Small Worlds – English Lyrics

• By: Mac Miller
• Album: Swimming

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the poignant lyrics and soulful melodies of Mac Miller's 'Small Worlds.' This song offers a raw and honest glimpse into the artist's mind, touching on universal themes of personal struggle, growth, and the search for peace amidst life's complexities. Through its reflective verses and calm production, you can explore authentic expressions of human emotion, making it a perfect track to immerse yourself in the nuances of English, especially its colloquial and introspective vocabulary.

[English]

Yeah, yeah

The world is so small 'til it ain't, yeah

I'm building up a wall 'til it break

She hate it when I call and it's late

I don't wanna keep you waitin'

I hope I never keep you waitin', yeah

I think I know it all but I don't

Why you always at the mall when you broke? Yeah

And I just wanna ball

Maybe dunk but I've never been tall, yeah

I might trip, I never fall

God knows I came close (don't try this at home)

I know I probably need to do better, fuck whoever

Keep my shit together

You never told me being rich was so lonely

Nobody know me, oh well

Hard to complain from this five-star hotel

I'm always in a rush

I've been thinking too much but

Keep it on the hush, no one need to know, just us

That's really all it takes

We don't need nothing but today (day), today (day)

Today (day), today (day)

The world is so small 'til it ain't

('Til it ain't, 'til it ain't, 'til it ain't)

I'm building up a wall 'til it break

('Til it break, 'til it break, 'til it break)

She hate it when I call and it's late

(And it's late, and it's late)

I don't wanna keep you waitin' (I don't wanna keep you waitin')

I hope I never keep you waitin' (I hope I never keep you waitin')

Woo (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

Woo (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

Woo (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

Woo (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

Woo (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

Woo (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

Woo (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

Woo (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

Yeah, got a bad attitude, playin' 'til I'm out of moves

No need for shame, I get more peace at slow speeds

Go beat the game, young control freak

It's cold in my veins, I'm below freezing

Snow season (made me)

They know that I so need my space

Don't wanna grow old, so I smoke just in case

She say that I glow below the waist

And a stroke is just so PGA

All I got is a little bit of space and time

Drawing shapes and lines of the world we made

Tomorrow may be right around the corner

But I swear it's gon' be worth it if I make you wait

There's somewhere above, you keep reaching up

That's really all it takes (that's really all it takes)

We don't need nothing but today (day), today (day)

Today (day), today (day)

The world is so small 'til it ain't

('Til it ain't, 'til it ain't, 'til it ain't)

I'm building up a wall 'til it break

('Til it break, 'til it break, 'til it break)

She hate it when I call and it's late

(And it's late, and it's late)

I don't wanna keep you waitin' (I don't wanna keep you waitin')

I hope I never keep you waitin'

...

Yeah, nine times out of ten, I get it wrong

That's why I wrote this song, told myself to hold on

I can feel my fingers slippin'

In a motherfuckin' instant, I'll be gone

Do you want it all if it's all mediocre?

Starin' at the wall and the wall's full of posters

Lookin' at my dreams, who I wanna be

I guess you gotta see it to believe

Ooh, I been a fool but that's cool

That's what human beings do

Keep your eyes to the sky, never glued to your shoes

Guess there was a time when my mind was consumed

But the sun comin' out now, clouds start to move

Don't tell me nothin' but the truth

I'm tired, I don't gotta spare a second

Win or lose, win or lose

I don't keep count, nobody checking

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
world /wɜːld/ A1	noun - the earth and all the people, things, and living creatures on it
small /smɔːl/ A1	adjective - little in size or amount
call /kɔːl/ A1	verb - to speak to someone using a telephone noun - a spoken request or message
late /leɪt/ A1	adjective - happening or arriving after the planned or expected time
wait /weɪt/ A1	verb - to stay in a place or delay an action until something happens
ball /bɔːl/ A1	verb - to have a good time or party noun - a round object that is used in a game or sport
fall /fɔːl/ A1	verb - to drop down from a higher place
know /nəʊ/ A1	verb - to be aware of something; to have information about something
rich /rɪtʃ/ A2	adjective - having a lot of money and possessions
lonely /ˈləʊn.li/ A2	adjective - unhappy because you are not with other people
rush /rʌʃ/ A2	noun - a hurried action or movement verb - to hurry
need /niːd/ A2	verb - to require something noun - a thing that is required
bad /bæd/ A2	adjective - not good; of poor quality or low standard
peace /piːs/ B1	noun - freedom from disturbance; tranquility.
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues; duration.
dreams /driːmz/ A2	noun - a cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal.
truth /truːθ/ B1	noun - the quality or state of being true.
move /muːv/ A1	verb - to change position or go from one place to another
fool /fuːl/ A2	noun - a person who acts unwisely or imprudently; a silly person.

Key Grammar Structures

• I think I know it all but I don't

  ➔ Subjunctive mood/Implied contrast

  ➔ The phrase 'I think I know it all' is immediately countered by 'but I don't', creating a rhetorical effect. The 'think' implies a subjective belief, immediately undermined. It's a sophisticated use of self-awareness.

• Nobody know me, oh well

  ➔ Ellipsis & Colloquialism

  ➔ The sentence is deliberately incomplete. 'Oh well' is a common interjection expressing acceptance or resignation. The ellipsis creates a casual, conversational tone.

• I've been thinking too much but Keep it on the hush, no one need to know, just us

  ➔ Gerund as object of verb, Imperative mood

  ➔ "Thinking too much" functions as the object of the verb 'been'. 'Keep it on the hush' is a direct command (imperative) to maintain secrecy. The 'just us' emphasizes exclusivity.

• Tomorrow may be right around the corner But I swear it's gon' be worth it if I make you wait

  ➔ Modal verb of possibility ('may'), Conditional sentence (Type 1)

  ➔ "Tomorrow may be right around the corner" expresses uncertainty about the future. The second clause is a conditional sentence: 'if I make you wait' (condition) 'it's gon' be worth it' (result).

• Nine times out of ten, I get it wrong

  ➔ Idiomatic expression, Adverbial phrase of frequency

  ➔ "Nine times out of ten" is an idiom meaning 'almost always'. It's a common way to express a high frequency of failure or error.