Troubled Man – English Lyrics

• By: Milky Chance
• Album: Trip Tape II

Lyrics & Translation

Delve into the introspective world of Milky Chance's "Troubled Man," a song that captures the yearning to escape and find belonging. Through poignant lyrics and a signature indie-folk sound, explore themes of alienation and discover new ways to articulate feelings of displacement in English.

[English]

(Troubled man)

(Troubled man)

You see me fallin' through the sky

I landed here, I don't know why

Everybody actin' strange

Everybody playin' games

I don't wanna be here

Can you please just skip the scene?

I wish that I could turn back time and leave

You better get back down

Hands over your head

Better shut your mouth

Listen what they say

Remember, you don't have the chance anyway

Anyway-eh-eh

(Troubled man)

Anyway-eh-eh

(Troubled man)

Anyway-eh-eh

(Troubled man)

Anyway-eh-eh

(Troubled man)

Every place that I have found

Never had a common ground

All you did was actin' strange

All you did was playin' games

I don't wanna be here

Can you please just skip the scene?

I wish that I could turn back time and leave

You better get back down

Hands over your head

Better shut your mouth

Listen what they say

Remember, you don't have the chance anyway

Anyway-eh-eh

(Troubled man)

Anyway-eh-eh

(Troubled man)

Anyway-eh-eh

(Troubled man)

Anyway-eh-eh

(Troubled man)

Anyway

(Troubled man)

(Troubled man)

(Troubled man)

(Troubled man)

Anyway

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
fall /fɔːl/ A2	verb - to move downward, typically rapidly and freely without control noun - an act of falling or dropping
sky /skaɪ/ A1	noun - the region of the atmosphere and space seen from the earth
land /lænd/ A2	verb - to come down and settle on the ground or another surface noun - the part of the earth's surface that is not covered by water
strange /streɪndʒ/ B1	adjective - unusual or surprising in a way that is unsettling or hard to understand
game /ɡeɪm/ A1	noun - an activity for fun or competition according to rules
wish /wɪʃ/ B1	verb - to want something to happen or be true noun - a desire or hope for something
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the continuous progression of existence and events
leave /liːv/ A2	verb - to go away from a place
head /hɛd/ A2	noun - the upper part of the body containing the brain, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth
mouth /maʊθ/ A1	noun - the opening in the face used for eating and speaking
listen /ˈlɪs.ən/ A1	verb - to pay attention to sound or speech
remember /rɪˈmɛm.bər/ A2	verb - to bring to mind or recall something from memory
chance /tʃɑːns/ B1	noun - an opportunity or possibility
common /ˈkɒm.ən/ B1	adjective - occurring frequently, usual
ground /ɡraʊnd/ B1	noun - the solid surface of the earth
troubled /ˈtrʌb.əld/ B2	adjective - feeling or showing distress or anxiety
act /ækt/ B1	verb - to do something, behave in a certain way noun - a thing done; a deed

Key Grammar Structures

• You see me fallin' through the sky

  ➔ Perception verbs + object + -ing form

  ➔ The word "fallin'" is the -ing form after the perception verb "see" to express an ongoing action.

• I landed here, I don't know why

  ➔ Comma splice / two independent clauses joined by a comma

  ➔ The line contains two independent clauses separated only by a comma; a coordinating conjunction or a semicolon would be more correct.

• Everybody actin' strange

  ➔ Colloquial -ing form without auxiliary 'be' (progressive without 'be')

  ➔ The -ing form is used without the auxiliary 'be' in casual speech to express ongoing action.

• Everybody playin' games

  ➔ Colloquial -ing form without auxiliary 'be' (progressive without 'be')

  ➔ Same structure as line 3: -ing form used without 'be' in casual speech.

• I don't wanna be here

  ➔ Wanna = want to (informal contraction); 'to' omitted after wanna

  ➔ The verb phrase uses the informal contraction "wanna" for "want to"; the word "wanna" contains the implied infinitive.

• Can you please just skip the scene?

  ➔ Modal can for requests; simple present with base verb after subject

  ➔ The sentence uses the request form with the modal "can" followed by the base verb "skip".

• I wish that I could turn back time and leave

  ➔ Wish + could to express hypothetical present/future

  ➔ The clause after "wish" uses "could" to express an unreal or imagined possibility about turning back time.

• You better get back down

  ➔ Had better (you'd better) expresses strong advice; elliptical form

  ➔ The phrase uses the informal form of Had better, here written as "You better" to give strong advice.

• Listen what they say

  ➔ Omission of preposition after listen; standard is listen to what they say

  ➔ The verb listen is typically followed by the preposition to; here it’s shortened in casual speech.

• Remember, you don't have the chance anyway

  ➔ Imperative remember + negative clause; contraction in 'don't'

  ➔ The sentence uses the imperative remember to cue the listener, followed by a negative clause with contraction.