waves – English Lyrics

• By: Miguel, Tame Impala
• Album: Rogue Waves

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a linguistic and sonic journey with Miguel and Tame Impala's "Waves." This captivating remix offers an excellent opportunity to explore modern English, particularly its use in expressing desire and metaphorical language within an R&B and psychedelic context. Its repetitive, yet mesmerizing, chorus and evocative imagery make the lyrics both memorable and meaningful, allowing learners to grasp contemporary expressions and idiomatic phrases while being immersed in its unique, genre-blending soundscape. The song's smooth vocals and atmospheric production provide a relaxed yet engaging backdrop for language acquisition.

[English]

Uh set it up, keep rollin', rollin', drop it

Baby drop it like it's stolen

(Baby drop it like it's stolen)

Uh set it up, keep rollin', rollin', drop it

Baby drop it like it's stolen

Wanna ride that wave all night

Wanna ride that wave all night

Wanna ride that wave all night

Wanna ride that wave

Uh set it up, keep rollin', rollin', drop it

Baby drop it like it's stolen, stolen

Uh set it up, keep rollin', rollin', drop it

Baby drop it like it's stolen

(Baby drop it like it's stolen)

Wanna ride that wave, oh

You got a body built for the beach, do you got that ocean?

Body surf, don't sleep, body surf on me, woman

Do you got that ocean?

Body surf, don't sleep

Until I hit the peak

You got a body built for the beach, do you got that ocean?

Body surf, don't sleep, body surf on me, woman

Do you got that ocean?

Body surf, don't sleep

Until I hit the peak

Until I hit the peak

Wanna ride that wave

Wanna ride that wave

(Baby drop it like it's stolen)

Oh, wanna ride that wave

(Baby, baby drop it like it's stolen)

Wanna ride that wave

Uh set it up, keep rollin', rollin', drop it

Baby drop it like it's stolen, stolen

Uh set it up, keep rollin', rollin', drop it

Baby drop it like it's stolen

(Baby drop it like it's stolen)

You got a body built for the beach, do you got that ocean?

Body surf, don't sleep, body surf on me, woman

Do you got that ocean?

Body surf, don't sleep

Until I hit the peak

Until I hit the peak

Woman

Wanna ride that wave all night

Wanna ride that wave all night

Wanna ride that wave all night

Wanna ride that wave all night

(Baby drop it like it's stolen)

Wanna ride that wave

...

Uh set it up, keep rollin', rollin', drop it

Baby drop it like it's stolen, stolen

Uh set it up, keep rollin', rollin', drop it

Baby drop it like it's stolen

Wanna ride that wave

Uh set it up, keep rollin', rollin', drop it

Baby drop it like it's stolen, stolen

Uh set it up, keep rollin', rollin', drop it

Baby drop it like it's stolen

Wanna ride that wave

Baby now

(Wanna ride that wave)

Don't just start going away, no

(Baby drop it like it's stolen)(Wanna ride that wave)

Don't just start going away, no

(Baby drop it like it's stolen)(Wanna ride that wave)

Baby drop it like it's stolen

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
ride /raɪd/ A1	verb - to sit on and travel on the back of an animal or vehicle verb - to be carried along by something, such as a wave
wave /weɪv/ A1	noun - a movement of water in the ocean or other body of water
body /ˈbɒdi/ A1	noun - the physical structure of a person or animal noun - a large amount of water, such as a sea or lake
surf /sɜːrf/ A2	verb - to ride on the waves of the sea, especially for sport noun - the waves that break on the shore
beach /biːtʃ/ A1	noun - a sandy or pebbly shore of a body of water
ocean /ˈoʊʃən/ A1	noun - a very large area of sea
peak /piːk/ B1	noun - the highest point of something, especially a mountain
stolen /ˈstoʊlən/ A2	adjective - having been taken illegally
drop /drɒp/ A1	verb - to fall or let something fall
rollin /ˈroʊlɪn/ A2	verb - to move forward with a rolling motion
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period of darkness between sunset and sunrise
built /bɪlt/ A2	verb - to make or construct something adjective - having a specified shape or form
woman /ˈwʊmən/ A1	noun - an adult female human being
sleep /sliːp/ A1	verb - to rest in a state of inactivity, typically by lying down
until /ənˈtɪl/ A1	preposition - up to the time when something happens

Key Grammar Structures

• Uh set it up, keep rollin', rollin', drop it

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ The verb "set" is used in the **imperative** to give a command: "**set** it up".

• Wanna ride that wave all night

  ➔ Contraction of "want to" + infinitive

  ➔ "Wanna" is a colloquial contraction of "**want to**" followed by the infinitive "**ride**".

• You got a body built for the beach

  ➔ Present simple + past participle used as adjective

  ➔ "Got" is the present simple of "have" and "built" is a past participle describing "body".

• Do you got that ocean?

  ➔ Non‑standard question formation with auxiliary "do"

  ➔ The auxiliary "**do**" is used to form a question, but the correct form should be "Do you **have**...".

• Until I hit the peak

  ➔ "until" + present simple for future condition

  ➔ "**Until**" introduces a time clause; the verb "**hit**" stays in the present simple because it refers to a future point.

• Don't just start going away, no

  ➔ Negative imperative + adverb "just"

  ➔ "**Don't**" is the negative form of the imperative; "**just**" limits the action, emphasizing not to merely start going away.

• Baby drop it like it's stolen

  ➔ Simile with "like" + clause "it's stolen"

  ➔ "**like**" introduces a simile, comparing the way "baby" should "drop it" to something that "**is** stolen".

• Body surf, don't sleep

  ➔ Imperative verb phrase + negative imperative

  ➔ "**Body surf**" is an imperative urging action; "**don't sleep**" is a negative imperative telling the listener not to rest.