How to disappear – English Lyrics

• By: Lana Del Rey
• Album: Norman Fucking Rockwell!

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a journey of cultural and emotional discovery, and Lana Del Rey's "How to disappear" is a beautiful place to start. The song's narrative lyrics and clear, emotive vocals provide an excellent opportunity to learn colloquial English expressions and understand nuanced storytelling. Its themes of love, loss, and resilience are universal, making the language of the song relatable and memorable. Delving into the lyrics of "How to disappear" is not just about learning words; it's about connecting with a story of personal growth and the bittersweet beauty of looking back.

[English]

John met me down on the boulevard

Cried on his shoulder 'cause life is hard

The waves came in over my head

What you been up to, my baby?

Haven't seen you 'round here lately

All of the guys tell me lies, but you don't

You just crack another beer

And pretend that you're still here

This is how to disappear

This is how to disappear

...

Joe met me down at the training yard

Cuts on his face 'cause he fought too hard

I know he's in over his head

But I love that man like nobody can

He moves mountains and pounds them to ground again

I watched the guys getting high as they fight

For the things that they hold dear

To forget the things they fear

This is how to disappear

This is how to disappear

...

Now it's been years since I left New York

I've got a kid and two cats in the yard

The California sun and the movie stars

I watch the skies getting light as I write, as I

Think about those years

As I whisper in your ear

I'm always going to be right here

No one's going anywhere

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
cry /kraɪ/ A1	verb - to shed tears noun - an instance of crying
hard /hɑːrd/ A1	adjective - firm, solid; difficult
lie /laɪ/ A1	verb - to not tell the truth noun - an untrue statement
pretend /prɪˈtend/ B1	verb - to behave as if something is true when it is not
training /ˈtreɪnɪŋ/ A2	noun - the process of learning skills
cut /kʌt/ A1	noun - an opening or wound made with a sharp-edged tool or object. verb - to use a sharp tool to divide or open something.
face /feɪs/ A1	noun - the front part of the head
fight /faɪt/ A2	verb - to take part in a violent physical struggle or conflict noun - a violent physical struggle or conflict
mountain /ˈmaʊntən/ A1	noun - a large natural elevation of the earth's surface
ground /ɡraʊnd/ A1	noun - the solid surface of the earth
high /haɪ/ A1	adjective - of great vertical extent
dear /dɪər/ A2	adjective - regarded with deep affection
fear /fɪər/ B1	noun - an unpleasant emotion caused by the perception of danger, pain, or threat verb - be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or threatening
kid /kɪd/ A1	noun - a child or young person
sun /sʌn/ A1	noun - the star that provides light and heat to Earth
light /laɪt/ A1	noun - the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible adjective - of little weight; easy to lift or move verb - to ignite; start burning.

Key Grammar Structures

• John met me down on the boulevard

  ➔ Simple Past Tense

  ➔ The sentence uses the simple past tense to describe a completed action in the past. The verb "met" is the past tense form of "meet".

• Cried on his shoulder 'cause life is hard

  ➔ Simple Past Tense; Subordinating conjunction 'cause'

  ➔ The verb "cried" is in the simple past. "'Cause" is a shortened, informal version of "because", a subordinating conjunction that introduces a reason.

• Haven't seen you 'round here lately

  ➔ Present Perfect Negative Contraction

  ➔ "Haven't seen" is a contraction of "have not seen", which is the negative form of the present perfect tense. It indicates an action that started in the past and continues to the present, or has relevance to the present.

• This is how to disappear

  ➔ Infinitive phrase as a noun

  ➔ The phrase "how to disappear" functions as a noun, specifically as a subject complement after the verb "is". The "to + verb" form is the infinitive.

• Cuts on his face 'cause he fought too hard

  ➔ Simple Past Tense, Adverb of Degree 'too'

  ➔ "Fought" is the simple past tense of "fight". "Too" is an adverb of degree, modifying "hard" to indicate excessiveness.

• I love that man like nobody can

  ➔ Simple Present Tense; Subordinate Clause with 'like'

  ➔ "Love" is in the simple present, expressing a general truth or feeling. "Like nobody can" functions as an adverbial clause modifying the verb "love," indicating the extent or manner of the love. 'Like' here means 'in the same way that'.

• I'm always going to be right here

  ➔ Future with 'going to'; Adverb of Frequency 'always'

  ➔ "I'm going to be" expresses a future intention or prediction. "Always" is an adverb of frequency, indicating that something happens all the time or very often.