Turn The Page – English Lyrics

• By: The Streets
• Album: Original Pirate Material

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the authentic sounds of the UK with 'Turn The Page'. This song is a perfect gateway for learners to explore colloquial British English and urban slang, offering a unique glimpse into the rhythmic storytelling and conversational flow of the UK Garage scene.

[English]

That's it, turn the page on the day, walk away

'Cos there's sense in what I say

I'm 45th generation Roman

But I don't know 'em

Or care when I'm spitting

So return to your sitting position and listen it's fitting

I'm miles ahead and they chase me

Show your face on TV, then we'll see

You can't do half, my crew laughs

At your rhubarb and custard verses

You rain down curses but I'm waving

Your hearses driving by

Streets riding high, with the beats in the sky

All stare, eyes glazed

Garage burnt down, the fire raged

For 40 days and in 40 ways

But through the blaze they see it fade

The sea of black, the beaming heat on their faces

Then a figure emerges from the wastage

Eyes transfixed with a piercing gaze

One hand clutching a sword raised to the sky

They wonder how, they wonder why

The sky turns white, it all becomes clear

They felt lifted from their fears

They shed tears in the light

After six dark years

Young bold soldiers, the fire burns

Cracks and smoulders

Five years older and wiser

The fires are burning on fire, never tire

Slay warriors in the forests and on higher

We sing, hear the strings rising

The war's over, the bells ring

Memories fading, soldiers slaying

Looks like geezers raving

The hazy fog over the Bull Ring

The lazy ways the birds sing

A new baby's born every day

Few men may be scorned today

But look at things the other way

'Cos it may well be your final day

And then the crowds roar, they slay, they all say

I produce this using only my bare wit

Gimme a jungle, a garage beat and admit defeat

Use war and past injury as my metaphor and simile

Get all applications into me before the deadline

'Cos it's a fine line between strifeful crimes

And a life of crime

But you will reach the day, and it's all mine

You can take it or leave it

I shake and reveal stage tricks like Jimi Hendrix

In the afterlife gladiators meet their maker

Float through the wheat fields and lakes of blue water

To the next life from the fortress

Away from the knives and slaughter

To their wives and daughters

Once more before the Lord judges over all of us

'Cos in this place you'll see me

Brace yourself, cos this goes deep

I'll show you the secrets, the sky and the birds

Actions speak louder than words

Stand by me my apprentice

Be brave, clench fists

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
generation /ˌdʒɛnəˈreɪʃən/ B2	noun - All the people born and living at about the same time
spitting /ˈspɪtɪŋ/ B2	verb - To rap or deliver lyrics quickly and aggressively
fitting /ˈfɪtɪŋ/ B2	adjective - Appropriate or suitable in the circumstances
rhubarb /ˈruːbɑːrb/ C2	noun - Nonsensical talk or unimportant chatter
hearses /ˈhɜːrsɪz/ C1	noun - A vehicle for conveying the coffin at a funeral
glazed /ɡleɪzd/ B2	adjective - Expressionless, dull, or glassy (eyes)
blaze /bleɪz/ B2	noun - A large, strong fire
transfixed /trænsˈfɪkst/ C2	adjective - Motionless with horror, wonder, or astonishment
smoulders /ˈsmoʊldərz/ C2	verb - To burn slowly with smoke but no flame
slaying /ˈsleɪɪŋ/ C1	verb - To kill in a violent way
geezers /ˈɡiːzərz/ C2	noun - Men (slang)
scorned /skɔːrnd/ C2	verb - To feel or express contempt or derision for
wit /wɪt/ C1	noun - Natural aptitude for using words and ideas in a quick and inventive way
metaphor /ˈmɛtəfɔːr/ C1	noun - A figure of speech in which a word is applied to an object
strifeful /ˈstraɪffʊl/ C2	adjective - Full of conflict or fighting
gladiators /ˈɡlædieɪtərz/ C1	noun - Men trained to fight against each other for public entertainment
slaughter /ˈslɔːtər/ C1	noun - The killing of people in a large number
apprentice /əˈprɛntɪs/ B2	noun - A person who is learning a trade from a skilled employer

Key Grammar Structures

• 'Cos there's sense in what I say

  ➔ Existential 'There is' / 'There's'

  ➔ Used to indicate the existence of 'sense' in the speaker's message.

• I'm miles ahead and they chase me

  ➔ Present Simple for habitual actions

  ➔ The verb 'chase' is in the present simple, describing an ongoing, habitual state.

• The sky turns white, it all becomes clear

  ➔ Linking Verbs (turn/become)

  ➔ Verbs 'turn' and 'become' connect the subjects to adjectives ('white', 'clear') to describe a change in state.

• They felt lifted from their fears

  ➔ Passive Voice in the past

  ➔ The structure 'felt lifted' uses a participle to describe the passive experience of being relieved of fear.

• A new baby's born every day

  ➔ Contraction of 'is' in Passive Voice

  ➔ The 's in 'baby's born' acts as 'is', forming the passive voice 'is born'.

• 'Cos it may well be your final day

  ➔ Modal verb of possibility 'may'

  ➔ The modal 'may' expresses uncertainty or future possibility regarding the 'final day'.

• Get all applications into me before the deadline

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ The verb 'Get' starts the sentence as a command or directive to the listener.

• Actions speak louder than words

  ➔ Comparative form

  ➔ Uses 'louder than' to compare the impact of actions against words.