Get Up Stand Up – English Lyrics

• By: Bob Marley

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a powerful tool, and Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up" offers a special opportunity to engage with the passion and power of Jamaican Patois and the universal language of social justice. The song's clear and repetitive chorus makes it accessible for learners, while the verses, rich with Rastafarian philosophy, provide a deeper cultural and linguistic challenge. What makes this song truly special for language learners is its raw emotion and unwavering message of empowerment, allowing you to not only learn new words but also feel the history and resilience of a people demanding to be heard.

[English]

Get up, stand up

Stand up for your right

Get up, stand up

Stand up for your right

Get up, stand up

Stand up for your right

Get up, stand up

Don't give up the fight

Preacher man don't tell me

Heaven is under the earth

I know you don't know

What life is really worth

He said all that glitters is gold

Half that story ain't never been told

So now you see the light, hey

You stand up for your right

Come on

Get up, stand up

Stand up for your right

Get up, stand up

Don't give up the fight

Get up, stand up

Stand up for your right

Get up, stand up

Don't give up the fight

Most people think

Great God will come from the sky

Take away everything

And make everybody feel high

But if you know what life is worth

You would look for yours on earth

And now a you see the light

You stand up for your right

Jah!

Get up, stand up (Jah, Jah)

Stand up for your right (oh-hoo)

Get up, stand up (get up, stand up)

Don't give up the fight (life is your right)

Get up, stand up (so we can't give up the fight)

Stand up for your rights (Lord, Lord)

Get up, stand up (keep on struggling on)

Don't give up the fight (yeah)

We're sick and tired of your ism-schism game

Dy'n' and go to Heaven in-a Jesus' name, Lord

We know when we understand

Almighty God is a living man

You can fool some people sometimes

But you can't fool all the people all the time

So now we see the light (watch you gon' do?)

We gonna stand up for our rights (yeah, yeah)

So you'd better

Get up, stand up (in the morning) give it up

Stand up for your right (stand up right now)

Get up, stand up

Don't give up the fight (don't give it up, don't give it up)

Get up, stand up (get up, stand up)

Stand up for your rights (get up, stand up)

Get up, stand up

Don't give up the fight (get up, stand up)

Get up, stand up

Stand up for your right

Get up, stand up

Don't give up the fight

Get up, stand up

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
get /ɡɛt/ A1	verb - to receive or obtain
stand /stænd/ A1	verb - to be in an upright position
right /raɪt/ A2	noun - a moral or legal entitlement adjective - morally good or justified
fight /faɪt/ B1	verb - to engage in a battle or struggle noun - a violent confrontation
light /laɪt/ B1	noun - the natural agent that stimulates sight adjective - having little weight; not heavy
know /noʊ/ A2	verb - to be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information
come /kʌm/ A1	verb - to move or travel towards a specified place
people /ˈpiːpəl/ A1	noun - human beings in general or considered collectively
God /ɡɒd/ B2	noun - the creator and ruler of the universe
story /ˈstɔːri/ B1	noun - a narrative, either true or fictitious
worth /wɜːrθ/ B2	noun - the value of something
high /haɪ/ A2	adjective - of great vertical extent
sick /sɪk/ B1	adjective - affected by physical or mental illness
tired /ˈtaɪərd/ A2	adjective - in need of rest or sleep
fool /fuːl/ B2	verb - to deceive or trick someone noun - a person who acts unwisely

Key Grammar Structures

• Get up, stand up

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ The phrase "Get up" is an example of the imperative mood, which is used to give commands or requests.

• Don't give up the fight

  ➔ Negative imperative

  ➔ The phrase "Don't give up" is a negative imperative, which instructs someone not to do something.

• Heaven is under the earth

  ➔ Present simple tense

  ➔ The sentence "Heaven is under the earth" uses the present simple tense to state a fact.

• You would look for yours on earth

  ➔ Conditional mood

  ➔ The phrase "You would look for yours" indicates a conditional situation, suggesting what someone might do under certain circumstances.

• You can fool some people sometimes

  ➔ Modal verb usage

  ➔ The phrase "You can fool" uses the modal verb 'can' to express ability or possibility.

• So now we see the light

  ➔ Present simple tense

  ➔ The phrase "we see the light" is in the present simple tense, indicating a current realization or understanding.

• You'd better get up, stand up

  ➔ Modal verb 'had better'

  ➔ The phrase "You'd better" uses the modal verb 'had better' to give strong advice or recommendation.