Rich Kids Blues – English Lyrics

• By: Lykke Li
• Album: Wounded Rhymes

Lyrics & Translation

Unlock the poignant world of Lykke Li's "Rich Kids Blues," a compelling song that beautifully articulates the paradox of affluence and emotional emptiness. Through its evocative lyrics and indie-rock sound, you can delve into complex feelings and explore expressions of melancholy and social commentary, making it an excellent piece to deepen your understanding of English lyrical storytelling and emotional nuance.

[English]

Bubble, bubble straight to my head

The richer, the drier, I believe in the liar

You're bringin' trouble, trouble back in my bed

When nobody can save me

Cause the smoke is my baby, baby

Mama, I got your wild-eyed ways

Mama, there's nothing you can do or say

I got the rich kids blues

And they got nothing to do with you

I got the rich kids blues

And I'm not sure that I'm pulling through

Wire, wire over my head

Mama, she told me keep your eyes on the trophy

And the sires, sires out of your bed

For delirious gestures are so easily misread

Mama, I got your wild-eyed taste

Mama, there's nothing you can do or say

I got the rich kids blues

And they got nothing to do with you

I got the rich kids blues

And I'm not sure that I'm pulling through

I got the rich kids blues

And they got nothing to do with you

I got the rich kids blues

And I'm not sure that I'm pulling through

Mama, I got the rich kids blues

Mama, I got your wild-eyed ways

Mama, I got the rich kids blues

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
bubble /ˈbʌbəl/ A1	noun - a small sphere of gas in a liquid verb - to form bubbles
rich /rɪtʃ/ A2	adjective - having a great deal of money
trouble /ˈtrʌbəl/ A2	noun - difficulty or problems
save /seɪv/ A2	verb - to rescue from danger
smoke /smoʊk/ A2	noun - the visible vapor from burning verb - to use tobacco in a pipe or cigarette
wild /waɪld/ B1	adjective - not controlled or tamed
blues /bluːz/ B1	noun - a feeling of sadness
pulling /ˈpʊlɪŋ/ B1	verb - to exert force to move something towards oneself
wire /waɪər/ B1	noun - a thin, flexible strand of metal
trophy /ˈtrɒfi/ B2	noun - a prize awarded for winning
sires /saɪrz/ B2	noun - a male ancestor
gesture /ˈdʒestʃər/ B2	noun - a movement of the body
taste /teɪst/ B2	noun - the sensation of flavor
delirious /dɪˈlɪriəs/ C1	adjective - in a state of wild excitement
misread /ˌmɪsˈriːd/ C1	verb - to read incorrectly

Key Grammar Structures

• The richer, the drier, I believe in the liar

  ➔ Comparative structures with 'the...the...' to show correlation

  ➔ The phrase 'the richer, the drier' indicates that as one thing increases, the other also increases

• Cause the smoke is my baby, baby

  ➔ Use of 'cause' as a colloquial form of 'because' to give reason

  ➔ 'Cause' is a shortened, informal way to say 'because', indicating the reason

• Mama, I got your wild-eyed ways

  ➔ Possessive pronoun 'your' indicating ownership or relation

  ➔ 'Your' shows possession or connection to the 'wild-eyed ways' he mentions

• And they got nothing to do with you

  ➔ Use of 'nothing to do with' to indicate lack of connection or relevance

  ➔ 'Nothing to do with' means there is no connection or relevance between the two things

• And I got the rich kids blues

  ➔ Use of the verb 'got' to indicate possession or condition

  ➔ In this context, 'got' is used informally to suggest experiencing or suffering from the blues