To Be Alone – English Lyrics

• By: Hozier
• Album: Hozier (Special Edition)

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a powerful tool, and Hozier's “To Be Alone” offers a rich landscape of evocative and poetic English. The song's lyrical depth, which touches on themes of societal critique and intimate salvation, provides a unique opportunity to explore complex ideas and vocabulary. What makes this song special for learners is its raw, emotional delivery and the stark contrast between its gentle, intimate moments and its powerful, critical observations of the world.

[English]

Never feel too good in crowds

With folks around, when they're playing

The anthems of rape culture loud

Crude and proud creatures baying

All I've ever done is hide

From our times when you're near me

Honey, when you kill the lights and kiss my eyes

I feel like a person for a moment of my life

But you don't know what hell you put me through

To have someone kiss the skin that crawls from you

To feel your weight in arms I'd never use

It's the god that heroin prays to

It feels good, girl, it feels good

It feels good, girl, it feels good

It feels good, girl, it feels good

Oh, to be alone with you

There are questions I can't ask

Now at last, the worst is over

See the way you hold yourself

Reel against your body's borders

I know that you hate this place

Not a trace of me would argue

Honey, we should run away, oh, someday

Our baby and her momma

And the damaged love she made

But I don't know what else that I would do

Than try to kiss the skin that crawls from you

Then feel your weight in arms I'd never use

It's the god that heroin prays to

It feels good, girl, it feels good

It feels good, girl, it feels good

It feels good, girl, it feels good

Oh, to be alone with you

Feels good, girl, it feels good

Feels good, girl, it feels good

Feels good, girl, it feels good

Oh, to be alone with you

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
feel /fiːl/ A1	verb - to experience an emotion or sensation
good /ɡʊd/ A1	adjective - of high quality; pleasing
kiss /kɪs/ A2	verb - to touch with the lips as a sign of love noun - an act of kissing
lights /laɪts/ A1	noun - sources of illumination
person /ˈpɜːrsən/ A1	noun - a human being
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter
skin /skɪn/ A2	noun - the outer covering of the body
crawls /krɔːlz/ B1	verb - to move on hands and knees
weight /weɪt/ A2	noun - a body's relative mass or the quantity of matter contained by it, giving rise to a downward force; the heaviness of a person or thing.
arms /ɑːrmz/ A1	noun - upper limbs of the human body
god /ɡɒd/ A2	noun - a superhuman being or spirit worshipped as having power over nature or human affairs
heroin /ˈheroʊɪn/ B2	noun - a highly addictive analgesic drug derived from morphine, often used illicitly as a narcotic
prays /preɪz/ B1	verb - to address a solemn request or expression of thanks to a deity or other object of worship.
alone /əˈloʊn/ A2	adjective - having no one else present; lonely
hate /heɪt/ A2	verb - to feel intense dislike for
damaged /ˈdæmɪdʒd/ B1	adjective - physically harmed or injured
hide /haɪd/ A2	verb - to put something out of sight

Key Grammar Structures

• Never feel too good in crowds

  ➔ Adverb "too" modifying adjective "good"

  ➔ The adverb "too" intensifies the adjective "good", indicating an excessive degree of feeling good, implying the speaker is *never* completely comfortable in crowds. It's a common structure to express negative feelings about situations: "It's too hot", "I'm too tired."

• The anthems of rape culture loud

  ➔ Ellipsis (omission) of verb 'are' or 'being'; adjective "loud" modifying the noun phrase.

  ➔ The line is grammatically incomplete but stylistically effective. It's implied that "The anthems of rape culture *are* loud." This omission creates a more direct and impactful statement. The adjective "loud" emphasizes the pervasiveness and obnoxiousness of these anthems.

• All I've ever done is hide

  ➔ Present perfect tense ("have done") combined with infinitive without "to" after "done".

  ➔ "All I've ever done is hide" is a common construction where the infinitive verb (hide) following 'done' doesn't require 'to'. This shortened form is typical in everyday speech and song lyrics. The present perfect emphasizes that hiding has been a constant throughout the speaker's life.

• But you don't know what hell you put me through

  ➔ Embedded question using "what" as an interrogative pronoun and the verb "put through" as a phrasal verb.

  ➔ This is an example of an embedded question, where a question is included within a statement. "What hell you put me through" acts as the object of the verb "know". "Put through" is a phrasal verb meaning to cause someone to experience something difficult or unpleasant.

• To have someone kiss the skin that crawls from you

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose ('To have someone kiss...') indicating the reason or goal. Relative clause using "that" ('the skin *that* crawls from you'). Causative verb 'have' (to *have* someone kiss...).

  ➔ The phrase "To have someone kiss..." expresses a purpose or result. "That crawls from you" is a relative clause modifying "the skin". The causative verb "have" signifies that the speaker is causing or allowing someone to perform the action of kissing.

• Than try to kiss the skin that crawls from you

  ➔ Comparative structure using "than"; infinitive "to try" indicating purpose or intent. Relative clause with "that".

  ➔ This line uses 'than' in a comparative sense, implying a preference or lack of alternative. The infinitive "to try" indicates the speaker's intention or effort. "That crawls from you" is a relative clause modifying "the skin."

• It's the god that heroin prays to

  ➔ Use of "that" as a relative pronoun to introduce a defining relative clause; metaphoric language.

  ➔ "That heroin prays to" is a defining relative clause specifying which god is being referred to. The entire line is a metaphor, comparing the feeling described to the addictive power of heroin and the devotion it inspires.