The Modern Rome Burning
Lyrics:
[English]
How did we get into this mess?
The question is hypothetical
The answers are written on the face of the oppressed
Sent to death at just 19
Forever more to be unseen
His mother with tears in her eyes
Crying to God, she calls out "Why?"
She'll find her answers on the face of the oppressed
I bow my head in respect of the dead
Because we're all bogged down
And there ain't no fucking S.O.S
That's gonna save our sinking ship
Because we're all bogged down
And there ain't no fucking S.O.S
That's gonna save our sinking ship, our ship
How did we get into this mess?
The question is a bona fide literal
The answers are written on the face of the oppressed
We all know the answers why
They sold a lie to build Versailles
You can roll over and die
Or you can reign down hell tonight
You'll find your answer on the face of the oppressed
I bow my head in respect of the dead
Because we're all bogged down
And there ain't no fucking S.O.S
That's gonna save our sinking ship
Because we're all bogged down
And there ain't no fucking S.O.S
That's gonna save our sinking ship, our ship
...
In the ash of your city lies fertile ground
(In the ash of your city lies fertile ground)
In the ash of your city lies fertile ground
(In the ash of your city lies fertile ground)
This nation's burning, burning down
(This nation's burning, burning down)
This nation's burning to the ground
...
This is the modern Rome burning
Let it burn
This is the modern Rome burning
Let it burn
This is the modern Rome burning
Let it burn, let it burn
This is New York burning
This is Boston burning
This is Omaha burning
This is Washington burning
This is Pittsburgh burning
This is Birmingham burning
This is the modern Rome burning
Let it burn, let it burn
Burn, burn
...
Vocabulary in this song:
| Vocabulary | Meanings |
|---|---|
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mess /mɛs/ B1 |
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oppressed /əˈprɛst/ B2 |
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face /feɪs/ A2 |
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respected /rɪˈspɛktɪd/ B2 |
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bogged /bɒɡd/ B2 |
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sinking /ˈsɪŋkɪŋ/ B2 |
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burning /ˈbɜːrnɪŋ/ A2 |
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modern /ˈmɒdərn/ A2 |
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burning /ˈbɜːrnɪŋ/ A2 |
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Grammar:
-
How did we get into this mess?
➔ Past Simple Tense (Interrogative)
➔ Uses the auxiliary verb 'did' to form a question about a past event. The structure is 'Did + subject + verb (base form)?'
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The answers are written on the face of the oppressed
➔ Passive Voice (Present Simple)
➔ The passive voice emphasizes the action being done to the subject ('answers') rather than who is doing the action. Formed with 'are + past participle'.
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Forever more to be unseen
➔ Infinitive of Purpose (Passive)
➔ Uses 'to be + past participle' to indicate the purpose of something, expressing a passive state. 'Unseen' modifies a condition of no longer seen.
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There ain't no fucking S.O.S That's gonna save our sinking ship
➔ Double Negative & Future Simple with 'gonna' + Relative Clause
➔ 'Ain't' and 'no' create a double negative (though often used colloquially). 'Gonna' is a contraction of 'going to', used for expressing future intentions. 'That's gonna save...' is a relative clause modifying 'S.O.S'.
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You can roll over and die Or you can reign down hell tonight
➔ Modal Verb 'can' for Ability/Possibility, Imperative Mood (implied)
➔ 'Can' expresses a choice between two possibilities. 'Reign down hell' is an implied imperative, meaning 'you should/must reign down hell'.
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This nation's burning, burning down
➔ Present Continuous Tense (Emphasis) & Phrasal Verb
➔ The repetition of 'burning' emphasizes the ongoing action. 'Burning down' is a phrasal verb meaning 'to be destroyed by fire'.
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Let it burn
➔ Imperative Mood (with 'let')
➔ 'Let' is used to give a command or permission. The structure is 'Let + object + base form of verb'.
