Ho Hey – English Lyrics

• By: The Lumineers
• Album: The Lumineers

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into The Lumineers' global hit, "Ho Hey," a song that beautifully blends heartfelt lyrics with a simple, catchy folk-rock sound. Through its repetitive yet powerful chorus and relatable themes of belonging and perseverance, you can easily grasp common English phrases and conversational patterns. The song's unique origin story, transforming from a raw expression of personal struggle into a widespread singalong anthem, makes it a special piece for appreciating how universal emotions are conveyed in English music.

[English]

(Ho!)

(Hey!)

(Ho!)

(Hey!)

(Ho!) I've been tryin' to do it right

(Hey!) I've been livin' a lonely life

(Ho!) I've been sleepin' here instead

(Hey!) I've been sleepin' in my bed

(Ho!) Sleepin' in my bed

(Hey!)

(Ho!)

(Ho!) So show me family

(Hey!) All the blood that I will bleed

(Ho!) I don't know where I belong

(Hey!) I don't know where I went wrong

(Ho!) But I can write a song

(Hey!) Two, three

I belong with you, you belong with me

You're my sweetheart

I belong with you, you belong with me

You're my sweet-

(Ho!)

(Hey!) (Come on, now)

(Ho!) (Hey)

(Hey!)

(Ho!) I don't think you're right for him

(Hey!) Think of what it might've been if we

(Ho!) Took a bus to Chinatown

(Hey!) I'd be standin' on Canal

(Ho!) And Bowery

(Hey!) Hey

(Ho!) She'd be standin' next to me

(Hey!) Two, three

I belong with you, you belong with me

You're my sweetheart

I belong with you, you belong with me

You're my sweetheart

Love, we need it now

Let's hope for some

'Cause oh, we're bleedin' out

I belong with you, you belong with me

You're my sweetheart

I belong with you, you belong with me

You're my sweet

(Ho!)

(Hey!)

(Ho!) (Last one)

(Hey!)

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter
bed /bɛd/ A1	noun - a piece of furniture for sleeping or resting on
show /ʃoʊ/ A1	verb - allow or cause (something) to be visible noun - a spectacle or display, especially one on public view
family /ˈfæməli/ A1	noun - a group consisting of parents and children living together in a household.
blood /blʌd/ A2	noun - red liquid that circulates in arteries and veins of humans and other vertebrate animals
bleed /bliːd/ B1	verb - to lose blood
belong /bɪˈlɔŋ/ A2	verb - be the property of
song /sɔŋ/ A1	noun - a short musical composition with words
sweetheart /ˈswiːthɑːrt/ B1	noun - a loved person; darling.
right /raɪt/ A1	adjective - morally good, justified, or acceptable
bus /bʌs/ A1	noun - a large motor vehicle carrying passengers
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection verb - feel deep affection for (someone)
hope /hoʊp/ A2	verb - want something to happen or be the case noun - a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen
wrong /rɔːŋ/ A1	adjective - not correct or true

Key Grammar Structures

• I've been tryin' to do it right

  ➔ Present perfect continuous tense

  ➔ The phrase "I've been tryin'" uses the **present perfect continuous tense** to emphasize an action that started in the past and continues into the present.

• I belong with you, you belong with me

  ➔ Simple present tense for habitual or general truth

  ➔ The phrase uses the **simple present tense** to express a sense of certainty and ongoing state of the relationship.

• You're my sweetheart

  ➔ Possessive pronoun + noun for relationship expression

  ➔ This construction uses a **possessive pronoun** "my" combined with a noun to define a personal relationship.

• We need it now

  ➔ Simple present tense for urgent necessity

  ➔ The phrase "We need it now" employs the **simple present tense** to express a current, urgent requirement.

• And Bowery

  ➔ Prepositional phrase indicating location

  ➔ The phrase "And Bowery" uses a **prepositional phrase** to specify a location or place in the context of the song.

• Taken from the lyrics, identify some key grammatical features used.

  ➔ Imperative mood and contractions in informal speech

  ➔ The song frequently uses **imperative mood** and **contractions** like "tryin'" to reflect casual, conversational speech.