Last Rose of Summer – English Lyrics

• By: Judas Priest

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Throughout the soft and timeless days of August

'Til now the shadows begin to grow much longer

And sunset's fire has deepened blood red

I give you this, the last rose of summer

A token of my unyielding love

So that when winter's mantle stills the earth

And all around seems dead and cold

This rose reminds you of a time when all was warm and living

Do not despair, mother nature simply rests

In sleep she has well earned

'Til one day, not so very far from now

With the opening of the first rose bud, I shall return

A token of my unyielding love

So that when winter's mettle steals the earth

And all around seems dead and cold

This rose reminds you of a time when all was warm and living

...

The last rose of summer

The last rose of summer

The last rose of summer

The last rose of summer

The last rose of summer

The last rose of summer

In your long shadows

The last rose of summer

In the sunset

The last rose of summer

Take this rose that I give you

The last rose of summer

The last rose of summer

Don't worry about the winter

The last rose of summer

I shall return

The last rose of summer

The last rose of summer

The last rose of summer

The last rose of summer

The last rose of summer

The last rose of summer

The last rose of summer

The last rose of summer

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
rose /roʊz/ A2	noun - a flower
summer /ˈsʌmər/ A1	noun - the warmest season of the year
shadows /ˈʃædəʊz/ B1	noun - dark areas or shapes produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
sunset /ˈsʌnˌsɛt/ B1	noun - the time in the evening when the sun goes down
fire /ˈfaɪər/ A2	noun - combustion or burning, in which substances combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically give out bright light, heat, and smoke
love /lʌv/ A2	noun - an intense feeling of deep affection.
winter /ˈwɪntər/ A1	noun - the coldest season of the year
earth /ɜːrθ/ A1	noun - the planet on which we live
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.
warm /wɔːrm/ A2	adjective - of or at a moderately high temperature.
living /ˈlɪvɪŋ/ B1	adjective - alive.
day /deɪ/ A1	noun - a period of 24 hours as a unit of time, usually reckoned from one midnight to the next.
mother /ˈmʌðər/ A1	noun - a woman in relation to her child or children.
nature /ˈneɪtʃər/ A2	noun - the phenomena of the physical world collectively, including plants, animals, the landscape, and other features and products of the earth, as opposed to humans or human creations.
sleep /sliːp/ A1	noun - a condition of body and mind such as that which typically recurs for several hours every night, in which the nervous system is relatively inactive, the eyes closed, the postural muscles relaxed, and consciousness practically suspended. verb - be asleep
bud /bʌd/ B1	noun - a compact knoblike growth on a plant that develops into a leaf, flower, or shoot.
return /rɪˈtɜːrn/ A2	verb - come back

Key Grammar Structures

• I give you this, the last rose of summer

  ➔ Simple Present for current actions

  ➔ The phrase uses "give" in the simple present tense to express a current action of giving, creating a sense of immediacy and presence in the poetic context.

• when winter's mantle stills the earth

  ➔ Present Simple for future in subordinate clauses

  ➔ The phrase uses present simple "stills" to refer to a future event in a time clause introduced by "when". This is a common structure where present tense is used instead of future tense in adverbial clauses of time.

• I shall return

  ➔ Modal verb 'shall' for future intention

  ➔ The phrase uses "shall" as a modal verb to express future intention or promise. "Shall" is more formal and poetic than "will" and is often used in literary contexts to convey determination or solemn promise.

• Do not despair

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ The phrase uses the imperative mood "Do not despair" to give a command or strong suggestion. The imperative is formed with "do not" + base verb for negative commands, creating a direct and powerful instruction to the listener.

• a time when all was warm and living

  ➔ Relative clauses with 'when'

  ➔ The phrase uses a relative clause introduced by "when" to provide additional information about "a time". "When" functions as a relative adverb connecting the main clause with the subordinate clause that describes the time period.

• all around seems dead and cold

  ➔ Parallel structure with adjectives

  ➔ The phrase uses parallel structure with two adjectives "dead and cold" connected by "and". This grammatical technique creates rhythm and emphasis, giving equal importance to both descriptors and enhancing the poetic effect.

• shadows begin to grow much longer

  ➔ Present continuous for ongoing change

  ➔ The phrase uses the present continuous "begin to grow" to describe an ongoing process of change. This tense emphasizes the gradual and progressive nature of the shadows growing longer, creating a sense of transition and development.

• winter's mantle

  ➔ Metaphorical language / Possessive case

  ➔ The phrase uses the possessive case "winter's" to create a metaphor where winter is personified as something that can wear a "mantle" (cloak). This figurative language attributes human qualities to the season, enhancing the poetic imagery.