Higher – English Lyrics

• By: Tems
• Album: For Broken Ears

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Tems' 'Higher,' a soulful blend of R&B and Afrobeats, to experience a raw and empowering narrative of resilience and self-discovery. Its evocative lyrics and Tems' unique vocal delivery make it a compelling piece to explore the nuances of emotional depth in music, perfect for anyone looking to connect with a song's profound message.

[English]

Oh

Higher

Higher

Saying higher, ayy

...

Tell me why you're crying, now kini big deal

When you gave me something I don't really feel

But you knew that already

When I found you on the ground you were dying

Now you come into my yard, uninvited

Can't you see me on the edge? I'm enlightened

If the world was ending

Would you cry, or would you try to get me?

Tell me now, I want you to be clear, yeah

Tell me now, I need you to be clear, yeah

I will wait for you, for you

I will wait for you

I will wait for you

Get me

Can you put the time on a rewind? Yeah

Help me understand, can you tell me now

Why you made the war that we're fighting now?

And you fall and you run

When you see my big guns

Run around, run away

As the rebel comes out

Then you call, call on me

When you call me, I come

But there you go again

With your deaf ears

Open your mind to the sound of the trumpet

What do you want from a life of the hopeless?

Now here you are and you're begging and crying

I want to fly, yeah I'm flying 'til morning

Running away to the land of discovery

Running away from the suffering, I'm gone yeah

Running away from the darkness, I'm out here, yeah

Higher than all the limits

Going way beyond the noise and your feelings

When you speak all I can hear is silence

Turning back from all the pain and violence

Big tunes, now it's big tunes I'm killing

Cry now from the side now, call my name

Fall down when you see me, you know that

You know that I won't stay for you

I will wait for you, for you

I will wait for you

I will wait for you

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
crying /ˈkraɪɪŋ/ A1	verb - shedding tears, often expressing sadness or pain
feel /fiːl/ A1	verb - to experience an emotion or sensation
dying /ˈdaɪɪŋ/ A2	verb - near death; ceasing to live
edge /edʒ/ B1	noun - the outside limit of an object, area, or surface
enlightened /ɪnˈlaɪtənd/ B2	adjective - having or showing a rational, modern, and well-informed outlook
clear /klɪər/ A2	adjective - easy to understand; not confusing
rewind /ˌriːˈwaɪnd/ B2	verb - wind (a tape or film) back to the beginning
war /wɔːr/ A2	noun - a state of armed conflict between different nations or groups
fighting /ˈfaɪtɪŋ/ A2	verb - taking part in a violent struggle involving physical force or weapons
guns /ɡʌnz/ A2	noun - a weapon incorporating a metal tube from which bullets, shells, or other missiles are fired by explosive force
rebel /ˈrebəl/ B1	noun - a person who rises in opposition or armed resistance against an established government or ruler.
deaf /def/ A2	adjective - lacking the power of hearing or having impaired hearing
hopeless /ˈhoʊpləs/ B1	adjective - feeling or causing despair about the possibility of finding a solution or resolving a problem
begging /ˈbeɡɪŋ/ B1	verb - asking someone earnestly or humbly for something
discovery /dɪˈskʌvəri/ B1	noun - the act or process of finding something or learning about something that was not known before
suffering /ˈsʌfərɪŋ/ B2	noun - the state of undergoing pain, distress, or hardship
darkness /ˈdɑːrknəs/ B1	noun - the state of being dark; absence of light
limits /ˈlɪmɪts/ B1	noun - a point or level beyond which something does not or may not extend or pass
noise /nɔɪz/ A2	noun - a sound, especially one that is loud or unpleasant
silence /ˈsaɪləns/ B1	noun - complete absence of sound
pain /peɪn/ A2	noun - physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury
violence /ˈvaɪələns/ B1	noun - behavior involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something

Key Grammar Structures

• Tell me why you're crying, now *kini big deal*

  ➔ Ellipsis/Omission

  ➔ The phrase "kini big deal" is Nigerian Pidgin English. Grammatically, it's using ellipsis. A more standard English phrasing would be 'What's the big deal?' or 'Why is it such a big deal?'. The verb "is" and the pronoun "it" are ommitted.

• When I found you on the ground you were *dying*

  ➔ Past Continuous Tense

  ➔ The phrase "were dying" is in the past continuous tense. It describes an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past.

• If the world *was ending*, Would you cry, or would you try to get me?

  ➔ Second Conditional

  ➔ This sentence uses the second conditional. 'If + past simple, would + infinitive'. This expresses a hypothetical situation and its probable result.

• Can you put the time on a *rewind*?

  ➔ Figurative Language (Metaphor)

  ➔ "Rewind" is used metaphorically here. It suggests the desire to go back in time and undo or change something.

• Why you *made* the war that we're fighting now?

  ➔ Past Simple Tense

  ➔ The verb "made" is in the past simple tense, indicating a completed action in the past. It suggests that creating the war is a finished event.

• Open your mind to the sound of the *trumpet*

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ The verb "Open" is in the imperative mood, used to give a command or instruction.

• Big tunes, now it's *big tunes I'm killing*

  ➔ Cleft Sentence (Emphasis)

  ➔ This sentence uses a cleft construction for emphasis. A more standard phrasing would be 'I'm killing big tunes'. By using 'it's big tunes I'm killing', the speaker is emphasizing *what* they are killing.