Catalonia – English Lyrics

• By: Vance Joy
• Album: In Our Own Sweet Time

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the vibrant streets of Barcelona through Vance Joy's "Catalonia," a folk-pop tribute to the Catalan summer. Learn about the culture and landmarks that inspired this heartfelt song, and improve your English comprehension through its evocative lyrics and imagery.

[English]

Hey Catalonia, I was just gettin' to know ya

When you stumble down those streets tonight

Just know you'll be on my mind

You'll be on my mind

The streets still radiate with heat, we hang onto the summer

Pour me a tall dry Vermouth, and take me undercover

Spend another night with you in our sweet disorder

The seaside always fills the air all through the Gothic Quarter

Oh, somehow I got to walk you home

And, oh, I guess I forgot to take it slow

Oh, you take me places I can't go alone, alone

Hey Catalonia, I can hear you across the ocean

All the storiеs that we left behind, I trust you'rе my alibi

Hey Catalonia, I was just gettin' to know ya

When you stumble down those streets tonight

Just know you'll be on my mind

You'll be on my mind

Across the square, we hear the bells

Toll midnight in the churches

Another stroll to nowhere, under olive trees and arches

Climb up to your terrace, look out over the rooftops

Intoxicating moments, in the moment so lost

Oh, somehow I got to walk you home

And, oh, I guess I forgot to take it slow

Oh, you take me places I can't go alone, alone

Hey Catalonia, I can hear you across the ocean

All the stories that we left behind, I trust you're my alibi

Hey Catalonia, I was just gettin' to know ya

When you stumble down those streets tonight

Just know you'll be on my mind

You'll be on my mind

On my mind

On my mind

Oh, you take me places I can't go alone, alone

Hey Catalonia, I can hear you across the ocean

All the stories that we left behind, I trust you're my alibi

Hey Catalonia, I was just gettin' to know ya

When you stumble down those streets tonight

Just know you'll be on my mind

You'll be on my mind

On my mind

On my mind

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
stumble /ˈstʌmbl/ B1	verb - to hit your foot against something or put your foot down awkwardly while you are walking or running, so that you almost fall. verb - to make a mistake, such as repeating words or saying something incorrectly, when you are speaking or performing.
radiate /ˈreɪdieɪt/ B2	verb - to send out rays of heat or light, or of a particular form of energy. verb - to show an emotion or quality clearly in your face, body, or behaviour.
heat /hiːt/ A2	noun - the quality of being hot, or the degree to which something is hot. verb - to make something hot or warm.
Vermouth /vərˈmuːθ/ C1	noun - an alcoholic drink made from wine, to which herbs and spices have been added.
disorder /dɪsˈɔːrdər/ B2	noun - a state of confusion and lack of organization. noun - a problem or illness that affects the way part of your body or your mind works.
seaside /ˈsiːsaɪd/ B1	noun - a place by the sea, especially one where people go for a holiday.
alibi /ˈæləbaɪ/ B2	noun - proof that someone was in another place at the time a crime was committed and therefore could not have committed it.
toll /toʊl/ B2	verb - (of a bell) to ring slowly and repeatedly. noun - a charge payable for permission to use a particular bridge or road.
midnight /ˈmɪdnaɪt/ A2	noun - twelve o'clock at night.
churches /ˈtʃɜːrtʃɪz/ A2	noun - buildings where Christians go to worship. (Plural of church)
stroll /stroʊl/ B1	verb - to walk in a slow, relaxed way. noun - a slow relaxed walk.
olive /ˈɑːlɪv/ B1	noun - a small, oval, green or black fruit with a hard stone, grown in Mediterranean countries and used as food or for its oil. adjective - (of a colour) greenish-brown.
arches /ˈɑːrtʃɪz/ B1	noun - structures, consisting of a curved top on two supports, that form an opening or that support a bridge or roof. (Plural of arch)
terrace /ˈterəs/ B1	noun - a flat area of ground next to a building or on a roof, where people can sit and eat, etc.
rooftops /ˈruːftɑːps/ B1	noun - the outside surfaces of the roofs of buildings. (Plural of rooftop)
intoxicating /ɪnˈtɑːksɪkeɪtɪŋ/ C1	adjective - making you feel very excited, emotional and unable to think clearly. adjective - containing alcohol.
lost /lɔːst/ B1	adjective - unable to find your way. adjective - deeply involved in something; completely absorbed.
ocean /ˈoʊʃn/ A2	noun - the mass of salt water that covers most of the Earth’s surface.
sweet /swiːt/ A1	adjective - (of food or drink) tasting like sugar. adjective - pleasant and attractive.
undercover /ˌʌndərˈkʌvər/ B2	adjective - working or done secretly in order to catch criminals or find out information.