Spirits – English Lyrics

• By: The Strumbellas

Lyrics & Translation

"Spirits" by The Strumbellas is a captivating indie folk song with an infectious, uplifting melody that belies its profound lyrics about battling internal struggles and finding hope. Learning the English lyrics can offer insight into universal themes of resilience and self-improvement, while its simple yet powerful structure makes it an excellent song for language learners to grasp conversational English and common expressions of emotion and determination.

[English]

I got guns in my head and they won't go

Spirits in my head and they won't go

I got guns in my head and they won't go

Spirits in my head and they won't

...

I've been lookin' at the stars tonight

And I think, oh, how I miss that bright sun

I'll be a dreamer 'til the day I die

And they say, oh, how the good die young?

But we're all strange

And maybe we don't want to change

...

I got guns in my head and they won't go

Spirits in my head and they won't go

I got guns in my head and they won't go

Spirits in my head and they won't go

But the gun still rattles, the gun still rattles, oh

I got guns in my head and they won't go

Spirits in my head and they won't go

I spend a lot of nights on the run

And I think, oh, like I'm lost and can't be found

I'm just waiting for my day to come

And I think, oh, I don't wanna let you down

'Cause something inside has changed

And maybe we don't wanna stay the same

I got guns in my head and they won't go

Spirits in my head and they won't go

I got guns in my head and they won't go

Spirits in my head and they won't go

But the gun still rattles, the gun still rattles, oh

But the gun still rattles, the gun still rattles, oh

And I don't want a never-ending life

I just want to be alive

While I'm here

And I don't want a never-ending life

I just want to be alive

While I'm here

And I don't want to see another night

Lost inside of lonely life

While I'm here

I got guns in my head and they won't go

Spirits in my head and they won't go

I got guns in my head and they won't go

Spirits in my head and they won't go

But the gun still rattles, the gun still rattles, oh

But the gun still rattles, the gun still rattles, oh

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
gun /ɡʌn/ A2	noun - a weapon that shoots bullets
spirit /ˈspɪrɪt/ B1	noun - the non-physical part of a person, often associated with emotions and character
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the time of day when it is dark and people usually sleep
dreamer /ˈdriːmər/ B2	noun - a person who dreams or has ideas about the future
change /tʃeɪndʒ/ B1	verb - to make something different
lost /lɔːst/ B1	adjective - unable to find one's way
alive /əˈlaɪv/ A2	adjective - living, not dead
waiting /ˈweɪtɪŋ/ A2	verb - to stay in one place until something happens
strange /streɪndʒ/ B1	adjective - unusual or surprising in a way that is unsettling
rattle /ˈrætl/ B2	verb - to make a rapid succession of short, sharp noises
good /ɡʊd/ A1	adjective - having the qualities required for a particular role
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter
stars /stɑːrz/ A2	noun - large, luminous celestial bodies visible in the night sky

Key Grammar Structures

• I got guns in my head and they won't go

  ➔ Use of "got" to indicate possession/having. Use of future negative "won't" (will not).

  ➔ "I got guns in my head" is an informal way of saying "I have guns in my head." "They won't go" means the "guns" (metaphorically, intrusive thoughts) will not leave.

• I've been lookin' at the stars tonight

  ➔ Present perfect continuous tense ("have/has been" + verb-ing) to emphasize the duration or continuous nature of the action.

  ➔ The use of "I've been lookin'" (instead of "I looked") suggests that the speaker has been looking at the stars for a period of time leading up to the present moment. The ' is a short form of have.

• And I think, oh, how I miss that bright sun

  ➔ Use of "how" in exclamatory sentences to express a strong emotion. Object complement "that bright sun".

  ➔ "How I miss that bright sun" is an exclamation expressing the speaker's deep longing for the sun. It is not asking *how* they miss the sun, but emphasizing *the degree* to which they miss it.

• I'll be a dreamer 'til the day I die

  ➔ Use of the future simple tense with "will" ('ll). Contraction of "until" to "'til".

  ➔ "I'll be a dreamer" indicates a future state of being, meaning the speaker intends to remain a dreamer. "'til" is a common abbreviation of "until."

• And they say, oh, how the good die young?

  ➔ Indirect question with altered word order. "How" introduces an exclamatory question.

  ➔ Instead of the direct question "How do the good die young?", the lyric uses an indirect question after "they say." This adds a layer of reflection and questioning to the statement.

• And maybe we don't want to change

  ➔ Use of "maybe" as an adverb of possibility. Negative contraction "don't" (do not).

  ➔ "Maybe" indicates uncertainty or possibility. "We don't want to change" is a simple negative statement about the desire for change.

• I spend a lot of nights on the run

  ➔ Simple present tense to describe a habitual action. Use of the preposition "on" with "run" to mean escaping or fleeing.

  ➔ "I spend a lot of nights on the run" describes a recurring activity. "On the run" implies the speaker is trying to avoid something, perhaps a problem or situation.

• Like I'm lost and can't be found

  ➔ Use of "like" as a conjunction to introduce a simile. Use of passive voice "can't be found".

  ➔ "Like I'm lost" creates a comparison between the speaker's feelings and the state of being lost. "Can't be found" emphasizes the feeling of being irrecoverable or unlocatable.