The Principal – English Lyrics

• By: Melanie Martinez
• Album: K-12

Lyrics & Translation

Delve into the provocative world of Melanie Martinez with "The Principal," a song that cleverly uses school metaphors to explore themes of corruption and abuse of power. By dissecting the lyrics and symbolism, you'll gain insights into social commentary and the importance of standing up against injustice, all while expanding your vocabulary and understanding of figurative language.

[English]

♪ Sneaky greedy money seeking ♪

♪ Always peeping, ------- creeping ♪

♪ Got it on the down low ♪

♪ So you think you're always squeaky ♪

♪ What if I had told your mother ♪

♪ Her son was a cruel mother ------ hhhuhhh ♪

♪ It's not just me, it's everybody ♪

♪ Who thinks that you're ------- ugly when you come and hurt us ♪

♪ Just so you can get your money ♪

♪ Forced to follow the leader ♪

♪ Whose being possessed by demons ♪

♪ I tried to make you listen, but you won't, it's your way ♪

♪ Right? Killing kids all day and night ♪

♪ Prescription pills and online fights ♪

♪ Shooting at the angels while claiming you're the good guy ♪

♪ All you want is cash and hype ♪

♪ ---- our dreams and that's not right ♪

♪ The principal ♪

♪ Oh, where's the principle ♪

♪ Oh, where's the principle ♪

♪ Oh, where's the principle ♪

♪ Oh, where's the principle ♪

♪ Oh, where's the principle ♪

♪ Complicated, overrated, you're fixated and elated ♪

♪ By the separation in this space that you've created ♪

♪ ---- all of your rules and guidelines ♪

♪ You shouldn't even be on the sidelines ♪

♪ Can't you see that we're all hurting ♪

♪ If you're not teaching, we're not learning ♪

♪ Excuse me how much are you earning ♪

♪ I tried to make you listen but you won't, it's your way ♪

♪ Right? Killing kids all day and night ♪

♪ Prescription pills and online fights ♪

♪ Shooting at the angels while claiming you're the good guy ♪

♪ All you want is cash and hype ♪

♪ ---- our dreams and that's not right ♪

♪ The principal ♪

♪ Oh, where's the principle ♪

♪ Oh, where's the principle ♪

♪ Oh, where's the principle ♪

♪ Oh, where's the principle ♪

♪ Oh, where's the principle ♪

♪ You don't know the pain that you are causing ♪

♪ Yeah, your actions hurt, so do your words ♪

♪ The more you try to ---- us over ♪

♪ We will be there yelling at your front door ♪

♪ I tried to make you listen but you want it your way, right ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
sneaky /ˈsniːki/ A2	adjective - behaving in a secretive way to avoid being noticed
greedy /ˈɡriːdi/ A2	adjective - having or showing a strong desire for more than is needed
creeping /ˈkriːpɪŋ/ B1	verb - to move slowly and quietly, especially in a way that is intended to be unnoticed
squeaky /ˈskwiːki/ B1	adjective - making a high-pitched sound when rubbed or moved
cruel /krʊəl/ A2	adjective - causing pain or suffering, often without caring about the harm caused
ugly /ˈʌɡli/ A1	adjective - unpleasant or repulsive to look at
hurt /hɜːrt/ A1	verb - to cause physical pain or injury to someone noun - physical pain or injury
possessed /pəˈzɛst/ B2	verb - to have or own something adjective - controlled by a spirit or force
killing /ˈkɪlɪŋ/ A2	verb - to cause the death of a person or animal noun - the action of causing death
prescription /prɪˈskrɪpʃən/ B1	noun - a written recommendation from a doctor for medication
shooting /ˈʃuːtɪŋ/ A2	verb - to fire a bullet or arrow from a weapon noun - the action of firing a weapon
cash /kæʃ/ A1	noun - money in the form of coins or banknotes
hype /haɪp/ B1	noun - intense publicity or promotion
complicated /ˈkɒmplɪkeɪtɪd/ B1	adjective - involving many different and confusing parts
overrated /ˌoʊvərˈreɪtɪd/ B2	adjective - considered better than is actually the case
fixated /ˈfɪkseɪtɪd/ C1	adjective - obsessively interested in something
guidelines /ˈɡaɪdlaɪnz/ B2	noun - a set of instructions or principles to guide actions
earning /ˈɜːrnɪŋ/ A2	noun - money received for work or services
causing /ˈkɔːzɪŋ/ A2	verb - to make something happen
yelling /ˈjɛlɪŋ/ A2	verb - to shout in a loud or angry way

Key Grammar Structures

• I tried to make you listen, but you won't, it's your way.

  ➔ Past simple + causative infinitive; modal verb “won’t” for future refusal.

  ➔ The verb "won’t" (will not) shows a firm future refusal.

• All you want is cash and hype.

  ➔ Present simple with the verb “to be” for identification; subject complement.

  ➔ "want" is in the present simple, and "is" links the subject to the complement "cash and hype".

• If you're not teaching, we're not learning.

  ➔ First conditional with present continuous in both clauses to talk about ongoing situations.

  ➔ "teaching" is a present‑continuous verb after "are not" showing an ongoing action.

• You shouldn't even be on the sidelines.

  ➔ Modal verb “should” in negative form for advice; infinitive “be”.

  ➔ "shouldn't" is the negative of "should", used to recommend that something not be done.

• You don't know the pain that you are causing.

  ➔ Present simple negative + relative clause with present progressive.

  ➔ "that" introduces the relative clause "you are causing", describing "pain".

• The more you try to ---- us over, we will be there yelling at your front door.

  ➔ Correlative comparative structure “the more … the more”; future simple “will be”; gerund “yelling”.

  ➔ "more" is repeated to show a proportional increase; "yelling" functions as a gerund after "will be there".

• Excuse me, how much are you earning?

  ➔ Wh‑question with present continuous to ask about a current activity.

  ➔ "earning" is in the present continuous, indicating an ongoing action at the moment of speaking.

• By the separation in this space that you've created.

  ➔ Relative clause with present perfect “you've created”.

  ➔ "that" introduces the relative clause; "you've created" (have + past participle) shows an action completed before now.

• Right? Killing kids all day and night.

  ➔ Gerund phrase "Killing kids" used as a noun after an interjection; expresses a general activity.

  ➔ "Killing" functions as a gerund, turning the verb into a noun that names the activity.