Afraid – English Lyrics

• By: The Neighbourhood
• Album: I Love You

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the raw emotional landscape of The Neighbourhood's "Afraid" – a powerful anthem for anyone grappling with anxiety and the fear of inadequacy. Through its evocative lyrics and signature alternative sound, this song offers a unique opportunity to connect with English expressions of vulnerability and introspection, revealing how music can articulate universal human fears in a captivating way.

[English]

When I wake up, I'm afraid

Somebody else might take my place

When I wake up, I'm afraid

Somebody else might take my place

Make that money, fake that dummy, ache my tummy

On the fence, all the time

...

Paid junk honey, your face so sunny, ain't that funny?

All my friends always lie to me

I know they're thinking

You're too mean, I don't like you

Fuck you, anyway

You make me wanna scream at the top of my lungs

It hurts but, I won't fight you

You suck, anyway

You make me want to die, right when I

When I wake up, I'm afraid

Somebody else might take my place

When I wake up, I'm afraid

Somebody else might take my place

When I wake up, I'm afraid

Somebody else might take my place

When I wake up, I'm afraid

Somebody else might end up being me (being me, being me)

...

Keep on dreaming, don't stop breathing, fight those demons

Sell your soul, not your whole self

Oh, if they see it when you're sleeping, make them leave it

And I can't even see if there's hope there anymore, so

You're too mean, I don't like you

Fuck you, anyway

You make me wanna scream at the top of my lungs

It hurts but, I won't fight you

You suck, anyway

You make me want to die, right when I

When I wake up, I'm afraid

Somebody else might take my place

When I wake up, I'm afraid

Somebody else might take my place

When I wake up, I'm afraid

Somebody else might take my place

When I wake up, I'm afraid

Somebody else might end up being me (being me, being me)

Being me can only mean feeling scared to breathe

And if you leave me, then I'll be afraid of everything

That makes me anxious, gives me patience

Calms me down, lets me face this, let me sleep

And when I wake up, let me be

When I wake up, I'm afraid

Somebody else might take my place

When I wake up, I'm afraid

Somebody else might take my place

When I wake up, I'm afraid

Somebody else might take my place

When I wake up, I'm afraid

Somebody else might end up being me (being me, being me)

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
afraid /əˈfreɪd/ B1	adjective - feeling fear or anxiety
place /pleɪs/ A2	noun - a particular position or point in space
happy /ˈhæpi/ A2	adjective - feeling or showing pleasure or contentment
believe /bɪˈliːv/ B1	verb - to accept as true or real
die /daɪ/ A2	verb - to stop living
fight /faɪt/ B1	verb - to esforzarse por superar algo, generalmente con violencia o resistencia
scream /skriːm/ B2	verb - to cry out loudly
hope /hoʊp/ B1	noun - a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen
face /feɪs/ A2	noun - the front part of the head that includes the eyes, nose, and mouth
money /ˈmʌni/ A1	noun - a medium of exchange in the form of coins and bills
dream /driːm/ B1	verb - to experience dreams while sleeping noun - a series of images, ideas, or emotions occurring during sleep
face /feɪs/ A2	verb - to confront or deal with a difficult situation

Key Grammar Structures

• Somebody else might take my place

  ➔ Modal verb "might" for possibility

  ➔ "Might" indicates a lower probability than "will" or "may". It expresses a potential future event that the speaker is concerned about.

• Make that money, fake that dummy, ache my tummy

  ➔ Imperative verbs in a series

  ➔ These are commands, although used perhaps ironically or to convey a feeling of being pressured to do these things. The implied subject is "you".

• All my friends always lie to me

  ➔ Adverb of frequency "always" placed between subject and verb.

  ➔ The placement of "always" before the main verb "lie" is the standard position in English grammar.

• You make me wanna scream at the top of my lungs

  ➔ "Make" + object + bare infinitive ("wanna" is a colloquial contraction of "want to")

  ➔ "Make" in this context means "cause to". The bare infinitive "scream" follows "me" after "make".

• It hurts but, I won't fight you

  ➔ Use of "but" as a conjunction to show contrast.

  ➔ "But" connects two contrasting ideas: the pain experienced and the decision not to fight back. It shows a feeling of resignation.

• Being me can only mean feeling scared to breathe

  ➔ Gerund phrase as subject ("Being me"), "can only mean" + gerund phrase ("feeling scared to breathe")

  ➔ The gerund "being" acts as the subject of the sentence. "Feeling scared to breathe" is also a gerund phrase, functioning as the object of the verb "mean".

• And if you leave me, then I'll be afraid of everything

  ➔ Conditional sentence (Type 1): "If" + present simple, "will" + base form

  ➔ This is a first conditional, expressing a possible situation in the future and its likely consequence. The "then" is optional but emphasizes the consequence.