Safe & Sound – English Lyrics

• By: Taylor Swift, The Civil Wars
• Album: The Hunger Games: Songs From District 12 And Beyond

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music can be a deeply rewarding experience, and “Safe & Sound” offers a unique opportunity to explore English through its poetic and emotive lyrics. The song's narrative, tied to the globally popular “The Hunger Games,” provides a rich context for understanding its themes of protection, loss, and hope. The clear and gentle vocals make it easier to follow the lyrics, allowing learners to pick up on nuanced vocabulary and emotional expression. What makes “Safe & Sound” special is its beautiful blend of folk and Americana, creating a timeless and atmospheric sound that stays with you long after the music has ended.

[English]

(gentle guitar music)

♪ I remember tears streaming down your face ♪

♪ When I said I'll never let you go ♪

♪ When all those shadows almost killed your light ♪

♪ I remember you said don't leave me here alone ♪

♪ But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight ♪

♪ Just close your eyes, the sun is going down ♪

♪ You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now ♪

♪ Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound ♪

♪ Don't you dare look out your window ♪

♪ Darling, everything's on fire ♪

♪ The war outside our door keeps raging on ♪

♪ Hold onto this lullaby even when the music's gone, gone ♪

♪ Just close your eyes, the sun is going down ♪

♪ You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now ♪

♪ Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Oh whoa ♪

♪ Oh whoa ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Oh whoa ♪

♪ Oh whoa ♪

♪ Just close your eyes ♪

♪ You'll be alright ♪

♪ Come morning light ♪

♪ You and I'll be safe and sound ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
tears /tɪərz/ A2	noun - drops of clear salty liquid secreted from glands in the eye in response to strong emotion
shadows /ˈʃædoʊz/ B1	noun - a dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface
light /laɪt/ A1	noun - the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible adjective - having relatively little weight
dead /ded/ A2	adjective - no longer alive
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - organs that detect light
sun /sʌn/ A1	noun - the star that provides light and heat to Earth
morning /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/ A1	noun - the period of time between sunrise and noon
safe /seɪf/ A2	adjective - protected from or not exposed to danger or risk
sound /saʊnd/ A2	noun - vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard when they reach a person's or animal's ear adjective - in good condition; not damaged, injured, or diseased
window /ˈwɪndoʊ/ A1	noun - an opening in a wall or roof of a building or vehicle that is fitted with glass or other transparent material in a frame to admit light or air and allow people to see out
darling /ˈdɑːrlɪŋ/ A2	noun - a beloved person
fire /ˈfaɪər/ A1	noun - combustion or burning, in which substances combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically give out bright light, heat, and smoke
war /wɔːr/ A2	noun - a state of armed conflict between different countries or groups within a country
door /dɔːr/ A1	noun - a hinged, sliding, or revolving barrier at the entrance to a building, room, or vehicle
music /ˈmjuːzɪk/ A1	noun - vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion

Key Grammar Structures

• I remember tears streaming down your face

  ➔ Present Participle as Adjective

  ➔ The word "streaming" is a present participle acting as an adjective to describe the "tears". It indicates that the tears are currently flowing.

• When I said I'll never let you go

  ➔ Future Simple with 'will' in reported speech.

  ➔ The phrase "I'll never let you go" is a contraction of "I will never let you go". It's used to express a promise or intention about the future within reported speech (the speaker remembering what they said).

• When all those shadows almost killed your light

  ➔ Past Simple Tense

  ➔ The verb "killed" is in the past simple tense, indicating a completed action in the past. It describes what the shadows almost did to the person's light/spirit.

• But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight

  ➔ Present Perfect (passive idea) and Past Participle as Adjectives

  ➔ "That's dead and gone and passed" implies a state resulting from past actions. "Dead", "gone", and "passed" are past participles used as adjectives to describe "all that", suggesting those things are no longer relevant. The shortened form "that's" suggests "that is" where the verb is used as linking verb.

• You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now

  ➔ Future Simple with 'will', Modal Verb 'can'

  ➔ "You'll be alright" uses the future simple to express a prediction or reassurance. "Can hurt" uses the modal verb "can" to express ability, in this case, the lack of ability to cause harm.

• Don't you dare look out your window

  ➔ Imperative with 'Don't' and 'dare'

  ➔ This is a negative imperative (command) using "Don't" to forbid something. The inclusion of "dare" adds emphasis, suggesting a strong warning or prohibition. 'Dare' in this context is a verb indicating boldness or recklessness to do something undesirable.

• The war outside our door keeps raging on

  ➔ Present Simple with a Continuous Aspect (keeps + V-ing)

  ➔ The structure "keeps raging on" indicates that the war is not just raging, but it continuously persists. "Keeps + V-ing" is used to express a continuous or repeated action.

• Hold onto this lullaby even when the music's gone, gone

  ➔ Imperative, Subordinate Clause with 'when', Ellipsis

  ➔ "Hold onto this lullaby" is an imperative sentence, a command. "Even when the music's gone" is a subordinate clause indicating the time or circumstance under which the action (holding on) should persist. The repetition of "gone, gone" is an example of ellipsis, emphasizing the completeness of the music's absence. Music's gone means Music has gone.