The 30th – English Lyrics

• By: Billie Eilish
• Album: Guitar Songs

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the emotional depth of Billie Eilish's storytelling with 'The 30th.' Through this song, learners can explore how English is used to convey complex emotions like panic and relief, while experiencing the power of a minimal yet impactful lyrical structure.

[English]

(soft music)

♪ Sometimes, you look the same ♪

♪ Just like you did before the accident ♪

♪ When you're staring into space ♪

♪ It's hard to believe you don't remember it ♪

♪ Woke up in the ambulance ♪

♪ You pieced it all together on the drive ♪

♪ I know you don't remember calling me ♪

♪ But I told you, even then you looked so pretty ♪

♪ In a hospital bed ♪

♪ I remember you said you were scared ♪

♪ And so was I ♪

♪ In a stand-still on The Five ♪

♪ Thought it was unusually early traffic ♪

♪ Usually, I don't panic, I just wanted to be on time ♪

♪ When I saw the ambulances on the shoulder ♪

♪ I didn't even think of pulling over ♪

♪ I pieced it all together late that night ♪

♪ And I know you don't remember calling me ♪

♪ But I told you, even then you looked so pretty ♪

♪ In a hospital bed ♪

♪ I remember you said you were scared ♪

♪ And so was I ♪

♪ What if it happened to you on a different day? ♪

♪ On a bridge, where there wasn't a rail in the way? ♪

♪ Or a neighborhood street where the little kids play? ♪

♪ Or the Angeles Crest in the snow or the rain? ♪

♪ What if you weren't alone? ♪

♪ There were kids in the car ♪

♪ What if you were remote? ♪

♪ No one knows where you are ♪

♪ If you changed anything, would you not have survived? ♪

♪ You're alive, you're alive, you're alive ♪

♪ And I know you don't remember calling me ♪

♪ But I told you, even then you looked so pretty ♪

♪ In your hospital bed ♪

♪ I remember you said you were scared ♪

♪ And so am I ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
accident /ˈæksɪdənt/ A2	noun - an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly
staring /ˈstɛərɪŋ/ B1	verb - looking fixedly or vacantly at someone or something
ambulance /ˈæmbjʊləns/ A2	noun - a vehicle equipped for taking sick or injured people to hospital
pieced /piːst/ B2	verb - to assemble or understand by joining separate pieces of information
pretty /ˈprɪti/ A1	adjective - attractive in a delicate way
scared /skɛərd/ A1	adjective - fearful or frightened
panic /ˈpænɪk/ B1	verb - feel sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety
shoulder /ˈʃoʊldər/ A2	noun - the strip of ground along the side of a road
traffic /ˈtræfɪk/ A1	noun - vehicles moving on a road
bridge /brɪdʒ/ A1	noun - a structure carrying a road or path across an obstacle
neighborhood /ˈneɪbərhʊd/ A2	noun - a district or community within a town or city
remote /rɪˈmoʊt/ B2	adjective - situated far from the main centers of population; distant
survived /sərˈvaɪvd/ B1	verb - continued to live or exist, especially after a dangerous event
alive /əˈlaɪv/ A2	adjective - living, not dead
unusually /ʌnˈjuːʒuəli/ B2	adjective - to a degree that is not expected or normal

Key Grammar Structures

• Just like you did before the accident

  ➔ Pro-verb 'did' (substitution)

  ➔ "Did" is used here to avoid repeating the verb "looked", referring back to "looked the same".

• It's hard to believe you don't remember it

  ➔ Cleft sentence structure (Introductory 'It')

  ➔ "It" acts as an anticipatory subject for the infinitive phrase "to believe..."

• I know you don't remember calling me

  ➔ Gerund after verb (remember + -ing)

  ➔ "Calling" is a gerund used here to indicate a past action that the subject does not recall.

• I remember you said you were scared

  ➔ Reported speech (Backshifting)

  ➔ "Were" is the past tense form of "are", backshifted because the main verb "said" is in the past.

• What if it happened to you on a different day?

  ➔ Second Conditional (Hypothetical)

  ➔ "Happened" is used to suggest a hypothetical scenario, distinct from reality.

• If you changed anything, would you not have survived?

  ➔ Mixed Conditional (Third Conditional structure)

  ➔ The structure explores an unreal past condition ("changed") and its consequence ("would not have survived").

• No one knows where you are

  ➔ Embedded question (Noun clause)

  ➔ "Where you are" functions as the object of "knows", maintaining statement word order.

• You're alive, you're alive, you're alive

  ➔ Repetition for emphasis

  ➔ The repetition of "you're alive" underscores the relief and importance of the subject's survival.