Sanctify – English Lyrics

• By: Years & Years
• Album: Odyssey

Lyrics & Translation

Delve into the provocative world of Years & Years' 'Sanctify,' a song that challenges perceptions of sexuality and spirituality. Through its coded lyrics and dark synth-pop sound, explore themes of identity, desire, and self-acceptance, all while expanding your vocabulary related to religion, relationships, and personal empowerment.

[English]

- [Speaker] Is this...

Your language?

- It is.

- Can you dance?

- What do you think?

(exhales)

- I think...

You are...

(people muttering)

Perfect.

(foreign)

- [Radio] Audition is going ahead as planned tonight...

(foreign)

(seagulls cawing)

♪ When I pray ♪

♪ When I ♪

♪ When I pray ♪

♪ In the night you come to me ♪

♪ 'Cause I'm the one who knows who you are ♪

♪ Give me your confession saying ♪

♪ Lately life's been tearing you apart ♪

♪ No ♪

♪ Walk through the fire with you ♪

♪ 'Cause I know how it can hurt ♪

♪ Being cut in two ♪

♪ And afraid ♪

♪ So don't break ♪

♪ Sanctify my body with pain ♪

♪ Sanctify the love that you crave ♪

♪ And I won't, and I won't, and I won't be ashamed ♪

♪ Sanctify my sins when I pray ♪

♪ When I pray ♪

♪ You don't have to be straight with me ♪

♪ I see what's underneath your mask ♪

♪ I'm a man like you ♪

♪ I breathe the rituals of the dancer's dance ♪

♪ And there's a fire in you ♪

♪ And you know it's going to hurt ♪

♪ Being cut in two ♪

♪ And afraid ♪

♪ So don't break ♪

♪ Sanctify my body with pain ♪

♪ Sanctify the love that you crave ♪

♪ And I won't, and I won't, and I won't be ashamed ♪

♪ Sanctify my sins when I pray ♪

♪ When I pray ♪

♪ You'll find redemption when all this is through ♪

♪ Father, forgive me for finding the truth ♪

♪ Love takes its toll on me ♪

♪ I'm just like you ♪

♪ Maybe it's heavenly ♪

♪ Maybe it's heavenly ♪

♪ So don't break ♪

♪ Sanctify my body with pain ♪

♪ Sanctify the love that you crave ♪

♪ And I won't, and I won't, and I won't be ashamed ♪

♪ Sanctify my sins when I pray ♪

♪ Sanctify my body with pain ♪

♪ Sanctify the love that you crave ♪

♪ And I won't, and I won't, and I won't be ashamed ♪

♪ Sanctify my sins when I pray ♪

♪ When I pray ♪

♪ When I pray ♪

- There's a half moon here tonight in Palo Santo,

and there's a buzz in the air at the discovery

of a brand new human.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
sanctify /ˈsæŋktɪfaɪ/ C2	verb - to make holy or sacred
confession /kənˈfɛʃən/ B2	noun - a formal statement of regret or acknowledgment of guilt
prayer /prɛər/ B1	noun - a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or another deity
fire /faɪər/ B1	noun - a process of combustion producing heat and light
pain /peɪn/ B1	noun - physical suffering or discomfort caused by injury or illness
love /lʌv/ A2	noun - an intense feeling of deep affection verb - to feel deep affection for someone or something
pain /peɪn/ B1	noun - physical suffering or discomfort caused by injury or illness
pain /peɪn/ B1	noun - physical suffering or discomfort caused by injury or illness
mask /mæsk/ B2	noun - a covering worn on the face for disguise or protection
body /ˈbɒdi/ A2	noun - the physical structure of a person or animal
faith /feɪθ/ B2	noun - complete trust or confidence in someone or something

Key Grammar Structures

• You've got to be strong when you pray.

  ➔ Modal verb 'got to' + base verb (have to)

  ➔ 'Got to' expresses necessity or obligation, similar to 'must'.

• When I pray, I feel a connection.

  ➔ Temporal clause with 'when' + present simple

  ➔ 'When' introduces a time condition, and present simple describes habitual actions or states.

• Sanctify the love that you crave.

  ➔ Relative clause 'that you crave' describing 'love'

  ➔ The relative pronoun 'that' introduces a clause providing more information about 'love'.

• And there's a fire in you.

  ➔ Existential 'there's' + noun phrase

  ➔ 'There isn't' functions as a grammatical construction to indicate the existence of something.

• Love takes its toll on me.

  ➔ Verb 'takes' + possessive pronoun 'its' + noun 'toll'

  ➔ 'Takes' is the third person singular of 'take', meaning to endure or experience.

• And you know it's going to hurt.

  ➔ It is going to + base verb ('hurt')

  ➔ 'Going to' indicates a future intention or prediction.