Night Running – English Lyrics

• By: Cage The Elephant, Beck

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the unique blend of reggae and alternative rock in Cage The Elephant's "Night Running," featuring Beck. This track offers a glimpse into collaborative songwriting and invites listeners to delve into its themes of uncertainty and the search for escape, perfect for those looking to expand their musical horizons and lyrical interpretation skills.

[English]

We're on a night run

Boy you better hold your tongue

Talking like you coming from kingdom come

Rhythm and reeling

The feeling I'm riding

The sound to the ceiling

Never got no money

But I'm running from the gun

My engines flooded

Cold blooded no money

Drunk on something uh

Killing the moonlight

With daylight

I got my X-ray eyes

And I'm feeling so fine

Night running, all night running (we running)

Star studded, not far from it (we roll)

We're running, all night running (we running)

Cold blooded, all night running (we roll)

Night running, all night running (we running)

Star studded, not far from it (we roll)

Night running, all night running (we running)

Cold blooded, we're all night running (we roll)

We're on the night shade

Tell me what we're hiding from

Like someone could steal it

Are we waiting for some kind of feeling

Or saving it up for the morning?

Under cover

The cloak and dagger

Is there a creature in the attic

Are we for real yeah

Or just pretending

Will it burn it out by the morning

Night running, all night running (we running)

Star studded, not far from it (we roll)

We're running, all night running (we running)

Cold blooded, all night running (we roll)

Night running, all night running (we running)

Star studded, not far from it (we roll)

Night running, all night running (we running)

Cold blooded, we're all night running (we roll)

...

We're on a night run

No telling who we're running from

In a world of secrets and demons and people hiding from the sun

Sending my message to everyone losing control

Better not stop 'till I get home

Sentimental flowers don't grow

Got to live through tidal waves

And parishes and biblical floods

I got the Gris Gris love

And the streets in my blood

I'm on the final run

Falling in and out of love

Night running, all night running (we running)

Star studded, not far from it (we roll)

We're running, all night running (we running)

Cold blooded, all night running (we roll)

Night running, all night running (we running)

Star studded, not far from it (we roll)

Night running, all night running (we running)

Cold blooded, we're all night running (we roll)

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
night /naɪt/ A2	noun - the period of darkness between sunset and sunrise
run /rʌn/ A1	verb - to move quickly on foot verb - to operate or manage (e.g., a business, a machine)
kingdom /ˈkɪŋ.dəm/ B1	noun - a country ruled by a king or queen
rhythm /ˈrɪð.əm/ B2	noun - a regular, repeated pattern of sounds or movements
feeling /ˈfiː.lɪŋ/ B1	noun - an emotional state or reaction verb - to sense or perceive something
engine /ˈen.dʒɪn/ B1	noun - a machine that converts energy into mechanical power
flood /flʌd/ B1	noun - an overflow of water that submerges land verb - to cover or submerge with water
cloak /kloʊk/ B2	noun - a loose outer garment, often worn for concealment verb - to cover or hide something
dagger /ˈdæg.ər/ B2	noun - a short, pointed weapon with a blade
creature /ˈkriː.tʃɚ/ B1	noun - any living being, especially an animal
secret /ˈsiː.krət/ B1	noun - something kept hidden or unknown adjective - not known or seen by others
demon /ˈdiː.mən/ B2	noun - a supernatural being often associated with evil
control /kənˈtroʊl/ B1	noun - the power to influence or direct something verb - to exercise authority over something
sentimental /ˌsen.tɪˈmen.təl/ C1	adjective - characterized by tender, emotional feelings
tidal /ˈtaɪ.dəl/ C1	adjective - relating to or caused by tides
wave /weɪv/ B1	noun - a moving ridge on the surface of water verb - to move one’s hand to and fro in greeting or signal
biblical /ˌbɪb.lɪˈkæl/ C1	adjective - relating to the Bible or its teachings
love /lʌv/ A2	noun - a deep affection or strong emotional attachment verb - to feel deep affection for someone or something

Key Grammar Structures

• Talking like you coming from kingdom come

  ➔ Comparative clause introduced by 'like' + present participle without auxiliary verb

  ➔ The word "like" introduces a comparison, and "coming" is a present participle used without the verb "to be".

• Never got no money

  ➔ Double negative (informal register)

  ➔ "Never" and "no" both negate the verb "got", creating a double negative.

• My engines flooded

  ➔ Past simple used as an adjective (past participle)

  ➔ "Flooded" is the past participle of "flood" and describes the state of the engines.

• Are we waiting for some kind of feeling?

  ➔ Present continuous in an interrogative form

  ➔ "Are" + subject + "waiting" forms the present continuous question.

• Will it burn it out by the morning?

  ➔ Future simple with modal verb "will"

  ➔ "Will" marks a simple future prediction: "Will it burn it out?"

• Sending my message to everyone losing control

  ➔ Gerund/participle phrase functioning as a noun (subject‑like) element

  ➔ "Sending" is a gerund that introduces the action as a noun‑like element.

• I got the Gris Gris love

  ➔ Present perfect (colloquial "got" = "have got") used to express possession

  ➔ "got" functions like "have" to indicate that the speaker possesses "the Gris Gris love".

• Falling in and out of love

  ➔ Gerund phrase used as a noun (subjective complement)

  ➔ "Falling" is a gerund that names the action of moving "in and out of love".

• Cold blooded, all night running

  ➔ Noun phrase with adjectives and an elliptical construction (omitted verb)

  ➔ "Cold blooded" and "all night running" describe the subject without an explicit verb like "are".