BURN IT DOWN – English Lyrics

• By: Linkin Park
• Album: From Zero (Deluxe Edition)

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the powerful themes of destruction and rebirth in Linkin Park's hit song, "Burn It Down." This track combines rock and electronic elements, offering a unique blend of sound and emotion. Discover how the band uses metaphors and personal experiences to explore the cyclical nature of building up and tearing down, and learn new vocabulary related to emotions, relationships, and societal commentary.

[English]

The cycle repeated

As explosions broke in the sky

All that I needed

Was the one thing I couldn't find

And you were there at the turn

Waiting to let me know

We're building it up to break it back down

We're building it up to burn it down

We can't wait to burn it to the ground

...

The colors conflicted

As the flames climbed into the clouds

I wanted to fix this

But couldn't stop from tearing it down

And you were there at the turn

Caught in the burning glow

And I was there at the turn

Waiting to let you know

We're building it up to break it back down

We're building it up to burn it down

We can't wait to burn it to the ground

You told me yes, you held me high

And I believed when you told that lie

I played soldier, you played king

And struck me down when I kissed that ring

You lost that right to hold that crown

I built you up but you let me down

So when you fall, I'll take my turn

And fan the flames as your blazes burn

And you were there, at the turn

Waiting to let me know

We're building it up to break it back down

We're building it up to burn it down

We can't wait to burn it to the ground

When you fall, I'll take my turn

And fan the flames as your blazes burn

We can't wait to burn it to the ground

When you fall, I'll take my turn

And fan the flames as your blazes burn

We can't wait to burn it to the ground

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
burn /bɜːrn/ A1	verb - to be damaged or destroyed by fire
down /daʊn/ A1	adjective - sad or depressed
ground /ɡraʊnd/ A2	noun - the surface of the earth
cycle /ˈsaɪkl/ B1	noun - a series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order
explosion /ɪkˈsploʊʒən/ B2	noun - a violent bursting or shattering caused by the rapid expansion of gases
sky /skaɪ/ A1	noun - the region of the atmosphere and outer space seen from the earth
thing /θɪŋ/ A1	noun - an object that one need or wants
turn /tɜːrn/ A2	noun - an opportunity or chance to do something verb - to change direction
building /ˈbɪldɪŋ/ A2	noun - a structure with walls and a roof verb - to construct or create
break /breɪk/ A1	verb - to separate into pieces
colors /ˈkʌl.ɚz/ A1	noun - a property possessed by an object of producing different sensations on the eye
flames /fleɪmz/ B1	noun - a hot bright stream of burning gas from something that is burning
clouds /klaʊdz/ A2	noun - a visible mass of condensed watery vapor floating in the atmosphere
fix /fɪks/ A2	verb - to repair or mend
lie /laɪ/ A2	noun - a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive verb - to speak falsely with the intent to deceive

Key Grammar Structures

• All that I needed / Was the one thing I couldn't find

  ➔ Cleft sentence with "all"

  ➔ This sentence structure emphasizes "the one thing I couldn't find". It breaks the sentence into two parts: "All that I needed" and "Was the one thing I couldn't find". Using "all" as the subject highlights the importance of that specific missing element.

• We're building it up to break it back down

  ➔ Phrasal verb "build up" and "break down" with object insertion

  ➔ "Build up" means to accumulate or construct, and "break down" means to dismantle or destroy. The object "it" is inserted between the verb and the particle because it is a pronoun. Correct usage is "build it up" rather than "build up it".

• You told me yes, you held me high / And I believed when you told that lie

  ➔ Past simple tense and subordinate clause with "when".

  ➔ Simple past tense describes completed actions in the past. The "when" clause shows the timing of belief, indicating that the speaker believed *at the time* the lie was told.

• I played soldier, you played king / And struck me down when I kissed that ring

  ➔ Past simple tense, metaphorical language, "when" clause.

  ➔ This uses simple past tense. "Played soldier" and "played king" are metaphors for roles in a relationship. The "when" clause indicates that the act of kissing the ring immediately preceded the action of being struck down.

• You lost that right to hold that crown

  ➔ Past Simple tense with the modal verb "to"

  ➔ Lost is in simple past tense. "to hold that crown" is infinitive of purpose which express the purpose of the losing.

• I built you up but you let me down

  ➔ Past simple tense, contrasting conjunction "but", phrasal verb "let down"

  ➔ "Built" and "let" are in simple past tense. "But" connects two contrasting ideas: the speaker supported the other person, but the other person disappointed the speaker. "Let down" is a phrasal verb meaning to disappoint or fail to support.

• So when you fall, I'll take my turn / And fan the flames as your blazes burn

  ➔ Future simple tense (I'll = I will), adverbial clause of time (when), adverbial clause of manner (as)

  ➔ "I'll take" is future simple, indicating a future action. The "when" clause sets the condition for that action. The "as" clause describes *how* the speaker will fan the flames – while the blazes are burning.