Little Lion Man – English Lyrics

• By: Mumford & Sons
• Album: Sigh No More

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the poignant self-reflection and emotional rawness of Mumford & Sons' hit song, "Little Lion Man." This folk-rock anthem offers listeners a chance to delve into themes of courage, regret, and personal responsibility, all while enjoying the band's signature blend of acoustic instrumentation and powerful lyrics.

[English]

[♪ ♪ ♪]

♪ Weep for yourself, my man ♪

♪ You'll never be what is in your heart ♪

♪ Weep, little lion man ♪

♪ You're not as brave as you were at the start ♪

♪ Rate yourself and rake yourself ♪

♪ Take all the courage you have left ♪

♪ Wasted on fixing all the problems that you made ♪

♪ In your own head ♪

♪ But it was not your fault but mine ♪

♪ And it was your heart on the line ♪

♪ I really fucked it up this time ♪

♪ Didn't I, my dear? ♪

♪ Didn't I, my... ♪

♪ Tremble for yourself, my man ♪

♪ You know that you have seen this all before ♪

♪ Tremble, little lion man ♪

♪ You'll never settle any of your scores ♪

♪ Your grace is wasted in your face ♪

♪ Your boldness stands alone among the wreck ♪

♪ Now learn from your mother ♪

♪ Or else spend your days biting your own neck ♪

♪ But it was not your fault but mine ♪

♪ And it was your heart on the line ♪

♪ I really fucked it up this time ♪

♪ Didn't I, my dear? ♪

♪ But it was not your fault but mine ♪

♪ And it was your heart on the line ♪

♪ I really fucked it up this time ♪

♪ Didn't I, my dear? ♪

♪ Didn't I, my dear? ♪

[♪ ♪ ♪]

♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah ♪

♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah ♪

♪ Ah-ah-ah ♪

♪ Ah-ah-ah ♪

♪ Ah-ah-ah ♪

♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah ♪

♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah ♪

♪ But it was not your fault but mine ♪

♪ And it was your heart on the line ♪

♪ I really fucked it up this time ♪

♪ Didn't I, my dear? ♪

♪ But it was not your fault but mine ♪

♪ And it was your heart on the line ♪

♪ I really fucked it up this time ♪

♪ Didn't I, my dear? ♪

♪ Didn't I, my dear? ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
weep /wiːp/ B2	verb - to shed tears, usually as a sign of sadness
heart /hɑːrt/ B1	noun - the organ that pumps blood through the body
lion /ˈlaɪ.ən/ A2	noun - a large wild cat with a mane, known as the 'king of the jungle'
brave /breɪv/ B2	adjective - courageous and willing to face danger or pain
courage /ˈkʌr.ɪdʒ/ B2	noun - the ability to do something brave or difficult
fixing /ˈfɪk.sɪŋ/ B2	verb (gerund) - repairing or mending something
problem /ˈprɒb.ləm/ B1	noun - a matter or situation that is difficult or not satisfactory
fault /fɔːlt/ B2	noun - a mistake or defect in something or someone
line /laɪn/ A2	noun - a long, narrow mark or band
scar /skɑːr/ B2	noun - a mark left on the skin after a wound has healed
waste /weɪst/ B2	verb - to use something inefficiently or extravagantly
left /lɛft/ A2	adjective - the opposite of right; on the side that is to the west when facing north
scars /skɑːrz/ B2	noun - plural of scar; marks left on the skin after wounds have healed

Key Grammar Structures

• You'll never be what is in your heart.

  ➔ Future tense with 'will' + 'never' for negation

  ➔ 'Will' expresses the future, and 'never' emphasizes the negation.

• Take all the courage you have left.

  ➔ Imperative mood with 'Take' to give a command

  ➔ 'Take' is used here as a command instructing someone to do something.

• In your own head.

  ➔ Prepositional phrase indicating internal thought or mental state

  ➔ This phrase indicates someone is thinking in their own mind, internally.

• It was not your fault but mine.

  ➔ Contrastive conjunction 'but' used to introduce a contrast between two clauses

  ➔ 'But' signals a contrast between two ideas, emphasizing difference or exception.

• And it was your heart on the line.

  ➔ Prepositional phrase 'on the line' meaning at risk or stake

  ➔ 'On the line' indicates something is at risk or in jeopardy, emphasizing importance or consequence.

• Didn't I, my dear?

  ➔ Tag question with auxiliary verb 'did' for confirmation or seeking agreement

  ➔ A common question structure in English, where 'did' is used to confirm or seek agreement.