Prelude – English Lyrics

• By: Miley Cyrus
• Album: Something Beautiful

Lyrics & Translation

If you're looking to explore the language of modern, poetic English, 'Prelude' is a powerful choice. This spoken-word track allows you to focus purely on Miley Cyrus's evocative use of imagery and sophisticated vocabulary, which delves into abstract concepts like 'existential loneliness' and 'detachment.' Listen closely to the way she crafts metaphorical phrases, such as 'The beauty one finds alone is a prayer that longs to be shared,' to enhance your understanding of English used in a deeply artistic and philosophical context.

[English]

Like when following an image from a train

Your eyes can't keep the passing landscapes from being swallowed into endless distance

Like when holding a fist full of ashes your hands can't save the things that have already been dissolved

into air

Like when facing the sun thru a window your skin feels warmth but you can't be in the world that its

warmth has made alive

Like walking alone thru a lucid dream like saying your name aloud in an empty room

...

Like witnessing my body standing in a mirror aching to be seen, aching to become real

...

But the beauty one finds alone is a prayer that longs to be shared

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
eye /aɪ/ A1	noun - the organ of sight in humans and animals
train /treɪn/ A1	noun - a vehicle pulled by an engine that runs on rails verb - to prepare someone for a particular skill
landscape /ˈlændskeɪp/ B1	noun - the visible features of an area of land, often considered in terms of its aesthetic appeal
swallow /ˈswɒləʊ/ B1	verb - to make food or drink go down the throat
endless /ˈɛndləs/ B2	adjective - having or seeming to have no end or limit
distance /ˈdɪstəns/ B1	noun - the amount of space between two places or things
ash /æʃ/ B1	noun - the powdery substance left after burning
dissolve /dɪˈzɒlv/ B2	verb - to become incorporated into a liquid so as to form a solution
air /ɛə(r)/ A1	noun - the invisible gaseous substance surrounding the earth
sun /sʌn/ A1	noun - the star around which the earth orbits
window /ˈwɪndəʊ/ A1	noun - an opening in a wall or roof to allow light in
warmth /wɔːrmθ/ B1	noun - the quality or state of being warm
world /wɜːld/ A1	noun - the earth, together with all its countries and people
dream /driːm/ A2	noun - a series of thoughts, visions, or feelings occurring during sleep verb - to experience dreams during sleep
empty /ˈɛmpti/ A2	adjective - containing nothing
room /ruːm/ A1	noun - a space that can be occupied or where something can be done
mirror /ˈmɪrə(r)/ A2	noun - a reflective surface, usually glass
ache /eɪk/ B1	verb - to suffer from a continuous dull pain
real /riəl/ B1	adjective - actually existing as a thing or occurring in fact
beauty /ˈbjuːti/ B1	noun - a combination of qualities that pleases the senses or mind

Key Grammar Structures

• Like when following an image from a train

  ➔ Simile using 'like' to make comparisons

  ➔ The phrase constructs a comparison between two different scenarios using 'like'.

• Your eyes can't keep the passing landscapes from being swallowed into endless distance

  ➔ Causative 'keep' with 'from' to indicate preventing an action

  ➔ Expresses that the eyes attempt to prevent the landscapes from disappearing into distance.

• Like when holding a fist full of ashes your hands can't save the things that have already been dissolved into air

  ➔ Relative clause with 'that' to specify which things have dissolved

  ➔ The clause specifies which objects have undergone dissolution, using 'that' to connect the description.

• Like walking alone thru a lucid dream like saying your name aloud in an empty room

  ➔ Repeated 'like' to create a layered simile, with a gerund phrase

  ➔ The phrase employs repetition of 'like' and a gerund to intensify the layered metaphor.

• But the beauty one finds alone is a prayer that longs to be shared

  ➔ Complex sentence with relative clause 'that longs to be shared'

  ➔ Shows that the adjective 'beautiful' is described by a relative clause specifying its desire to be shared.