Teardrop – English Lyrics

• By: Massive Attack
• Album: Mezzanine

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a captivating linguistic journey with Massive Attack's "Teardrop," a poignant trip-hop classic. Its poetic, often abstract English lyrics, infused with deep emotion and a sense of vulnerability, offer a unique opportunity to explore nuanced vocabulary and metaphorical expression. The ethereal vocals and atmospheric soundscapes make it an exceptional song for understanding how English can convey profound feelings through artistry and subtlety.

[English]

[DISTANT CHATTER]

♪♪♪

♪ LOVE, LOVE IS A VERB ♪

♪ LOVE IS A DOING WORD ♪

♪ FEATHERS ON MY BREATH ♪

♪ GENTLE IMPULSION ♪

♪ SHAKES ME, MAKES ME LIGHTER ♪

♪ FEARLESS ON MY BREATH ♪

♪ TEARDROP ON THE FIRE ♪

♪ FEARLESS ON MY BREATH ♪

♪♪♪

♪ NIGHT, NIGHT AFTER DAY ♪

♪ BLACK FLOWERS BLOSSOM ♪

♪ FEATHERS ON MY BREATH ♪

♪ BLACK FLOWERS BLOSSOM ♪

♪ FEARLESS ON MY BREATH ♪

♪ TEARDROP ON THE FIRE ♪

♪ FEARLESS ON MY ♪

♪♪♪

♪ WATER IS MY EYE ♪

♪ MOST FAITHFUL MIRROR ♪

♪ FEARLESS ON MY BREATH ♪

♪ TEARDROP ON THE FIRE OF A CONFESSION ♪

♪ FEARLESS ON MY BREATH ♪

♪ MOST FAITHFUL MIRROR ♪

♪ FEARLESS ON MY BREATH ♪

♪ TEARDROP ON THE FIRE ♪

♪ FEARLESS ON MY BREATH ♪

♪♪♪

♪ YOU'RE STUMBLING A LITTLE ♪

♪ YOU'RE STUMBLING A LITTLE ♪

♪♪♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - a strong feeling of affection verb - to feel deep affection for someone or something
verb /vɜːrb/ B1	noun - a word that describes an action, state, or occurrence
word /wɜːrd/ A1	noun - a single distinct meaningful element of speech or writing
feathers /ˈfɛðərz/ B1	noun - any of the flat appendages growing from a bird's skin and forming its plumage
breath /brɛθ/ A2	noun - the air taken into or expelled from the lungs
gentle /ˈdʒɛntl/ B1	adjective - having or showing a mild, kind, or tender temperament or character
impulsion /ɪmˈpʌlʃən/ C1	noun - the action of impelling; an impulse or sudden desire
shakes /ʃeɪks/ A2	verb - (of a structure or area) tremble or vibrate
lighter /ˈlaɪtər/ A2	adjective - having less weight; not dark in color
fearless /ˈfɪərləs/ B2	adjective - without fear; brave
teardrop /ˈtɪərdrɒp/ B2	noun - a single tear
fire /ˈfaɪər/ A2	noun - combustion or burning, in which substances combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically give out bright light, heat, and smoke
blossom /ˈblɒsəm/ B1	verb - (of a tree or plant) produce flowers or develop; mature or develop in a promising or healthy way noun - a flower or a mass of flowers, especially on a tree or bush
faithful /ˈfeɪθfəl/ B2	adjective - loyal, true, and constant; accurate or reliable
mirror /ˈmɪrər/ A2	noun - a reflective surface, typically of glass coated with a metallic amalgam, that reflects a clear image verb - to reflect (an image)
confession /kənˈfɛʃən/ B2	noun - a formal statement admitting that one has committed a crime or done something wrong; an admission or acknowledgment
stumbling /ˈstʌmblɪŋ/ B1	verb - trip or momentarily lose one's balance; make a mistake or repeated mistakes in speaking or acting

Key Grammar Structures

• ♪ LOVE IS A DOING WORD ♪

  ➔ Gerund used as an adjective (part of a compound noun)

  ➔ In "doing word", "doing" is a gerund (verb + -ing) that functions as an adjective, describing the type of word. It refers to an 'action word'.

• ♪ FEATHERS ON MY BREATH ♪

  ➔ Prepositional phrase indicating location or state

  ➔ The phrase "on my breath" uses the preposition "on" to specify the location or the state associated with 'feathers'.

• ♪ SHAKES ME, MAKES ME LIGHTER ♪

  ➔ Causative verb 'make' + object + adjective

  ➔ The verb "makes" is used causatively, meaning it causes the object "me" to become "lighter". Structure: 'make + object + adjective'.

• ♪ FEARLESS ON MY BREATH ♪

  ➔ Adjective used predicatively (implied subject)

  ➔ "Fearless" is an adjective describing the speaker's state. Although 'am' is omitted, the meaning 'I am fearless' is implied, making it a predicative adjective.

• ♪ NIGHT, NIGHT AFTER DAY ♪

  ➔ Preposition 'after' indicating sequence

  ➔ The preposition "after" is used to show a temporal sequence, meaning one event or period follows another. 'Night comes after day'.

• ♪ MOST FAITHFUL MIRROR ♪

  ➔ Superlative adjective

  ➔ "Most faithful" is the superlative form of the adjective "faithful", used to describe 'mirror' as having the highest degree of faithfulness among all mirrors.

• ♪ TEARDROP ON THE FIRE OF A CONFESSION ♪

  ➔ Preposition 'of' indicating relation or source in a complex noun phrase

  ➔ The preposition "of" connects "fire" to "a confession", indicating that the 'fire' is associated with or comes from 'a confession'. It specifies the nature or source of the fire.

• ♪ YOU'RE STUMBLING A LITTLE ♪

  ➔ Present Continuous tense

  ➔ "You're stumbling" uses the present continuous tense (subject + 'be' verb + -ing form of the verb) to describe an action that is happening at the moment of speaking or in the present period.