The Drugs Don't Work – English Lyrics

• By: The Verve
• Album: Urban Hymns

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a powerful tool, and The Verve's "The Drugs Don't Work" offers a poignant and emotive entry point into the English language. The song's clear and emotionally direct lyrics provide an opportunity to explore themes of love, loss, and hope. Its relatively slow tempo and Ashcroft's distinct vocal delivery make it easier to follow along and appreciate the nuances of the language. What makes this song special for learners is its universal message, which transcends cultural barriers and allows for a deep, personal connection with the lyrics, making the language learning process more meaningful.

[English]

[♪ ♪ ♪]

♪ All this talk of getting old ♪

♪ It's getting me down, my love ♪

♪ Like a cat in a bag ♪

♪ Waiting to drown ♪

♪ This time I'm coming down ♪

♪ And I hope you're thinking of me ♪

♪ As you lay down on your side ♪

♪ Now the drugs don't work ♪

♪ They just make you worse ♪

♪ But I know I'll see your face again ♪

♪ Now the drugs don't work ♪

♪ They just make you worse ♪

♪ But I know I'll see your face again ♪

♪ But I know I'm on a losing streak ♪

♪ As I pass down my old street ♪

♪ And if you want a show ♪

♪ Then just let me know ♪

♪ And I'll sing in your ear again ♪

♪ Now the drugs don't work ♪

♪ They just make you worse ♪

♪ But I know I'll see your face again ♪

♪ 'Cause baby ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ If heaven calls I'm coming too ♪

♪ Just like you said ♪

♪ You leave my life I'm better off dead ♪

♪ All this talk of getting old ♪

♪ It's getting me down, my Lord ♪

♪ Like a cat in a bag ♪

♪ Waiting to drown ♪

♪ This time I'm coming down ♪

♪ Now the drugs don't work ♪

♪ They just make you worse ♪

♪ But I know I'll see your face again ♪

♪ 'Cause baby ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ If heaven calls I'm coming too ♪

♪ Just like you said ♪

♪ You leave my life I'm better off dead ♪

♪ But if you want a show just let me know ♪

♪ And I'll sing in your ear again ♪

♪ Now the drugs don't work ♪

♪ They just make you worse ♪

♪ But I know I'll see your face again ♪

♪ Yeah, I know I'll see your face again ♪

♪ Yeah, I know I'll see your face again ♪

♪ Yeah, I know I'll see your face again ♪

♪ Whoa, Lord ♪

♪ Yeah, I know I'll see your face again ♪

♪ Whoa, Lord ♪

♪ I'm never coming down I'm never coming down ♪

♪ No more, no more no more, no more, no more ♪

♪ I'm never coming down I'm never coming down ♪

♪ No more, no more no more, no more, no more ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
work /wɜːrk/ A1	verb - to function or operate effectively
worse /wɜːrs/ A2	adjective - more unsatisfactory or troubling
face /feɪs/ A1	noun - the front part of the head
see /siː/ A1	verb - to perceive with the eyes
know /noʊ/ A1	verb - to be aware of through observation or experience
down /daʊn/ A1	adjective - depressed or sad adverb - towards a lower position
old /oʊld/ A1	adjective - having lived for a long time
street /striːt/ A1	noun - a public road in a city or town
pass /pæs/ A2	verb - to move past something or someone
show /ʃoʊ/ A1	noun - a performance or display verb - to present or perform
sing /sɪŋ/ A1	verb - to produce musical sounds with the voice
heaven /ˈhɛvən/ A2	noun - the place thought to be inhabited by God and the souls of the righteous
call /kɔːl/ A1	verb - to speak loudly to get someone's attention
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the state of being alive
dead /dɛd/ A1	adjective - no longer alive
lord /lɔːrd/ A2	noun - a title of respect for a male sovereign or feudal superior
drown /draʊn/ B1	verb - to die through submersion in water or another liquid
streak /striːk/ B1	noun - a period of continued success or luck
losing /ˈluːzɪŋ/ A2	verb - to fail to win

Key Grammar Structures

• ♪ All this talk of getting old ♪

  ➔ Gerund as part of a noun phrase

  ➔ The phrase "getting old" uses a gerund (verb + -ing) functioning as a noun, which is the object of the implied preposition 'of' and part of the larger noun phrase "all this talk of getting old".

• ♪ Waiting to drown ♪

  ➔ Participle Clause (Present Participle)

  ➔ "Waiting to drown" is a participle clause using the present participle "waiting" to describe the implied subject (the 'cat' from the previous line), indicating a simultaneous action or state.

• ♪ As you lay down on your side ♪

  ➔ Subordinating Conjunction 'As' for simultaneous actions

  ➔ The conjunction "As" is used here to indicate that the action of the speaker thinking of the listener happens at the same time "as you lay down on your side."

• ♪ They just make you worse ♪

  ➔ Causative verb 'make' + object + adjective

  ➔ The verb "make" is used causatively here, meaning 'they' cause 'you' to become 'worse'. The structure is 'make + object (you) + adjective (worse)'.

• ♪ But I know I'll see your face again ♪

  ➔ Future Simple with 'will' for prediction/certainty

  ➔ The contraction "I'll" stands for "I will," expressing the speaker's strong belief or certainty about a future event: seeing the listener's face again.

• ♪ And if you want a show / Then just let me know ♪

  ➔ First Conditional with an Imperative

  ➔ This is a first conditional sentence where the 'if' clause ("if you want a show") states a possible condition, and the main clause ("just let me know") is an imperative, giving an instruction or request.

• ♪ If heaven calls I'm coming too ♪

  ➔ First Conditional with Present Continuous for future intention

  ➔ This is a first conditional sentence. The 'if' clause uses the simple present ("heaven calls"), and the main clause uses the present continuous ("I'm coming too") to express a definite future intention or arrangement.

• ♪ You leave my life I'm better off dead ♪

  ➔ Implied Conditional / Zero Conditional without 'if'

  ➔ This sentence functions as a zero conditional, expressing a general truth or strong consequence, but without explicitly using the word "if." It implies "If you leave my life, I'm better off dead."

• ♪ I'm never coming down ♪

  ➔ Present Continuous for future meaning with strong negation

  ➔ The present continuous tense ("I'm coming down") is used here with "never" to express a strong, definite decision or intention about the future, emphasizing that this action will absolutely not happen.