I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) – English Lyrics

• By: George Michael, Aretha Franklin

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

(upbeat music)

♪ Like a warrior that fights ♪

♪ And wins the battle ♪

♪ I know the taste of victory ♪

♪ Though I went through some nights ♪

♪ Consumed by the shadows ♪

♪ I was crippled emotionally ♪

♪ Somehow I made it through the heartache ♪

♪ Yes I did, I escaped ♪

♪ I found my way out of the darkness ♪

♪ I kept my faith, I know you did, kept my faith ♪

♪ When the river was deep I didn't falter ♪

♪ When the mountain was high I still believed ♪

♪ When the valley was low it didn't stop me, no no ♪

♪ I knew you were waiting, I knew you were waiting for me ♪

♪ With an endless desire I kept on searching ♪

♪ Sure in time our eyes would meet ♪

♪ Like the bridge is on fire ♪

♪ The hurt is over, one touch and you set me free ♪

♪ I don't regret a single moment, no I don't looking hack ♪

♪ When I think of all those disappointments ♪

♪ I just laugh, I know you do, I just laugh ♪

♪ When the river was deep I didn't falter ♪

♪ When the mountain was high I still believed ♪

♪ When the valley was low it didn't stop me ♪

♪ I knew you were waiting, I knew you were waiting for me ♪

♪ So we were drawn together through destiny ♪

♪ I know this love we shared was meant to be ♪

♪ I knew you were waiting, knew you were waiting ♪

♪ I knew you were waiting, knew you were waiting for me ♪

♪I didn't falter ♪

♪ I still believe ♪

♪ When the valley was low ♪

♪ It didn't stop me ♪

♪ I knew you were waiting, I knew you were waiting for me ♪

♪ I didn't falter ♪

♪ When the mountain was high ♪

♪ I still belive ♪

♪ When the valley was low ♪

♪ It didn't stop me ♪

♪ No it didn't stop me, no ♪

♪ I knew you were waiting, I knew you were waiting for me ♪

♪ Oh yeah ♪

♪ I still believe ♪

♪ I knew you were waiting for me ♪

♪ When the valley was low ♪

♪ I still believe ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
warrior /ˈwɔːriər/ B2	noun - a person who fights in battles or wars
battle /ˈbætl/ B1	noun - a fight between armies, ships, or aircraft
victory /ˈvɪktəri/ B1	noun - success in a game, competition, election, or war
shadows /ˈʃædoʊz/ A2	noun - areas of darkness caused by light being blocked
heartache /ˈhɑːrteɪk/ B2	noun - emotional pain or distress
darkness /ˈdɑːrknəs/ A2	noun - absence of light
faith /feɪθ/ B1	noun - trust or confidence in someone or something
river /ˈrɪvər/ A1	noun - a natural flowing watercourse
mountain /ˈmaʊntən/ A1	noun - a large natural elevation of the earth's surface
valley /ˈvæli/ A2	noun - a low area between hills or mountains
desire /dɪˈzaɪər/ B1	noun - a strong feeling of wanting something
waiting /ˈweɪtɪŋ/ A1	verb - to stay in a place until something happens
searching /ˈsɜːrtʃɪŋ/ A2	verb - to look for something carefully
believed /bɪˈliːvd/ A2	verb - to accept that something is true
falter /ˈfɔːltər/ C1	verb - to lose strength or momentum
escaped /ɪˈskeɪpt/ B1	verb - to get free from something
endless /ˈendləs/ B2	adjective - having or seeming to have no end
free /friː/ A1	adjective - not under the control of another
deep /diːp/ A1	adjective - extending far down from the top or surface
high /haɪ/ A1	adjective - of great vertical extent

Key Grammar Structures

• I know the taste of victory

  ➔ Simple present tense for a permanent state or general truth.

  ➔ I "know" the taste of victory.

• Though I went through some nights

  ➔ Past simple used after the concessive conjunction "though" to show contrast.

  ➔ Though I "went" through some nights.

• I was crippled emotionally

  ➔ Passive voice (past simple) to emphasize the result of an action.

  ➔ I was "crippled" emotionally.

• Somehow I made it through the heartache

  ➔ Phrasal verb "make it through" meaning to survive or succeed in a difficult situation.

  ➔ Somehow I "made" it through the heartache.

• I kept my faith, I know you did, kept my faith

  ➔ Parallelism with ellipsis; the verb "kept" is omitted in the second clause and replaced by the pro‑verb "did".

  ➔ I know you "did".

• When the river was deep I didn't falter

  ➔ Past simple in a time clause introduced by "when"; negative contraction "didn't".

  ➔ I "didn't" falter.

• I knew you were waiting for me

  ➔ Past simple "knew" + past continuous "were waiting" to describe an ongoing action in the past.

  ➔ you "were" waiting for me.

• Sure in time our eyes would meet

  ➔ "Would" as the past form of "will" to express a future event relative to a past viewpoint.

  ➔ our eyes "would" meet.

• The hurt is over, one touch and you set me free

  ➔ Present simple "is" for a state; causative verb "set" + object + adjective to indicate causing a condition.

  ➔ you "set" me free.

• I don't regret a single moment

  ➔ Simple present negative form "don't" + base verb to express a present lack of action.

  ➔ I "don't" regret a single moment.