Rise Up – English Lyrics

• By: Andra Day
• Album: Cheers To The Fall

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the heartfelt lyrics and powerful vocals of Andra Day's "Rise Up," a song that transcends cultural boundaries with its universal message of hope and perseverance. Through its simple yet profound language, you can learn inspiring vocabulary related to strength, encouragement, and overcoming challenges, making it an ideal piece for language learners to connect with emotion and meaning in English.

[English]

You're broken down and tired

Of living life on the merry-go-round

And you can't find the fighter

But I see it in you, so we gonna walk it out

Move mountains

We gonna walk it out

And move mountains

And I'll rise up

I'll rise like the day

I'll rise up

I'll rise unafraid

I'll rise up

And I'll do it a thousand times again

And I'll rise up

High like the waves

I'll rise up

In spite of the ache

I'll rise up

And I'll do it a thousands times again

For you

For you

For you

For you

When the silence isn't quiet

And it feels like it's getting hard to breathe

And I know you feel like dying

But I promise we'll take the world to its feet

Move mountains

Bring it to its feet

Move mountains

And I'll rise up

I'll rise like the day

I'll rise up

I'll rise unafraid

I'll rise up

And I'll do it a thousand times again

For you

For you

For you

For you

All we need, all we need is hope

And for that we have each other

And for that we have each other

We will rise

We will rise

We'll rise, oh, oh

We'll rise

I'll rise up

Rise like the day

I'll rise up

In spite of the ache

I will rise a thousands times again

And we'll rise up

Rise like the waves

We'll rise up

In spite of the ache

We'll rise up

And we'll do it a thousands times again

For you, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

For you, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

For you, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

For you

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
rise /raɪz/ A2	verb - to get up from a lying, sitting, or kneeling position.
tired /ˈtaɪərd/ A2	adjective - in need of sleep or rest; weary.
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter, including capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.
fighter /ˈfaɪtər/ B1	noun - a person who fights.
walk /wɔːk/ A1	verb - move at a regular pace by lifting and setting down each foot in turn.
mountains /ˈmaʊntɪnz/ A1	noun - a large natural elevation of the earth's surface rising abruptly from the surrounding level; a large steep hill.
day /deɪ/ A1	noun - the period of 24 hours as a unit of time, reckoned from one midnight to the next.
unafraid /ˌʌnəˈfreɪd/ B2	adjective - not afraid; fearless.
high /haɪ/ A1	adjective - of great vertical extent.
waves /weɪvz/ A2	noun - a disturbance on the surface of a liquid body, as the sea or a lake, in the form of a moving ridge.
ache /eɪk/ B2	noun - a dull, continuous pain.
silence /ˈsaɪləns/ B1	noun - the state of not speaking.
quiet /ˈkwaɪət/ A2	adjective - making little or no noise.
hard /hɑːrd/ A2	adjective - solid, firm, and rigid; not easily broken, bent, or pierced.
breathe /briːð/ A2	verb - take air into the lungs and then expel it.
dying /ˈdaɪɪŋ/ B1	verb - ceasing to live.
promise /ˈprɒmɪs/ A2	verb - assure someone that one will definitely do, give, or arrange something; undertake or declare with certainty.
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - the earth, together with all of its countries, peoples, and natural features.
feet /fiːt/ A1	noun - the lower extremity of the leg below the ankle, on which a person stands or walks.
hope /hoʊp/ A2	noun - a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.

Key Grammar Structures

• You're broken down and tired

  ➔ Past Participle as Adjective

  ➔ "Broken down" is a past participle acting as an adjective, describing the state of being broken or defeated.

• Of living life on the merry-go-round

  ➔ Prepositional Phrase

  ➔ "On the merry-go-round" is a prepositional phrase modifying the verb "living", indicating the manner of living (a repetitive, cyclical life).

• But I see it in you, so we gonna walk it out

  ➔ Conditional Sentence (Implied)

  ➔ The "so" implies a causal relationship, similar to a conditional: because I see strength in you, *we will* walk it out. This illustrates the connection between recognition and action.

• We gonna walk it out

  ➔ Informal Future Tense ("gonna")

  ➔ "Gonna" is a colloquial contraction of "going to", indicating a future intention. While grammatically less formal, it conveys immediacy and determination.

• I'll rise like the day

  ➔ Simile with 'like'

  ➔ The phrase uses "like" to create a simile, comparing the act of rising to the dawn of a new day, emphasizing hope and new beginnings.

• When the silence isn't quiet

  ➔ Paradox

  ➔ This line presents a paradox, where "silence" is expected to be quiet, but it isn't. It highlights a disturbing inner turmoil that, despite the absence of external noise, creates a profound sense of unease.

• And I know you feel like dying

  ➔ Idiomatic Expression ("feel like")

  ➔ "Feel like" is an idiomatic expression meaning to have the inclination or sensation of something. Here, it means to have the *sensation* of dying, not literal intent.

• All we need, all we need is hope

  ➔ Anaphora

  ➔ The repetition of "All we need" at the beginning of successive phrases is an example of anaphora, emphasizing the singular importance of hope.