Lights On – English Lyrics

• By: Marshmello, FAANGS
• Album: The R♾️ts

Lyrics & Translation

"Lights On" by Marshmello and FAANGS offers a captivating exploration of emotions and relationships through its evocative lyrics. This song provides an excellent opportunity to learn emotional vocabulary and explore the nuances of expressing vulnerability in English.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
hold /hoʊld/ A2	noun - the act of grasping or keeping possession of something verb - to grasp or keep possession of something
free /friː/ A2	adjective - not under the control or power of another
control /kənˈtroʊl/ B1	noun - the power to influence or direct people's behavior or the course of events verb - to determine the behavior or supervise the running of
soldier /ˈsoʊldʒər/ A2	noun - a person engaged in military service
shoulder /ˈʃoʊldər/ A2	noun - the part of the body connecting the arm to the neck
imperfections /ɪmpərˈfekʃənz/ B2	noun - flaws or shortcomings
see /siː/ A1	verb - to perceive with the eyes
push /pʊʃ/ A2	verb - to exert force on someone or something
clarity /ˈklærɪti/ B2	noun - the quality of being clear and easy to understand
exposure /ɪkˈspoʊʒər/ B2	noun - the state of being exposed to something
scars /skɑːrz/ B1	noun - marks left on the skin after an injury
broken /ˈbroʊkən/ A2	adjective - damaged or not in working order
closure /ˈkloʊʒər/ B2	noun - a sense of resolution or completion
good /ɡʊd/ A1	adjective - morally excellent
bad /bæd/ A1	adjective - not good
real /riːəl/ A2	adjective - actually existing as a thing or occurring in fact

Key Grammar Structures

• Your hold won't let me be

  ➔ Future in the past (won't let)

  ➔ “Won’t” is a contraction of “will not.” Here, it describes a continuing state in the past, implying the hold persisted.

• At least I have my composure

  ➔ Use of 'at least'

  ➔ “At least” introduces a positive aspect in contrast to a negative situation. It signifies a degree of consolation or acceptance.

• Guarding the back, be beside you, a soldier

  ➔ Imperative mood (Be beside you)

  ➔ “Be beside you” is an imperative sentence, giving a direct command or instruction. It conveys a sense of protection and loyalty.

• I'd do it all again, I'd do it all over

  ➔ Conditional perfect (I'd do)

  ➔ “I’d do” uses the conditional perfect tense, expressing a hypothetical action in the past. It shows regret or a willingness to repeat a past experience.

• I wanna see the good, I wanna see the bad

  ➔ Use of 'wanna'

  ➔ “Wanna” is a colloquial contraction of “want to.” It adds a casual and informal tone to the lyrics.

• The clarity I found in you

  ➔ Use of 'in'

  ➔ The preposition 'in' indicates location or containment. Here, it suggests that the clarity was discovered *within* the person.

• No, we don't need closure

  ➔ Negative contraction (don't)

  ➔ “Don’t” is a contraction of “do not.” It expresses a negative statement, rejecting the need for closure.

• All these imperfections will be real, yeah

  ➔ Future simple (will be)

  ➔ “Will be” indicates a future state of being. It suggests that the imperfections will become undeniable and apparent.