What does Rolling in the Deep mean?

Adele: Rolling in the Deep Meaning

Album cover for Rolling in the Deep album cover

Song Released: 2010


Rolling in the Deep Lyrics

There's a fire starting in my heart,
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...

  1. anonymous
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    Jun 28th 2011 !⃝

    There's basically two meanings to this song.
    1) Heartbreak
    This one is pretty obviously expressed with the use of phrases such as 'the scars of your love remind me of us' and 'you had my heart inside your hand and you played it to the beat.
    'Scars of your love remind me of us' is saying that the memories either physical or emotional reminds her of how they were when they were together; to put it simply. 'you had my heart inside your hand and you played it to the beat' doesn't necessarily mean he played it how she expected more so that he took advantage of of her love by telling/showing her what she wanted to see/hear.
    2) Anger & revenge
    Anger & revenge is usually overlooked but it's definitely there for example the line 'See how I'll leave with every piece of you. Don't underestimate the things that I will do' and the obvious quote 'your gonna wish you never had met me'. These lines are pretty self explanatory.

    (And to the last person I don't think she plans to kill him because she also mentions 'Turn my sorrow into treasured gold.You pay me backin kind and reap just what you sow' which losely translated means [turn my sorrow into treasured gold - sadness turns to happiness] when [reap just what you sow- get what you deserve].)

  2. anonymous
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    Jun 25th 2011 !⃝

    When I was reading through the multiple posts and reviewing the video for the billionth time, I started to notice how the lyrics matched up with the video, even when it did not seem too. The glasses in the hallway, my boyfriend brought up to me, "Glass is half empty or glass is half full." In which I was more than ecstatic to figure out a possible reason for that piece of the video.

    The city burning, to me, sounds like a representation of her line "We Could Have Had It All" Boyfriends often promise the world to their lovers. Like the phrase 'I'd give you the moon and the stars.'

    The plates smashing, seemed to represent anger or fighting. In which both happens during a relationship that has gone sour. Plates being thrown and smashed. It seemed a simple enough and clear reason.

    But the most challenging thing was trying to figure out what was up with the man dancing in dust. At first I thought It may have been pointing towards the beauty of the relationship. Until I read about the factor of drugs being added into it. The fact that her ex was using. Now the powder suddenly, in my mind, looks much like that of drugs. Dancing in them... its almost like a figure lost in his own world, dancing in the High of things. Of course this thought only came to me moments ago. I hope that Adele comes out and talks about what the video means, for it is truly puzzling to me, and would put my mind at ease every time I hear the song.

    Of course I am not claiming that this is exactly what the video is about, I am not foolish enough to believe that my opinion ranks above the creator. ^^ I will continue watching and trying to decipher Rolling in the Deep, hopefully I will have new information at a later date. Unless Adele beats me to it. :D

  3. anonymous
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    Jun 24th 2011 !⃝

    why is the skyline in the background? Looks like nyc to me

  4. anonymous
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    Jun 23rd 2011 !⃝

    I was watching mob housewives, and when one of the ladies were compaining about the raccoons in her neighborhood tearing up the garbage all over, she stated, there is not one, the are a bunch of them, they roll deep. I took it as, thick as theives, so, I think rolling in the deep means, they could have been thick as theives.

  5. anonymous
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    Jun 22nd 2011 !⃝

    The chorus:

    shes sayin like u had my love
    but he you just took advantage of it

    "you had my love inside of your head and you played it to the beat"

    then hes regreting what he did and she knows its in his conscious.

    "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"



  6. anonymous
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    Jun 22nd 2011 !⃝

    These are applicable to the male view too, towards a female that "did a guy wrong".

  7. Lucky24
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    Jun 20th 2011 !⃝

    Rolling in the deep is a song about the anger, heartache, and twisted happiness you get when your getting revenge on who used you, or "played your heart to the beat", for example. She's angered that he used her when she though that they had it all, heartbroken that it ended the way it did, pissed that the "scars of their love" will always be there, but being giddy about getting revenge and turning some if the pain around on him.

    "there's a fire starting in my heart, reaching a fever pitch, and it's bringing me out the dark." this is the part where she's angered, her heart is raging with anger towards him, and she's getting more and more angry as she reminisces about it.

    "finally, I can see you crystal clear", this is where she realized that he was playing her.

    "go ahead, and sell me out, and I'll lay your shit bare." she's saying that he can go ahead and laugh at her for being used, for falling for him, because if he does, she'll hurt him just the same without any guilt.

    "see how I leave, with every piece of you, don't underestimate the things that I will do." she's Saying that he couldnt have used her without feeling something towards her, and she's gonna walk away leaving him hanging with all his memories. If he thought that she would just let it go, he was wrong, because shell do anything to get revenge.

    "the scars of your love, remind me of us, I can't help thinking that we couldve had it all," she really loved him, so she's not gonna forget him, so what he did had scarred her. Even though she knew their love wasn't real, he was such a good actor that she thought that they could have had it all,

    Chorus - "we couldve had it all, rolling in the deep, you had my heart inside your hands, and you played It to the beat." she gave him her heart, trusting that he'd take good care of it, but he took advantage of it instead.

    Verse two - "baby, I have no story to be told, but ive heard one of you, and I'm gonna make your head burn." she hasn't been spreading rumours, telling people about their relationship, but he has, and she's gonna make him pay for it.

    "think of me in the depths of yor despair" when he's all upset over her, he should reminisce about her.

    "make a home down there, cause mine sure won't be shared." the depths of your despair refers to the pain of being betrayed, she already felt like that for a long time, but he's just staring to feel it. She's telling him that he's gonna be feeling like that for a long time, so he might as well "make a home down there", because she won't be letting him in hers.

    Verse three - "throw your soul through every open door." she's getting rid of all their memories and any reminders of him.

    "count your blessings to find what you look for," pretty self explanitory,

    "turn my sorrow into treasure gold," she' sees no point in being upset over him, so instead of getting upset, she's turning that into happiness.

    "pay me back in kind - and reap just what you sow." 'reap just what you sow' is an expression, saying that you'll get what you deserve, what you worker for. What she's saying then is that it's ok that he hurt her - shell have fun watching him get what he deserves.

  8. anonymous
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    Jun 17th 2011 !⃝

    Adele described the song title's meaning to Rolling Stone as an, "adaptation of a kind of slang, slur phrase in the UK called 'roll deep,' which means to have someone, always have someone that has your back, and you're never on your own, if you're ever in trouble you've always got someone who's going to come and help you fight it or whatever like that. And that's how I felt in the relationship that the record's about, especially 'Rolling in the Deep.' That's how I felt, you know, I thought that's what I was always going to have, and um, it ended up not being the case."

  9. anonymous
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    Jun 10th 2011 !⃝

    Ummm, excuse me. The actual lyrics is "Go ahead and sell me out and I'll lay your ship bare." I find it hilarious that Adele should sing such a piece and Im only thirteen. Adele has a powerful, throaty voice that emphasizes love. Thumbs up for Adele!

  10. anonymous
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    Jun 9th 2011 !⃝

    The song is about the deep emotion of a young love. the deep love that emerges from the start and then the deep state of mine that is the metaphorical term "scar" being defined in this state of mine after the break up. it appears permanent until you can see clearly. Love is blind they say. it gives a view of eternal love and bliss together, never lonely. then the break up tosses you again into one individual, not complete as you felt. the anger(burning heart)is then emerging product of self protection/preservation which adele was very well prepared although she doubted so. she explained her power and strength that have emerged recovering from her emotional hurt, advising him to acknowledge the options left from his actions. the song is brilliant in delivery and with such a strong,beautiful voice and person as adele singing it "just the greatest".

  11. anonymous
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    Jun 5th 2011 !⃝

    Maybe a coincidence but Rolling in the Deep shortened to RID = She got RID of the jerk???

  12. anonymous
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    Jun 2nd 2011 !⃝

    Here's where you can find what "Rolling in the Deep" means

    http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=21312

    Adele described the song title's meaning to Rolling Stone as an, "adaptation of a kind of slang, slur phrase in the UK called 'roll deep,' which means to have someone, always have someone that has your back, and you're never on your own, if you're ever in trouble you've always got someone who's going to come and help you fight it or whatever like that. And that's how I felt in the relationship that the record's about, especially 'Rolling in the Deep.' That's how I felt, you know, I thought that's what I was always going to have, and um, it ended up not being the case."

    In my interpretation, She's angered by the fact that her partner that was supposed to be her person to Roll Deep, Left/cheated/whatever to her and isnt there anymore. Now that he's regretting it she's moved on.

  13. anonymous
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    Jun 2nd 2011 !⃝

    This is from another site I found because I wanted to know what the actual term "rolling in the deep" meant: Adele described the song title's meaning to Rolling Stone as an, "adaptation of a kind of slang, slur phrase in the UK called 'roll deep,' which means to have someone, always have someone that has your back, and you're never on your own, if you're ever in trouble you've always got someone who's going to come and help you fight it or whatever like that. And that's how I felt in the relationship that the record's about, especially 'Rolling in the Deep.' That's how I felt, you know, I thought that's what I was always going to have, and um, it ended up not being the case."

  14. anonymous
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    May 31st 2011 !⃝

    I believe that the song is about a guy and girl who are so so so so close to being a couple and then the guy just decides he doesn't love her anymore.

  15. anonymous
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    May 31st 2011 !⃝

    I think this is about someone she really loved and he was abusive. Violently, she sees him. Rolling in the deep, playing to the beat, and at one point, she almost sounds like she's saying beating...

    Reap what you sow, turning my sorrow into treasured gold, like someone who is abusive would be, seeing her hurt is what he hopes.

    But then he threw it all away, burn in hell, that type of thing. And that she could make his life hell, just by sharing what she knows about him.




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