Kings & Queens – English Lyrics

• By: Ava Max
• Album: Heaven & Hell

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Ava Max's commanding pop anthem, "Kings & Queens," a song steeped in themes of self-reliance and female leadership. Through its driving beat and regal metaphors, you can learn about modern expressions of empowerment in music and how artists blend powerful social commentary with catchy, danceable energy, making this track a special celebration of taking charge.

[English]

If all of the kings had their queens on the throne

We would pop champagne and raise a toast

To all of the queens who are fighting alone

Baby, you're not dancin' on your own

Can't live without me, you wanna, but you can't, nah-nah-nah

Think it's funny, but honey, can't run this show on your own

I can feel my body shake, there's only so much I can take

I'll show you how a real queen behaves (oh)

No damsel in distress, don't need to save me

Once I start breathing fire, you can't tame me

And you might think I'm weak without a sword

But if I had one, it'd be bigger than yours

If all of the kings had their queens on the throne

We would pop champagne and raise a toast

To all of the queens who are fighting alone

Baby, you're not dancin' on your own

Disobey me, then baby, it's off with your head

Gonna change it and make it a world you won't forget (oh)

No damsel in distress, don't need to save me

Once I start breathing fire, you can't tame me

And you might think I'm weak without a sword

But I'm stronger than I ever was before

If all of the kings had their queens on the throne

We would pop champagne and raise a toast

To all of the queens who are fighting alone

Baby, you're not dancin' on your own

...

In chess, the king can move one space at a time

But queens are free to go wherever they like

You get too close, you'll get a royalty high

So breathe in to feel alive

If all of the kings had their queens on the throne

We would pop champagne and raise a toast

To all of the queens who are fighting alone

Baby, you're not dancin' on your own

Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh

Oh, oh, oh-oh-oh

Oh, oh-oh, oh, oh

Oh, oh, oh-oh-oh

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
king /kɪŋ/ A2	noun - the male ruler of an independent state
queen /kwiːn/ A2	noun - the female ruler of an independent state
throne /θroʊn/ B1	noun - a ceremonial chair for a sovereign
champagne /ʃæmˈpeɪn/ B2	noun - a type of sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France
toast /toʊst/ B2	noun - a ritual in which a drink is taken as an expression of honor or goodwill
fight /faɪt/ B1	verb - to engage in a battle or struggle
dancing /ˈdænsɪŋ/ A1	verb - to move rhythmically to music
live /lɪv/ A1	verb - to remain alive
weak /wiːk/ B1	adjective - lacking physical strength or energy
sword /sɔːrd/ B2	noun - a weapon consisting of a long metal blade
change /tʃeɪndʒ/ A2	verb - to make something different
breathe /briːð/ A2	verb - to take air into the lungs and let it out
fire /faɪər/ B1	noun - the phenomenon of combustion

Key Grammar Structures

• If all of the kings had their queens on the throne

  ➔ Second Conditional

  ➔ The structure 'If + past simple, would + base verb' is used to talk about hypothetical situations in the present or future. Here, it imagines a scenario where kings have their queens on the throne.

• We would pop champagne and raise a toast

  ➔ Modal Verb 'would' for Future in the Past

  ➔ 'Would' is used here to express a future action from the perspective of the past. It indicates a planned or intended action in the imagined scenario.

• Can't live without me, you wanna, but you can't, nah-nah-nah

  ➔ Contractions and Informal Language

  ➔ Contractions like 'can't' and informal expressions like 'nah-nah-nah' are used to create a casual and conversational tone in the lyrics.

• I can feel my body shake, there's only so much I can take

  ➔ Present Simple for Habit or General Truth

  ➔ The present simple 'can feel' and 'can take' are used to express a general truth or a habitual action, indicating the speaker's ongoing experience.

• No damsel in distress, don't need to save me

  ➔ Present Simple for Emphasis

  ➔ The present simple 'No damsel in distress' and 'don't need' are used to strongly assert the speaker's independence and self-reliance.

• If all of the kings had their queens on the throne

  ➔ Past Perfect in Conditional Sentences

  ➔ The past perfect 'had' is used in conditional sentences to refer to a hypothetical past action that did not occur, setting the context for the imagined scenario.

• So breathe in to feel alive

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ The imperative mood 'breathe in' is used to give a direct command or instruction, encouraging the listener to take action.