Colors – English Lyrics

• By: Halsey
• Album: Badlands

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the nuances of English through the poetic storytelling of Halsey’s 'Colors.' This track is a perfect study in using metaphors to describe emotional states, offering learners a chance to expand their vocabulary beyond literal descriptions while connecting with deep, relatable themes of human struggle.

[English]

Your little brother never tells you but he loves you so

You said your mother only smiled on her TV show

You're only happy when your sorry head is filled with dope

I hope you make it to the day you're 28 years old

You're dripping like a saturated sunrise

You're spilling like an overflowing sink

You're ripped at every edge but you're a masterpiece

And now you're tearing through the pages and the ink

Everything is blue

His pills, his hands, his jeans

And now I'm covered in the colors

Pulled apart at the seams

And it's blue

And it's blue

Everything is grey

His hair, his smoke, his dreams

And now he's so devoid of color

He don't know what it means

And he's blue

And he's blue

You were a vision in the morning

When the light came through

I know I've only felt religion when I've lied with you

You said you'll never be forgiven 'til your boys are too

And I'm still waking every morning but it's not with you

You're dripping like a saturated sunrise

You're spilling like an overflowing sink

You're ripped at every edge but you're a masterpiece

And now you're tearing through the pages and the ink

Everything is blue

His pills, his hands, his jeans

And now I'm covered in the colors

Pulled apart at the seams

And it's blue

And it's blue

Everything is grey

His hair, his smoke, his dreams

And now he's so devoid of color

He don't know what it means

And he's blue

And he's blue

...

You were red and you liked me 'cause I was blue

But you touched me and suddenly I was a lilac sky

And you decided purple just wasn't for you

Everything is blue

His pills, his hands, his jeans

And now I'm covered in the colors

Pulled apart at the seams

And it's blue

And it's blue

Everything is grey

His hair, his smoke, his dreams

And now he's so devoid of color

He don't know what it means

And he's blue

And he's blue

Everything is blue

Everything is blue

Everything is blue

Everything is blue

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
saturated /ˈsætʃəreɪtɪd/ C1	adjective - soaked through; having intense color
masterpiece /ˈmæstəpiːs/ B2	noun - a work of outstanding artistry, skill, or workmanship
overflowing /ˌəʊvəˈfləʊɪŋ/ B1	adjective - flowing over the brim or edge
devoid /dɪˈvɔɪd/ C1	adjective - entirely lacking or free from
vision /ˈvɪʒən/ B2	noun - an experience of seeing something; a mental image
religion /rɪˈlɪdʒən/ B1	noun - the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power
forgiven /fəˈɡɪvn/ B1	verb - to stop feeling angry or resentful toward someone for an offense
tearing /ˈteərɪŋ/ B1	verb - pulling something apart by force; moving very fast
seams /siːmz/ B2	noun - the line where two pieces of fabric are sewn together
lilac /ˈlaɪlək/ B2	adjective - a pale violet color
spilling /ˈspɪlɪŋ/ B1	verb - causing liquid to flow over the edge of its container
ripped /rɪpt/ B1	adjective - torn or pulled apart

Key Grammar Structures

• You're only happy when your sorry head is filled with dope

  ➔ Passive Voice (Present Simple)

  ➔ The structure "is filled with" uses the verb 'to be' + past participle to show that the head receives the action.

• I hope you make it to the day you're 28 years old

  ➔ Phrasal Verb (make it)

  ➔ "Make it" is an idiomatic phrasal verb meaning to succeed or survive to reach a certain point.

• I know I've only felt religion when I've lied with you

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense

  ➔ "I've felt" and "I've lied" use the Present Perfect to describe experiences that happened at an unspecified time in the past.

• You'll never be forgiven 'til your boys are too

  ➔ Future Passive Voice

  ➔ "Will be forgiven" combines future tense with passive voice to express a state that hasn't happened yet.

• You were red and you liked me 'cause I was blue

  ➔ Past Simple Tense (State Verb)

  ➔ The verbs "were" and "liked" describe a past state or condition, reflecting how things used to be.

• And now he's so devoid of color

  ➔ Adjective Phrase (devoid of)

  ➔ "Devoid of" is an adjective phrase meaning completely lacking or empty of something.

• You're dripping like a saturated sunrise

  ➔ Simile (Comparison using 'like')

  ➔ The use of "like" creates a figurative comparison between the person and a "saturated sunrise".

• You're ripped at every edge but you're a masterpiece

  ➔ Conjunction (but)

  ➔ "But" is a coordinating conjunction used to connect two contrasting ideas in the same sentence.