1994 – English Lyrics

• By: Cavetown
• Album: worm food

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music can be a deeply personal journey, and Cavetown's "1994" offers a heartfelt entry point into modern English indie pop. The song's introspective lyrics about self-forgiveness and nostalgia are expressed with a gentle sincerity that makes the vocabulary and emotional nuances accessible. What makes "1994" special is its blend of catchy, pop-rock influenced melodies with raw, honest songwriting, allowing learners to connect with universal feelings while picking up contemporary phrasing.

[English]

I'm trying to forgive myself for things I didn't do

For words I didn't say and things I didn't choose

Spending every day decomposing in my room

I'm not okay, but there's nothing I can do

...

I'm tryna love the person I was when I was born

Hating on a kid doesn't serve me anymore

Sylvanians making stories on the floor

Mum and dad in love like it's 1994

...

Say you're coming around

I need you lately, everything's been getting me down

Yeah, the kids are growing up, I feel like I'm stuck

But I don't wanna catch up right now

...

I'm tryna get a better sense of what I'm worth

'Cause I've been on the fence and in the dirt

Taking it easy

But I forgot I have a job and nothing ever stops so

Say you're coming around

I need you lately, everything's been getting me down

Yeah, the kids are growing up, I feel like I'm stuck

But I don't wanna catch up right now

...

Say you're coming around

I need you lately, everything's been getting me down

I broke a glass on the floor, it was the last straw

It's like I woke up on the wrong side of town

Say you're coming around

I need you lately, everything's been getting me down

I felt so much older than the kids 'round the corner

But I feel so much younger now

Overtook them all and slowed back down

Blamed a child in a daisy crown

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
forgive /fərˈɡɪv/ B2	verb - to stop feeling angry or resentful towards someone
decomposing /ˌdiːkəmˈpoʊzɪŋ/ C1	verb - the process of decay or rotting; breaking down
love /lʌv/ A2	verb - to feel deep affection for someone noun - a strong feeling of affection
story /ˈstɔːri/ A2	noun - a report of real or imaginary events
kids /kɪdz/ A1	noun - children
grown /ɡroʊn/ A2	adjective - having reached maturity
fence /fɛns/ B1	noun - a barrier enclosing or bordering a field, yard, etc.
worth /wɜːrθ/ B2	noun - value or importance
dirt /dɜːrt/ B1	noun - soil, earth, or muck
child /tʃaɪld/ A2	noun - a young human being
you /juː/ A1	pronoun - referring to the person addressed
getting /ˈɡɛtɪŋ/ A2	verb - receiving, obtaining, or becoming
feel /fiːl/ A2	verb - to experience a sensation or emotion

Key Grammar Structures

• I'm trying to forgive myself for things I didn't do

  ➔ Past Simple Negative in Relative Clause

  ➔ The phrase "things I **didn't do**" uses the past simple negative to describe actions that the speaker did *not* perform. The clause is a relative clause modifying "things."

• For words I didn't say and things I didn't choose

  ➔ Parallel Structure with Past Simple Negative

  ➔ This line continues the pattern from the previous one, using "I didn't say" and "I didn't choose" in parallel. This creates emphasis and rhythm. All use "didn't" + base form.

• Mum and dad in love like it's 1994

  ➔ Subjunctive Mood (Hypothetical)

  ➔ The phrase "like it's 1994" uses the subjunctive mood. While not grammatically strict, it suggests a simplified or idealized version of that time, which is not literally true now. The use of "is" here implies a continuous state of being reminiscent of that year.

• everything's been getting me down

  ➔ Present Perfect Continuous

  ➔ The phrase "everything's been getting me down" uses the present perfect continuous tense. This implies an action that started in the past and continues into the present, affecting the speaker's mood.

• Yeah, the kids are growing up, I feel like I'm stuck

  ➔ Present Continuous vs. Present Simple with 'like'

  ➔ "The kids are growing up" uses the present continuous to describe an ongoing process. "I feel like I'm stuck" uses the present simple + "like" to express a feeling or perception, which is how the speaker experiences their situation. The "I'm stuck" part is also present simple because it refers to feeling like the state is current.

• But I don't wanna catch up right now

  ➔ Contraction and Informal Language

  ➔ "Wanna" is a contraction of "want to." This is a common feature of informal spoken English and lyrics. The sentence also has a direct and emotional tone because of the simplicity of its structure.

• I broke a glass on the floor, it was the last straw

  ➔ Past Simple and Idiomatic Expression

  ➔ "I broke a glass on the floor" uses the past simple to describe a completed action in the past. "It was the last straw" is an idiomatic expression that means it was the final problem in a series of problems that caused the speaker to lose patience or give up.