Wave – English Lyrics

• By: Major Lazer, Kali Uchis
• Album: Peace Is The Mission (Extended)

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the laid-back, yet profound world of Major Lazer and Kali Uchis's "Wave." With its 'dubby' and Caribbean-infused electronic style, this song offers a unique opportunity to explore English through a lens of natural metaphors and emotional surrender. Discover how phrases about riding life's waves can teach you about acceptance and growth in a beautifully crafted musical experience.

[English]

Oh oh oh oh oooh

Oh oh oh oh oooh

Oh oh oh oh oooh

Just let it go

If you wanna go, we could make everything better oh

Just let it go

If you wanna grow, we could make everything better

First you gotta trust me, if you try to rush me

I'll go back to rush over like a wave

If you gotta fight it, always tryna ride it

Let them just rush over you like a wave

You see when I'll give the world

Diamonds and rubies and pearls

It's safe to say that I am your girl

Now get a little bit closer, say it to me

Why you, you tryna fight it

Something so natural

The waves come, you gotta ride it

If you wanna stay afloat

Just let it go

If you wanna go, we could make everything better oh

Just let it go

If you wanna grow, we could make everything better

Tell me that you're only mine

Promise that I'll take the time

Nobody likes a lazy lover

One step forward, two behind

Tell me, am I outta line

For letting it take me over

Oooh, baby it's out of control

Tell me, coming crashing down

Promise you won't let me drown

Just let it go

If you wanna go, we could make everything better oh

Just let it go

If you wanna grow, we could make everything better

Oh boy really make me, find

Boy really make my, find

Boy really make me

...

We could make everything better

...

Promise you won't let me down

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
wave /weɪv/ B1	noun - a disturbance that transfers energy through matter or space verb - to move one's hand or arm from side to side
trust /trʌst/ B1	noun - belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something verb - to have confidence in
rush /rʌʃ/ B1	verb - to move or act with great speed noun - a rapid or overwhelming movement
fight /faɪt/ A2	verb - to take part in a physical fight noun - a physical fight
ride /raɪd/ A2	verb - to sit on and control the movement of (a horse, bicycle, etc.)
diamonds /ˈdaɪəməndz/ B2	noun - a precious stone consisting of a clear and colorless crystalline form of pure carbon
closer /ˈkloʊsər/ A2	adjective - nearer in distance
natural /ˈnætʃərəl/ B1	adjective - existing in or caused by nature
stay /steɪ/ A1	verb - to remain in a place
grow /ɡroʊ/ A2	verb - to increase in size or amount
promise /ˈprɒmɪs/ B1	noun - a declaration assuring that one will do something or that a particular thing will happen verb - to assure someone that one will definitely do something or that something will happen
lover /ˈlʌvər/ B1	noun - a person with whom one is in love
control /kənˈtroʊl/ B2	noun - the power to influence or direct people's behavior or the course of events verb - to determine the behavior or supervise the running of
drown /draʊn/ B1	verb - to die from submersion in water
line /laɪn/ A2	noun - a long, narrow mark or band

Key Grammar Structures

• If you wanna go, we could make everything better

  ➔ Conditional Sentence Type 1

  ➔ Expresses real possibility: "If" + present simple, "could" + base verb shows potential action

• First you gotta trust me

  ➔ Informal obligation (gotta = got to)

  ➔ "Gotta" is colloquial for "have got to", indicating necessity. Common in spoken English.

• I'll go back to rush over like a wave

  ➔ Future simple for spontaneous decision

  ➔ "I'll" + base verb expresses instant decision made at moment of speaking

• Let them just rush over you like a wave

  ➔ Imperative with 'let'

  ➔ "Let" + object + base verb gives permission or suggestion. Soft imperative form.

• It's safe to say that I am your girl

  ➔ Impersonal expression + that-clause

  ➔ "It's" + adjective + "to say that" introduces opinion objectively. "That" connects to factual clause.

• Why you, you tryna fight it

  ➔ Informal contraction (tryna = trying to)

  ➔ "Tryna" represents casual pronunciation of "trying to". Common in songs/colloquial speech.

• The waves come, you gotta ride it

  ➔ Comma splice for rhythmic effect

  ➔ Two independent clauses joined by comma (grammatically incomplete but artistically intentional)

• Nobody likes a lazy lover

  ➔ Negative indefinite pronoun

  ➔ "Nobody" (no person) + singular verb for universal negative statement

• One step forward, two behind

  ➔ Ellipsis (verb omission)

  ➔ Missing verb "are" implied for poetic rhythm: "[There is] one step forward, [and] two [are] behind"

• Promise you won't let me drown

  ➔ Verb of commitment + negative future

  ➔ "Promise" (commitment verb) followed by object clause with "won't" showing future refusal