Ultraviolence – English Lyrics

• By: Lana Del Rey
• Album: Lust for Life

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a captivating linguistic journey with Lana Del Rey's 'Ultraviolence.' This song offers a rich tapestry of evocative storytelling, perfect for expanding your English vocabulary related to emotions, complex relationships, and atmospheric descriptions. Its unique blend of melancholic rock and poetic lyricism provides an immersive listening experience that will deepen your appreciation for nuanced English expression.

[English]

[♪ ♪ ♪]

♪ He used to call me DN ♪

♪ That stood for deadly nightshade ♪

♪ 'Cause I was filled with poison ♪

♪ But blessed with beauty and rage ♪

♪ Jim told me that ♪

♪ He hit me and it felt like a kiss ♪

♪ Jim brought me back ♪

♪ Reminded me of when we were kids ♪

♪ With his ultraviolence ♪

♪ Ultraviolence ♪

♪ Ultraviolence ♪

♪ Ultraviolence ♪

♪ I can hear sirens, sirens ♪

♪ He hit me and it felt like a kiss ♪

♪ I can hear violins, violins ♪

♪ Give me all of that ultraviolence ♪

♪ He used to call me poison ♪

♪ Like I was poison ivy ♪

♪ I could've died right then ♪

♪ 'Cause he was right beside me ♪

♪ Jim raised me up ♪

♪ He hurt me but it felt like true love ♪

♪ Jim taught me that ♪

♪ Loving him was never enough ♪

♪ With his ultraviolence ♪

♪ Ultraviolence ♪

♪ Ultraviolence ♪

♪ Ultraviolence ♪

♪ I can hear sirens, sirens ♪

♪ He hit me and it felt like a kiss ♪

♪ I can hear violins, violins ♪

♪ Give me all of that ultraviolence ♪

♪ We can go back to New York ♪

♪ Loving you was really hard ♪

♪ We could go back to Woodstock ♪

♪ Where they don't know who we are ♪

♪ Heaven is on Earth ♪

♪ I will do anything for you, babe ♪

♪ Blessed is this union ♪

♪ Crying tears of gold like lemonade ♪

♪ I love you the first time ♪

♪ I love you the last time ♪

♪ Yo soy la princesa comprende mis white lines ♪

♪ 'Cause I'm your jazz singer ♪

♪ And you're my cult leader ♪

♪ I love you forever ♪

♪ I love you forever ♪

♪ With his ultraviolence (Lay me down tonight) ♪

♪ Ultraviolence (In my linen and curls) ♪

♪ Ultraviolence (Lay me down tonight) ♪

♪ Ultraviolence (Riviera girls) ♪

♪ I can hear sirens, sirens ♪

♪ He hit me and it felt like a kiss ♪

♪ I can hear violins, violins ♪

♪ Give me all of that ultraviolence ♪

[MAN]: Look if there's someone.

[LANA]: Great spot.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
call /kɔːl/ A2	verb - to speak to someone on the phone
poison /ˈpɔɪ.zən/ B2	noun - a substance that can cause illness or death if ingested or absorbed verb - to make someone ill or kill them by giving them poison
beauty /ˈbjuː.ti/ B1	noun - the quality of being physically attractive
rage /reɪdʒ/ B2	noun - violent, uncontrollable anger
kiss /kɪs/ A1	noun - a touch with the lips as a sign of love or greeting verb - to touch with the lips as a sign of love or greeting
hurt /hɜːrt/ B1	verb - to cause pain or injury to someone
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of deep affection verb - to feel deep affection for someone
union /ˈjuː.njən/ B2	noun - the act of joining together or the state of being joined
tears /tɪrz/ A2	noun - drops of clear salty liquid produced by the eyes
gold /ɡoʊld/ A2	noun - a yellow precious metal
heaven /ˈhɛv.ən/ B1	noun - a place regarded in various religions as the abode of God and the angels
sirens /ˈsaɪərənz/ B2	noun - devices that make a loud warning sound
violins /ˌvaɪəˈlɪnz/ B1	noun - stringed musical instruments played with a bow
ultraviolence /ˌʌltrəˈvaɪələns/ C1	noun - extreme or excessive violence

Key Grammar Structures

• He used to call me DN

  ➔ Past Simple with 'used to'

  ➔ 'Used to' + infinitive describes a past habit or state that is no longer true. Here, it indicates that "he" no longer calls her DN.

• That stood for deadly nightshade

  ➔ Past Simple

  ➔ Simple past tense to describe what "that" (DN) represented or meant in the past. The verb "stood" is the past tense of "stand."

• He hit me and it felt like a kiss

  ➔ Past Simple, Simile

  ➔ Simple past tense to describe actions and sensations in the past. The phrase "felt like a kiss" is a simile, comparing the feeling of being hit to a kiss.

• I could've died right then

  ➔ Modal perfect 'could have'

  ➔ 'Could have' + past participle expresses a possibility in the past that did not happen. Here, it means she was in a situation where it was possible she might have died.

• Loving you was really hard

  ➔ Gerund as subject

  ➔ The gerund "loving" acts as the subject of the sentence. A gerund is a verb form ending in '-ing' that functions as a noun.

• Where they don't know who we are

  ➔ Relative clause with embedded question

  ➔ "Who we are" is an embedded question, functioning as the object of the verb "know." The entire clause "where they don't know who we are" is a relative clause modifying "Woodstock."

• I will do anything for you, babe

  ➔ Future Simple (Will)

  ➔ Future simple using "will" expresses a promise, intention, or prediction about the future.

• Yo soy la princesa comprende mis white lines

  ➔ Spanish grammar: Ser vs Estar, Imperative (Comprende)

  ➔ The sentence is in Spanish. "Soy" is the first-person singular present indicative of "ser," used to describe inherent qualities or identity. "Comprende" is the imperative form of "comprender," meaning "understand." 'Ser' is used to define inherent qualities. 'Comprende' is a command.