Kings & Queens – English Lyrics

• By: Ava Max

Lyrics & Translation

Learn English with Ava Max's empowering anthem 'Kings & Queens'! This song is a great way to pick up vocabulary related to power, royalty, and self-confidence. The clear, strong vocals and catchy chorus make it easy to sing along and practice your pronunciation. What makes this song special is its uplifting message of female strength and its clever use of metaphors, like comparing a queen's power to her movements in a game of chess.

[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
queen /kwiːn/ A1	noun - a female ruler of a country
throne /θroʊn/ B1	noun - the seat of a king or queen
champagne /ʃæmˈpeɪn/ A2	noun - a sparkling white wine
toast /toʊst/ A2	noun - a drink taken to honor someone or something verb - to honor with a toast
fighting /ˈfaɪtɪŋ/ A1	verb - to take part in a physical conflict
dancin' /ˈdænsɪŋ/ A1	verb - to move the body and feet to music
show /ʃoʊ/ A1	noun - a performance or display verb - to present or perform
shake /ʃeɪk/ A1	verb - to move with short, quick movements
behave /bɪˈheɪv/ A2	verb - to act in a particular way
damsel /ˈdæmzl/ B2	noun - a young woman, often in a romantic or chivalrous context
distress /dɪˈstrɛs/ B1	noun - severe anxiety or suffering
breathing /ˈbriːθɪŋ/ A1	verb - to take air into the lungs and then expel it
fire /faɪr/ A1	noun - the phenomenon of combustion
tame /teɪm/ B1	verb - to make a wild animal obedient
sword /sɔːrd/ A2	noun - a weapon with a long blade
disobey /ˌdɪsəˈbeɪ/ B1	verb - to fail to obey a rule or command
royalty /ˈrɔɪəlti/ B2	noun - kings, queens, and other members of a royal family

Key Grammar Structures

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

  ➔ Second conditional (if‑clause with past simple + would in main clause)

  ➔ The word "had" shows the past simple in the if‑clause, indicating an unreal situation.

• We would pop champagne and raise a toast

  ➔ Modal verb "would" + base verb (bare infinitive) for hypothetical result

  ➔ "would" expresses a hypothetical situation and is followed by the bare infinitives "pop" and "raise".

• To all of the queens who are fighting alone

  ➔ Relative clause with present progressive (who are fighting)

  ➔ "who are fighting" describes the queens using the present progressive to show ongoing action.

• Baby, you're not dancin' on your own

  ➔ Present progressive negative with contraction (you're not dancin')

  ➔ "you're not dancin'" combines "are" + "not" + the verb "dance" with the informal dropping of the "g".

• Can't live without me, you wanna, but ...

  ➔ Ellipsis and informal modal contraction (Can't) + infinitive without subject, plus colloquial "wanna"

  ➔ "Can't" is a contracted form of "cannot"; the subject "you" is omitted before "live" for emphasis, and "wanna" = "want to".

• And you might think I'm weak without a sword

  ➔ Modal verb "might" + base verb for possibility; simple present in main clause

  ➔ "might" shows uncertainty, and "think" is the base verb that follows it.

• If I had one, it'd be bigger than yours

  ➔ Second conditional with contraction "it'd" (it would) + comparative adjective

  ➔ "it'd" = "it would" shows a hypothetical result; "bigger" is the comparative form of "big".

• Once I start breathing fire, you can't tame ...

  ➔ Temporal clause with "once" + present simple for future; modal "can't" + base verb

  ➔ "Once" introduces a condition that will happen in the future; "can't" expresses inability.