We Are Family – English Lyrics

• By: Sister Sledge
• Album: We Are Family

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the story behind Sister Sledge's iconic hit, "We Are Family," a song that transcends generations with its message of unity and togetherness. Explore how this feel-good anthem, born from the creative minds of Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, became a symbol of inclusivity and celebration, inviting listeners to embrace the power of kinship and community.

[English]

We are family

I got all my sisters with me

We are family

Get up everybody and sing

We are family

I got all my sisters with me

We are family

Get up everybody and sing

Everyone can see we're together

As we walk on by

(And) and we fly just like birds of a feather

I won't tell no lie

(All) all of the people around us they say

Can they be that close

Just let me state for the record

We're giving love in a family dose

We are family (hey, y'all)

I got all my sisters with me

We are family

Get up everybody and sing (sing it to me)

We are family

I got all my sisters with me

We are family

Get up everybody and sing

Living life is fun and we've just begun

To get our share of this world's delights

(High) high hopes we have for the future

And our goal's in sight

(We) no, we don't get depressed

Here's what we call our golden rule

Have faith in you and the things you do

You won't go wrong, oh no

This is our family jewel

We are family (hey, sing it to me)

I got all my sisters with me

We are family (oh, I can hear you now)

Get up everybody and sing

We are family

I got all my sisters with me

We are family (get up, get up y'all)

Get up everybody and sing

We are family (I got my sisters with me)

I got all my sisters with me

We are family

Get up everybody and sing (get up and sing it to me)

We are family

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
family /ˈfæməli/ A1	noun - a group consisting of parents and children living together in a household
sisters /ˈsɪstərz/ A1	noun - female siblings
sing /sɪŋ/ A1	verb - to make musical sounds with the voice
together /təˈɡɛðər/ A2	adverb - in or into one place or group
walk /wɔːk/ A1	verb - to move at a regular pace by lifting and setting down each foot in turn
fly /flaɪ/ A2	verb - to move through the air using wings
birds /bɜːrdz/ A1	noun - warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates with feathers and wings
feather /ˈfeðər/ B1	noun - one of the horny epidermal growths forming the plumage of birds
people /ˈpiːpl/ A1	noun - human beings in general or considered collectively
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter, including capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.
fun /fʌn/ A1	noun - enjoyment or amusement
share /ʃer/ A2	noun - a part or portion belonging to, contributed by, or owed by a person or group
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - the earth together with all of its countries and people
delights /dɪˈlaɪts/ B2	noun - great pleasure or satisfaction
hopes /hoʊps/ B1	noun - a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen
future /ˈfjuːtʃər/ A2	noun - the time that is to come
goal /ɡoʊl/ A2	noun - the object of a person's ambition or effort; an aim or desired result
faith /feɪθ/ B1	noun - complete trust or confidence in someone or something
jewel /ˈdʒuːəl/ B1	noun - a precious stone

Key Grammar Structures

• We are family

  ➔ Present Simple (to be)

  ➔ The sentence uses the present simple tense of the verb "to be" to state a current fact or state of being. "We" is the subject, "are" is the verb, and "family" is the complement. This establishes their identity.

• I got all my sisters with me

  ➔ Informal past simple (got) with prepositional phrase

  ➔ This uses "got" colloquially to mean "have" or "have with me". It's less formal than "I have". The prepositional phrase "with me" specifies the location or presence of her sisters.

• Get up everybody and sing

  ➔ Imperative

  ➔ This is an imperative sentence giving a direct command or instruction. The verb "get up" is followed by the subject (everybody) and then another verb "sing".

• Everyone can see we're together

  ➔ Modal verb (can) + contracted form (we're)

  ➔ "Can" is a modal verb expressing ability or possibility. "We're" is a contraction of "we are". The modal verb modifies the main verb "see", indicating that it is possible for everyone to see their togetherness.

• As we walk on by

  ➔ Subordinating conjunction ('as') + phrasal verb ('walk on by')

  ➔ "As" functions as a subordinating conjunction, introducing a clause that provides the context or time frame for the main clause. "Walk on by" is a phrasal verb, meaning to walk past someone or something.

• We fly just like birds of a feather

  ➔ Simile (like) + idiom ('birds of a feather')

  ➔ This uses "like" to create a simile, comparing their unity and harmony to the way birds of a feather fly together. The idiom "birds of a feather" means people of similar tastes or characters tend to gather together.

• I won't tell no lie

  ➔ Double negative (non-standard)

  ➔ This is an example of a double negative, which is generally considered non-standard English. In standard English, "I won't tell no lie" would be "I will not tell a lie" or "I will tell no lie". However, in some dialects or for stylistic effect, the double negative is used for emphasis, meaning "I definitely won't lie."