Thru' These Walls – English Lyrics

• By: Phil Collins
• Album: Hello, I Must Be Going!

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the intriguing world of Phil Collins' "Thru' These Walls," a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling. This song offers a unique opportunity to explore English vocabulary related to isolation, observation, and complex emotions, all wrapped in a distinctive New Wave and Art Rock sound that sets it apart in Collins' discography.

[English]

I can hear thru' these walls

I can hear it when they're foolin' around

I can hear thru' these walls

And I hear ev'ry sign, ev'ry sound

I can hear thru' these walls

In the dark with the shades pulled down

Ev'ry word that they say

Ev'ry noise they make feels it's coming my way

My fav'rite moment

Putting the glass up next to the wall

Imagination

Tho' I see nothing, I hear it all

Putting my sign up

Do not disturb me, speak or shout, inside out

Oh mind my clothes, they're all laid out

I can see thru' my windows

I can see the girls and the boys

I can see thru' my windows

And I can imagine the noise

I can see thru' my windows

I can see them playing with toys

Oh I hope it won't end

If I promise not to touch, just be a friend

Life is so lonely

I don't get high off just being me

I like pretending

Wanting to touch them, wanting to see

It's only normal

Creeping behind you, now don't shout, 'cos it's alright

They keep the windows locked and the door shut tight

Oo I'm feeling like I'm locked in a cage

No way in, no way out, and it gets so lonely

Am I really asking a lot

Just to reach out and touch somebody

'Cos when I look thru' my windows or open my door

I can feel it all around me

I can hear thru' these walls

I can hear it when they're foolin' around

I can hear thru' these walls

And I hear ev'ry sight, ev'ry sound

I can hear thru' these walls

In the dark with the shades pulled down

Ev'ry word that they say

Ev'ry noise they make feels it's coming my way

Ah yeah...

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
hear /hɪər/ A1	verb - to perceive with the ears the sound made by someone or something
walls /wɔːlz/ A1	noun - a continuous vertical brick or stone structure that encloses or divides an area of land
sound /saʊnd/ A1	noun - vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard when they reach a person's or animal's ear verb - to make a noise
word /wɜːd/ A1	noun - a unit of language that has meaning and can be spoken or written
say /seɪ/ A1	verb - utter words to convey information, an opinion, a feeling, or intention
noise /nɔɪz/ A1	noun - a sound, especially one that is loud or unpleasant or that causes disturbance
make /meɪk/ A1	verb - form (something) by putting parts together or combining substances; create
see /siː/ A1	verb - perceive with the eyes; discern visually.
girls /ɡɜːrlz/ A1	noun - a female child or young woman.
boys /bɔɪz/ A1	noun - a male child or young man.
imagine /ɪˈmædʒɪn/ A2	verb - form a mental image or concept of.
touch /tʌtʃ/ A2	verb - come into or be in contact with (someone or something) noun - the sense by which a person or animal perceives physical contact.
life /laɪf/ A2	noun - the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.
friend /frend/ A2	noun - a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations.
lonely /ˈləʊnli/ B1	adjective - sad because one has no friends or company
pretending /prɪˈtendɪŋ/ B1	verb - behave so as to make it appear that something is the case when in reality it is not.
windows /ˈwɪndəʊz/ A2	noun - an opening in a wall or roof of a building or vehicle
shut /ʃʌt/ B1	verb - move (a door, window, or lid) so as to close an opening.
locked /lɒkt/ B1	verb - fasten or secure (something) with a lock.

Key Grammar Structures

• I can hear thru' these walls

  ➔ Modal verb + base form of verb

  ➔ "Can" expresses ability. The structure is typical for expressing what someone is capable of doing. The contraction 'thru'' is informal.

• Ev'ry word that they say

  ➔ Possessive determiner + noun + relative pronoun + verb

  ➔ This demonstrates a relative clause modifying 'word'. 'Ev'ry' is a contraction of 'every'. The relative pronoun 'that' introduces the clause describing the words.

• Tho' I see nothing, I hear it all

  ➔ Subordinating conjunction + clause, coordinating conjunction + clause

  ➔ "Tho'" (although) introduces a concessive clause, contrasting with the main clause. 'I hear it all' is a complete independent clause.

• Am I really asking a lot?

  ➔ Tag question

  ➔ This is a tag question, used to seek confirmation. The auxiliary verb 'am' and pronoun 'I' are inverted to form the question.

• Just to reach out and touch somebody

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose

  ➔ The infinitive phrase 'to reach out and touch somebody' explains the purpose of the speaker's desire. 'To' introduces the infinitive.