Splitting The Atom – English Lyrics

• By: Massive Attack

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

The baby was born nettles and ferns

The evening it chokes, the candle it burns, this disguise covers

Bitter lies, repeating the joke, the meaning it dies

Pass me a coat I'm not afraid to leave

I'm letting you know, I know what you need

I'll turn you around, this beautiful town

And then you'll believe it when your eyes then deceive you

It's easy, don't let it go

It's easy, don't let it go

It's easy, don't let it go

Don't lose it

There was one redemption

I can't open, repeat the joke

Its getting colder outside your rented space

They shadow box and they paper chase it never stops

And we'll never learn no hope without dope

The jobless return, the bankers have bailed

The mighty retreat, the pleasure it fails

At the end of the week, you take it or leave or what you receive

To what you receive

Is eternited leave

It's easy, don't let it go

It's easy, don't let it go

It's easy, don't let it go

Don't lose it

Incandescent light at doors, in adolescent menopause

In little clicks you got the music stops, the needle sticks and the penny drops

The summer's gone before you know, the muffled drums of relentless flow

You're looking at stars that give you vertigo, the sun's still burning and dust will blow

Honey scars I'll keep you near, our blood is gold nothing to fear

We killed the time and I love you dear, kiss oh wine we'll disappear

The last of the last particles, divisible invisible

I see you, you're too near

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
born /bɔːn/ A1	verb - to be brought into existence
choke /tʃoʊk/ A2	verb - to block airflow
burn /bɜːrn/ A1	verb - to be on fire
bitter /ˈbɪtər/ A2	adjective - having a sharp, unpleasant taste
repeat /rɪˈpiːt/ A1	verb - to do or say something again
redemption /rɪˈdɛmpʃən/ B2	noun - the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil
cold /koʊld/ A1	adjective - low in temperature
shadow /ˈʃædoʊ/ A2	noun - a dark area where light is blocked
retreat /rɪˈtriːt/ B1	verb - to withdraw from a place or position
pleasure /ˈplɛʒər/ A2	noun - a feeling of happy satisfaction
eternited /ɪˈtɜːrnɪtɪd/ C1	adjective - lasting or existing forever (neologism in lyrics)
incandescent /ˌɪnkænˈdɛsənt/ C1	adjective - emitting light as a result of being heated
adolescent /ˌædəˈlesənt/ B2	noun - a young person developing from a child into an adult
vertigo /ˈvɜːrtɪɡoʊ/ B2	noun - a sensation of whirling and loss of balance
particle /ˈpɑːrtɪkəl/ B2	noun - a tiny piece of matter

Key Grammar Structures

• The baby was born nettles and ferns

  ➔ Past simple passive voice

  ➔ The sentence uses the past simple passive voice with 'was born' to describe an action done to the subject ('the baby').

• I'm letting you know, I know what you need

  ➔ Present continuous for future arrangements

  ➔ The phrase 'I'm letting you know' uses the present continuous to indicate a future action or arrangement.

• And then you'll believe it when your eyes then deceive you

  ➔ Future with 'will' for prediction

  ➔ 'You'll believe' uses 'will' to predict a future action based on a condition ('when your eyes deceive you').

• It's easy, don't let it go

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ 'Don't let it go' is in the imperative mood, used to give a direct command or instruction.

• The jobless return, the bankers have bailed

  ➔ Present perfect

  ➔ 'The bankers have bailed' uses the present perfect to describe an action that occurred in the past with results relevant to the present.

• At the end of the week, you take it or leave or what you receive

  ➔ Conditional clauses

  ➔ The phrase 'you take it or leave' is part of a conditional clause, presenting options based on a condition ('at the end of the week').

• The last of the last particles, divisible invisible

  ➔ Parallel structure

  ➔ The phrase uses parallel structure with 'divisible invisible' to create a balanced and rhythmic effect.

• I see you, you're too near

  ➔ Present simple for habitual actions

  ➔ 'I see you' uses the present simple to describe a habitual or recurring action.