Underdog – English Lyrics

• By: Alicia Keys

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Alicia Keys' "Underdog," a powerful and universally relatable song that celebrates resilience and determination. Its clear, emotive lyrics offer a fantastic opportunity to grasp English vocabulary related to struggle, perseverance, and triumph, while its inspiring message makes it a special anthem for anyone facing challenges and striving to 'rise up.'

[English]

♪ 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 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 ♪

♪ Sons 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 ♪

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

♪ Talking to the driver ‘bout his wife and his children ♪

♪ On the run from a country Where they put you in prison ♪

♪ For being a woman And speaking your mind ♪

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

♪ One conversation A single 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 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 ♪

♪ Sons 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 ♪

♪ Everybody rise up ♪

♪ You gonna rise up Hey ♪

♪ 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 ♪

♪ Sons 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 ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
walk /wɔːk/ A1	verb - to move by putting one foot in front of the other
name /neɪm/ A1	noun - a word by which a person or thing is known
story /ˈstɔːri/ A2	noun - a narrative or tale
change /tʃeɪndʒ/ A2	verb - to make or become different
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 works hard and is determined to succeed
rise /raɪz/ B1	verb - to move from a lower position to a higher one
moment /ˈmoʊ.mənt/ B1	noun - a very brief period of time
smile /smaɪl/ A1	verb - to make a facial expression showing happiness noun - a facial expression of happiness
taxi /ˈtæksi/ A1	noun - a car that carries passengers for a fare
country /ˈkʌntri/ A2	noun - a nation with its own government
woman /ˈwʊmən/ A1	noun - an adult female human
child /tʃaɪld/ A1	noun - a young human being
front /frʌnt/ A2	noun - the side that faces forward
check /tʃɛk/ B1	noun - a written order directing a bank to pay money verb - to examine something

Key Grammar Structures

• They said I would never make it but I was built to break the mold.

  ➔ Conditional sentences (Type 1 and Type 2)

  ➔ The phrase "They said I would never make it" is a Type 1 conditional, expressing a real possibility, while "I was built to break the mold" suggests a hypothetical situation.

• The only dream that I been chasing is my own.

  ➔ Present perfect continuous tense

  ➔ The phrase "I been chasing" uses the present perfect continuous tense to indicate an action that started in the past and continues to the present.

• Keep on keeping at what you love.

  ➔ Gerunds and infinitives

  ➔ The phrase "Keep on keeping at" uses gerunds to express ongoing actions or states.

• You will rise up.

  ➔ Future simple tense

  ➔ The phrase "You will rise up" uses the future simple tense to express a promise or prediction about the future.

• One conversation, a simple moment.

  ➔ Noun phrases

  ➔ The phrase "One conversation, a simple moment" uses noun phrases to convey meaning succinctly.

• Young teachers, student doctors.

  ➔ Compound nouns

  ➔ The phrase "Young teachers, student doctors" uses compound nouns to describe specific groups of people.

• For being a woman and speaking your mind.

  ➔ Gerund as a subject

  ➔ The phrase "For being a woman and speaking your mind" uses gerunds to express actions that are the subject of the sentence.