Earth Song – English Lyrics

• By: Michael Jackson
• Album: HIStory

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a profound linguistic journey with Michael Jackson's "Earth Song." This powerful ballad, with its emotionally charged lyrics and impactful message, offers a unique opportunity to connect with English through a global plea for environmental and social responsibility. Its simple yet profound language makes complex themes accessible, while its rich blend of blues, gospel, and orchestral pop provides a captivating soundscape for language learners. Discover how a song can transcend entertainment to become a heartfelt call for change, deepening your understanding of English and global issues.

[English]

(birds chirping)

(ethereal music)

(bird chirping continues) (ethereal music continues)

(bird chirping continues) (ethereal music continues)

(bird chirping continues) (ethereal music continues)

(wistful music)

(wistful music continues)

♪ What about sunrise ♪

♪ What about rain ♪

♪ What about all the things ♪

♪ That you said we were to gain ♪

♪ What about killing fields ♪

♪ Is there a time ♪

♪ What about all the things ♪

♪ That you said was yours and mine ♪

♪ Did you ever stop to notice ♪

♪ All the blood we've shed before ♪

♪ Did you ever stop to notice ♪

♪ This crying Earth, these weeping shores ♪

♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah ♪

♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪

♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah ♪

♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪

♪ What have we done to the world ♪

♪ Look what we've done ♪

♪ What about all the peace ♪

♪ That you pledge your only son ♪

♪ What about flowering fields ♪

♪ Is there a time ♪

♪ What about all the dreams ♪

♪ That you said was yours and mine ♪

♪ Did you ever stop to notice ♪

♪ All the children dead from war ♪

♪ Did you ever stop to notice ♪

♪ This crying Earth, these weeping shores ♪

♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah ♪

♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪

♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah ♪

♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪

♪ I used to dream ♪

♪ I used to glance beyond the stars ♪

♪ Now I don't know where we are ♪

♪ Although I know we've drifted far ♪

♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah ♪

♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪

♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah ♪

♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪

♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah ♪

♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪

♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah ♪

♪ Hey, what about yesterday ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ What about the seas ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ The heavens are falling down ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ I can't even breathe ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ What about apathy ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ I need you ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ What about nature's worth ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ It's our planet's womb ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ What about animals ♪

♪ What about it ♪

♪ Turned kingdoms to dust ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ What about elephants ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ Have we lost their trust ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ What about crying whales ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ We're ravaging the seas ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ What about forest trails ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Burnt despite our pleas ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ What about the holy land ♪

♪ What about it ♪

♪ Torn apart by creed ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ What about the common man ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ Can't we set him free ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ What about children dying ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ Can't you hear them cry ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ Where did we go wrong ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Someone tell me why ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ What about baby boy ♪

♪ What about it ♪

♪ What about the days ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ What about all their joy ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ What about the man ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ What about the crying man ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ What about Abraham ♪

♪ What about us ♪

♪ What about death again ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Do we give a damn ♪

♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah ♪

♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪

♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah ♪

♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-Ooh ♪

(wistful music continue)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
earth /ɜrθ/ A1	noun - the planet we live on
blood /blʌd/ A2	noun - the red liquid that circulates in the bodies of people and animals
dream /driːm/ B1	noun - a series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep verb - to imagine or hope for something
peace /piːs/ B1	noun - a state of tranquility or quiet
nature /ˈneɪtʃər/ B2	noun - the physical world collectively, including plants, animals, and landscapes
trust /trʌst/ B2	noun - firm belief in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something verb - to believe in the reliability or ability of someone or something
child /tʃaɪld/ A1	noun - a young human being below the age of puberty
war /wɔːr/ A2	noun - a state of armed conflict between different countries or different groups within a country
cry /kraɪ/ A2	verb - to make a loud sound, usually when in pain or distress noun - a loud vocal expression of emotion, especially sorrow
animal /ˈænɪməl/ A1	noun - a living organism that feeds on organic matter
kingdom /ˈkɪŋdəm/ B2	noun - a country, state, or territory ruled by a king or queen
heaven /ˈhɛvən/ B2	noun - a place regarded in various religions as the abode of God or the gods
dust /dʌst/ B1	noun - fine, dry particles of matter
yesterday /ˈjɛstərdeɪ/ A2	noun - the day before today

Key Grammar Structures

• What about all the dreams that you said was yours and mine

  ➔ Relative clause to provide additional information about 'dreams'.

  ➔ The clause 'that you said was yours and mine' is a **relative clause** describing 'dreams'.

• Did you ever stop to notice all the blood we've shed before

  ➔ Past perfect tense 'have shed' to indicate an action completed before now.

  ➔ 'Have shed' is in the **present perfect tense**, used to talk about actions that happened at an indefinite time before now.

• The heavens are falling down

  ➔ Simple present tense to describe a current state or ongoing situation.

  ➔ The sentence uses the **simple present tense** to indicate a dramatic or ongoing situation.

• What about us

  ➔ Prepositional phrase functioning as an adverbial expression to question or highlight a situation.

  ➔ The phrase 'What about' is a **prepositional phrase** used to introduce a topic or question.

• Are there a time

  ➔ Existential question using 'are there' with noun phrase 'a time'.

  ➔ The phrase 'Are there' introduces an **existential question**, asking about the existence of 'a time'.

• Turned kingdoms to dust

  ➔ Simple past tense 'turned' to describe a completed action in the past.

  ➔ The verb 'turned' is in the **simple past tense**, indicating a completed change in the past.

• What is done to the world

  ➔ Passive voice construction with 'is done' to emphasize the action's effect on the object.

  ➔ The phrase 'is done' is in the **passive voice**, indicating that the focus is on the action's effect rather than who performs it.