Chant – English Lyrics

• By: Macklemore, Tones and I

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the powerful message of resilience and triumph in Macklemore's "Chant," featuring Tones and I. This song offers a unique blend of hip-hop and gospel influences, while teaching you about overcoming personal struggles and pursuing your dreams. Dive into the inspiring lyrics and learn how to face your fears and rise above any challenge.

[English]

They told me that I vanished

They told me that I had it

They told me that I'm gone

I told them, "Don't panic"

When you've done it this long

And you've seen magic

And you know it won't kill you

Even when the whole world doubts it

This is my moment

They can't take my talent

They can't take my stripes

They can't erase my hours

I'm from the underground, anything above ground is a mountain

I'm done tryna impress anybody but the heavens where I'm headed

You don't get to hold on me your flowers

I am in my zone, eyes on the throne

20k deep, better pull out your phones

Turnin' the arena to believers every time I hit the ceiling

Ain't nobody ever touchin' my show

Look at where we started, look at where we got to

Almost OD'd that night in the hospital

Wasn't gonna die, more life in the arsenal

Got another shot to pull off the impossible

There's no need to cry for me

I'm a fighter, fighter

You can't take my voice from me

I will rise up, rise up

So what are you waiting for?

I ain't ready to die yet

The pain is where faith is born

Are you alive yet?

Are you alive yet?

Are you alive?

On my grave, what quote will be etched in?

Never played the game to be a contestant

Never join the league to ride benches

The wins hit different when they don't expect it

Yeah, and they ain't gotta like me

Got my own Nike's, no Nike ID

And I ain't tryin' to stunt, man

But my logo went over the Jumpman

I remember all I had was a bus pass

Sellin' CDs to make a couple of bucks back

And now I'm up in meetings, and you better believe me

Now that we got the arena, the sonics makin' a comeback

I'm not a businessman, I got children, man

I treat my city like it is my fam

'Til the residency gets a buildin' man

Think I'm playin' 'bout mayor, but that is my plan

You know what 50 thousand feels like

When you question, "Is this real life?"

The money doesn't buy happiness, that's facts

'Til you take what you made and decide to give it back like that

There's no need to cry for me

I'm a fighter, fighter

You can't take my voice from me

I will rise up, rise up

So what are you waiting for?

I ain't ready to die yet

The pain is where faith is born

Are you alive yet?

Are you alive yet?

Are you alive?

I was supposed to be a one hit ringer

Now I got too many rings and not enough fingers

Keep doing my thing, they keep chasin' the wave

Thinking that they're gonna be the one to outpace age

I must got Mick Jagger DNA

Rolling Stone bags, pre-check, no TSA

I'll be 78, SM58 in my face

Like, "Who wants to go next?"

Nobody's touching my stage

Their heads trippin' like a B-Boy head spinnin'

I bench press the industry and I deadlift it

It's been written, I've been runnin', it's been a minute

Been done it, I bet you a hundred that I've been winnin'

The Benz's tinted, it's been vintage, yeah, Ben did it

The crib I live in is like Ben Stiller's

An evening at my house, a night at the museum

Trophies, plaques all over and the view's decent

At the end of the day it's like, "Who needs it?"

Player on player, I gotta keep competin'

Keep dreamin', won't settle for shit

It isn't sport, it's my life, run the championship, I'm gone

There's no need to cry for me

I'm a fighter, fighter

You can't take my voice from me

I will rise up, rise up

So what are you waiting for?

I ain't ready to die yet

The pain is where faith is born

Are you alive yet?

Are you alive yet?

Are you alive?

Are you alive?

Are you alive?

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
vanish /ˈvænɪʃ/ B1	verb - to disappear suddenly
panic /ˈpænɪk/ A2	noun - sudden strong fear or anxiety verb - to feel or cause to feel sudden fear
magic /ˈmædʒɪk/ A1	noun - special power or skill
talent /ˈtælənt/ A2	noun - natural ability or skill
underground /ˈʌndərɡraʊnd/ A2	adjective - beneath the surface of the ground noun - something that is not mainstream
throne /θroʊn/ B1	noun - a ceremonial chair for a monarch
impossible /ɪmˈpɑːsəbəl/ A2	adjective - unable to happen or be done
fighter /ˈfaɪtər/ A1	noun - a person who fights or struggles
rise /raɪz/ A1	verb - to move upward
etch /ɛtʃ/ B2	verb - to engrave or cut into a surface
league /liɡ/ A2	noun - a group of teams in a sport
stunt /stʌnt/ B1	noun - a dangerous or tricky action verb - to perform a stunt
vintage /ˈvɪntɪdʒ/ B1	adjective - of high quality and from a previous era
plaque /plæk/ B1	noun - a flat piece of metal or other material, typically with words or images engraved on it
compete /kəmˈpiːt/ A2	verb - to try to win or be more successful than others
championship /ˈtʃæmpiənʃɪp/ A2	noun - a competition to win a title

Key Grammar Structures

• I told them, "Don't panic"

  ➔ Reported speech (imperative)

  ➔ The verb "told" introduces a clause that contains the imperative "Don't panic"; in reported speech the imperative is kept unchanged.

• Even when the whole world doubts it

  ➔ Subordinate clause with "even when"

  ➔ "Even when" introduces a concessive subordinate clause, showing that the action happens regardless of the condition.

• I'm from the underground, anything above ground is a mountain

  ➔ Present simple for general truth

  ➔ "Anything above ground is a mountain" uses the present simple to state a general, timeless truth.

• I will rise up, rise up

  ➔ Future simple with "will"

  ➔ "Will" forms the future simple, expressing a strong intention or prediction: "I will rise up".

• I ain't ready to die yet

  ➔ Informal negative with "ain't"

  ➔ "Ain't" is a non‑standard contraction for "am not / is not / are not" used in informal speech.

• There's no need to cry for me

  ➔ Existential "there is" + infinitive

  ➔ "There is" introduces the existence of a situation; the infinitive "to cry" expresses what is not needed.

• I keep doing my thing, they keep chasin' the wave

  ➔ Present continuous for habitual action

  ➔ "Keep" + present participle forms a continuous habitual pattern: "I keep doing" means the action repeats over time.

• Till you take what you made and decide to give it back like that

  ➔ Conjunction "till" meaning "until"

  ➔ "Till" is a shortened form of "until" and introduces a temporal clause indicating when the action will occur.

• I was supposed to be a one hit ringer

  ➔ Passive construction "was supposed to be"

  ➔ "Was supposed to be" combines the past passive of "suppose" with an infinitive, expressing an expectation that was not met.