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Every child, put down your toys 00:00

And come inside to sleep 00:07

We have to look you in the eye 00:13

And say, "We sold you cheap" 00:20

Let's confess, we did not act 00:27

With serious urgency 00:34

So open up the floodgates 00:41

To the rising seas 00:49

00:54

Temperature rising 01:21

Climate denying 01:28

Fever is gripping 01:35

Nobody's listening 01:42

Lustre is fading 01:49

'Cause nobody's trading 01:55

Wall Street is jumping 02:02

Still, the music keeps pumping 02:09

If you can't decide (if you can't decide) 02:16

Between wrong and right (wrong and right) 02:23

If you can't see through (if you can't see through) 02:29

All that you hold true (hold true) 02:36

Queen of the firmament 02:47

Lord of all beneath 02:50

Masters of the universe 02:54

We're all refugees 02:57

And in many countries 03:01

They adore celebrities 03:03

Open up the floodgates 03:07

To the rising seas 03:10

03:15

D-dinosaur stories 03:29

Reliving past glories 03:36

Lusting for gold 03:43

F-f-fishing for souls 03:49

They said it was a-coming 03:56

We knew it was a-coming 04:03

If you lift your game (if you lift your game) 04:10

Put your toys away (toys away) 04:16

Well, it looks like rain (well, it looks like rain) 04:23

On that western plain 04:30

04:35

Queen of the firmament 04:54

Lord of all beneath 04:58

Masters of the universe 05:01

We're all refugees 05:05

And in many countries 05:08

They adore celebrities 05:10

Open up (open up) the floodgates (floodgates) 05:15

To the rising seas 05:22

To the rising seas 05:29

To the rising seas 05:36

05:42

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Rising Seas

Rising Seas – English Lyrics

🕺 Listening to "Rising Seas" and picking up vocab? Open the app and learn it while it’s hot!

By

Midnight Oil

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540,349

Language

English

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Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music can be a powerful experience, and Midnight Oil's 'Rising Seas' offers a compelling opportunity to engage with English in a meaningful context. The song's direct and passionate lyrics about the urgent need for climate action provide a clear and impactful vocabulary. What makes this song special for learners is its powerful storytelling and the band's clear enunciation, making it easier to follow the narrative and understand the critical message. It's a chance to not only improve your English but also to connect with a vital global issue through the lens of iconic Australian rock music.

[English]

Every child, put down your toys
And come inside to sleep
We have to look you in the eye
And say, "We sold you cheap"
Let's confess, we did not act
With serious urgency
So open up the floodgates
To the rising seas

Temperature rising
Climate denying
Fever is gripping
Nobody's listening
Lustre is fading
'Cause nobody's trading
Wall Street is jumping
Still, the music keeps pumping
If you can't decide (if you can't decide)
Between wrong and right (wrong and right)
If you can't see through (if you can't see through)
All that you hold true (hold true)
Queen of the firmament
Lord of all beneath
Masters of the universe
We're all refugees
And in many countries
They adore celebrities
Open up the floodgates
To the rising seas

D-dinosaur stories
Reliving past glories
Lusting for gold
F-f-fishing for souls
They said it was a-coming
We knew it was a-coming
If you lift your game (if you lift your game)
Put your toys away (toys away)
Well, it looks like rain (well, it looks like rain)
On that western plain

Queen of the firmament
Lord of all beneath
Masters of the universe
We're all refugees
And in many countries
They adore celebrities
Open up (open up) the floodgates (floodgates)
To the rising seas
To the rising seas
To the rising seas

Key Vocabulary

Start Practicing

Vocabulary	Meanings
child /tʃaɪld/ A1	noun - a young human being below the age of puberty
toys /tɔɪz/ A1	noun - objects for children to play with
floodgates /ˈflʌdˌɡeɪts/ B2	noun - gates that control the flow of water in a flood control system
rising /ˈraɪzɪŋ/ B1	adjective - going up; increasing verb - to move upward; to increase
seas /siːz/ A2	noun - large bodies of salt water that cover much of the Earth's surface
temperature /ˈtɛmp(ə)rətʃər/ B1	noun - the degree of heat present in a substance or environment
climate /ˈklaɪmət/ B1	noun - the long‑term pattern of weather in a particular area
fever /ˈfiːvər/ B1	noun - an abnormally high body temperature, often a symptom of illness
listening /ˈlɪsənɪŋ/ B2	verb - paying attention to sound or speech
trading /ˈtreɪdɪŋ/ B2	noun - the action of buying and selling goods or services
street /striːt/ A2	noun - a public road in a city or town, typically with buildings on both sides
jumping /ˈdʒʌmpɪŋ/ B1	verb - to push oneself off a surface and into the air
music /ˈmjuːzɪk/ A2	noun - the art of arranging sounds in time to produce a composition
decide /dɪˈsaɪd/ B1	verb - to choose something after thinking about the possibilities
firmament /ˈfɜːrməmənt/ C2	noun - the sky, especially when regarded as a vault or dome
refugees /ˈrɛfjʊdʒiːz/ B2	noun - people who have been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster
celebrities /səˈlɛbrɪtiz/ B2	noun - well‑known and admired public figures
dinosaurs /ˈdaɪnəˌsɔːrz/ B1	noun - a group of extinct reptiles that lived millions of years ago

What does “child” mean in the song "Rising Seas"?

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Key Grammar Structures

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