Ah)

I think I'm gonna die in this house.

In every room, I hear silence.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
speak /spiːk/ A2	verb - to say words; to talk
explain /ɪkˈspleɪn/ B1	verb - to make something clear by describing it in detail
circumstance /ˈsɜːrkəmstæns/ B2	noun - a condition or fact that affects a situation
prisoner /ˈprɪzənər/ B1	noun - a person who is kept in a prison or forced to stay somewhere
eternity /ɪˈtɜːrnəti/ C1	noun - an infinite or very long time
die /daɪ/ A2	verb - to stop living
house /haʊs/ A1	noun - a building where people live
living /ˈlɪvɪŋ/ A2	adjective - alive; not dead
world /wɜːrld/ A2	noun - the earth and all people and things on it
create /kriˈeɪt/ B1	verb - to make something new or original
beauty /ˈbjuːti/ B1	noun - the quality of being pleasing to the senses or mind
room /ruːm/ A1	noun - a part of a building enclosed by walls, floor, and ceiling
silence /ˈsaɪləns/ B2	noun - a complete absence of sound
privately /ˈpraɪvətli/ B2	adverb - in a secret or personal way, not publicly
hear /hɪr/ A1	verb - to perceive sound with your ears

Key Grammar Structures

• Can I speak to you privately for a moment?

  ➔ Modal verb for polite request

  ➔ "Can" is used to make a polite request or ask permission

• I just want to explain.

  ➔ Simple present tense to express desire

  ➔ "Want to" indicates intention or desire to do something

• Explain the circumstances I find myself in.

  ➔ Imperative mood with relative clause

  ➔ "Explain" is an imperative verb; "I find myself in" is a relative clause describing "circumstances"

• I'm a prisoner to live for eternity.

  ➔ Present continuous contraction and infinitive of purpose

  ➔ "I'm" = "I am" contraction; "to live" shows the purpose or reason

• I think I'm gonna die in this house.

  ➔ Informal future with 'gonna' representing 'going to'

  ➔ "Gonna" is a colloquial contraction of "going to" used to indicate future intention or prediction

• I was thinking, "What is this place?"

  ➔ Past continuous tense for ongoing past action

  ➔ "Was thinking" shows an action that was ongoing at a specific time in the past

• Am I living in another world?

  ➔ Present continuous question for current state or temporary action

  ➔ Use of present continuous in a question form to inquire about a current condition

• Do you see beauty?

  ➔ Present simple question for general truth or perception

  ➔ "Do you" is used for questions in present simple tense to ask about facts or perceptions

• In every room, I hear silence.

  ➔ Simple present tense to express habitual or general truth

  ➔ "Hear" in present tense indicates a current or habitual perception