Machu Picchu – English Lyrics

• By: The Strokes
• Album: Angles

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the rhythmic and atmospheric world of The Strokes! 'Machu Picchu' is a perfect track for learners looking to master natural English phrasing, casual idioms, and the cool, melodic cadence of indie rock vocals.

[English]

I'm putting your patience to the test

I'm putting your body on the line, for less

And didn't you know there was a choice?

It's never yours but someone else's voice

...

Sellin' your body to the street

Sending your girlfriend's to the night, for cheap

Wearing a jacket made of meat

Sealing a letter made with horse's feet

And now you've heard that

Waves turn to grey, life in the shade

A violent crime and that's the USA

Platinum's on the rise, playboys in disguise

I'm just trying to find a mountain I can climb

...

I'm putting your patience to the test

I'm putting your body on the line, for less

And didn't you know there was a choice?

It's never yours but someone else's voice

And now you've seen that

Blondes turn to grey, life in the shade

A violent crime and that's the USA

Porn's on the rise, psycho's in disguise

I'm just tryin' to find a mountain I can climb

...

Darling, ain't nobody gonna tell us

They're gonna be oh so jealous

We're gonna be oh so silent

They're gonna be stoned in silence

(I didn't want to ask you baby?)

I didn't want to have to ask anyone baby

Is anyone asking maybe

(Can anyone hear this?)

...

Why are you waiting beyond the door?

...

Life turns to dust and rain turns to rust

Gossip is a truth and money pays for the lies we trust

Your love is a surprise

Homeless saints are in disguise

I'm just tryin' to find a nice place for you and I

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
patience /ˈpeɪʃəns/ B2	noun - the capacity to accept or tolerate delay
violent /ˈvaɪələnt/ B2	adjective - using or involving physical force intended to hurt
disguise /dɪsˈɡaɪz/ B2	noun - a means of altering one's appearance to conceal one's identity
mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ A1	noun - a large natural elevation of the earth's surface
climb /klaɪm/ A2	verb - to go or come up a slope or staircase
jealous /ˈdʒɛləs/ B1	adjective - feeling or showing envy of someone or their achievements
silent /ˈsaɪlənt/ A2	adjective - not making or accompanied by any sound
gossip /ˈɡɒsɪp/ B2	noun - casual or unconstrained conversation about other people
homeless /ˈhəʊmləs/ B1	adjective - without a home
platinum /ˈplætɪnəm/ B2	noun - a precious silvery-white metal
psycho /ˈsaɪkəʊ/ C1	noun - a person who is mentally unstable or violent
choice /tʃɔɪs/ A2	noun - an act of selecting or making a decision
rust /rʌst/ B2	noun - a reddish- or yellowish-brown flaky coating of iron oxide
dust /dʌst/ A2	noun - fine, dry powder consisting of tiny bits of earth
darling /ˈdɑːlɪŋ/ B1	noun - a person who is dear to another

Key Grammar Structures

• I'm putting your patience to the test

  ➔ Present Continuous for current actions

  ➔ The structure "am/is/are + verb-ing" is used here to describe an action happening at the moment of speaking.

• Didn't you know there was a choice?

  ➔ Past tense 'there was' for existence

  ➔ "There was" is the past form of "there is/are," indicating that the existence occurred or was relevant in the past.

• It's never yours but someone else's voice

  ➔ Possessive apostrophe ('s)

  ➔ The "'s" indicates possession, showing that the voice belongs to someone else.

• Waves turn to grey, life in the shade

  ➔ Simple Present for universal truths

  ➔ The simple present tense is used here to describe states or conditions that are viewed as facts or consistent patterns.

• I'm just tryin' to find a mountain I can climb

  ➔ Modal verb 'can' for ability

  ➔ "Can" is used to express the possibility or ability to perform the action of climbing the mountain.

• Darling, ain't nobody gonna tell us

  ➔ Future 'be going to' (informal/dialectal)

  ➔ "Gonna" is a contraction of "going to," indicating a future intention or prediction in an informal context.

• They're gonna be stoned in silence

  ➔ Passive voice in future tense

  ➔ The structure "will be + past participle" (here using "gonna be") focuses the action on the subjects receiving it rather than performing it.

• Money pays for the lies we trust

  ➔ Relative clause (omitted 'that')

  ➔ The relative pronoun "that" is omitted after "the lies," making the sentence flow more naturally in spoken English.