Pink Matter – English Lyrics

• By: Frank Ocean, André 3000

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the poetic and philosophical side of English with 'Pink Matter.' This song is perfect for learners wanting to explore abstract vocabulary, metaphorical language, and the nuance of existential questioning through a sophisticated R&B lens.

[English]

And the peaches and the mangos that you could sell for me

What do you think my brain is made for?

Is it just a container for the mind?

This great, grey matter

...

Sensei replied, "What is your woman?

Is she just a container for the child?"

That soft, pink matter

Cotton candy, Majin Buu, oh, oh, oh

Close my eyes and fall into you, you, you

My God, she's giving me pleasure

...

What if the sky and the stars are for show?

And the aliens are watching live

From the purple matter?

...

Sensei went quiet, then violent

And we sparred until we both grew tired

Nothing mattered

Cotton candy, Majin Buu, oh, oh, ooh, ooh

Dim the lights and fall into you, you, you, ooh-ooh

My God, giving me pleasure, pleasure

Pleasure, pleasure

Pleasure over matter

...

Hey, hey

Since you been gone, I been havin' withdrawals

You were such a habit to call

I ain't myself at all, had to tell myself, "Naw

She better with some fella with a regular job"

I didn't wanna get her involved

By dinner, Mr. Benjamin was sittin' in awe

Hopped into my car, drove far

Far's too close and I remember my memory's no sharp

Butter knife, what a life, anyway

I'm building y'all a clock, stop, what am I, Hemingway?

She had the kind of body that would probably intimidate

Any of 'em that were un-southern, not me, cousin

If models are made for modelin', thick girls are made for cuddlin'

Switch worlds and we can huddle then

Who needs another friend? I need to hold your hand

You'd need no other man, we'd flee to other lands

...

(Grey matter)

...

(Blue used to be my favorite color)

(Now I ain't got no choice)

(Blue matter)

You're good at bein' bad, yeah

You're bad at bein' good, oh

For heaven's sakes, go to hell

Knock, knock on wood, hey

You're good at bein' bad (you're bad at bein' good)

You're bad at bein' good (for heaven's sakes, go to hell)

For heaven's sakes, go to hell (knock, knock, knock on wood)

Knock, knock, knock, knock on wood

Well, frankly, when that ocean so motherfuckin' good

Make her swab the motherfuckin' wood

Make her walk the motherfuckin' plank

Make her rob a motherfuckin' bank

With no mask on and a rusty revolver

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
container /kənˈteɪnər/ B2	noun - A hollow object used to hold or transport something
matter /ˈmætər/ A2	noun - Physical substance in general
pleasure /ˈplɛʒər/ A2	noun - A feeling of happy satisfaction and enjoyment
violent /ˈvaɪələnt/ B1	adjective - Using or involving physical force intended to hurt
sparred /spɑːrd/ C2	verb - To make the motions of boxing without landing heavy blows
withdrawals /wɪðˈdrɔːəlz/ C1	noun - The process of discontinuing a substance or emotional attachment
intimidate /ɪnˈtɪmɪdeɪt/ C1	verb - To frighten or overawe someone
cuddlin /ˈkʌdlɪn/ B2	verb - To hold close in one's arms as a way of showing affection
revolver /rɪˈvɒlvər/ B2	noun - A pistol with revolving chambers
frankly /ˈfræŋkli/ B2	adjective - In an open, honest, and direct manner
swab /swɒb/ C1	verb - To clean or mop a surface
habit /ˈhæbɪt/ A2	noun - A settled or regular tendency or practice
memory /ˈmɛməri/ A2	noun - The faculty by which the mind stores information
violent /ˈvaɪələnt/ B1	adjective - Intense or extreme in force
plank /plæŋk/ B2	noun - A long, thin, flat piece of timber used in building

Key Grammar Structures

• What do you think my brain is made for?

  ➔ Wh- question with embedded clause

  ➔ The structure 'What do you think [clause]' shifts the interrogative to the front, requiring standard word order in the following clause.

• Since you been gone, I been havin' withdrawals

  ➔ Non-standard AAVE (African American Vernacular English) / Omission of auxiliary 'have'

  ➔ In this dialect, 'been' is used to show a state that started in the past, omitting the formal 'have'.

• She better with some fella with a regular job

  ➔ Ellipsis (omission of verb 'is')

  ➔ The speaker shortens 'She is better' to 'She better' for rhythmic flow.

• I'm building y'all a clock, stop, what am I, Hemingway?

  ➔ Reflexive rhetorical question

  ➔ The phrase 'what am I, [name]?' is a self-deprecating way to question one's own pretentiousness or actions.

• Blue used to be my favorite color

  ➔ Used to + infinitive (past habit/state)

  ➔ 'Used to be' indicates that the state of something being a 'favorite color' is no longer true.

• You're good at bein' bad

  ➔ Adjective + prepositional phrase with gerund

  ➔ The structure 'good at [doing something]' uses the gerund to describe a specific talent or habit.

• If models are made for modelin', thick girls are made for cuddlin'

  ➔ First conditional / Passive voice

  ➔ The parallel structure 'If [X] are made for [Y], [A] are made for [B]' uses the passive voice to draw a logical comparison.

• Since you been gone

  ➔ Preposition 'Since' + clause

  ➔ 'Since' acts as a conjunction marking the starting point of a situation that continues until now.