The Next Day – English Lyrics

• By: David Bowie

Lyrics & Translation

Immerse yourself in David Bowie's powerful return with "The Next Day," a song from his acclaimed 2013 album that shocked the music world. Its intense lyrics, blending historical narratives with themes of defiance and the human condition, offer a rich tapestry for language learners to explore advanced vocabulary and intricate poetic structures. Discover how Bowie, known for his masterful reinvention, crafted a sound that is both familiar and strikingly fresh, making it an engaging piece for anyone wanting to delve into contemporary English lyricism and rock music storytelling.

[English]

Look into my eyes he tells her

I'm gonna say goodbye he says yea

Do not cry she begs of him goodbye yea

All that day she thinks of his love yea

They whip him through the streets and alleys there

The gormless and the baying crowd right there

They can't get enough of that doomsday song

They can't get enough of it all

Listen

Ignoring the pain of their particular diseases

They chase him through the alleys chase him down the steps

They haul him through the mud and they chant for his death

And drag him to the feet of the purple headed priest

First they give you everything that you want

Then they take back everything that you have

They live upon their feet and they die upon their knees

They can work with satan while they dress like the saints

They know god exists for the devil told them so

They scream my name aloud down into the well below

Here I am

Not quite dying

My body left to rot in a hollow tree

Its branches throwing shadows

On the gallows for me

And the next day

And the next

And another day

Here I am

Not quite dying

My body left to rot in a hollow tree

Its branches throwing shadows

On the gallows for me

And the next day

And the next

And another day

Listen

Listen to the whores he tells her

He fashions paper sculptures of them

Then drags them to the river's bank in the cart

Their soggy paper bodies wash ashore in the dark

And the priest stiff in hate now demanding fun begin

Of his women dressed as men for the pleasure of that priest

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
goodbye /ˌɡʊdˈbaɪ/ A2	noun - a farewell message when parting
crowd /kraʊd/ B1	noun - a large group of people gathered together
disease /dɪˈziːz/ B2	noun - an illness affecting the body or mind
haunt /hɔːnt/ C1	verb - to repeatedly visit or appear in a place
satan /ˈseɪtæn/ C2	noun - the devil or evil spirit in various religions
gallows /ˈɡæl.oʊz/ C1	noun - a structure used for executing people by hanging
sculpture /ˈskʌlp.tʃər/ B2	noun - a three-dimensional work of art created by shaping materials
manage /ˈmæn.ɪdʒ/ B2	verb - to be in charge of or handle something
exist /ɪɡˈzɪst/ B1	verb - to have actual being or presence
rotten /ˈrɒt.n̩/ C1	adjective - decayed or decomposed
shadow /ˈʃæd.oʊ/ A2	noun - a dark shape made by a body blocking light
throw /θroʊ/ A2	verb - to send something through the air by force

Key Grammar Structures

• Look into my eyes he tells her

  ➔ Present Simple with Pronoun 'he'

  ➔ The verb 'tells' is in the Present Simple, used to describe an action that is habitual or factual. 'He' is the subject pronoun referring to the person performing the action.

• They can't get enough of that doomsday song

  ➔ Modal Verb 'can't' for Ability/Possibility

  ➔ 'Can't' is a modal verb used to express inability or impossibility. Here, it indicates that 'they' are unable to get enough of the song.

• They live upon their feet and they die upon their knees

  ➔ Parallel Structure with 'upon'

  ➔ The sentence uses parallel structure with 'upon' to emphasize contrast between living and dying. 'Upon their feet' and 'upon their knees' are parallel phrases.

• They know god exists for the devil told them so

  ➔ Reason Clause with 'for'

  ➔ The clause 'for the devil told them so' is a reason clause introduced by 'for', explaining why 'they know god exists'.

• Here I am / Not quite dying

  ➔ Present Progressive for Ongoing State

  ➔ The phrase 'Not quite dying' uses the Present Progressive to describe an ongoing state of being, emphasizing that the process is not complete.