The Ambition – English Lyrics

• By: Zara Larsson
• Album: Midnight Sun

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Zara Larsson's candid pop exploration with "The Ambition." This track offers a fascinating look into the emotional landscape of modern pop stardom, revealing the internal battles fought by an artist driven by big dreams. It's special because it peels back the curtain on the constant competition and self-scrutiny that comes with high levels of success.

[English]

Live the American dream with billboards

picturing me, my name on Hollywood

Boulevard (I want it so much)

LA state of mind, I'm never

satisfied 'cause I want

number one, doesn't everyone? (Want it so much, much)

So, I was up late the other night

Comparing myself to others' lives

Scrolling up and down my phone

What does she have that I don't

My dreams so big, they're supersize

I chase them like I chase the light

I could live a simple life

But that's the thing with the ambition (want it so much)

Everything's a competition (so out of touch)

Yeah, it got me a lot, but that's not good enough

I wanna be lo-lo-loved

I live and learn the hard way (want it so much)

Yeah, it's a chronic heartbreak (so out of touch)

No, it never stops, I wanna be your star

I wanna be lo-lo-loved

Lo-loved, loved, lo-ov-oved

Raised on validation

Consumed by aspiration

Numbers meaning more than words

But what's it worth? (What you gonna do? It's human nature)

Millions of people listening

So driven, couldn't live in it

Didn't appreciate it then

Wish I could go back again

My dreams so big, they're supersize

I chase them like I chase the light

I could live a simple life

But that's the thing with the ambition (want it so much)

Everything's a competition (so out of touch)

Yeah, it got me a lot, but that's not good enough

I wanna be lo-lo-loved

I live and learn the hard way (want it so much)

Yeah, it's a chronic heartbreak (so out of touch)

No, it never stops, I wanna be your star

I wanna be lo-lo-loved

See, I've been doing this long enough to be scarred

from what I learned before

But that doesn't mean I wanna stop wanting more and more

I try to push it away, but at the end of the day

It's the world to me

I'll keep breaking my heart if I can be your star

If I can be lo-lo-loved

That's the thing with the ambition (want it so much)

Everything's a competition (so out of touch)

It got me a lot, but that's not good enough

I wanna be lo-lo-loved

I live and learn the hard way (want it so much)

Yeah, it's a chronic heartbreak (so out of touch)

No, it never stops, I wanna be your star

I wanna be lo-lo-loved

Lo-loved, loved, lo-ov-oved

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
dream /driːm/ A2	noun - a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep. noun - a cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal.
chase /tʃeɪs/ B1	verb - to run after someone or something in order to catch them. verb - to pursue a goal or ambition.
light /laɪt/ A1	noun - the natural agent that makes things visible or allows us to see.
simple /ˈsɪmpl/ A2	adjective - easily understood or done; presenting no difficulty.
ambition /æmˈbɪʃn/ B2	noun - a strong desire and determination to achieve success.
competition /ˌkɒmpɪˈtɪʃn/ B2	noun - the activity or condition of competing.
loved /lʌvd/ A2	verb - feel affection for.
learn /lɜːrn/ A1	verb - gain or acquire knowledge of or skill in (something) by study, experience, or being taught.
heartbreak /ˈhɑːtbreɪk/ B2	noun - sorrow or pain caused by the ending of a love affair.
star /stɑːr/ A1	noun - a celestial body of luminous gas producing its own light and heat. noun - a famous performer or personality.
scarred /skɑːrd/ B2	verb - mark with a lasting emotional impact.
driven /ˈdrɪvn/ B2	adjective - motivated and determined.
appreciate /əˈpriːʃieɪt/ B1	verb - recognize the full worth of.
consume /kənˈsjuːm/ B2	verb - to eat, drink, or ingest. verb - to be engrossed or preoccupied by.
validation /ˌvælɪˈdeɪʃn/ C1	noun - the action of proving something is valid. noun - recognition or affirmation of someone's worth or feelings.

Key Grammar Structures

• Live the American dream with billboards

  ➔ Imperative mood (command).

  ➔ "Live" is in the imperative mood, giving a command.

• picturing me, my name on Hollywood Boulevard

  ➔ Present participle phrase (-ing form) used as a non-finite clause describing ongoing action.

  ➔ "picturing" is the present participle used to describe ongoing action connected to the subject.

• I want it so much

  ➔ Degree adverb + 'so much' to express strong desire.

  ➔ "so much" = very much; used to intensify the wish.

• LA state of mind, I'm never satisfied 'cause I want number one, doesn't everyone?

  ➔ Colloquial 'cause' = because; present simple with negation 'never' (I'm never satisfied).

  ➔ "'cause'" is informal for 'because', and "I'm never satisfied" uses the negative 'never' with the linking verb.

• Comparing myself to others' lives

  ➔ Gerund phrase as the subject; '-ing' form acting as a noun.

  ➔ "Comparing" is a gerund used as the subject of the phrase.

• Scrolling up and down my phone

  ➔ Gerund phrase; -ing form used as a noun; parallel structure with objects/directions (up and down).

  ➔ "Scrolling" is a gerund used as a noun, showing ongoing action of navigating on a device.

• What does she have that I don't

  ➔ Relative clause with 'that'; ellipsis of the verb 'have' in the second clause.

  ➔ "that I don't" begins a relative clause with an ellipsis of 'have' understood.

• I could live a simple life

  ➔ Modal 'could' to express possibility or hypothetical situation.

  ➔ "could" expresses possibility or hypothetical situations, not definite reality.

• Everything's a competition

  ➔ Contraction Everything's = Everything is; subject + be-verb in present simple.

  ➔ "Everything's" is a contraction standing for 'Everything is'.

• Raised on validation

  ➔ Past participle phrase used as an adjective; reduced passive.

  ➔ "Raised" is a past participle used as an adjective to describe the subject.