Secret Garden – English Lyrics

• By: Bruce Springsteen

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a journey into the nuances of human connection with Bruce Springsteen's "Secret Garden." This atmospheric ballad, renowned for its poetic lyrics and soulful saxophone, offers a captivating exploration of vulnerability and hidden emotions. Through its evocative language, you can delve into themes of love, longing, and the unspoken aspects of relationships, making it a perfect song to deepen your understanding of English through emotionally rich storytelling.

[English]

She'll let you in her house

If you come knocking late at night

She'll let you in her mouth

If the words you say are right

If you pay the price

She'll let you deep inside

But there's a secret garden she hides

...

She'll let you in her car

To go drivin' 'round

She'll let you into the parts of herself

That'll bring you down

She'll let you in her heart

If you got a hammer and a vise

But into the secret garden, don't think twice

...

You've gone a million miles

How far'd you get?

That place where you can't remember

And you can't forget

She'll lead you down the path

There'll be tenderness in the air

She'll let you come just far enough

So you know she's really there

And she'll look at you and smile

And her eyes will say

She's got a secret garden

Where everything you want

Where everything you need

Will always stay

A million miles away

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
knocking /ˈnɒkɪŋ/ B1	verb - to strike a surface noisily to attract attention
pay /peɪ/ A2	verb - to give money for goods or services
deep /diːp/ A2	adjective - extending far downward or inward
secret /ˈsiːkrət/ A2	adjective/noun - hidden or not known
garden /ˈɡɑːrdn/ A2	noun - a piece of land used for growing flowers, fruits, or vegetables
car /kɑːr/ A1	noun - a vehicle to transport people or goods
heart /hɑːrt/ A2	noun - the organ that pumps blood; symbol of emotion and love
miles /maɪlz/ B1	noun - units of distance (about 1.609 kilometers each)
place /pleɪs/ A2	noun - a particular position or point in space
tenderness /ˈtɛndərnəs/ B2	noun - gentle affection or warmth
smile /smaɪl/ A2	noun/verb - a facial expression showing happiness
see /siː/ A1	verb - to perceive with the eyes
want /wɒnt/ A1	verb - to desire or wish for something
need /niːd/ A2	verb - to require something
stay /steɪ/ A2	verb - to remain in the same place or condition

Key Grammar Structures

• She'll let you in her house

  ➔ Future Simple with 'will' contraction ('ll')

  ➔ This uses the contracted form of 'she will', which is 'she'll'. It indicates a future action.

• If the words you say are right

  ➔ Conditional Sentence Type 0/1 (depending on interpretation) + Passive Voice ('are right')

  ➔ This is a conditional sentence. If it's always true, it's Type 0. If it's a possible future condition, it's Type 1. 'Are right' is passive in the sense that the words *are* considered to be correct.

• She'll let you deep inside

  ➔ Adverb of place ('deep inside')

  ➔ 'Deep inside' functions as an adverb modifying the verb 'let'. It specifies *where* she'll let you.

• You've gone a million miles

  ➔ Present Perfect ('You've gone')

  ➔ 'You've gone' is the present perfect tense, indicating an action completed at some point in the past, with relevance to the present.

• How far'd you get?

  ➔ Question formation with auxiliary verb ('did') elision and contraction (How far *did* you get?)

  ➔ This is a colloquial shortening of 'How far *did* you get?'. The auxiliary verb 'did' is elided, and the 'd' is attached to 'far'.

• That place where you can't remember And you can't forget

  ➔ Relative clause ('where you can't remember/forget') + Modal Verbs ('can't')

  ➔ 'Where you can't remember/forget' is a relative clause modifying 'that place'. 'Can't' is a modal verb indicating inability.

• She'll let you come just far enough So you know she's really there

  ➔ Result Clause with 'so' + Future Simple ('She'll let') + Adverb of degree ('just')

  ➔ The 'so' introduces a result clause. She'll let you come a certain distance ('just far enough') with the result that you know she's there. 'Just' here modifies the adverb 'far enough'.

• Where everything you want Where everything you need Will always stay

  ➔ Relative clauses acting as nouns ('Where everything you want/need') + Future Simple with Adverb of Frequency ('Will always stay')

  ➔ The relative clauses 'where everything you want' and 'where everything you need' are acting as nouns; the place where these things are. 'Will always stay' uses the future simple tense with the adverb of frequency 'always'.