Tarkine – English Lyrics

• By: Midnight Oil
• Album: Resist

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

There's a red bridge in the mountains

Where the Tarkine trees reach multi-coloured skies

They cast shadows on the painted ground

And to get there, well, I just close my eyes

Well, I lost myself when I walked through you

All that I have now

Is a souvenir of you

There's a lexicon of forest giants

Coachwood, Myrtle, Blackwood and Turpentine

In this hi-viz world I must have missed the turn

'Cause all I found were billboards, flyers and merchandise

Well, I lost myself when I fell for you

I can't remember

But the love is oh so true

Well, I lost myself when I walked through you

All that I have now

Is a souvenir of you

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
bridge /brɪdʒ/ A1	noun - a structure built over a river, road, or other gap to provide a way across
mountain /ˈmaʊntən/ A1	noun - a very large hill
tree /triː/ A1	noun - a tall plant with a wooden trunk and branches
shadow /ˈʃædoʊ/ A2	noun - a dark area where light is blocked by an object
painted /ˈpeɪntɪd/ A2	adjective - covered with paint
ground /ɡraʊnd/ A1	noun - the surface of the earth
souvenir /ˌsuːvəˈnɪr/ B1	noun - an object kept as a reminder of a place or event
lexicon /ˈlɛksɪkɒn/ C1	noun - a vocabulary or dictionary
giant /ˈdʒaɪənt/ A2	adjective - very large in size or degree noun - an extremely large person or thing
forest /ˈfɒrɪst/ A1	noun - a large area covered primarily with trees
billboard /ˈbɪlbɔːrd/ B1	noun - a large board for displaying advertisements
flyer /ˈflaɪər/ B1	noun - a small paper with information, often used for advertising
merchandise /ˈmɜːrtʃəndaɪz/ B2	noun - goods bought and sold in business
Tarkine /ˈtɑːrkaɪn/ C2	noun - a specific region in Tasmania, Australia, known for its old-growth forests
Coachwood /ˈkoʊtʃwʊd/ C2	noun - a type of tree native to Australia
Myrtle /ˈmɜːrtəl/ C2	noun - a type of evergreen shrub or small tree

Key Grammar Structures

• There's a red bridge in the mountains

  ➔ There + be + a/an + noun + in + prepositional phrase

  ➔ Uses the existential "there" + verb "be" structure to indicate existence or location. Includes a prepositional phrase "in the mountains".

• Where the Tarkine trees reach multi-coloured skies

  ➔ Relative clause (where + subject + verb)

  ➔ A relative clause beginning with "where" to define the location of the bridge. Uses "reach" as a verb.

• And to get there, well, I just close my eyes

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose ("to get there") and simple present tense ("close")

  ➔ Uses the infinitive "to get there" to show purpose. Uses the present simple tense "close" for a habitual action.

• Well, I lost myself when I walked through you

  ➔ Past Simple, adverbial clause of time (when + subject + verb)

  ➔ Uses the past simple tense "lost" and "walked" and introduces a time clause with "when".

• All that I have now

  ➔ Relative clause (that + subject + verb), adverb of time ("now")

  ➔ Uses a defining relative clause with "that" to describe what the speaker has. Includes the adverb "now".

• Is a souvenir of you

  ➔ Subject-verb agreement (is)

  ➔ The verb "is" agrees in number with the subject, even when the subject follows the verb.

• There's a lexicon of forest giants

  ➔ There + be, noun phrase

  ➔ Similar to the first line, but with a different noun phrase after "there's".

• Well, I lost myself when I fell for you

  ➔ Past Simple, adverbial clause of time (when + subject + verb), prepositional phrase ('for you')

  ➔ Repeats the structure of earlier lines. The prepositional phrase "for you" is a metaphor.