The Captain

• By: Biffy Clyro
• Album: Only Revolutions

Lyrics:

Vocabulary in this song:

Vocabulary	Meanings
captain /ˈkæptɪn/ B1	noun - the person in command of a ship, airplane, or other vehicle.
fall /fɔːl/ A1	verb - to drop or descend under the force of gravity. noun - Autumn
roar /rɔːr/ B2	verb - to make a loud, deep sound. noun - a loud, deep sound.
sing /sɪŋ/ A1	verb - to produce musical sounds with the voice.
liar /ˈlaɪər/ B1	noun - a person who tells lies.
lover /ˈlʌvər/ A2	noun - a person who loves someone.
scene /siːn/ B1	noun - a sequence of continuous action in a play, film, opera, or book.
crippled /ˈkrɪpəld/ B2	adjective - disabled in the legs or feet; unable to walk normally. verb - to damage something very badly and make it ineffective.
disguise /dɪsˈɡaɪz/ B2	noun - something that someone wears or does to hide their true appearance. verb - to give (someone or oneself) a different appearance in order to conceal one's identity.
surprise /sərˈpraɪz/ B1	noun - an unexpected or astonishing event, fact, or thing. verb - to affect or attack (someone) suddenly or unexpectedly.
climb /klaɪm/ A2	verb - go or come up (a slope or staircase). noun - an ascent or rise.
ladder /ˈlædər/ A2	noun - a piece of equipment consisting of a series of bars or steps between two upright lengths of wood, metal, or rope, used for climbing up or down something.
ride /raɪd/ A2	verb - to sit on and control the movement of (an animal, especially a horse).
horse /hɔːrs/ A1	noun - a large plant-eating domesticated mammal with solid hoofs and a flowing mane and tail, used for riding, racing, and to carry and pull loads.
swallow /ˈswɑːloʊ/ B1	verb - to cause (food, drink, or another substance) to pass down the throat.
landscape /ˈlændskeɪp/ B1	noun - all the visible features of an area of land, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.
love /lʌv/ A1	verb - have a strong feeling of affection for (someone).
death /deθ/ A2	noun - the action or fact of dying or being killed; the end of the life of a person or organism.

Grammar:

• Like they *would* if I *was* captain

  ➔ Second Conditional (unreal past)

  ➔ Uses the past subjunctive (using "was" even for "I") after "if" and "would" in the main clause to describe a hypothetical situation in the past. The sentence suggests that the speaker is not, in fact, the captain.

• "Silver children," she *roared*

  ➔ Past Simple Tense

  ➔ "Roared" is the past simple tense of the verb "roar", indicating a completed action in the past. It shows the character spoke loudly and forcefully.

• I'm *not* the son of God

  ➔ Simple Present with negation

  ➔ This is a simple declarative sentence in the present tense, negated using "not". It states a current belief or fact about the speaker.

• Liars and lovers *combine* tonight

  ➔ Present Simple Tense

  ➔ "Combine" is used here in the present simple tense to express an action that will happen, similar to using present simple for future planned events. It suggests a certain inevitability or predetermination about the event.

• We're *gonna* make a scene

  ➔ "Gonna" (going to) - Future with intention

  ➔ "Gonna" is a colloquial contraction of "going to," indicating a future action that is planned or intended. It suggests a strong likelihood of the event happening.

• Help me *be* captain of

  ➔ Bare infinitive after "help"

  ➔ The verb "help" is followed by the base form of the verb (bare infinitive) without "to". This is a common structure.

• I've *swallowed* half an hourglass

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense

  ➔ "I've swallowed" is the present perfect tense. It describes an action that started in the past and has a present consequence or relevance. The swallowing happened in the past, but its effect (presumably the feeling of time speeding up) is still present.

• So now the landscape *has swollen up*

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense (with phrasal verb)

  ➔ "Has swollen up" is the present perfect tense of the phrasal verb "swell up". It signifies a completed action in the past with present relevance. The swallowing led to the swelling of the landscape, which is happening now.