Give It Away – English Lyrics

• By: Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Album: Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the vibrant world of Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Give It Away," a high-energy funk-rock anthem. Beyond its electrifying rhythm and iconic video, this song offers a profound lesson in altruism and the power of giving, making it a dynamic and thought-provoking piece for any language learner. Its repetitive and energetic chorus provides excellent opportunities for pronunciation practice, while the lyrical themes introduce concepts of generosity and personal philosophy through engaging, authentic English expressions.

[English]

What I've got, you've got to give it to your mamma

What I've got, you've got to give it to your pappa

What I've got, you've got to give it to your daughter

You do a little dance and then you drink a little water

What I've got, you've got to get it, put it in you

What I've got, you've got to get it, put it in you

What I've got, you've got to get it, put it in you

Reeling with the feeling, don't stop continue

Realize, I don't want to be a miser

Confide with sly, you'll be the wiser

Young blood is the lovin' upriser

How come everybody wanna keep it like the Kaiser?

Give it away, give it away, give it away, now

Give it away, give it away, give it away, now

Give it away, give it away, give it away, now

I can't tell, if I'm a king pin or a pauper

Greedy little people in a sea of distress

Keep your more to receive your less

Unimpressed by material excess

Love is free, love me, say hell yes

Low brow, but I rock a little know how

No time for the piggies or the hoosegow

Get smart, get down with the pow wow

Never been a better time, than right now

Bob Marley, poet and a prophet

Bob Marley taught me how to off it

Bob Marley, walkin' like he talk it

Goodness me, can't you see I'm gonna cough it?

Give it away, give it away, give it away, now

Give it away, give it away, give it away, now

Give it away, give it away, give it away, now

Give it away, give it away, give it away, now

Give it away, give it away, give it away, now

Give it away, give it away, give it away

I can't tell, if I'm a kingpin or a pauper

...

Lucky me, swimmin' in my ability

Dancin' down on life with agility

Come and drink it up, from my fertility

Blessed with a bucket of lucky mobility

My mom, I love her 'cause she love me

Long gone are the times, when she scrub me

Feelin' good, my brother gonna hug me

Drinkin' my juice, young love chug-a-lug me

There's a river born to be a giver

Keep you warm, won't let you shiver

His heart is never gonna wither

Come on everybody, time to deliver

Give it away, give it away, give it away, now

Give it away, give it away, give it away, now

Give it away, give it away, give it away, now

I can't tell, if I'm a kingpin or a pauper

...

What I've got, you've got to give it to your mamma

What I've got, you've got to give it to your pappa

What I've got, you've got to give it to your daughter

Do a little dance and then you drink a little water

What I've got, you've got to get it put it in you

What I've got, you've got to get it put it in you

What I've got, you've got to get it put it in you

Reeling with the feeling, don't stop continue

Realize, I don't want to be a miser

Confide with sly, you'll be the wiser

Young blood is the lovin' upriser

How come everybody wanna keep it like the Kaiser?

Give it away, give it away, give it away, now

Give it away, give it away, give it away, now

Give it away, give it away, give it away, now

Give it away, give it away, give it away, now

Give it away now

Give it away now

Give it away now

Give it away now

Give it away now

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
give /ɡɪv/ A1	verb - to provide something to someone
got /ɡɒt/ A1	verb - past participle of get
dance /dɑːns/ A1	noun - a series of rhythmic steps and movements, typically performed to music verb - to move rhythmically to music
water /ˈwɔːtər/ A1	noun - a clear, colorless, odorless, and tasteless liquid
feeling /ˈfiːlɪŋ/ A2	noun - an emotional state or reaction
miser /ˈmaɪzər/ B2	noun - a person who hoards wealth and spends as little money as possible
wise /waɪz/ B1	adjective - experienced and knowledgeable
blood /blʌd/ A2	noun - the red liquid that circulates in the body
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection. verb - feel deep affection for
people /ˈpiːpl/ A1	noun - human beings in general or considered collectively
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.
poet /ˈpəʊɪt/ B1	noun - a person who writes poems
prophet /ˈprɒfɪt/ B2	noun - a person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God
river /ˈrɪvər/ A1	noun - a large natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another river.
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - an organ that pumps blood
mom /mɒm/ A1	noun - mother
daughter /ˈdɔːtər/ A1	noun - a female child
young /jʌŋ/ A1	adjective - having lived or existed for only a short time

Key Grammar Structures

• What I've got, you've got to give it to your mamma

  ➔ Present perfect, Modal verb (obligation), Infinitive

  ➔ The phrase "I've got" uses the present perfect to express possession. "You've got to" is a modal expression of obligation, followed by the infinitive "to give".

• Do a little dance and then you drink a little water

  ➔ Imperative, Simple present, Conjunction "and then"

  ➔ The verb "Do" is an imperative, giving a command. The clause "you drink" is in the simple present, describing a habitual action.

• I can't tell, if I'm a kingpin or a pauper

  ➔ Modal verb "can't", Simple present, Conditional clause with "if"

  ➔ The modal verb "can't" expresses inability. The clause "if I'm a kingpin or a pauper" is a conditional clause using the present simple after "if".

• Give it away, give it away, give it away, now

  ➔ Imperative (repeated), Adverb "now"

  ➔ The repeated phrase "Give it away" is an imperative, urging the listener to perform the action. "now" adds urgency.

• Lucky lucky me, swimmin' in my ability

  ➔ Present participle (informal "swimmin'")

  ➔ The word "swimmin'" is a present participle (informal spelling of "swimming"), functioning as a verb phrase describing a continuous state.

• Bob Marley taught me how to off it

  ➔ Past simple, Infinitive phrase after "how to"

  ➔ The verb "taught" is in the past simple, indicating a completed action. The phrase "how to off it" uses the infinitive after "how to" to express the method.

• Realize, I don't want to be a miser

  ➔ Imperative, Negative present simple, Infinitive "to be"

  ➔ The word "Realize" is an imperative, commanding the listener. The clause "I don't want to be a miser" uses the present simple negative with the infinitive "to be".

• Keep your more to receive your less

  ➔ Imperative, Infinitive of purpose "to receive"

  ➔ The verb "Keep" is an imperative. The phrase "to receive" is an infinitive expressing purpose.

• There’s a river born to be a giver

  ➔ Passive infinitive "born to be", Present simple contraction "There’s"

  ➔ The phrase "born to be" is a passive infinitive, indicating purpose or destiny. "There’s" is a contraction of "there is", present simple.

• Young blood is the lovin' upriser

  ➔ Present simple "is", Noun phrase as complement

  ➔ The verb "is" is the present simple of "to be", linking the subject "Young blood" to the complement "the lovin' upriser".