Lille – English Lyrics

• By: Lisa Hannigan
• Album: Sea Sew

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a unique journey, and Lisa Hannigan's "Lille" offers a beautiful starting point for English learners. The song's clear and gentle vocals make it easy to follow the poetic lyrics, which are filled with imagery of the sea and personal reflection. Exploring "Lille" can help you pick up new vocabulary related to nature and emotions while enjoying a calming and heartfelt melody. This song is special because it represents a significant moment of artistic independence for Hannigan, and its story of moving forward can be universally inspiring.

[English]

He went to sea for the day

He wanted to know what to say

When he's asked what he'd done

In the past to someone

That he loves endlessly

Now she's gone, so is he

I went to war every morning

I lost my way but now I'm following

What you said in my arms

What I read in the charms

That I love durably

Now it's dead and gone and I am free

I went to sleep for the daytime

I shut my eyes to the sunshine

Turned my head away from the noise

Bruise and drip decay of childish toys

That I loved arguably

All our labouring gone to seed

Went out to play for the evening

We wanted to hold onto the feeling

On the stretch in the sun

And our breathlessness as we run

To the beach endlessly

As the sun creeps up on the sea

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
sea /siː/ A1	noun - Large body of salt water that covers most of the earth's surface
love /lʌv/ A2	noun - A deep romantic or emotional attachment to someone or something verb - To feel deep affection for someone or something
endlessly /ˈɛndlɪsliː/ B2	adverb - In a way that has no end or limit
sleep /sliːp/ A2	verb - To rest with eyes closed and in a state of unconsciousness
background /ˈbækɡraʊnd/ B2	noun - The part of a scene or picture behind the main objects
duration /djʊˈreɪʃən/ B1	noun - The length of time that something continues
decay /dɪˈkeɪ/ B2	noun - The process of rotting or decomposing
toil /tɔɪl/ B2	verb - To work hard and prolonged labor
hold /hoʊld/ A2	verb - To keep or carry with hands or arms
free /friː/ A2	adjective - Not under the control or in the power of another; able to act or move freely

Key Grammar Structures

• He went to sea for the day

  ➔ Past simple tense with 'went'

  ➔ The verb 'went' is the past tense of 'go', used to describe a completed action in the past.

• He wanted to know what to say

  ➔ Infinitive phrase with 'to' + base verb

  ➔ The phrase 'to know' is an infinitive, used here to express desire or intention.

• Now she's gone, so is he

  ➔ Inversion in coordinate sentences with 'so is he'

  ➔ The phrase 'so is he' is a negative inversion, confirming that the second subject shares the same state.

• I lost my way but now I'm following

  ➔ Contrasting conjunction 'but' with present continuous 'I'm following'

  ➔ The word 'but' introduces a contrast between losing one's way and now actively following something.

• We wanted to hold onto the feeling

  ➔ Past simple modal 'wanted' + infinitive 'to hold'

  ➔ The phrase 'wanted to hold' uses the past simple to express a desire in the past.

• And our breathlessness as we run

  ➔ Noun 'breathlessness' functioning as the subject, with 'as' introducing a temporal clause

  ➔ The noun 'breathlessness' acts as the subject, and 'as we run' is a temporal clause describing the action happening simultaneously.