Wearing The Inside Out – English Lyrics

• By: Pink Floyd

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the emotive depth of Pink Floyd's "Wearing The Inside Out" and explore the English language through its powerful lyrical journey. This song offers a unique opportunity to learn vocabulary related to introspection, isolation, and renewal. Its narrative structure, moving from despair to hope, makes it a compelling piece for language learners to analyze and connect with on a deeper level.

[English]

From morning to night, I stayed out of sight

Didn't recognize I'd become

No more than alive, I'd barely survive

In a word, overrun

Won't hear a sound (he's curled into the corner)

From my mouth (but still the screen is flickering)

I've spent too long (with an endless stream of garbage)

On the inside out (curse the place)

My skin is cold (in a sea of random images)

To the human touch (the self-destructing animal)

This bleeding heart's (waiting for the waves)

Not beating much (to break)

I murmured a vow of silence, and now

I don't even hear when I think aloud

Extinguished by light, I turn on the night

Wear its darkness with an empty smile

I'm creeping back to life

My nervous system all awry

I'm wearing the inside out

Look at him now, he's paler somehow

But he's coming around

He's starting to choke, it's been so long since he spoke

Well, he can have the words right from my mouth

And with these words, I can see

Clear through the clouds that covered me

Just give it time, then speak my name

Now we can hear ourselves again

I'm holding out (he's standing on the threshold)

For the day (caught in fiery anger)

When all the clouds (and hurled into the furnace)

Have blown away (he'll curse the place)

I'm with you now (he's torn in all directions)

Can speak your name (and still the screen is flickering)

Now we can hear (waiting for the flames)

Ourselves again (to break)

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
recognize /ˈrekəɡˌnaɪz/ B1	verb - to identify someone or something seen before
survive /sərˈvaɪv/ A2	verb - to continue to live or exist, especially after a difficult experience
overrun /ˌoʊvərˈrʌn/ B2	verb - to spread or occupy a place in large numbers
flickering /ˈflɪkərɪŋ/ B1	adjective - shining unsteadily; fluctuating
endless /ˈɛndlɪs/ A2	adjective - having no end; never finishing
cold /koʊld/ A1	adjective - low in temperature
random /ˈrændəm/ B1	adjective - made or happening without method or conscious decision
bleeding /ˈbliːdɪŋ/ A2	adjective - losing blood
extinguished /ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/ C1	verb - to stop a fire or light from burning
creeping /ˈkriːpɪŋ/ B1	verb - to move slowly and quietly
nervous /ˈnɜːrvoʊs/ A2	adjective - easily frightened or anxious
awry /əˈraɪ/ C1	adjective - not as planned or expected
pale /peɪl/ A2	adjective - having a pale color; not bright or strong
choke /tʃoʊk/ B1	verb - to have difficulty breathing because of smoke, food, or strong emotion
threshold /ˈθrɛʃhoʊld/ B2	noun - the entrance to a building or room
fiery /ˈfaɪəri/ B2	adjective - full of fire or intense heat
torn /tɔːrn/ B1	verb - past participle of tear; split or ripped

Key Grammar Structures

• From morning to night, I stayed out of sight

  ➔ Past Simple (regular verb) – used for a completed action in the past.

  ➔ The verb **stayed** shows a completed action in the past.

• I don't even hear when I think aloud

  ➔ Present Simple with negative *don't* + adverbial clause introduced by *when*.

  ➔ **don't** makes the verb *hear* negative; **when** introduces a time clause.

• I'm creeping back to life

  ➔ Present Continuous (be + -ing) – expresses an action in progress now.

  ➔ **I'm** = *I am* + **creeping** (verb + -ing) shows the ongoing action.

• My nervous system all awry

  ➔ Noun phrase with an adjectival complement (*all awry*) – ellipsis of a linking verb.

  ➔ **all awry** works as a predicative adjective describing *system* without a verb.

• Just give it time, then speak my name

  ➔ Imperative sentences – direct commands; *then* links two commands.

  ➔ **Give** and **speak** are bare verbs used to issue commands.

• Now we can hear ourselves again

  ➔ Modal verb *can* + base verb – expresses ability/possibility.

  ➔ **can** shows that we are able to **hear** again.

• Look at him now, he's paler somehow

  ➔ Present Simple + comparative adjective (*paler*) – describes a current state.

  ➔ **he's** = *he is*; **paler** is the comparative form of *pale*.

• He's starting to choke, it's been so long since he spoke

  ➔ Present Continuous progressive (*is starting*) + infinitive; Present Perfect (*has been*) with *since* clause.

  ➔ **He's starting** = *He is starting* (progressive); **it's been** = *It has been* (present perfect).

• And with these words, I can see clear through the clouds that covered me

  ➔ Modal *can* + base verb; Relative clause (*that covered me*) describing *clouds*.

  ➔ **can** expresses ability; **that covered me** is a relative clause modifying *clouds*.