Adele: Rolling in the Deep Meaning
Song Released: 2010
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Rolling in the Deep Lyrics
Reaching a fever pitch and it's bringing me out of the dark
Finally, I can see you crystal clear.
Go ahead and sell me out and I'll lay your shit bare.
See how I leave, with every piece of you
Don't...
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1TOP RATED
anonymous Apr 25th 2011, 00:26 report
*There's a fire starting in my heart
Reaching a fever pitch, it's bringing me out the dark
Finally I can see you crystal clear
Go 'head and sell me out and I'll lay your shit bare*
To me, this means that she was in a "dark" place, filled with sadness. But, now that time is passing, she is becoming more and more angry and replacing the darkness (sadness) is a fire (anger). With the sadness gone she can see him for who he really is (crystal clear). By "sell me out" I think she means that she feels like he basically betrayed her trust by hurting her and now she is ready to be honest about who he really is (lay your shit/ship bare).
*See how I leave with every piece of you
Don't underestimate the things that I will do*
She is leaving but, not letting him get the best of her and in her mind she knows that in the future he will regret this and realize that when she left he lost more then he thought he would.
*The scars of your love remind me of us
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all
The scars of your love they leave me breathless
I can't help feeling*
She is still carrying the memories (scars) of their love with her and they leave her feeling a sense of defeat because she knows that they could have been great.
*We could have had it all
(You're gonna wish you, never met me)
Rolling in the deep
(tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside of your hands
And you played it
To the beat*
This means, to me, that, she knows that they could have had it all and that when he realizes it, as well, he is going to wish he never met her and end up, ultimately, drowning in his own tears of sorrow and pain(rolling in the deep). He had her heart, knew it (you had my heart inside of your hands), and didn't care. "Played it to the beat" is a beautiful way of saying that he played her. Like, he was holding her heart in his hands, felt the beat but, just treated it like background music in his little game.
*Baby I have no story to be told,
But I've heard one of you and I'm gonna make your head burn.
Think of me in the depths of your despair.
Making a home down there, as mine sure won't be shared.*
She has nothing to hide or be ashamed of because she did nothing wrong (no story to be told). He, however has a lot to be ashamed of ( heard one of you) and she is going to make sure he remembers that HE was the one that caused the heartbreak and did the wrong in the relationship (make your head burn). Once he realizes this and starts feeling the pain, she wants him to hurt more by remembering her (think of me in the depths of your despair). She also doesn't want him to feel better (make a home down there ("down there" being the depths of his despair)) and when he comes back to her, she wont take him back (as mine wont be shared).
*Throw yourself through every open door (Whoa)
Count your blessings to find what look for (Whoa-uh)
Turn my sorrow into treasured gold (Whoa)
And pay me back in kind- You reap just what you sow.*
Now that they are over, he is most likely going to turn into a "man whore" and sleep with any girl who will sleep with him (throw yourself through every open door) but, that is not what will make him happy. What she gave him is what would have, in the end, made him happy and he should count his blessings if he ever finds it again. (count your blessings to find what look for). The pain that he will ultimately feel over losing her will be her pay back in the end and will make up for all the sorrow and anger she is currently feeling. (turn my sorrow into treasured gold and pay me back in kind-you reap just what you sow).
Such a beautiful song, filled with anger and sadness. A true masterpiece! -
2TOP RATED
anonymous Mar 3rd 2011, 16:23 report
I think rolling in the deep is an expression of deep love. She may have thought he was the one but instead he was playing with her love, her heart. She thought they had a chance at a deeper love a true love that would last. Hence you could have be rolling in the deep. The glasses may be symbolic of a shallow love,their love could never get beyond a glass of water when compared the depth of an ocean of love.
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3TOP RATED
anonymous Mar 2nd 2011, 11:09 report
This song is about sorrow of love and anger about realizing that it's over and realizing this lover was playing with your emotions "played me to the beat".. but rejoicing in the fact that now he is suffering in the depths of himelf "rolling in the deep" "you're gonna wish you never had met me" because he will be haunted by that decision and for that he did to you while you are moving on "see how I'll leave with every piece of you". Now if only the two of you could have been on the same page all along "we could have had it all".
At least, that's how I hear it. -
anonymous Feb 12th, 23:26 report
Rolling in the Deep" is a nautical term used to denote the condition of utter hopelessness of a situation. Describes the rolling motion of small boats and ships resting on the bottom of the sea, it is a poetic version of Rolling in the Deep blue sea. Used to describe the condition where it is acceptable to suspend rescue efforts . "They just as well call off the search for them boys. That boat is Rolling in the Deep."
In Adele's version, she is gonna screw that boy so bad he is gonna be rolling in the deep. simple yes -
anonymous Sep 13th 2012, 12:13 report
I think the actual phrase "we could have had it all rolling in the deep" means if you were good to me and stuck it out...we would be rolling in MONEY together...now that i've made it :-)
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anonymous Jun 28th 2012, 06:39 report
Ok, heres my 2 cents:
I believe the dancer in the white powder represents confusion. In the beginning there is a great contrast between the scene (white powder) and the individual (dancer in black). During the video, the dancer swirls the powder into the air, which loses the contrast of the dancer and she begins to fade into the scene. The confusion could represent the individual not being recognised as a unique person and more recognised as an image in a setting. She loses the power to express herself emotionally and no matter how hard she tries to regain that power, its lost and much like the light in the background, her power to express has dimmed and faded away. This is one of the most beautiful parts of the song in my opinion.
The scene with the plates being thrown at the wall represents meaningless violence and a loss of purpose (which could connect with the dancer, since the dancer loses her purpose and meaning when she creates the confusion between the scene and herself with the powder). When the plates are smashed, they crumble into a mess on the floor. This is quite expressive of Adele's anger. She is throwing her anger and opinion (the plates) at the person through the song. All this is doing is hurting her, this is shown in the end of the song, when Adele can no longer put her opinion forward and she decrease herself using body language. This is the same action as the plates, after all the force has been transferred from the plate to the wall the plate shatters and falls to the ground in pieces.
Puting this in for an assignment, wish me luck! :) -
anonymous Jun 21st 2012, 21:40 report
Girlfriend is putting some voodoo on him...damning him to hell.
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anonymous Jun 19th 2012, 16:41 report
This song means having a penis deep insdie her.
IShe is saying you blew it buddy, all the deep places you could have placed your penis.
This explanation is the best so far. -
anonymous Jun 8th 2012, 04:27 report
‘But you played it with your beating’after reading the comments i went through the song lyrics again. i assume this phrase is the key to the meaning.he played her heart with HIS beating , not that he let it to be played in its own.she did her best in love that she did everything he wanted.i personally belive that y she is so pissed is because she eventually became a whole different thing just because of the love she had for him and it depicts that she sacrificed even being herself, and at the end she sees he has been playing her.
'we could have had it all,Rolling in the deep.'i think this means that she expected a deep feeling from him. i just font find a good interpretation for the part' rolling in the deep' among the readers comments. i tried to cm out with something that explains it.doest enyone think that rolling is used to hint about the phisical intimacy they had? generally any relationship has more responsibility when sexual intimacy is involved. she says they could have had it being"deeply" in love not just the shallow feelin he had for her.
obviously she is experiencing hatred after his betrayal.and i think she is planning to do something really big to him, could be even to kill him.not just killing , but making him suffer.(you're gonna wish you, never had met me (Tears are gonna fall rolling in the deep)"here rolling in the deep has another meaning which is sarcastic that he ll be suffering and will be in "hell", rolling in the DEEP.
she wants him to pay her wth her precious love she gave to him, turning it to gold,the song is a strong depiction of a womans love that is betrayed and how poisonous it is then,the more she loved him the more she feels the pain and hatred.
one of the best songs i ever heard:-) -
anonymous May 20th 2012, 20:19 report
*There's a fire, starting in my heart. Reaching a fever pitch, and its bringing me out the dark* She is obiously completly raged and is getting to an emotionally hot point (fever pitch) bringing her out of the dark abyss of sadness and bringing her into anger.
*Finally, i can see you crystal clear. So go ahead and sell me out and i'll lay your shit/ship bare.* She is able to see through him better and discover his real intentions. She then tells him to 'sell her out' or leave because he will soon regret ever hurting her.
*See how i'll leave with every peice of you, dont under estimate the things that i will do.* She wants him to see how he will be the one hurt in the end even if he thought she was weak. (dont under estimate)
*The scars of you're love remind me of us.*
This line indicates that she has memories of the love he gave her.
*They keep me thinking that we almost had it all.* She remembers how they almost had a perfect relashionship.
*The scars of your love they leave me breathless* Those scars, are squeezing her emotinally leaving her 'breathless'
* I cant help feeling, we could have had it all! Rolling in the deep. You had my heart inside your hands. But you played it, to the beat.* She cannot shake the feeling they could have been togheter, and she tells of how he played her.
*(You're gonna wish you, never had met me. Tears are gonna fall. Rolling in the deep.)* She is out for revenge, to make him not only regret hurting her but regret meeting her. The line 'Tears are gonna fall' means that she wont be the only one with sorrow. He too, will experience the pain she went through.
*Baby I have no story to be told,
But I've heard one of you and I'm gonna make your head burn.
Think of me in the depths of your despair.
Making a home down there, as mine sure won't be shared.* She has nothing to be ashamed of, as she was fateful and honest, but he has lots to be ashamed of and she wants to remind him that all of this is his fault. 'make your head burn.' When he become sorrowful, she wants him to think of her and hurt more. She wants him to make a home in his despair because hers wont be shared, meaning she is over with him for good.
And lastly....
*Throw your soul through every open door
Count your blessings to find what you look for
Turn my sorrow into treasured gold
You pay me back in kind- You'll reap just what you sow.* She means that after he is broken he will numb his way through life, and that he should count his blessings if he seeks happiness. She says that he can laugh now 'turn my sorrow into treasured gold' but that he will pay her back for it by taking all consequences. 'reap what you sow'
Hope this helped:) had to think ALOT. -
anonymous May 18th 2012, 20:15 report
For me, this song is not about love but revenge. The anger that she feels with the guy that left her.
That it's all cool, all ok, but in the end, he'll pay for everything, for all harm caused to her. Also the damage will be so big that he's going to wish he never had met her. -
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anonymous May 13th 2012, 00:21 report
You know what people, I love Adele n her song but I still don't get it. Now I understand your explanations but the video is confusing. That man was standing in the dark n when light shone on him, it looked like he/she was fighting it. Also the white things like boxes in the video were burnt in the end. What does all this really mean? I guess only God Almighty knows.
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anonymous Apr 23rd 2012, 12:04 report
This song is about an abusive relationship. He played her to the "beat(ing)" meaning, she gave him her heart and he chose to abuse her.
"There's a fire starting in my heart
Reaching a fever pitch, it's bringing me out the dark
Finally I can see you crystal clear
Go 'head and sell me out and I'll lay your shit bare"
This suggests that it is her anger that is finally allowing her to see the abusive relationship clearly. Not her love, which motivates her to stay and fix it.
Also, abusers often go on a smearing campaign against their targets--they spread rumors and basically try to paint the picture that the failure of the relationship was because of the target's flaws--so her lyrics about "sell me out" suggest that she is angry at his emotional blackmail, and that she will retaliate if he smears her reputation.
Again, "Baby I have no story to be told,
But I've heard one of you and I'm gonna make your head burn." She is saying that she is guilt free, but he is the abuser so if he attempts to smear her, she will tell the truth about him.
The rest is pretty self-explanatory. Abusive love is hard to get over, and targets go back over and over again because often the abuser has some aspect of their personality or relationship that is "too good to be true." The hardest part of leaving an abusive R is realizing that the love was an illusion of false hope and manipulation.
She is grieving the lost hope and love she had--the way that she loved him, and they could have had it all, but instead of loving her back, he abused her.
"Rolling in the deep": is the most vague phrase, but it could suggest that behind her anger at him, the old hopes and dreams are "rolling in the deep" of her mind and heart. -
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anonymous Apr 17th 2012, 08:39 report
To me it basically means that she loved him with all of her heart but he played with her emotions and she was hurt which she thinks he's gonna regret all the chances he ever got with her in the past.
He had her heart and broke it.So there's a fire running in her heart. -
anonymous Mar 31st 2012, 10:12 report
Its about her break up with god and her new found relationship with the devil.
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anonymous Mar 24th 2012, 17:22 report
It's about a failed relationship that, in the end, the person facing this failed relationship, that the man that played in this failed romance will be sorry for what he did: break up with her (also known as Adele.)
Please excuse the "Failed relationship"s, I couldn't think of anything else.
-Hermione "Ginny" Chase -
anonymous Mar 10th 2012, 01:22 report
Rolling In The Deep by "Adele"
This isn't actually a song interpretation. It is a DREAM interpretation. I dreamt this song was about a woman in my town named Tara. The explosion of "media communications technology" turned her life into a "rolling news" format situation on various music websites. Kind of like the CNN effect, only on the internet, and much more interactive and "fun" because anyone & everyone was invited to play along. This could not and would not have occurred unless someone had the "rights" to produce, publish & exploit Tara. Who possesses the rights to make a private citizen's comments "public"? A spouse? Adele? Someone in the middle? (Or in Tara's case ALL of the above?) Should that be considered legal? If we were to stay home and watch CNN all day, we would not be out & about spending money, which obviously would have a very negative effect on our economy. But if we stay home & fight a completely contrived "war" on our computers, we are all "contributing", hence making money for BOTH the big media conglomerates and whoever is "into" marketing our words (perhaps a spouse or another Loved one). Transplant the Hollywood effect & mentality onto a "regular" neighborhood of people... What kind of people cause & delight in the denigration of a human being? How can they glorify genuine human suffering? Simply to make money? To help Adele? To make Tara famous when she never asked to be? To exploit & ruin a perfectly great human in order to create laughs and gather a wide audience? Do these types of shitheels ever accept responsibility? What happens when their actions produce tragic consequences? Do they even care that they caused someone incredibly significant distress as they "played her to the beat"? Who makes the rules for what is considered to be our society's "morality"? CEOs? Is this all part of our country's vast capitalistic conspiracy? How does the media have free-license to publish this woman's words without her knowledge? Did her (soon-to-be-ex) husband give them permission unbeknownst to her? When she questions her (soon-to-be-ex) husband, he tells her she is "crazy" for these thoughts. Would anybody else ever question the legitimacy of this war against Tara? The media's representation of this situation seems as if it should be hilarious for Tara. How could they possibly think that this was fun for her? This isn't just a media war. This is Tara's life. She was sent to treatment for three months for excessive blogging & because she was ABUSED on-line. Now she is getting divorced while major artists win Grammys singing about the torment Tara has endured. She was raked over the coals because her husband and friends hired a team to egg her on in cyberspace. Now when they are confronted all they do is lie. What is the "rightness" and purpose to this? Do these brutes have a sound strategy and defined goals or are they just guessing their asses off? How come nobody will ever acknowledge the mysterious plot? Why are SO many people such evil bastards? How does the media think Tara should feel? "Good"? They created a war out of her life and churned complete destruction for the benefit of mass entertainment and profit. Oh and did I mention that Tara is blind? Do the participants comprehend the nature and consequences of an all encompassing "War on Tara"? Yes, I know they are fully able to virtually compare and contrast the shittiness done to Tara, to a wider context of universal injustices precipitated worldwide in the name of "Love". They are definitely able to relate all of Tara's hardship to music. Groovy man. Why must people be so attached to watching perfectly kind people suffer? Why must the media cause anguish for giggles and dough? Sensitivity to human suffering should be how we bond with each other and to whacked out foreign countries. If there is a constant editorialized media representation of "The War on Tara" or her divorce or her lack of "privacy" or her perceived "breakdown" or their fabrication of her "addiction" -- when a private citizen's setbacks and tragedies are promoted with the same guidelines as those used by producers to market programs such as Weeds or Modern Family -- something is incredibly wrong with our society. It is blatantly destructive and warped. The incredible hubris the U.S. media establishment displays & conceals in order to secure economic stability in the music & media industries at the expense of innocent blind people, should awaken the American public and cause them to intervene! Our country is Rolling In The Deepest of Shit. IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP, AMERICA.
Oh, and of course, congratulations Adele. -
anonymous Feb 24th 2012, 21:11 report
"rolling in the deep" means, to my view, consuming pain and sadness which almost kill her but she now is aware of and tries to overcome it buy moaning and forgetting her "lost" lover.
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anonymous Feb 21st 2012, 13:29 report
She fell deeply in love with him while he remained aboard a "ship" riding over the waves of emotion, just playing with love to the beat of her poor heart. The anger she feels realizing that is pulling her back up out of the depression from the loss. She knows that one day "HIS ship will be bare," and because no one else will love him as she did HIS head will burn with depression and anger towards himself. Her lament is that if he had only been willing to give of himself they "could have had it all."
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anonymous Feb 14th 2012, 19:41 report
Rolling in the Deep means that you've figured out what happened to a past relationship in the sense of reviewing and evaluating the many possibilities it could have been but it is not now. It ponders on the negative consequences of the person who caused the break, but also indirectly feels relieved that such a relatioship is over, but also because without the break the song probably would not have been written. So from the present point of view (that is the time when the song was conceived)it is thanking him for the trouble.
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Rolling in the Deep lyrics
Rolling in the Deep is considered:
Songs about Bad Relationships
Songs about Regret
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