King – English Lyrics

• By: Florence + The Machine

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a linguistic journey with Florence + The Machine's "King." This song offers a rich tapestry of profound, self-reflective lyrics that explore themes of identity, ambition, and societal expectations for women. Learning the language through "King" will allow you to delve into emotionally charged storytelling and poetic expressions that make Florence Welch a master lyricist, providing a unique insight into contemporary English and evocative metaphorical language.

[English]

[DOOR CLOSING SOUND]

[BAM SOUND]

[LONG GASP IN PAIN]

♪♪♪

♪ WE ARGUE IN THE KITCHEN ABOUT WHETHER TO HAVE CHILDREN ♪

♪ ABOUT THE WORLD ENDING AND THE SCALE OF MY AMBITION ♪

♪ AND HOW MUCH IS ART REALLY WORTH ♪

♪ THE VERY THING YOU’RE BEST AT ♪

♪ IS THE THING THAT HURTS THE MOST ♪

♪ BUT YOU NEED YOUR ROTTEN HEART ♪

♪ YOUR DAZZLING PAIN LIKE DIAMOND RINGS ♪

♪ YOU NEED TO GO TO WAR ♪

♪ TO FIND MATERIAL TO SING ♪

♪ I AM NO MOTHER [DOUBLE VOICE] ♪

♪ I AM NO BRIDE [DOUBLE VOICE] ♪

♪ I AM KING [DOUBLE VOICE] ♪

♪ I NEED MY GOLDEN CROWN OF SORROW ♪

♪ MY BLOODY SWORD TO SWING ♪

♪ MY EMPTY HALLS TO ECHO WITH GRAND SELF-MYTHOLOGY ♪

♪ I AM NO MOTHER ♪

♪ I AM NO BRIDE, I AM KING ♪

♪ I AM NO MOTHER ♪

♪ I AM NO BRIDE, I AM KING ♪

♪♪♪

♪ BUT A WOMAN IS A CHANGELING [VOCALS ON BACKGROUND] ♪

♪ ALWAYS SHIFTING SHAPE ♪

♪ JUST WHEN YOU THINK YOU HAVE IT FIGURED OUT ♪

♪ SOMETHING NEW BEGINS TO TAKE ♪

♪ WHAT STRANGE CLAWS ARE THESE ♪

♪ SCRATCHING AT MY SKIN ♪

♪ I NEVER KNEW MY KILLER [VOCALIZING OUT] WOULD BE COMING FROM WITHIN ♪

♪ I AM NO MOTHER ♪

♪ I AM NO BRIDE, I AM KING ♪

♪♪♪

♪ I AM NO MOTHER ♪

♪ I AM NO BRIDE, I AM KING ♪

♪♪♪

♪ I NEED MY GOLDEN CROWN OF SORROW [DOUBLE VOICE] ♪

♪ MY BLOODY SWORD TO SWING ♪

♪ I NEED MY EMPTY HALLS TO ECHO ♪

♪ WITH GRAND SELF-MYTHOLOGY ♪

♪ COS I AM NO MOTHER [VOCALIZING] ♪

♪ I AM NO BRIDE, I AM KING [DOUBLE VOICE] ♪

♪ I AM NO MOTHER (I AM NO MOTHER) ♪

♪ I AM NO BRIDE, I AM KING (I AM NO BRIDE, I AM KING) ♪

♪ I AM NO MOTHER (I AM NO MOTHER) ♪

♪ I AM NO BRIDE, I AM KING [DOUBLE VOICE] ♪

♪ I AM NO MOTHER (I AM NO MOTHER) ♪

♪ I AM NO BRIDE, I AM KING (I AM NO BRIDE, I AM KING) ♪

♪♪♪

♪ I [VOCALIZING] ♪

♪♪♪

♪ AND I WAS NEVER AS GOOD ♪

♪ AS I ALWAYS THOUGHT I WAS ♪

♪ BUT I KNEW HOW TO DRESS IT UP ♪

♪ I WAS NEVER SATISFIED, IT NEVER LET ME GO ♪

♪ JUST DRAGGED ME BY MY HAIR ♪

♪ AND BACK ON WITH THE SHOW ♪

♪♪♪

♪ [AIR GASP] ♪

♪ [TAKING AIR GASP] ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
argue /ˈɑːɡjuː/ B1	verb - to express disagreement with someone, typically by shouting.
kitchen /ˈkɪtʃɪn/ A1	noun - a room or area where food is prepared and cooked.
children /ˈtʃɪldrən/ A1	noun - young human beings below the age of puberty.
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - the earth and all of its countries, people, and natural features.
ending /ˈendɪŋ/ A2	noun - the final part of something. verb - to come or cause to come to an end.
ambition /æmˈbɪʃn/ B2	noun - a strong desire to do or achieve something.
art /ɑːrt/ A2	noun - the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination.
worth /wɜːrθ/ B1	noun - the value of something. adjective - having a particular value, especially in money.
hurts /hɜːrts/ A1	verb - to cause physical pain to someone.
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - an organ that pumps blood through the body.
pain /peɪn/ A1	noun - a physical suffering or discomfort.
rings /rɪŋz/ A2	noun - a small band of metal. verb - to make a clear resonant sound.
war /wɔːr/ A2	noun - a state of armed conflict between different countries or groups.
material /məˈtɪəriəl/ B1	noun - the matter from which a thing is or can be made.
sing /sɪŋ/ A1	verb - make musical sounds with the voice.
bride /braɪd/ A2	noun - a woman on her wedding day or shortly before or after it.
king /kɪŋ/ A1	noun - the male ruler of an independent state.
crown /kraʊn/ A2	noun - a circular ornamental headdress worn by a monarch.
sword /sɔːrd/ B1	noun - a weapon with a long metal blade.
swing /swɪŋ/ B1	verb - move or cause to move back and forth or from side to side while suspended. noun - a piece of playground equipment
halls /hɔːlz/ B1	noun - a large room used for meetings or other events.
echo /ˈekəʊ/ B1	verb - a repeated sound caused by the reflection of sound waves. noun - a repeated sound.
shape /ʃeɪp/ A2	noun - the external form or appearance of something. verb - to give a particular form to.
claws /klɔːz/ B1	noun - a sharp, curved nail on the foot of an animal.
skin /skɪn/ A1	noun - the outer covering of the body of a person or animal.
killer /ˈkɪlər/ B1	noun - a person or thing that kills.
good /ɡʊd/ A1	adjective - to be desired or approved of.
dress /dres/ A1	verb - put clothes on oneself or another person. noun - a one-piece garment for a woman or girl.
hair /heər/ A1	noun - a mass of fine threads growing on the head.
show /ʃəʊ/ A1	noun - an event or performance. verb - to present something to be seen.

Key Grammar Structures

• ABOUT WHETHER TO HAVE CHILDREN

  ➔ Noun clause with whether + infinitive

  ➔ The word "whether" introduces a noun clause that functions as the object of "about".

• ABOUT THE WORLD ENDING

  ➔ Gerund phrase as a noun (object)

  ➔ "ending" is a gerund that functions as the object of the preposition "about".

• AND HOW MUCH IS ART REALLY WORTH

  ➔ Indirect question (how much + be + adjective)

  ➔ "how much" introduces an indirect question that reports a query about the value of art.

• THE VERY THING YOU’RE BEST AT

  ➔ Relative clause with omitted relative pronoun (object)

  ➔ "the very thing *you’re best at*" contains a relative clause where the relative pronoun "that" is omitted before "you’re".

• BUT YOU NEED YOUR ROTTEN HEART

  ➔ Verb need + noun (necessity)

  ➔ "need" is followed directly by the noun "heart", showing that the speaker requires that object.

• YOU NEED TO GO TO WAR

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose after need

  ➔ "to go" is an infinitive that explains *why* you need something – the purpose of the need.

• JUST WHEN YOU THINK YOU HAVE IT FIGURED OUT

  ➔ Adverbial clause of time with just when

  ➔ "just when" introduces a clause that marks the precise moment *at which* something happens.

• I NEVER KNEW MY KILLER WOULD BE COMING FROM WITHIN

  ➔ Future‑in‑the‑past (would + verb) after a past‑tense verb

  ➔ "would be coming" expresses an event that was *future* relative to the past moment "knew".

• I WAS NEVER AS GOOD AS I ALWAYS THOUGHT I WAS

  ➔ Comparative clause with as…as and past‑tense verb

  ➔ "as good as" forms a comparison; the second "as" introduces the clause "I always thought I was".