Spanish Sahara – English Lyrics

• By: Foals
• Album: Total Life Forever

Lyrics & Translation

Delve into the mesmerizing world of Foals' "Spanish Sahara," a song that masterfully blends indie rock with profound emotional depth. Through vivid lyrics and a dynamic musical arrangement, explore themes of trauma and haunting memories, and discover how the band crafts a unique sonic landscape that resonates with listeners on a deeply personal level. Learn how the band uses literary devices to convey such intense emotions in this song.

[English]

So, I walked into the haze

...

And a million dirty waves

...

Now, I see you lying there

Like a lie low losing air, air

...

Black rocks and the shoreline sand

Still dead summer I cannot bear

...

And I wipe the sand from my eyes

...

The Spanish Sahara, the place that you'd wanna

Leave the horror here

Forget the horror here

Forget the horror here

Leave it all down here

It's future rust and it's future dust

Forget the horror here

Forget the horror here

Leave it all down here

It's future rust and it's future dust

...

Now, the waves they drag you down

...

Carry you to broken ground

...

Oh, I'll find you in the sand

...

Wipe you clean with dirty hands

So, goddamn this boiling space

The Spanish Sahara, the place that you'd wanna

Leave the horror here

Forget the horror here

Forget the horror here

Leave it all down here

It's future rust and it's future dust

I'm the fury in your head

I'm the fury in your bed

I'm the ghost in the back of your head

'Cause I'm

I'm the fury in your head

I'm the fury in your bed

I'm the ghost in the back of your head

'Cause I'm

I'm the fury in your head

I'm the fury in your bed

I'm the ghost in the back of your head

'Cause I'm

...

Forget the horror here

Forget the horror here

Leave it all down here

It's future rust and it's future dust

A choir of furies in your head

A choir of furies in your bed

I'm the ghost in the back of your head

'Cause I'm

A choir of furies in your head

A choir of furies in your bed

I'm the ghost in the back of your head

'Cause I'm

A choir of furies in your head

A choir of furies in your bed

I'm the ghost in the back of your head

'Cause I'm

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
haze /heɪz/ B2	noun - a slight obscuration of the air caused by fine suspended particles
waves /weɪvz/ A2	noun - a long body of water curling into an arched form and breaking on the shore
black /blæk/ A1	adjective - the darkest color, the result of the absence of or complete absorption of light
shoreline /ˈʃɔːrlaɪn/ B2	noun - the line along which a large body of water meets the land
dust /dʌst/ A2	noun - fine, dry particles of matter
future /ˈfjuːtʃər/ A2	noun - the time yet to come
carry /ˈkæri/ B1	verb - to support and move someone or something from one place to another
ghost /ɡoʊst/ B1	noun - the spirit of a dead person, often believed to appear in a visible form
fury /ˈfjʊəri/ B2	noun - wild or violent anger
place /pleɪs/ A1	noun - a particular position or point in space
sand /sænd/ A1	noun - a loose granular substance resulting from the erosion of rocks
broken /ˈbroʊkən/ B1	adjective - having been fractured or damaged
leave /liːv/ A2	verb - to go away from a place
boiling /ˈbɔɪlɪŋ/ B2	adjective - in the state of bubbling or boiling
air /ɛr/ A1	noun - the invisible gaseous substance surrounding the earth

Key Grammar Structures

• Now, I see you lying there Like a lie low losing air, air

  ➔ Present Continuous/Participle Clause

  ➔ The phrase "lying there" uses the present participle to describe the subject 'you'. "Losing air" is also a participle phrase modifying 'lie low'.

• Black rocks and the shoreline sand Still dead summer I cannot bear

  ➔ Inversion (Emphasis)

  ➔ The line "Still dead summer I cannot bear" uses inversion for emphasis. The standard word order would be "I cannot bear still dead summer". Inverting the order places emphasis on "Still dead summer."

• The Spanish Sahara, the place that you'd wanna Leave the horror here

  ➔ Reduced Relative Clause / Modal Verb 'would'

  ➔ "That you'd wanna" is a reduced relative clause. The full clause would be "the place that you would want to." 'Would' expresses a conditional desire or inclination.

• It's future rust and it's future dust

  ➔ Ellipsis

  ➔ The structure implies "It is future rust and it is future dust", but the "is" is omitted in the second clause for stylistic effect.

• Now, the waves they drag you down

  ➔ Emphasis with Repetition (Topic Introduction)

  ➔ Repeating the subject "the waves" immediately after introducing it emphasizes its importance. While grammatically unusual, it's a common stylistic choice in songs and poetry.

• Wipe you clean with dirty hands

  ➔ Prepositional Phrase of Manner

  ➔ The phrase "with dirty hands" acts as an adverbial phrase, modifying the verb "wipe" and indicating how the action is performed.

• I'm the fury in your head I'm the fury in your bed I'm the ghost in the back of your head

  ➔ Metaphor and Repetition

  ➔ These lines use metaphor to describe the speaker's influence, comparing them to intense emotions and a haunting presence. Repetition emphasizes the pervasive nature of this influence.