Higher Ground – English Lyrics

• By: Stevie Wonder
• Album: Innervisions

Lyrics & Translation

Unlock the soulful and prophetic language of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground." This iconic funk track offers a unique opportunity to explore themes of resilience and spiritual awakening. By delving into its powerful lyrics, born from a moment of creative genius and a brush with fate, you can learn a vocabulary of hope and perseverance that is universally understood. The song's driving rhythm and heartfelt message make it an unforgettable and inspiring way to connect with the English language.

[English]

Are you ready? (yeah)

Can we do this? (yeah)

Here we go

Battete le mani con me

Battete le mani con me

Everybody clap your hands

People keep on learnin'

Soldiers keep on warnin'

World keep on turnin'

'Cause it won't be too long

Powers keep on lyin', yeah

While your people keep on dyin'

World keep on turnin'

'Cause it won't be too long

Oh, no

I'm so darn glad He let me try it again

'Cause my last time on earth, I lived a whole world of sin

I'm so glad that I know more than I knew then

Gonna keep on tryin'

'Til I reach my highest ground

Lovers keep on lovin'

Believers keep on believin', um yeah

Sleepers just stop sleepin'

'Cause it won't be too long, oh, yeah, yeah

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah

I'm so darn glad He let me try it again

'Cause my last time on earth, I lived a whole world of sin

I'm so glad that I know more than I knew then

Gonna keep on tryin'

'Til I reach my highest ground, whoo

'Til I reach my higher ground, oh no

No one's gonna bring me down

They're sure gonna try

I'm gonna go higher (higher)

Higher (higher)

Higher (higher)

Higher (higher)

Higher (higher)

Higher (higher)

Higher (higher)

Higher (higher)

Higher (higher)

Higher (higher)

Ooh, ooh, oh, oh, oh, oh

(Higher) Higher

Higher (higher)

Higher (higher), yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Don't you let nobody take you to a low level

Just keep on and keep on until you reach higher ground

Don't you let nobody take you to some low, low level

Just keep on and keep on until you reach higher ground

And a high, and a how

Grazie

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
ready /ˈrɛdi/ A1	adjective - prepared for something
learn /lɜːrn/ A1	verb - to gain knowledge or skill
soldier /ˈsoʊldʒər/ A2	noun - a person serving in an army
warn /wɔːrn/ B1	verb - to give notice of danger
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - the earth
turn /tɜːrn/ A1	verb - to move in a circular direction
power /ˈpaʊər/ A2	noun - the ability to do something
lie /laɪ/ A2	verb - to say something that is not true
people /ˈpiːpl/ A1	noun - human beings in general
die /daɪ/ A1	verb - to stop living
glad /ɡlæd/ A2	adjective - pleased; happy
earth /ɜːrθ/ A1	noun - the planet we live on
sin /sɪn/ B1	noun - an act against religious or moral law
know /noʊ/ A1	verb - to have information or be aware of something
reach /riːtʃ/ A2	verb - to arrive at a place
high /haɪ/ A1	adjective - of great vertical extent
ground /ɡraʊnd/ A2	noun - the surface of the earth
love /lʌv/ A1	verb - to have a strong affection for someone
believe /bɪˈliːv/ A2	verb - to accept something as true
sleep /sliːp/ A1	verb - to rest with your eyes closed

Key Grammar Structures

• People keep on learnin'

  ➔ Present continuous with "keep on" to emphasize continuous action.

  ➔ "Keep on" + verb-ing signifies an action that continues or repeats. Here, it means people are constantly learning.

• World keep on turnin'

  ➔ Present continuous with "keep on" to emphasize continuous action.

  ➔ Similar to the previous line, "keep on turnin'" signifies the world's continuous rotation.

• 'Cause it won't be too long

  ➔ Future simple with "won't" (will not) indicating a prediction about the near future.

  ➔ "Won't be too long" suggests that an event will happen soon. It's a statement about something that is expected to occur in the near future.

• I'm so darn glad He let me try it again

  ➔ "So" + adjective to emphasize the adjective. Past simple "let" (allowing) with an object and infinitive without 'to'.

  ➔ "So darn glad" emphasizes the speaker's happiness. "He let me try" demonstrates the past permission from a higher power for another opportunity. The use of "let" is followed by the base form of the verb (try).

• Gonna keep on tryin'

  ➔ Future intention with "gonna" (going to) + "keep on" + verb-ing to express continuous action in the future.

  ➔ "Gonna" is a colloquial shortening of "going to," expressing a future intention. "Keep on tryin'" emphasizes the continuous effort being made.

• No one's gonna bring me down

  ➔ Negative statement with "no one" as subject. Future intention with "gonna" (going to).

  ➔ "No one" implies a complete lack of people who will perform the action. "Gonna bring me down" expresses the future act of someone causing the speaker to feel depressed or defeated.

• They're sure gonna try

  ➔ Future intention with "gonna" (going to) combined with "sure" to emphasize certainty.

  ➔ "They're sure gonna try" signifies that the speaker is confident others will attempt to bring them down, even if unsuccessfully. "Sure" reinforces the speaker's belief.

• Don't you let nobody take you to a low level

  ➔ Imperative sentence with negative auxiliary "Don't". Double negative (colloquial): "Don't let nobody".

  ➔ The imperative "Don't let" is a command. The double negative "Don't let nobody" is a colloquial way of saying "Don't let anybody" and is used for emphasis.