Metabolism – English Lyrics

• By: The Strokes
• Album: Angles

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the frantic, idiomatic English found in The Strokes’ ‘Metabolism’. This track is a masterclass in using metaphor to express frustration and emotional exhaustion, offering learners a unique look at how modern rock lyricists use urgency and repetition to convey intense, complex feelings.

[English]

I want to be outrageous

But inside I know I'm plain

So plain, just plain

Boring and plain

...

Silently obsessed with death

Just like anyone, I guess

Tryin' for the perfect life

End up bein' in denial

...

I wanna be somebody

Wanna be somebody like you

Like you, like you

...

Like you instead of me

...

Silently obsessed with death

Just like anyone I guess

Tryin' for the perfect life

End up bein' in denial

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
outrageous /aʊtˈreɪdʒəs/ C1	adjective - shocking, extreme, or very unusual
plain /pleɪn/ A2	adjective - simple, ordinary, or not decorated
boring /ˈbɔːrɪŋ/ A1	adjective - not interesting; tedious
silently /ˈsaɪləntli/ B1	adverb - in a quiet manner; without making sound
obsessed /əbˈsest/ B2	adjective - preoccupied with something to a troubling extent
death /deθ/ A2	noun - the end of life
perfect /ˈpɜːrfɪkt/ A2	adjective - having all the required elements; without flaw
denial /dɪˈnaɪəl/ B2	noun - the refusal to accept something as true
end up /end ʌp/ B1	verb - to eventually reach a certain state or place
instead /ɪnˈsted/ A2	adverb - as a substitute or alternative

Key Grammar Structures

• I want to be outrageous

  ➔ Verb + to-infinitive

  ➔ The verb "want" is followed by the to-infinitive "to be" to express a desire or intention.

• Silently obsessed with death

  ➔ Adjective + Prepositional phrase

  ➔ The adjective "obsessed" is paired with the fixed preposition "with" to describe a state of mind.

• Just like anyone, I guess

  ➔ Comparative phrase / Hedging expression

  ➔ Using "just like" to compare and "I guess" as a modal hedging device to express uncertainty.

• Tryin' for the perfect life

  ➔ Gerund/Participle phrase

  ➔ The reduced participle "Tryin'" (Trying) functions as a descriptive action happening alongside the main state.

• End up bein' in denial

  ➔ Phrasal verb + Gerund

  ➔ The phrasal verb "end up" is followed by the gerund "bein'" (being) to indicate a final outcome.

• I wanna be somebody

  ➔ Informal contraction (want to)

  ➔ "Wanna" is an informal contraction of "want to", common in spoken English and lyrics.

• Like you instead of me

  ➔ Prepositional phrase of contrast

  ➔ The phrase "instead of" functions as a complex preposition indicating substitution or contrast.