The Captain – English Lyrics

• By: Biffy Clyro
• Album: Only Revolutions

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the complex soundscape of Biffy Clyro's 'The Captain,' a track celebrated for its unique fusion of rock and brass elements. This song offers a chance to explore poetic lyrics and powerful musical arrangements, perfect for those looking to expand their understanding of modern rock music.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
captain /ˈkæptɪn/ B1	noun - the person in command of a ship, airplane, or other vehicle.
fall /fɔːl/ A1	verb - to drop or descend under the force of gravity. noun - Autumn
roar /rɔːr/ B2	verb - to make a loud, deep sound. noun - a loud, deep sound.
sing /sɪŋ/ A1	verb - to produce musical sounds with the voice.
liar /ˈlaɪər/ B1	noun - a person who tells lies.
lover /ˈlʌvər/ A2	noun - a person who loves someone.
scene /siːn/ B1	noun - a sequence of continuous action in a play, film, opera, or book.
crippled /ˈkrɪpəld/ B2	adjective - disabled in the legs or feet; unable to walk normally. verb - to damage something very badly and make it ineffective.
disguise /dɪsˈɡaɪz/ B2	noun - something that someone wears or does to hide their true appearance. verb - to give (someone or oneself) a different appearance in order to conceal one's identity.
surprise /sərˈpraɪz/ B1	noun - an unexpected or astonishing event, fact, or thing. verb - to affect or attack (someone) suddenly or unexpectedly.
climb /klaɪm/ A2	verb - go or come up (a slope or staircase). noun - an ascent or rise.
ladder /ˈlædər/ A2	noun - a piece of equipment consisting of a series of bars or steps between two upright lengths of wood, metal, or rope, used for climbing up or down something.
ride /raɪd/ A2	verb - to sit on and control the movement of (an animal, especially a horse).
horse /hɔːrs/ A1	noun - a large plant-eating domesticated mammal with solid hoofs and a flowing mane and tail, used for riding, racing, and to carry and pull loads.
swallow /ˈswɑːloʊ/ B1	verb - to cause (food, drink, or another substance) to pass down the throat.
landscape /ˈlændskeɪp/ B1	noun - all the visible features of an area of land, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.
love /lʌv/ A1	verb - have a strong feeling of affection for (someone).
death /deθ/ A2	noun - the action or fact of dying or being killed; the end of the life of a person or organism.

Key Grammar Structures

• Like they would if I was captain

  ➔ Second Conditional (Subjunctive Mood)

  ➔ Uses "would" in the main clause and the subjunctive "was" (instead of "were", which is also grammatically acceptable but less common in colloquial speech) in the "if" clause to express a hypothetical or unreal situation. The phrase suggests that the speaker is NOT the captain. "Like they "would" fall" is shortened from "Like they would fall if I was the captain"

• "Silver children," she roared, "I'm not the son of God"

  ➔ Direct Speech (reported speech)

  ➔ The sentence contains direct speech marked by quotation marks. It reports the exact words spoken by someone.

• Somebody help me sing

  ➔ Imperative Sentence

  ➔ This is a direct command or request. The subject (you) is implied.

• Liars and lovers combine tonight

  ➔ Simple Present Tense (for a future event with certainty or arrangement)

  ➔ While normally, "combine" refers to a habitual action, here it refers to a single future event, implying it's already decided or scheduled. This usage is common for future events that are fixed or certain.

• We're gonna make a scene

  ➔ Future Tense (gonna)

  ➔ "Gonna" is a contraction of "going to", used to express future intentions or predictions. It's informal.

• Help me be captain of our crippled disguises

  ➔ Infinitive without 'to' after 'help'

  ➔ After the verb "help," we often use the bare infinitive (infinitive without "to"). "Help me be" is correct and common. "Help me to be" is also grammatically correct but less frequently used.

• I've swallowed half an hourglass

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense

  ➔ "I've swallowed" uses the present perfect tense to indicate a completed action that has relevance to the present. The action of swallowing happened at an unspecified time in the past but its result is important now.

• So now the landscape has swollen up

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense

  ➔ "has swollen" is in the present perfect tense, suggesting a state that began in the past and continues to the present, or whose effects are felt now. The landscape is swollen *now* because something (the hourglass) was swallowed *before*.