Lyrics & Translation
Ready to dive into the powerful world of English rock music? Skillet's "Surviving the Game" is a fantastic starting point. This song offers a blend of hard-hitting lyrics and anthemic melodies, making it an engaging way to learn English vocabulary related to resilience, struggle, and triumph. You'll grasp expressions of defiance and courage, and its clear message, straight from the band, provides excellent context for understanding spoken English. What makes it special is its ability to resonate with anyone facing a challenge, inspiring you to understand not just the words, but the raw emotion behind them, enriching your language learning experience.
Key Vocabulary
Vocabulary | Meanings |
---|---|
survive /sərˈvaɪv/ B1 |
|
conqueror /ˈkɒŋkərər/ C1 |
|
defeat /dɪˈfiːt/ B2 |
|
victory /ˈvɪktəri/ B1 |
|
unstoppable /ʌnˈstɒpəbəl/ C1 |
|
indestructible /ˌɪndɪˈstrʌktəbl/ C2 |
|
champion /ˈtʃæmpiən/ B2 |
|
warrior /ˈwɒriər/ B2 |
|
fear /fɪər/ A2 |
|
brave /breɪv/ B1 |
|
fight /faɪt/ A2 |
|
focus /ˈfəʊkəs/ B2 |
|
purpose /ˈpɜːpəs/ B2 |
|
light /laɪt/ A2 |
|
fire /ˈfaɪər/ A2 |
|
break /breɪk/ A1 |
|
lion /ˈlaɪən/ A2 |
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wolf /wʊlf/ A2 |
|
game /ɡeɪm/ A1 |
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pain /peɪn/ A2 |
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Key Grammar Structures
-
To be more than a conqueror
➔ Infinitive as a subject or for purpose
➔ Here, "To be more than a conqueror" functions as the subject of an implied sentence or introduces the main idea, indicating what one needs to achieve.
-
You have to learn to enjoy the pain
➔ Modals of obligation ("have to"), verb + infinitive ("learn to"), verb + gerund ("enjoy the pain")
➔ "Have to" expresses a strong obligation. "Learn to" is a common construction where "learn" is followed by an infinitive. "Enjoy" is often followed by a gerund ("enjoying the pain") to describe the activity.
-
it's the pain that'll feed me
➔ Cleft sentence for emphasis
➔ This is a cleft sentence ("It's X that Y") used to emphasize "the pain" as the specific thing that will feed the speaker. The original sentence might be "The pain will feed me."
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All the bones that you're breaking
➔ Defining relative clause with "that"
➔ "That you're breaking" is a defining relative clause that specifies which bones are being talked about. "That" can often be replaced by "which" (for things) or omitted when it's the object of the relative clause.
-
feel it come alive
➔ Causative verb "feel" with object and bare infinitive
➔ The structure "feel + object + bare infinitive" means to perceive or experience something happening. Here, the speaker feels "it" (the fire) "come alive."
-
Who never bow the knee when it's do-or-die
➔ Relative clause followed by a time/conditional clause
➔ "Who never bow the knee" is a relative clause modifying "the brave ones," describing a characteristic. "When it's do-or-die" is a time clause indicating the circumstances under which they act, also functioning as a conditional.
-
Gonna walk through hell, gonna shake the walls
➔ Informal future tense ("gonna" as "going to")
➔ "Gonna" is a colloquial contraction of "going to," used to express future plans or intentions. It's very common in spoken English and song lyrics, indicating a strong determination here.
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In the face of the fear, I keep standing tall
➔ Idiomatic phrase ("in the face of") and verb + gerund ("keep standing")
➔ "In the face of" is an idiom meaning despite or in the presence of something difficult. "Keep + gerund" means to continue doing something.
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I was born to be demon-defiant
➔ Passive voice ("was born") + infinitive of purpose/result
➔ "Was born" is the past simple passive form, indicating the speaker's origin. "To be demon-defiant" is an infinitive phrase expressing the purpose or inherent nature/destiny associated with that birth.
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And I won't ever let this kingdom fall
➔ Modal "won't" (future negation) and causative verb "let + object + bare infinitive"
➔ "Won't" is the contraction of "will not," expressing a strong future negation or refusal. "Let + object + bare infinitive" is a causative structure meaning to allow or permit something to happen.
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