Picture Of You – English Lyrics

• By: U2
• Album: How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

My cell is ringing, no ID, I want to know who's calling

My garden's overgrown, I go out on my bellies, crawling

I got CCTV, pornography, CNBC

I got the nightly news to get to know the enemy

All I want is a picture of you

All I want is to get right next to you

All I want is a picture in a locket

Your face in my pocket, take a pill to stop it

I'm going nowhere, where I am, it is a lot of fun

There in the desert to dismantle an atomic bomb

I watch you, shadow box, check the stocks, I'm in detox

Want a lot of what you've got if what you've got can make this stop

All I want is a picture of you

All I want is to get right next to you

All I want is your picture in a locket

Your face in my pocket, take a pill to stop it

Save me, savе me from myself

I know that you've been good to mе

Now I need you not to be

Wake me, I fear I can't be asleep

Try not to look so bored

You're buying things you cannot afford

I got yours, and I know you want mine

Xanax and wine

All I want is a picture of you

All I want is to get right next to you

All I want is your picture in a locket

Your face in my pocket, take a pill to stop it

Save me, save me from myself

I know that you've been good to me

Now I need you not to be

Wake me, I fear I can't be asleep

I'm buying things I cannot afford

I'm on a high diving board

I got yours, and I know you want mine

Xanax and wine

Don't you worry 'bout your mind

Seems I worry all the time

Don't you worry, you'll be fine

You should worry 'bout the day

That the pain, it goes away

You know I miss mine sometimes

There is no fiction that will truly fit the situation

I'm documenting every detail, every conversation

Not used to talking to somebody in their body

Somebody in a body, is somebody in a body?

In a body, there's somebody, somebody in a body

Somebody in a body, there's somebody

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
picture /ˈpɪk.tʃər/ A1	noun - a visual representation of a person or scene
locket /ˈlɒk.ɪt/ B1	noun - a small ornamental case for holding a picture or keepsake
bomb /bɒm/ A2	noun - explosive weapon verb - to fail badly or to attack with bombs
atomic /əˈtɒm.ɪk/ B2	adjective - relating to atoms; extremely powerful
desert /ˈdɛz.ərt/ A2	noun - dry, barren area of land
enemy /ˈɛn.ə.mi/ B1	noun - a person or group opposed to someone
pill /pɪl/ A2	noun - a small round tablet of medicine
stop /stɒp/ A1	verb - to cease moving or doing something noun - an act of stopping; a halt
worry /ˈwʌr.i/ B1	verb - to feel anxious about something noun - anxiety or concern
Xanax /ˈzænæks/ C1	noun - a brand name for alprazolam, an anti‑anxiety medication
wine /waɪn/ A2	noun - an alcoholic drink made from fermented grapes
news /njuːz/ A2	noun - information about recent events
shadow /ˈʃæd.oʊ/ B1	noun - a dark shape produced by a body coming between rays of light
detox /diːˈtɒks/ C1	noun - the process of removing toxic substances from the body verb - to cleanse the body of toxins
overgrown /ˌoʊ.vərˈɡroʊn/ B2	adjective - covered or thickened with excess growth
crawling /ˈkrɔː.lɪŋ/ B1	verb - to move forward on the hands and knees
want /wɒnt/ A1	verb - to desire or wish for something
save /seɪv/ A2	verb - to keep safe; to rescue
fear /fɪər/ B1	noun - an unpleasant emotion caused by danger
wake /weɪk/ B1	verb - to stop sleeping; to awaken

Key Grammar Structures

• My cell is ringing, no ID, I want to know who's calling

  ➔ Present progressive (be + verb‑ing) to describe an action happening at the moment of speaking.

  ➔ The verb "is ringing" is in the present progressive, showing an action happening now.

• I got CCTV, pornography, CNBC

  ➔ "Have got" in the present simple is used to express possession.

  ➔ The verb "got" functions as "have got" meaning "possess".

• All I want is a picture of you

  ➔ Cleft‑type structure: subject + be + noun phrase, used for emphasis.

  ➔ "All I want" functions as the subject, followed by "is" and the complement "a picture of you".

• I'm going nowhere, where I am, it is a lot of fun

  ➔ Present continuous (be + verb‑ing) to talk about a current activity or future plan.

  ➔ The phrase "I'm going" uses the present continuous to indicate a current state of motion (or lack thereof).

• I watch you, shadow box, check the stocks, I'm in detox

  ➔ Simple present for habitual or repeated actions.

  ➔ "watch", "shadow box", and "check" are in the simple present, showing routine actions.

• Save me, save me from myself

  ➔ Imperative mood to give a command or request.

  ➔ "Save" is used in the imperative form, directly addressing the listener.

• I know that you've been good to me

  ➔ Present perfect (have/has + past participle) to describe a past action with present relevance.

  ➔ "you've been" is the contraction of "you have been", a present perfect form.

• I'm buying things I cannot afford

  ➔ Present continuous for an ongoing action, plus a relative clause "I cannot afford".

  ➔ "I'm buying" shows a current activity, while "I cannot afford" is a relative clause describing "things".

• Don't you worry 'bout your mind

  ➔ Negative imperative with "don't" + base verb, followed by subject for emphasis.

  ➔ "Don't" is the negative imperative form of "do not", directly addressing the listener.

• There is no fiction that will truly fit the situation

  ➔ Existential "there is" + noun phrase, followed by a relative clause "that will truly fit the situation".

  ➔ "There is" introduces the existence of something, and "that will truly fit the situation" describes the noun "fiction".