Masterpiece – English Lyrics

• By: Madonna

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a powerful tool, and Madonna's 'Masterpiece' offers a great opportunity for English learners. The song's clear and poetic lyrics tell a story of love and admiration, using beautiful metaphors like comparing a loved one to the Mona Lisa. By listening to this emotional ballad, you can improve your vocabulary with descriptive words and explore the nuances of expressing complex feelings in English. What makes 'Masterpiece' special is its blend of heartfelt storytelling and classic pop sensibility, making it both an accessible and moving song to learn with.

[English]

If you were the Mona Lisa

You'd be hangin' in the Louvre

Everyone would come to see you

You'd be impossible to move

It seems to me

Is what you are

A rare and priceless work of art

Stay behind

Your velvet rope

But I will not renounce all hope

And I'm...

Right by your side

Like a thief in the night

I stand in front of a masterpiece

And I...

Can't tell you why

It hurts so much

To be in love with the masterpiece

'Cause after all

Nothing's indestructible—from the moment I first saw you

All the darkness turned to white

An impressionistic paintin'

Tiny particles of light

It seems to me

Is what you're like

The "Look but, please don't touch me" type

And honestly

It can't be fun

To always be the chosen one

And I'm...

Right by your side

Like a thief in the night

I stand in front of a masterpiece

And I...

Can't tell you why

It hurts so much

To be in love with a masterpiece (Masterpiece)

'Cause after all

Nothing's indestructible

Nothing's indestructible

Nothing's indestructible

Nothing's indestructible

And I'm...

Right by your side

Like a thief in the night

I stand in front of a masterpiece

And I...

Can't tell you why

It hurts so much

To be in love with a masterpiece

And I'm...

Right by your side

Like a thief in the night

I stand in front of a masterpiece

And I...

Can't tell you why

It hurts so much

To be in love with a masterpiece (Masterpiece)

'Cause after all

Nothing's indestructible...

'Cause after all

Nothing's indestructible

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
hang /hæŋ/ A2	verb - to suspend or be suspended from above
move /muːv/ A1	verb - to go in a specified direction or manner
rare /reər/ B1	adjective - not occurring very often
priceless /ˈpraɪsləs/ B2	adjective - so precious that its value cannot be determined
art /ɑːrt/ A1	noun - the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination
hope /hoʊp/ A2	noun - a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen verb - want something to happen or be the case
thief /θiːf/ B1	noun - a person who steals another person's property, especially by stealth and without using force or violence
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period from sunset to sunrise in each twenty-four hours
masterpiece /ˈmɑːstərpiːs/ B2	noun - a work of outstanding artistry, skill, or workmanship
hurt /hɜːrt/ A2	verb - to cause physical pain or injury verb - to feel emotional pain or distress
love /lʌv/ A1	verb - to feel deep affection for (someone) noun - an intense feeling of affection
indestructible /ˌɪndɪˈstrʌktɪbəl/ C1	adjective - not able to be destroyed
darkness /ˈdɑːrknəs/ B1	noun - the state of being dark
white /waɪt/ A1	adjective - of the color of milk or fresh snow, due to the reflection of all wavelengths of visible light; the opposite of black. noun - a white colour or pigment.
painting /ˈpeɪntɪŋ/ A2	noun - the action or skill of using paint
fun /fʌn/ A1	noun - enjoyment; amusement. adjective - amusing, enjoyable, or entertaining.
chosen /ˈtʃoʊzn/ B1	adjective - selected or preferred

Key Grammar Structures

• If you were the Mona Lisa

  ➔ Second conditional (past tense 'were' for hypothetical situation)

  ➔ 'Were' is used instead of 'was' in second conditional to indicate unreal or hypothetical situations.

• And I will not renounce all hope

  ➔ Future simple tense with 'will' to express a determination or promise

  ➔ 'Will' indicates a future action or intent, showing the speaker's resolve.

• Nothing's indestructible

  ➔ Gerund/Adjective phrase expressing negation and property

  ➔ The contraction 'Nothing's' combines 'Nothing' and 'is', stating that something does not possess a certain property.

• You'd be hangin' in the Louvre

  ➔ Conditional mood with 'would' + base verb, indicating hypothetical or future possibility

  ➔ 'Would' indicates a conditional or hypothetical scenario, often translated as 'would' + verb.

• You'd be hangin' in the Louvre

  ➔ Present participle 'hanging' after 'be' verb in a conditional phrase

  ➔ The form 'be hanging' is the present participle used to describe ongoing action in a conditional context.