Waltz of the Flowers – English Lyrics

• By: Tchaikovsky

Lyrics & Translation

"Waltz of the Flowers" offers a beautiful entry point into the world of classical music and the Russian language. The piece's soaring melodies and clear emotional arc, from gentle anticipation to triumphant joy, can help learners associate Russian culture with feelings of elegance and celebration. While the music itself is wordless, its narrative context within the famous Russian ballet, *The Nutcracker*, provides a rich cultural backdrop to explore. The structure of the waltz, with its repeating and developing themes, can also be a helpful tool for recognizing patterns, a skill transferable to language learning.

[English]

Hello, citizens of AutoDale, and welcome to tonight's PSA.

What is a model citizen?

"Well, I'm home."

"How was work today, honey?"

"It was a delight."

Well, families of AutoDale,

a model citizen is a providing father.

A model citizen is a caring mother.

All in service of a scrappy young boy or girl.

A model child, raised by a model family to become a model citizen of their own.

For AutoDale is hardly automatic.

You and your families are the gears that keep our engines turning and turning.

And let us hope that this perfect cycle never ends.

"Joe!"

Greetings, Mr. And Mrs. Robinson.

Daily check. How are we doing tonight?

"Well, work was a delight."

"Oh, dinner was just wonderful."

"And Junior's just been tucked in."

Splendid! Taking after his father, I hope.

Seems everything's in order.

"Leaving so soon?"

"You wouldn't care to join my lovely lady for a dance, would you, Joe?"

One day, Mrs. Robinson. Not today.

"Aw."

"You disappointed the lady, Joe."

Deepest apologies, Robinson family, but duty calls.

It would seem the cycle never ends.

And when the time comes...

...when your model child is grown up and is ready to start a model family of their own,

a true model citizen knows that their duties are finished and their course has run.

"I think it's time."

"I was... kind of hoping that the cycle would never end."

[thunder claps]

"I'm so proud of him."

"We did good."

You did indeed, Robinsons.

True...

...Model Citizens.

"Thank you, Joe."

Deepest apologies, Robinsons. Duty calls.

I'm afraid Autodale is hardly automatic.

...and your families are what keep our engines turning and turning.

Let us hope that this perfect cycle never ends.

Hello, this is David. I hope you all enjoyed your return to Autodale. Special thanks to:

Ashley, Ryan Turpin, Devin V., Liz Lizzy Lizard,

Layered Ear, Ninja of Orthanc, Triskellios, Sam Millson,

Cullen Kelley, Connor Hewitt, Viridian, Victoria,

George Storey, Guardian of Energy, and Brooke Watson.

Thanks guys.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
citizen /ˈsɪtɪzən/ B1	noun - a legally recognized inhabitant of a particular country or city
model /ˈmɒdəl/ A2	noun - a person or thing regarded as an example to be imitated verb - to create a representation of something on a smaller scale adjective - serving as an example of excellence
family /ˈfæmɪli/ A1	noun - a group consisting of parents and children living together
duty /ˈdjuːti/ B1	noun - a moral or legal obligation; a task or responsibility
cycle /ˈsaɪkəl/ B1	noun - a series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order
engine /ˈɛnʤɪn/ B2	noun - a machine designed to convert energy into mechanical power
gear /ɡɪə/ B2	noun - a toothed wheel that transmits motion in a machine; also, equipment or clothing
automatic /ˌɔːtəˈmætɪk/ B2	adjective - working by itself with little or no direct human control
caring /ˈkeərɪŋ/ B2	adjective - displaying kindness and concern for others
delight /dɪˈlaɪt/ B2	noun - a feeling of great pleasure or satisfaction verb - to give great pleasure to
hope /hoʊp/ A2	noun - a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen verb - to want something to happen or be true, and think that it might
disappointed /ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntɪd/ B2	adjective - sad or displeased because someone or something has failed to fulfill one's hopes or expectations
apology /əˈpɒlədʒi/ B2	noun - a statement expressing regret for having caused inconvenience or offense
grown /ɡroʊn/ B2	verb (past participle of grow) - to have increased in size, amount, or maturity
ready /ˈrɛdi/ A2	adjective - fully prepared for action or use
turning /ˈtɜːrnɪŋ/ B1	verb (present participle of turn) - to cause to move around an axis or centre
perfect /ˈpɜːrfɪkt/ A2	adjective - completely free from error or defect; ideal
hardly /ˈhɑːrdli/ B1	adverb - only just; scarcely
scrappy /ˈskræpi/ C1	adjective - determined and eager, often in a rough or unpolished way

Key Grammar Structures

• What is a model citizen?

  ➔ WH- question form

  ➔ "What" introduces a WH- question asking for definition or identification.

• a model citizen is a providing father.

  ➔ Present simple tense with copula verb

  ➔ "Is" links the subject "citizen" to the description "a providing father" in present simple, indicating a general truth.

• All in service of a scrappy young boy or girl.

  ➔ Prepositional phrase as complement

  ➔ "In service of" is a prepositional phrase acting as a complement, explaining the purpose or context of "all."

• For AutoDale is hardly automatic.

  ➔ Inversion for emphasis

  ➔ The structure "for... is" inverts the usual order for emphasis, contrasting with expectations.

• How are we doing tonight?

  ➔ Present continuous tense in question

  ➔ "Are we doing" uses present continuous to ask about an ongoing state or progress at the moment of speaking ("tonight").

• Seems everything's in order.

  ➔ Present simple contracted form with possessive

  ➔ "Everything's" is a contraction of "everything is," combined with the possessive in informal speech meaning "seems."

• when your model child is grown up and is ready to start

  ➔ Future hypothetical with present tenses

  ➔ "Is grown up" and "is ready" use present tenses to refer to future conditions in "when" clauses, indicating unrealized hypotheticals.

• their duties are finished and their course has run.

  ➔ Present perfect passive implication

  ➔ "Are finished" implies passive (something has been finished), while "has run" uses present perfect for completed actions in their relevance.

• I was... kind of hoping that the cycle would never end.

  ➔ Past continuous with wishful subjunctive

  ➔ "Was hoping" expresses ongoing past hope, while "would" in "would never end" shows conditional attitude ("kind of" softens it).