Underwater – English Lyrics

• By: Midnight Oil
• Album: Breathe

Lyrics & Translation

"Underwater" by Midnight Oil offers a unique opportunity to explore themes of nature, resilience, and overcoming challenges. Dive into the rich imagery and evocative lyrics of this song to enhance your understanding of the English language and appreciate the band's musical departure into a more atmospheric sound.

[English]

Scanning at the blue bended headlands

White flurry scudded, a dark silhouette flashes by, in the wet

It is glistening flesh

In the deep marine, in the deep marine

There is room for make believe out in the ocean

There is room for make believe out on the land

In the wet, in the dream, if its flashing then seen

In the deep marine, in the deep marine

Looking to the white framed headland

Green pockets dropping, a bright cockatoo

Circles up in the breeze, in the realm you can't reach

In the deep marine, in the deep marine

There is room for make believe out in the ocean

There is room for make believe out on the land

In the west, crashes by, its a green silhouette

In the deep marine, in the deep marine

No one can make her, no one can break her down

Underwater, over land

No one can make her, no one can break her

Underwater, over land

No one can make her, no one can break her

She is what she is and no one can bring her down, bring her down

Looking to the white framed headland

Green pockets dropping a bright cockatoo

Circles up in the breeze, in the realm you can't reach

In the deep marine, in the deep marine

There is room for make believe out in the ocean

There is room for make believe out on the land

In the wet, flashes by, its a green silhouette

In the deep marine, in the deep marine

No one can make her, no one can break her

Underwater, overland

No one can break her, no one can fake her

She it what she is and no one can bring her down, bring her down

Underwater, overland

No one can squeeze her, no one can freeze her now

No one can make her, no one can break her down

No one can seize her, no one can freeze her

She is what she is and you've got to see it

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
scanning /ˈskænɪŋ/ B1	verb - to look at something carefully in order to understand it
flurry /ˈflʌri/ B2	noun - a sudden brief outburst of activity
silhouette /ˌsɪlʊˈet/ B2	noun - the dark shape and outline of something seen against a light background
glistening /ˈɡlɪstənɪŋ/ B2	adjective - shining with a sparkling light
marine /məˈriːn/ B2	adjective - relating to the sea or ocean
realm /relm/ C1	noun - a kingdom; a field or domain of activity or interest
cockatoo /ˌkɒkəˈtuː/ B1	noun - a type of parrot with a prominent crest
breeze /briːz/ A2	noun - a gentle wind
break /breɪk/ A2	verb - to separate into pieces
squeeze /skwiːz/ B1	verb - to firmly press something
freeze /friːz/ B1	verb - to turn into ice
seize /siːz/ B2	verb - to take possession of something suddenly or forcibly
dropping /ˈdrɒpɪŋ/ A2	verb - to let something fall
framed /freɪmd/ B1	adjective - surrounded by a border
land /lænd/ A1	noun - the part of the earth's surface that is not covered by water
wet /wet/ A1	adjective - covered or saturated with water or another liquid

Key Grammar Structures

• No one can make her, no one can break her

  ➔ Present simple negative

  ➔ The phrase uses 'no one can' + base verb to express universal impossibility

• She is what she is

  ➔ Relative pronoun

  ➔ The word 'what' introduces a relative clause

• Bring her down

  ➔ Phrasal verb

  ➔ The phrase 'bring down' means to cause depression

• Underwater

  ➔ Compound word

  ➔ The word 'underwater' merges 'under' + 'water'

• Circles up in the breeze

  ➔ Phrasal verb

  ➔ The phrase 'circles up' means ascending movement

• Flashing then seen

  ➔ Present participle

  ➔ The word 'flashing' describes ongoing action

• She is what she is

  ➔ Adjective phrase

  ➔ The phrase 'what she is' functions as an adjective phrase

• No one can squeeze her

  ➔ Modal verb with negation

  ➔ The modal 'can' combined with negation 'no one'