Against The World – English Lyrics

• By: HANSON
• Album: Against The World

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the empowering message of Hanson's 'Against The World' and enhance your English skills by exploring its rich, metaphorical lyrics. This song is a great tool for learning how to express themes of resilience and determination, with powerful imagery that makes the language both accessible and memorable. Its clear message and strong chorus provide an engaging way to understand and connect with the emotional depth of the English language.

[English]

If tonight we reach, it won't be for the first time

So we race, through the dark to the light

We've been through hard times, but they're our times now

It's just you and me and us against the world

We belong with the restless

Keep company with rebels and with dreamers

And learned from the landslide

There's equal scars from victory and failure

Oh and the innocent man, he knows only the good die young while the proud men hide

So we die for a little, if only to give living one more try

It's just you and me and us against the world

Oh oh oh oh

We ignore reservations, each time we choose to climb onto the ladder

Like the road less taken

We're in search of destinations that will matter

So with these broken wings, we stand on the brink, wings unfurled

Say goodbye to the sidelines

Once again it's us against the world

Ooh Ooh

I hear the voices say, I hear them say

Once again it's us against the world

Ooh Ooh

Oh I hear them say

If tonight we reach, it won't be for the last time

So we race, through the dark to the light

Just us where we'll still be standing sunrise

Once again it's us against the world

We live through heartbreak

We head on past moonlit terrain

Through the strong and the chill wind rain

If tonight we reach, it won't be for the last time

So we race, through the dark to the light

Just us where we'll still be standing sunrise

We've lived through hard times, but they're our times now

It's just you and me and us against the world

I hear the voices say, I hear them say

Once again it's us against the world

I hear the voices say, I hear them say

Once again it's us against the world

It's just you and me and us against the world

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
race /reɪs/ A2	verb - to compete in a contest of speed
restless /ˈrɛstləs/ B1	adjective - unable to stay still or quiet
rebels /ˈrɛbəlz/ B2	noun - people who resist authority
landslide /ˈlændslaɪd/ C1	noun - a collapse of a mass of earth/rock
scars /skɑːrz/ B1	noun - marks left by wounds
unfurled /ʌnˈfɜːrld/ C1	verb - to spread out from a rolled state
brink /brɪŋk/ C1	noun - edge of a steep place
heartbreak /ˈhɑːrtbreɪk/ B2	noun - overwhelming grief
moonlit /ˈmuːnlɪt/ B2	adjective - illuminated by moonlight
terrain /təˈreɪn/ C1	noun - physical features of land

Key Grammar Structures

• If tonight we reach, it won't be for the first time

  ➔ First Conditional (Future Real Conditional)

  ➔ The 'if' clause ("If tonight we reach") describes a possible future condition, and the main clause ("it won't be for the first time") describes the certain future result. This structure is fundamental for discussing future possibilities.

• We've been through hard times, but they're our times now

  ➔ Present Perfect (Experiential)

  ➔ "We've been through" ("we have been through") is used to express an experience that happened at an unspecified time in the past, but has relevance to the present moment.

• We belong with the restless

  ➔ Noun Phrase formed by 'the' + Adjective

  ➔ "the restless" functions as a noun phrase referring to a group of people who are restless, similar to "the rich" or "the poor". It's a way to generalize about a group based on an adjective.

• There's equal scars from victory and failure

  ➔ Existential 'There is/are'

  ➔ "There's" (contracted form of "there is") introduces the existence of "equal scars". This structure is commonly used to state that something exists or happens.

• Oh and the innocent man, he knows only the good die young while the proud men hide

  ➔ Noun Clause as Direct Object

  ➔ The entire phrase "the good die young while the proud men hide" acts as a noun clause, serving as the direct object of the verb "knows". It provides the content of what the innocent man knows.

• So we die for a little, if only to give living one more try

  ➔ Infinitive of Purpose (emphasized with 'if only to')

  ➔ "if only to give" expresses the sole or primary purpose for the action described in the main clause ("we die for a little"). It highlights the specific reason or goal.

• We ignore reservations, each time we choose to climb onto the ladder

  ➔ Adverbial Clause of Time (introduced by 'each time')

  ➔ "each time we choose to climb onto the ladder" is an adverbial clause that specifies when the action of "we ignore reservations" occurs. It functions similarly to "whenever" or "every time".

• So with these broken wings, we stand on the brink, wings unfurled

  ➔ Absolute Phrase

  ➔ "wings unfurled" is an absolute phrase (or nominative absolute). It consists of a noun ("wings") followed by a participle ("unfurled") and modifies the entire main clause, providing additional descriptive context.

• Once again it's us against the world

  ➔ Idiomatic Prepositional Phrase

  ➔ "against the world" is a prepositional phrase acting adverbially, expressing opposition or defiance. It's often used idiomatically to describe a situation where a small group faces universal challenges.