Street Spirit (Fade Out) – English Lyrics

• By: Radiohead
• Album: The Bends

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the melancholic beauty of Radiohead's 'Street Spirit (Fade Out),' a song that masterfully intertwines profound despair with glimpses of love. Its evocative lyrics and haunting melody offer a unique entry point into the English language, revealing how emotional depth can be conveyed through poetic imagery and raw artistic expression, inviting listeners to explore its rich, complex narrative.

[English]

Rows of houses all bearing down on me

I can feel their blue hands touching me

All these things into position

All these things we'll one day swallow whole

...

And fade out again

And fade out

This machine will, will not communicate

These thoughts and the strain I am under

Be a world child, form a circle

Before we all

Go under

...

And fade out again

And fade out again

...

Cracked eggs, dead birds

Scream as they fight for life

I can feel death, can see its beady eyes

All these things into position

All these things we'll one day swallow whole

...

And fade out again

And fade out again

...

Immerse your soul in love

Immerse your soul in love

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
bear /beər/ A2	verb - to carry or hold
touch /tʌtʃ/ A1	verb - to come into contact with
swallow /ˈswɒl.oʊ/ A2	verb - to cause food or liquid to pass down the throat
fade /feɪd/ B1	verb - to gradually become paler or less distinct
communicate /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/ B1	verb - to share information or ideas
strain /streɪn/ B2	noun - a force or pressure causing stress
immerse /ɪˈmɜːrs/ C1	verb - to completely involve oneself in
cracked /krækt/ A2	adjective - broken or damaged but not completely split
scream /skriːm/ A1	verb - to cry out loudly in a high-pitched voice
beady /ˈbiːdi/ C1	adjective - small, round, and shiny (especially of eyes)
position /pəˈzɪʃən/ A2	noun - the place where something or someone is located
whole /hoʊl/ A1	adjective - complete or entire
machine /məˈʃiːn/ A1	noun - a device that performs a specific task
circle /ˈsɜːr.kəl/ A1	noun - a round shape
soul /soʊl/ B1	noun - the spiritual part of a person

Key Grammar Structures

• Rows of houses all bearing down on me

  ➔ Present continuous tense

  ➔ The phrase 'bearing down' uses the present continuous tense to describe an action happening now, emphasizing the ongoing pressure from the houses.

• I can feel their blue hands touching me

  ➔ Present simple with 'can' for ability

  ➔ The use of 'can feel' indicates the ability to perceive something, here the touch of the 'blue hands'.

• All these things into position

  ➔ Present simple with 'into' for movement

  ➔ The phrase 'into position' uses 'into' to describe the movement of things being placed or arranged.

• And fade out again

  ➔ Present simple with 'and' for sequence

  ➔ The use of 'and' before 'fade out again' indicates a sequence of actions, suggesting repetition or continuation.

• This machine will, will not communicate

  ➔ Future simple with 'will' and negation

  ➔ The use of 'will' and 'will not' expresses future actions or states, here the machine's inability to communicate.

• Be a world child, form a circle

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ The phrases 'be a world child' and 'form a circle' are in the imperative mood, giving direct commands or instructions.

• Before we all go under

  ➔ Subordinating conjunction 'before'

  ➔ The use of 'before' introduces a subordinate clause indicating the timing of the main action, 'go under'.

• Immerse your soul in love

  ➔ Imperative mood with 'in'

  ➔ The phrase 'immerse your soul in love' uses the imperative mood with 'in' to give a direct instruction or command.