Lyrics & Translation
Dive into the chilling narrative of Alice Cooper's "Steven," a song that masterfully blends hard rock with theatrical storytelling. As a key piece of the "Welcome to My Nightmare" concept album, this track offers a unique opportunity to explore English through its evocative and often unsettling lyrics, which vividly portray a descent into a psychological nightmare. The song's dramatic shifts in tone and Alice Cooper's distinct vocal delivery make it a compelling way to understand emotional expression in English music, revealing how language can build suspense and convey deep psychological states.
[English]
(audience cheering) - Hey.Alice, what are you doing here?
Alice, admit that you're sick. (laughs)
Alice, tell me how it started.
Think back.
Way back.
(audience cheering)
(slow rock music) (audience cheering)
♪ I don't want to see you go ♪
♪ I don't even want to be there ♪
♪ I will cover up my eyes ♪
♪ And it will go away ♪
♪ You've only lived a minute ♪
♪ Of your life ♪
♪ I must be dreaming ♪
♪ Please stop screaming ♪
♪ I don't want to feel you die ♪
♪ You just don't know ♪
♪ How deep that cuts me ♪
♪ I'll put pennies on your eyes ♪
♪ And it will go away ♪
♪ See ♪
♪ You've only lived ♪
♪ A minute of your life ♪
♪ I must be dreaming ♪
♪ Please stop screaming ♪
(audience cheering)
♪ Steven ♪
♪ Steven ♪
♪ I hear my name ♪
♪ Steven ♪
♪ Is someone calling me ♪
♪ I hear my name ♪
♪ Steven ♪
(rock music)
(rock music)
♪ Steven ♪
♪ Steven ♪
♪ Steven ♪
♪ Steven ♪
(rock music)
♪ Steven ♪
♪ Steven ♪
♪ Steven ♪
♪ Steven ♪
(rock music)
(rock music continues)
(audience cheering)
Key Vocabulary
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Key Grammar Structures
-
I don't want to see you go
➔ negative present simple with infinitive (want + infinitive) and bare infinitive after perception verb
➔ The sentence uses the negative form "don't" with the verb "want" followed by the infinitive "to see"; after the perception verb "see" the second verb appears as a bare infinitive "go".
-
I don't even want to be there
➔ negative present simple with adverb "even" and infinitive "to be"
➔ The adverb "even" intensifies the negation; the structure "don't want to be" uses the infinitive "to be" after the verb "want".
-
I will cover up my eyes
➔ future simple with modal verb "will" + base verb
➔ The modal "will" expresses a future intention; it is followed directly by the base verb "cover".
-
You've only lived a minute of your life
➔ present perfect with adverb "only" and duration phrase
➔ The contraction "You've" = "you have" forms the present perfect; "only" limits the amount of time, and "a minute of your life" is a duration complement.
-
I must be dreaming
➔ modal verb "must" + be + gerund (present progressive after modal)
➔ "must" expresses strong certainty; it is followed by "be" and the gerund "dreaming" to form a present progressive meaning.
-
Please stop screaming
➔ imperative with polite "please" + verb "stop" + gerund
➔ "Please" softens the command; "stop" is the main verb, and it is followed by the gerund "screaming" to indicate the action to cease.
-
Is someone calling me?
➔ present continuous interrogative (auxiliary "is" + subject + verb‑ing)
➔ The auxiliary "is" marks the present continuous; placing it before the subject forms a yes/no question, and "calling" is the present participle.
