Iris – English Lyrics

• By: Goo Goo Dolls
• Album: Dizzy Up the Girl

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the profound emotional landscape of "Iris" by The Goo Goo Dolls, a powerful ballad that transcends a simple love song. Through its evocative lyrics and sweeping melodies, you can learn to express intense longing, vulnerability, and the universal desire to be truly understood. The song's connection to the film *City of Angels* adds a unique layer, exploring themes of sacrifice for love. Its rich vocabulary and heartfelt expressions make it an excellent choice for expanding your English comprehension and emotional literacy.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
give /ɡɪv/ A1	verb - to freely transfer the possession of something to someone
touch /tʌtʃ/ A2	verb - to put your hand or fingers on someone or something noun - the act of touching
feel /fiːl/ A1	verb - to experience an emotion or sensation
closest /ˈkloʊsɪst/ A1	adjective - nearest in space or time
heaven /ˈhevən/ B1	noun - a place regarded in various religions as the abode of God, the angels, and the good after death, often traditionally depicted as being above the sky.
taste /teɪst/ A2	verb - to perceive or experience the flavor of something noun - the sensation of flavor perceived in the mouth and throat on contact with a substance.
moment /ˈmoʊmənt/ A2	noun - a very brief period of time
breathe /briːð/ A2	verb - to take air into the lungs and expel it
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.
miss /mɪs/ A2	verb - to feel sadness at being without someone or something verb - to fail to hit
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - the earth together with all of its countries, peoples, and natural features.
see /siː/ A1	verb - to perceive with the eyes; discern visually
understand /ˌʌndərˈstænd/ B1	verb - to perceive the intended meaning of (words, a language, or a speaker)
broken /ˈbroʊkən/ A2	adjective - having been fractured or damaged and no longer in one piece or in working order.
fight /faɪt/ A2	verb - take part in a violent struggle involving the exchange of physical blows or the use of weapons. noun - a violent confrontation or struggle.
tears /tɪərz/ A2	noun - drops of clear salty liquid secreted from glands in the eye as a result of strong emotion, pain, or irritation.
truth /truːθ/ B1	noun - the quality or state of being true.
lies /laɪz/ B1	noun - an intentionally false statement. verb - to speak falsely or deceptively.
bleed /bliːd/ B2	verb - to lose blood
alive /əˈlaɪv/ A2	adjective - living; not dead.

Key Grammar Structures

• And I'd give up forever to touch you

  ➔ Conditional Sentence (Type 2) - "I'd give up"

  ➔ Uses the conditional form "would + verb" ('d is a contraction of would) to express a hypothetical or unreal situation in the present or future. "I'd give up" means 'I would give up', implying the speaker is willing to sacrifice forever to touch someone.

• You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be

  ➔ Superlative Adjective - "closest"

  ➔ "Closest" is the superlative of "close," indicating the highest degree of nearness. It means that, in the speaker's experience, the person they're addressing is the nearest they'll ever get to heaven.

• And all I can breathe is your life

  ➔ Modal verb of ability - "can"

  ➔ "Can" expresses the speaker's ability or, in this context, their overwhelming focus on and dependence on the other person. It's not literal breathing but a metaphorical expression of how vital the other person is.

• When everything's made to be broken

  ➔ Passive Voice - "made to be broken"

  ➔ This uses the passive voice, indicating that the subject ("everything") is acted upon rather than performing an action. It implies a sense of inevitability or destiny, that things are inherently created with the purpose of being broken.

• And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming

  ➔ Negative Concord (Non-Standard English) - "ain't"

  ➔ "Ain't" is a non-standard contraction used in place of "are not," "is not," "am not," "has not," or "have not." Here, it stands in for "are not." Using "ain't" adds a colloquial or informal tone.