Live 4 Love – English Lyrics

• By: Prince, The New Power Generation
• Album: Diamonds and Pearls

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the powerful storytelling in Prince's "Live 4 Love," a song that delves into complex themes of war, morality, and the human condition. Through its vivid narrative of a fighter pilot's dilemma, you can learn English vocabulary related to conflict and emotion, all while experiencing a unique blend of musical genres. This track is special for its raw energy and its poignant message, making it a compelling piece for both language learners and music lovers.

[English]

Live, for, love

Say live, for, love

Say live, for, love

Say live, for, love

Say live, for, love

Say live, for, love

London

Get goin'

Lauch procedure commence

Countdown start

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4

30, 000 Feet and still a-counting

(Live 4 love)

The attack on my plane is steadily mounting

(Live 4 love)

They killed my buddy, I'm supposed 2 feel nothing

(Live 4 love)

How can I live 4 love?

(I'm calling?) Live 4 love, live 4 love

(I'm calling?) Live 4 love

(Calling?) Live 4 love

Kicked outta my home at 17

(Live 4 love) (Get outta here!)

A real family, now what does that mean?

(Live 4 love)

Don't nobody know the trouble I've seen

(Live 4 love) (Leave me alone!)

How can I live 4 love?

(I'm calling?) Live 4 love, live 4 love

Live 4 love

(Calling, I'm calling?) Live 4 love

(Live 4 love, baby)

My mission, so they said, was just 2 drop the bombs

(Acceleration into temporal state continuum now beginning)

Just like I got no conscience, just like I got no qualms

(Alpha 7, acknowledge)

Now what does that mean?

Say go Tommy go

Go Tommy go

Go Tommy go

Go Tommy go

Go Tommy go

Go Tommy go

Go Tommy go

Go Tommy go

So here, my target is approaching

The angel on my shoulder starts coaching

"Live 4 Love, without love U don't live"

Boom! I take a deep breath

Is it boom! - life?

Is it boom! - death?

Live 4 love

Maybe I was better off staying in school

(Live 4 love)

But everybody said flying planes was cool

(Live 4 love)

It's so easy 4 them 2 say 'cause they never have 2 go through

How can I live 4 love?

(Live 4 love)

(I'm calling?!) Live 4 love

(I'm calling?!) Live 4 love

(Yeah, calling?!) Live 4 love, live 4 love

(Live 4 love!) Live 4 love, live 4 love

Damn! I got hit, but I still complete the mission

(Live 4 love)

I flash upon my whole life just-a-steady wishin'

(Live 4 love)

The choice U make is vital

So at the end of my recital I say?

"U got 2 live 4 love"

Keep goin'

Live 4 love, without love U don't live

And how U make it is based on what U're givin' back

In fact only a few of us slip through the cracks

Through generations the cards have always been stacked against us

So love each other, it's a must

(Live 4 love)

If we just trust and cut the fuss

Believe me, unity is a must

Listen everybody as I spread the word

Everything is hazy when your vision's blurred

I'm kickin' reality in the streets of the city

There's this mentality what goes around comes around

And gangk any clown who ain't down with the colors that U're sportin' 'round

Listen G, U are supposed 2 be

Strivin' 2 be the best that U can be

So stop tryin' 2 dominate and push and shove

(Live 4 love)

Come on, y'all, we got 2 live 4 love

Live 4 love

Live 4 love

Live 4 love

Live 4 love

Live 4 love

Live 4 love

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
live /lɪv/ A1	verb - to be alive; to have life
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - a deep affection or emotional attachment
mission /ˈmɪʃən/ A2	noun - an important task or duty
attack /əˈtæk/ A2	noun - an aggressive action against someone or something
target /ˈtɑːrɡɪt/ A2	noun - a person, object, or place selected as the aim of an attack
approach /əˈproʊtʃ/ B1	verb - to come near or nearer to something or someone in distance, time, or relation
coaching /ˈkoʊtʃɪŋ/ B1	noun - guidance or instruction to improve performance
conscience /ˈkɑːnʃəns/ B2	noun - a person's moral sense of right and wrong
qualms /kwɑːmz/ B2	noun - a feeling of doubt or uneasiness about the morality of an action
vital /ˈvaɪtl/ B2	adjective - absolutely necessary or essential
recital /rɪˈsaɪtəl/ C1	noun - a performance of music or poetry from memory
generations /ˌdʒɛnəˈreɪʃənz/ B1	noun - all the people born and living at about the same time
unity /ˈjuːnɪti/ B1	noun - the state of being united or joined as a whole
hazy /ˈheɪzi/ B2	adjective - not clear or distinct
mentality /ˌmɛnˈtælɪti/ C1	noun - a way of thinking or a particular attitude
strivin /ˈstraɪvɪŋ/ B1	verb - to make great efforts to achieve or obtain something
dominate /ˈdɑːmɪneɪt/ B2	verb - to have control or power over someone or something

Key Grammar Structures

• The attack on my plane is steadily mounting

  ➔ Present continuous tense

  ➔ The phrase "is steadily mounting" uses the present continuous tense to describe an action happening now and continuing.

• They killed my buddy, I'm supposed 2 feel nothing

  ➔ Past simple + Present simple

  ➔ The contrast between "They killed" (past simple) and "I'm supposed to feel" (present simple) highlights a completed action and its ongoing result.

• How can I live 4 love?

  ➔ Modal verb (can) in question form

  ➔ The phrase "How can I" uses the modal verb "can" in a question form to express possibility or ability.

• Without love U don't live

  ➔ Present simple in negative form

  ➔ The phrase "U don't live" uses the present simple in negative form to state a general truth or fact.

• So at the end of my recital I say?

  ➔ Future simple in question form

  ➔ The phrase "I say?" implies future action in a question form, though not explicitly using future tense markers.

• Everything is hazy when your vision's blurred

  ➔ Present simple with possessive form

  ➔ The phrase "your vision's blurred" uses the possessive form ('s) with present simple to describe a current state.

• There's this mentality what goes around comes around

  ➔ Present simple with relative pronoun

  ➔ The phrase "what goes around comes around" is a relative clause using present simple to express a general truth.

• So stop tryin' 2 dominate and push and shove

  ➔ Present continuous in negative form (contracted)

  ➔ The phrase "stop tryin' 2 dominate" uses a contracted form of present continuous in negative form to emphasize stopping an ongoing action.