Sober Up – English Lyrics

• By: AJR, Rivers Cuomo
• Album: OK ORCHESTRA

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into "Sober Up" by AJR and Rivers Cuomo, a song that beautifully captures the universal feeling of longing for the simplicity of youth. Learning the English lyrics can help you grasp nuanced emotions related to nostalgia, growing up, and the bittersweet transition from childhood innocence to adult complexities. Its relatable themes and unique blend of indie-pop with a Weezer-esque touch make it a special track for emotional vocabulary.

[English]

Hello, hello

I'm not where I'm supposed to be

I hope that you're missing me

'Cause it makes me feel young

Hello, hello

Last time that I saw your face

Was recess in second grade

And it made me feel young

Won't you help me sober up?

Growing up, it made me numb

And I want to feel something again

Won't you help me sober up?

All the big kids, they are drunk

And I want to feel something again

Won't you help me feel something again?

Won't you help me sober up?

Sober up, sober up, sober up, sober up

How's it go again?

How's it go again?

Goodbye, goodbye

I said to my bestest buds

We said that we'd keep in touch

And we did our best

All my new friends

We smile at party time

But soon we forget to smile

At anything else

Won't you help me sober up?

Growing up, it made me numb

And I want to feel something again (my favourite colour is you)

Won't you help me sober up?

All the big kids, they are drunk

And I want to feel something again (my favourite colour is you)

Won't you help me feel something again?

Won't you help me sober up?

Sober up, sober up, sober up, sober up

How's it go again?

How's it go again?

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
sober /ˈsoʊbər/ B2	adjective - not affected by alcohol; clear-headed verb - to make or become sober
feel /fiːl/ A2	verb - to experience an emotion or sensation
young /jʌŋ/ A1	adjective - having lived or existed for a short time; not old
help /hɛlp/ A1	verb - to assist or aid someone
forget /fərˈɡɛt/ B1	verb - to fail to remember something
numb /nʌm/ B2	adjective - deprived of the power of sensation; unable to feel verb - to make someone unable to feel or react
face /feɪs/ A2	noun - the front part of a person's head
kids /kɪdz/ A1	noun - children
party /ˈpɑːrti/ A2	noun - a social gathering of invited guests
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - a point of time as measured in hours and minutes
goodbye /ɡʊdˈbaɪ/ A2	noun - a farewell

Key Grammar Structures

• I'm not where I'm supposed to be

  ➔ Present simple with negation to express a current state

  ➔ Uses "I'm not" (I am not) + "where I am supposed to be" to describe a current, unfulfilled expectation.

• Won't you help me sober up?

  ➔ Contrasting question using "won't you" (will not you) as a polite or rhetorical question

  ➔ Uses the contraction "won't" (will not) in a question to politely ask for help or to make a rhetorical request.

• Growing up, it made me numb

  ➔ Present participle "Growing up" as a gerund phrase indicating a process

  ➔ Uses the gerund "Growing up" to introduce a clause indicating the process of maturation affecting the speaker.

• And I want to feel something again

  ➔ Present simple with "want" + infinitive verb to express desire

  ➔ Uses "want" + infinitive "to feel" to indicate a desire to experience an emotion again.

• At anything else

  ➔ Preposition "at" + pronoun "anything" + adverb "else" to indicate other situations

  ➔ Uses "at" + "anything else" to refer to other circumstances besides the current context.

• How's it go again?

  ➔ Question form using "How's" (How is) + subject + complement to ask about the melody or song

  ➔ Uses a contracted form "How's" to ask about the way the song or melody goes again, implying repetition or recall.