I See Fire – English Lyrics

• By: Ed Sheeran

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a musical journey through Middle-earth with Ed Sheeran's "I See Fire," a captivating folk ballad from *The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug*. This song offers a unique opportunity to explore themes of unity, destruction, and resilience, while learning vivid English expressions through its evocative lyrics. Discover how Sheeran's masterful storytelling and Celtic-infused melody bring Tolkien's world to life, making language learning an enchanting adventure.

[English]

Oh, misty eye of the mountain below

Keep careful watch of my brothers' souls

And should the sky be filled with fire and smoke

Keep watching over Durin's sons

...

If this is to end in fire

Then we should all burn together

Watch the flames climb high into the night

Calling out father oh

Stand by and we will

Watch the flames burn auburn on

The mountain side (high)

...

And if we should die tonight

Then we should all die together

Raise a glass of wine for the last time

Calling out father oh

Prepare as we will

Watch the flames burn auburn on

The mountain side

Desolation comes upon the sky

Now I see fire

Inside the mountain

And I see fire

Burning the trees

And I see fire

Hollowing souls

And I see fire

Blood in the breeze

And I hope that you remember me

...

Oh, should my people fall

Then surely I'll do the same

Confined in mountain halls

We got too close to the flame

Calling out father oh

Hold fast and we will

Watch the flames burn auburn on

The mountain side

Desolation comes upon the sky

Now I see fire

Inside the mountain

And I see fire

Burning the trees

And I see fire

Hollowing souls

And I see fire

Blood in the breeze

And I hope that you remember me

And if the night is burning

I will cover my eyes

For if the dark returns

Then my brothers will die

And as the sky is falling down

It crashed into this lonely town

And with that shadow upon the ground

I hear my people screaming out

Now I see fire

Inside the mountains

I see fire

Burning the trees

I see fire

Hollowing souls

I see fire

Blood in the breeze

I see fire

Oh you know I saw a city burning out (fire)

And I see fire

Feel the heat upon my skin, yeah (fire)

And I see fire (fire)

...

And I see fire burn on and on the mountain side

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
fire /ˈfaɪər/ A1	noun - a process in which substances combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically give out bright light, heat, and smoke; something that is burning verb - to discharge a firearm or explosive; to set alight
mountain /ˈmaʊntən/ A1	noun - a large natural elevation of the earth's surface rising abruptly from the surrounding level; a large steep hill
eye /aɪ/ A1	noun - the organ of sight in humans and animals
souls /soʊl/ B1	noun - the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal
sky /skaɪ/ A1	noun - the region of the atmosphere and outer space seen from the earth
smoke /smoʊk/ A2	noun - a visible suspension of carbon or other particles in air, typically one emitted from a burning substance verb - to emit smoke
burn /bɜːrn/ A2	verb - to be damaged or destroyed by fire or heat
flames /fleɪmz/ B1	noun - a hot bright stream of burning gas from something that is burning
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period from sunset to sunrise in each twenty-four hours
father /ˈfɑːðər/ A1	noun - a man in relation to his child or children
side /saɪd/ A1	noun - a surface or aspect of something
die /daɪ/ A1	verb - to stop living
glass /ɡlæs/ A1	noun - a hard, transparent substance made by melting sand, soda, lime, and other ingredients and cooling them rapidly
wine /waɪn/ A1	noun - an alcoholic drink made from fermented grapes
desolation /ˌdesəˈleɪʃən/ C1	noun - a state of complete emptiness or destruction
trees /triːz/ A1	noun - a woody perennial plant, typically having a single stem or trunk growing to a considerable height and bearing lateral branches at some distance from the ground.
blood /blʌd/ A1	noun - the red fluid that circulates in the arteries and veins of humans and other vertebrate animals, carrying oxygen to and carbon dioxide from the tissues of the body.
breeze /briːz/ A2	noun - a gentle wind.
dark /dɑːrk/ A2	adjective - with little or no light

Key Grammar Structures

• And should the sky be filled with fire and smoke

  ➔ Use of the modal 'should' in conditional sentences to express probability or suggestion.

  ➔ 'Should' is used here to indicate a conditional situation that is possible or likely.

• If this is to end in fire

  ➔ Use of 'to' after 'is' to indicate purpose or result in formal expressions.

  ➔ 'To' is used here with 'is' to express the purpose or intended outcome of the situation.

• Then we should all burn together

  ➔ Use of the modal 'should' to express an obligation or recommendation in a hypothetical scenario.

  ➔ 'Should' here is used to indicate what is advisable or expected under the circumstances.

• And I see fire burning the trees

  ➔ Present participle 'burning' used to describe ongoing action.

  ➔ 'Burning' is a present participle form that describes an action happening now.

• And I see fire in the breeze

  ➔ Prepositional phrase 'in the breeze' indicating location or circumstance.

  ➔ 'In the breeze' describes the environment or setting where the fire is seen.

• And I see fire, hollowing souls

  ➔ Present participle 'hollowing' used as an adjective to describe the effect on souls.

  ➔ 'Hollowing' is a present participle that describes the action of making souls hollow or empty.

• And I see fire, blood in the breeze

  ➔ Noun phrase 'blood in the breeze' indicating figurative imagery.

  ➔ This phrase uses visual and sensory imagery to evoke emotion or symbolism.