Moderation – English Lyrics

• By: Florence + The Machine
• Album: Dance Fever

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the raw emotional landscape of Florence + The Machine's "Moderation" and discover a potent mix of poetic lyrics and powerful vocals. This song offers a fascinating insight into English expression, particularly through its vivid metaphors of love and self-confrontation. Learning the lyrics can help you grasp nuanced feelings of defiance and unbridled passion, making it an engaging way to deepen your understanding of English vocabulary and idiomatic expressions in a musical context.

[English]

Want me to love you in moderation

Do I look moderate to you?

Sip it slowly and pay attention

I just have to see it through

You got me looking for validation

Pastures new

Want me to love you in moderation

Well, who do you think you're talking to?

Then bow your head in the house of God

Little girl, who do you think you are?

You think you need it, you think you want love

You wouldn't want it if you knew what it was

Moderation

Moderation

Moderation

...

I've never made it with moderation

No, I've never understood

All the feeling was all or nothing

And I took everything I could

Can't hold it back, I can't take the tension

Oh, I'm trying to be good

Want me to love you in moderation

Well don't you know, I wish I could

Then bow your head in the house of God

Little girl, who do you think you are?

You think you need it, you think you want love

You wouldn't want it if you knew what it was

Moderation

Moderation

Moderation

...

Girl, you better learn (I just can't win)

Can't hold it in (can't hold it in)

And girl, you better learn (I just can't win)

And I just can't win (can't hold it in)

'Cause I don't see the worth (I just can't win)

I don't see the worth

And I'm still trying to figure out if it

Always, always, always has to hurt

...

You want love

...

Moderation

Moderation

Moderation

Moderation

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
moderation /ˌmɒdəˈreɪʃən/ B2	noun - the quality of being moderate; avoiding excess
validation /ˌvælɪˈdeɪʃən/ C1	noun - confirmation that something is true or correct
pastures /ˈpɑːstʃərz/ B1	noun - land covered with grass where animals can graze; new opportunities
sip /sɪp/ A2	verb - to drink something slowly in small amounts
attention /əˈtenʃən/ A2	noun - notice or interest in something
validation /ˌvælɪˈdeɪʃən/ C1	noun - the act of checking or proving the validity of something
tension /ˈtenʃən/ B1	noun - mental or emotional strain
worth /wɜːrθ/ A2	noun - the value or importance of something
hurts /hɜːrts/ A1	verb - to cause physical pain or emotional distress
bow /baʊ/ A2	verb - to lower one's head or body as a sign of respect
figure /ˈfɪɡə/ A2	verb - to understand or solve something
always /ˈɔːlweɪz/ A1	adverb - at all times; forever

Key Grammar Structures

• Want me to love you in moderation

  ➔ Subjunctive Mood

  ➔ The phrase uses the subjunctive mood to express a wish or suggestion, indicated by 'want me to love'.

• Do I look moderate to you?

  ➔ Tag Question

  ➔ This is a tag question used to seek confirmation or agreement, ending with 'to you?'.

• Sip it slowly and pay attention

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ The sentence uses the imperative mood to give commands, 'sip' and 'pay attention'.

• I just have to see it through

  ➔ Modal Verb (have to)

  ➔ The modal verb 'have to' is used to express necessity or obligation.

• You think you need it, you think you want love

  ➔ Parallel Structure

  ➔ The sentence uses parallel structure with 'you think you need it' and 'you think you want love' to create balance and emphasis.

• I've never made it with moderation

  ➔ Present Perfect with 'never'

  ➔ The present perfect with 'never' emphasizes the absence of an action up to the present.

• Can't hold it back, I can't take the tension

  ➔ Ellipsis (omission of 'I')

  ➔ The sentence uses ellipsis by omitting 'I' before 'can't take the tension' for brevity and flow.

• Girl, you better learn

  ➔ Hortative Expression

  ➔ The phrase 'you better learn' is a hortative expression used to give advice or encouragement.