Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go – English Lyrics

• By: Wham!

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the vibrant world of 80s pop with Wham!'s iconic hit, "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"! This song is a masterclass in catchy, feel-good pop, featuring simple yet memorable lyrics that are perfect for English language learners. Its clear enunciation, repetitive chorus, and energetic rhythm make it easy to follow along, pick up new vocabulary related to emotions, dancing, and everyday life, and even practice your own pronunciation. Experience the infectious optimism and playful spirit that made this track a global phenomenon, and let its 'boom-boom' put some joy into your language learning journey!

[English]

♪ Jitterbug ♪

♪ Jitterbug ♪

♪ Jitterbug ♪

♪ Jitterbug ♪

♪ You put the boom, boom into my heart, ooh, ooh ♪

♪ You send my soul sky-high ♪

♪ When your lovin' starts ♪

♪ Jitterbug into my brain, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Goes a bang, bang, bang ♪

♪ 'Til my feet do the same ♪

♪ But something's bugging me ♪

♪ Something ain't right ♪

♪ My best friend told me ♪

♪ What you did last night ♪

♪ You left me sleeping in my bed ♪

♪ I was dreaming ♪

♪ But I should've been with you instead ♪

♪ Wake me up before you go, go ♪

♪ Don't leave me hanging on like a yo-yo ♪

♪ Wake me up before you go, go ♪

♪ I don't wanna miss it when you hit that high ♪

♪ Wake me up before you go, go ♪

♪ 'Cause I'm not planning on going solo ♪

♪ Wake me up before you go, go, ah ♪

♪ Take me dancing tonight ♪

(upbeat music)

♪ I wanna hit that high ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah ♪

♪ You take the gray skies outta my way, ooh, ooh ♪

♪ You make the sun shine brighter than Doris Day ♪

♪ You turned a bright spark into a flame, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ My beats per minute never been the same ♪

♪ 'Cause you're my lady ♪

♪ I'm your fool ♪

♪ It makes me crazy when you act so cruel ♪

♪ Come on, baby ♪

♪ Let's not fight ♪

♪ We'll go dancing ♪

♪ Everything will be all right ♪

♪ Wake me up before you go, go ♪

♪ Don't leave me hanging on like a yo-yo ♪

♪ Wake me up before you go, go ♪

♪ I don't wanna miss it when you hit that high ♪

♪ Wake me up before you go, go ♪

♪ 'Cause I'm not planning on going solo ♪

♪ Wake me up before you go, go, ah ♪

♪ Take me dancing tonight ♪

♪ I wanna hit that high ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, baby ♪

♪ Jitterbug ♪

♪ Jitterbug ♪

♪ Cuddle up, baby ♪

♪ Move in tight ♪

♪ We'll go dancing tomorrow night ♪

♪ It's cold out there ♪

♪ But it's warm in bed ♪

♪ They can dance ♪

♪ We'll stay home instead ♪

♪ Jitterbug ♪

♪ Wake me up before you go, go ♪

♪ Don't leave me hanging on like a yo-yo ♪

♪ Wake me up before you go, go ♪

♪ I don't wanna miss it when you hit that high ♪

♪ Wake me up before you go, go ♪

♪ 'Cause I'm not planning on going solo ♪

♪ Wake me up before you go, go, ah ♪

♪ Take me dancing tonight ♪

♪ Wake me up before you go, go ♪

♪ Don't you dare to leave me hanging on like a yo-yo ♪

♪ Take me dancing ♪

♪ A boom, boom, boom, boom, oh ♪

♪ A boom, boom, boom, boom, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Take me dancing tonight, ooh, aah ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah ♪

(upbeat music)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
jitterbug /ˈdʒɪtərˌbʌɡ/ B1	noun - a lively dance popular in the 1940s
heart /hɑrt/ A1	noun - the organ in your chest that sends the blood around your body
soul /soʊl/ B1	noun - the spiritual part of a person, often regarded as immortal
dream /driːm/ A2	verb - to experience thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep
shine /ʃaɪn/ A2	verb - to give out or reflect light
dance /dæns/ A1	verb - to move rhythmically to music
crazy /ˈkreɪzi/ B1	adjective - mentally deranged; insane
high /haɪ/ A2	adjective - at a great distance above the ground
cold /koʊld/ A1	adjective - having a low temperature
warm /wɔrm/ A2	adjective - having a moderately high temperature
leave /liːv/ A2	verb - to go away from a place
plan /plæn/ B1	verb - to decide on and arrange in advance
baby /ˈbeɪbi/ A1	noun - a very young child
fool /fuːl/ B2	noun - a person who acts unwisely or imprudently

Key Grammar Structures

• You put the boom, boom into my heart

  ➔ Present Simple: Used to express a general truth or habitual action. 'You put' indicates a regular or characteristic action.

  ➔ The line demonstrates how the subject's actions directly influence the speaker's emotions, emphasizing the ongoing and impactful nature of their connection. "Put" is in the present simple.

• You send my soul sky-high

  ➔ Present Simple: Similar to the previous line, this describes a recurring or characteristic effect. 'You send' denotes a regular action.

  ➔ The use of "send" implies a powerful and uplifting emotional impact. "Send" is in the present simple.

• But something's bugging me

  ➔ Present Continuous: 'Something's bugging' is a contraction of 'Something is bugging,' and it indicates an action happening at the moment of speaking or around this time.

  ➔ This line expresses a current concern or annoyance. The contraction is common in informal speech and song lyrics. "Is bugging" is the present continuous form.

• What you did last night

  ➔ Past Simple: 'Did' indicates an action completed in the past. 'Last night' provides a specific time frame for the action.

  ➔ This is an example of reported speech/indirect question. The simple past tense is used to describe the action that occurred the previous night. "Did" is the auxiliary verb in the simple past.

• I should've been with you instead

  ➔ Modal Perfect: 'Should've been' is a contraction of 'Should have been,' and it expresses regret or a missed opportunity in the past.

  ➔ This line indicates that the speaker feels they made the wrong choice and regrets not being with the person in question. The modal verb "should" plus "have been" expresses a past obligation that wasn't fulfilled.

• Don't leave me hanging on like a yo-yo

  ➔ Imperative: 'Don't leave' is an imperative sentence, giving a direct command or request.

  ➔ This line is a plea, urging the person not to abandon the speaker emotionally. It uses a simile (like a yo-yo) to illustrate the unstable and undesirable situation. "Don't leave" is the imperative.

• I don't wanna miss it when you hit that high

  ➔ Future Time Clause: 'When you hit that high' is a subordinate clause indicating a future time. The main clause uses 'don't wanna' (want to) in the present to express a future desire.

  ➔ The speaker is expressing a fear of missing a significant or enjoyable moment. 'Wanna' is an informal contraction of 'want to'. The time clause 'when you hit that high' refers to a moment in the future. The 'hit that high' refers to a peak experience, often in a romantic or exciting context.

• I'm not planning on going solo

  ➔ Present Continuous for Future Plans: 'I'm not planning' uses the present continuous to express a definite future arrangement or intention. 'Going solo' is a gerund phrase acting as the object of the preposition 'on'.

  ➔ This line indicates a strong desire to remain connected to someone, expressing a commitment to avoid being alone. "Going solo" is a gerund meaning to be or act alone.