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Dead in the water 00:02

00:06

It's not a paid vacation 00:20

The sons and daughters of city officials 00:24

Attend demonstrations 00:28

It's hardly a sink or swim 00:29

When all is well if the ticket sells 00:35

Out with a wimper 00:38

00:42

It's not a blaze of glory 00:51

You look down from your temple 00:55

As people endeavor to make it a story 00:58

And chisel a marble word 01:02

But all is lost if it's never heard 01:05

But I've got someone to make reports 01:10

01:16

That tell me how my money's spent 01:21

To book my stays and draw my blinds 01:25

So I can't tell what's really there 01:28

And all I need's a great big congratulations 01:33

01:41

I'll keep your dreams 01:53

You pay attention for me 01:57

As strange as it seems 02:01

I'd rather dissolve than have you ignore me 02:04

The ground may be moving fast 02:08

But I've tied my boots to a broken mast 02:11

The difference is clear 02:14

02:18

You throw it in your cauldron 02:23

02:28

Rust and veneer, dusk and dawn 02:31

Steinways and Baldwins 02:35

You start with a simple stock 02:38

Of all the waste and salt to taste 02:42

But damn my luck and damn these friends 02:44

02:50

That keep on combing back their smiles 02:57

I save my grace with half-assed guilt 03:01

And lay down the quilt upon the lawn 03:05

Spread my arms and soak up congratulations 03:09

03:14

Congratulations – English Lyrics

MGMT

Album

Congratulations

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Language

English

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Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Dead in the water

...

It's not a paid vacation

The sons and daughters of city officials

Attend demonstrations

It's hardly a sink or swim

When all is well if the ticket sells

Out with a wimper

...

It's not a blaze of glory

You look down from your temple

As people endeavor to make it a story

And chisel a marble word

But all is lost if it's never heard

But I've got someone to make reports

...

That tell me how my money's spent

To book my stays and draw my blinds

So I can't tell what's really there

And all I need's a great big congratulations

...

I'll keep your dreams

You pay attention for me

As strange as it seems

I'd rather dissolve than have you ignore me

The ground may be moving fast

But I've tied my boots to a broken mast

The difference is clear

...

You throw it in your cauldron

...

Rust and veneer, dusk and dawn

Steinways and Baldwins

You start with a simple stock

Of all the waste and salt to taste

But damn my luck and damn these friends

...

That keep on combing back their smiles

I save my grace with half-assed guilt

And lay down the quilt upon the lawn

Spread my arms and soak up congratulations

...

Key Vocabulary

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Vocabulary	Meanings
vacation /vəˈkeɪʃən/ B1	noun - a period of time spent away from home or work, usually for relaxation or recreation
demonstration /ˌdɛmənˈstreɪʃən/ B2	noun - a public meeting or march held to protest something or to show support for something
glory /ˈɡlɔːri/ B2	noun - high renown or honor won by notable achievements
endeavor /ɪnˈdɛvər/ B2	verb - to try hard to do or achieve something
chisel /ˈtʃɪzəl/ B2	verb - to shape or cut something with a chisel
congratulations /kənˌɡrætʃʊˈleɪʃənz/ A2	noun - a message of joy or praise for someone's achievement
grace /ɡreɪs/ B2	noun - simple elegance or refinement of movement
dissolve /dɪˈzɒlv/ B2	verb - to become incorporated into a liquid so as to form a solution
moving /ˈmuːvɪŋ/ B1	adjective - causing strong feelings of sadness or sympathy
cauldron /ˈkɔːldrən/ C1	noun - a large metal pot for cooking or boiling
quilt /kwɪlt/ B1	noun - a warm bed covering made of padding enclosed between layers of fabric
waste /weɪst/ B1	noun - material that is not wanted; the unusable remains or by-products of something
smile /smaɪl/ A1	verb - to make a facial expression showing happiness or pleasure
arms /ɑːrmz/ A1	noun - the upper limbs of the human body
dream /driːm/ A2	noun - a series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep