Underdog – English Lyrics

• By: Alicia Keys

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the inspiring message of Alicia Keys' "Underdog," a song co-written with Ed Sheeran that shines a light on the unsung heroes among us . This empowering anthem celebrates the strength and determination of those who defy the odds, offering a powerful message of hope and resilience that can inspire English language learners to find confidence and motivation .

[English]

(soft piano music)

- A song is like a prayer.

My hope that we remember

how resilient we are,

and how we defy the odds.

I'd like to dedicate this song

to all the first responders and medical professionals

that are risking their life to keep us safe.

We're so grateful.

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ She was walking in the street, looked up and noticed ♪

♪ He was nameless, he was homeless ♪

♪ She asked him his name and told him what hers was ♪

♪ He gave her a story about life ♪

♪ With a glint in his eye and a corner of a smile ♪

♪ One conversation, a simple moment ♪

♪ The things that change us if we notice ♪

♪ When we look up, sometimes ♪

♪ They said I would never make it ♪

♪ But I was built to break the mold ♪

♪ The only dream that I've been chasing is my own ♪

♪ So I sing a song for the hustlers trading at the bus stop ♪

♪ Single mothers waiting on a check to come ♪

♪ Young teachers, student doctors ♪

♪ People on the front line knowing they don't get to run ♪

♪ This goes out to the underdog ♪

♪ Keep on keeping at what you love ♪

♪ You'll find that someday soon enough ♪

♪ You will rise up, rise up, yeah ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ She's riding in a taxi back to the kitchen ♪

♪ Talking to the driver about his children and wife ♪

♪ A first responder who is risking her life ♪

♪ To give us her love and get it right on time ♪

♪ She looked in his eyes in the mirror and he smiled ♪

♪ One conversation, a simple moment ♪

♪ The things that change us if we notice ♪

♪ When we look up, sometimes ♪

♪ They said I would never make it ♪

♪ But I was built to break the mold ♪

♪ The only dream that I've been chasing is my own ♪

♪ So I sing a song for the hustlers trading at the bus stop ♪

♪ Single mothers waiting on a check to come ♪

♪ Young teachers, student doctors ♪

♪ People on the front line knowing they don't get to run ♪

♪ This goes out to the underdog ♪

♪ Keep on keeping at what you love ♪

♪ And you'll find that someday soon enough ♪

♪ You will rise up, rise up, yeah ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah ♪

♪ You gonna rise up ♪

♪ You are gonna make it ♪

♪ Said we gonna rise up ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ I sing a song for the hustlers, single mothers ♪

♪ Young teachers, student doctors ♪

♪ People on the front line knowing they don't get to run ♪

♪ This goes out to the underdog ♪

♪ Keep on keeping at what you love ♪

♪ You'll find that soon enough ♪

♪ You will rise up, rise up, yeah ♪

(gentle piano music)

♪ Ooh ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
hope /hoʊp/ A2	noun - a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen
resilient /rɪˈzɪl.jənt/ B2	adjective - able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions
dream /driːm/ A2	noun - a series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep verb - to imagine or hope for something
hustler /ˈhʌs.lər/ B2	noun - a person who is aggressively enterprising or hardworking
rise /raɪz/ A2	verb - to move from a lower position to a higher one
conversation /ˌkɒn.vəˈseɪ.ʃən/ B1	noun - a talk, especially an informal one, between two or more people
risk /rɪsk/ B1	verb - to expose to danger or harm noun - the possibility of loss or injury
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter
safe /seɪf/ A2	adjective - protected from or not exposed to danger or risk
notice /ˈnoʊ.tɪs/ B1	verb - to become aware of something
single /ˈsɪŋ.ɡəl/ A2	adjective - only one; not one of several
young /jʌŋ/ A1	adjective - having lived or existed for a short time
front line /frʌnt laɪn/ B2	noun - the most advanced, forward position in a conflict or situation
odds /ɑdz/ B2	noun - the ratio between the amounts of money bet on different outcomes

Key Grammar Structures

• One conversation, a simple moment

  ➔ Use of indefinite article 'a' before a noun to refer to a non-specific item.

  ➔ The phrase 'a simple moment' uses **'a'** to refer to a non-specific, singular moment.

• She was walking in the street, looked up and noticed

  ➔ Use of past continuous tense 'was walking' to describe an ongoing action in the past.

  ➔ The phrase 'She was walking in the street' indicates an action that was happening at a specific moment in the past.

• Keep on keeping at what you love

  ➔ Use of phrasal verb 'keep on' to indicate persistence in an ongoing action.

  ➔ The phrase 'Keep on keeping at what you love' encourages persistence and ongoing effort in pursuing your passions.

• They said I would never make it

  ➔ Use of modal 'would' to express a future-in-the-puture intention or prediction about oneself.

  ➔ The phrase 'They said I would never make it' uses 'would' to indicate a prediction or belief about the future failure of the speaker.

• People on the front line knowing they don't get to run

  ➔ Use of 'knowing' as a present participle to indicate an ongoing action or condition.

  ➔ The phrase 'knowing they don't get to run' implies that these people are aware of their limitations or circumstances.

• And you'll find that someday soon enough

  ➔ Use of 'soon enough' as an adverbial phrase to indicate that something will happen in the near future.

  ➔ The phrase 'someday soon enough' expresses optimism that an event or achievement will occur in the near future.