#498 Rolling in the Deep- Adele

The scars of your love remind me of us
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all

Everything about the song is really clear except where the phrase “Rolling in the Deep” comes from. Millennial slang? Anyways, Adele and her ex used to be really close. She thought that he might be “the one”. It turns out he wasn’t. It turns out that he was actually a bad guy. This 180 has turned her into a woman scorned.

Rolliing in the Deep Meaning
Adele

She feels galvanized. Now she has to decide what to do with all this energy. Should she burn his life to the ground or should she take this energy and use it constructively. Or both? She hasn’t decided yet. Regardless, she warns him that she isn’t to be fucked with.

The song structure is great. The verses start off mildly and build to a crescendo in a powerful chorus. Very cathartic. The beating drums in the background do a great job of creating the atmosphere. Another great aspect of the song is the background singers. I like it when the background singers sound like the Greek Chorus. That is, they sound like your best friends in the background having your back—they are having a separate conversation yelling at the target of your rage. The Supremes do something similar in Where Did Our Love Go.

Rolling in the Deep Lyrics

There’s a fire starting in my heart
Reaching a fever pitch and 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 ship bare
See how I leave with every piece of you
Don’t underestimate the things that I will do
There’s a fire starting in my heart
Reaching a fever pitch and its bringing me out the dark

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
We could have had it all (you’re gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside of your hand (you’re gonna wish you never had met me)
And you played it to the beat (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

Baby I have no story to be told
But I’ve heard one on you and I’m gonna make your head burn
Think of me in the depths of your despair
Making a home down there ’cause mine sure won’t be shared

The scars of your love remind me of us (you’re gonna wish you never had met me)
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
The scars of your love they leave me breathless, I can’t help feeling
We could have had it all (you’re gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside of your hand (you’re gonna wish you never had met me)
And you played it to the beat (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

We could’ve had it all
Rolling in the deep
You had my heart inside your hand
But you played it with a beating

Throw your soul through every open door
Count your blessings to find what you look for
Turned my sorrow into treasured gold
You pay me back in kind and reap just what you sow

we could’ve had it all
We could’ve had it all (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
It all, it all, it all, (you’re gonna wish you never had met me)
We could have had it all (you’re gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside of your hand (you’re gonna wish you never had met me)
And you played it to the beat (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

We could’ve had it all (you’re gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep (tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside your hand (you’re gonna wish you never had met me)
But you played it, you played it, you played it, you played it
To the beat

Songwriters: Adele Laurie Blue Adkins / Paul Richard Epworth

#497 Smooth Criminal- Michael Jackson

Annie are you okay, are you okay, Annie?

Most music critics will tell you that Billie Jean is Michael Jackson’s best song. It isn’t. “Smooth Criminal” is Jackson’s best song. (Sorry to spoil a bit of this list.) This song is out there. It shows off Jackson’s talent, knack for beat and bizarre song concepts perfectly.

The “Annie are you okay?” line is crazy. That is what we learned in freshman health class to when we practiced CPR on the dummies. It can’t be a coincidence that Jackson used the same line, can it? Was my teacher a closet Michael Jackson fan goofing on us? Was Jackson incorporating his CPR training into a song about killing? I almost don’t want to know the answer. Both are equally fantastic.

Smooth Criminal Meaning
The King of Pop

The lyrics of “Smooth Criminal” are particularly graphic. They describe the bloody murder of a woman. I can think of songs that take on similar dark topics, but few that are graphic like this (I don’t count rap songs). Strange Fruit is an example of an extremely dark song, but the language is mostly metaphorical. Jackson’s high octave range and staccato delivery soften the impact. But when you listen to the words they are pretty jarring.

The sound is dark and the signature guitar riff is great. I think it is one of his finer vocal performances as well. He sings the backup as well (I think) by layering his vocals. He appropriately speeds up the pace of the song to simulate the frantic nature of someone discovering a crime like this. It really is a fantastic concept for a song. There are a few too many of his trademark “Ows” and “Oohhs”, but some people like that. I could use 90% fewer.

Smooth Criminal Lyrics

As he came into the window,
Was a sound of a crescendo.
He came into her apartment,
He left the bloodstains on the carpet.

She ran underneath the table,
He could see she was unable.
So she ran into the bedroom,
She was struck down, it was her doom.

Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay?
Are you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay?
Are you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay?
Are you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay? Are you okay Annie?

Annie are you okay?
Will you tell us that you’re okay?
There’s a sign at the window,
That he struck you, a crescendo Annie.
He came into your apartment,
Left the bloodstains on the carpet.
Then you ran into the bedroom,
You were struck down,
It was your doom.

Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay?
Are you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay?
Are you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay?
Are you okay, Annie?
You’ve been hit by,
You’ve been hit by,
A smooth criminal.

So they came into the out way,
It was Sunday, what a black day.
Mouth to mouth resuscitation,
Sounding heartbeats, intimidation.

Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay
Are you okay, Annie
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay
Are you okay, Annie
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay?
Are you okay, Annie?
Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay? Are you okay Annie?

Annie are you okay?
Will you tell us that you’re okay?
There’s a sign at the window,
That he struck you, a crescendo Annie.
He came into your apartment,
Left the bloodstains on the carpet.
Then you ran into the bedroom,
You were struck down,
It was your doom.

Annie, are you okay?
So, Annie are you okay?
Are you okay, Annie?
You’ve been hit by,
You’ve struck by
A smooth criminal.
Annie are you okay?
(I don’t know)
Will you tell us that you’re okay?
(I don’t know)
There’s a sign at the window,
(I don’t know)
That he struck you, a crescendo Annie.
(I don’t know)
He came into your apartment,
(I don’t know)
Left the bloodstains on the carpet,
(I don’t know why, baby)
Then you ran into the bedroom.
(I don’t know)
You were struck down,
It was your doom, Annie (dag gone it).

Annie are you okay?
(Dag gone it, baby)
Will you tell us that you’re okay?
(Dag gone it, baby)
There’s a sign at the window,
(Dag gone it, baby)
That he struck you, a crescendo Annie.
He came into your apartment,
(Dag gone it)
Left the bloodstains on the carpet.
Then you ran into the bedroom,
You were struck down.
(Dag gone it)
It was your doom, Annie.

Songwriters: Michael Jackson

#496 Butterfly- Weezer

I did what my body told me to/
I didn’t mean to do you harm.

In “Butterfly”, Weezer (Rivers Cuomo/the narrator) struggles with the allure of beautiful women (the butterfly) while he is in a committed relationship. It appears that he cheats. He argues that it was a biological imperative (“It’s what my body told me to”) but we’re not sure how far that will get him.

Butterfly Meaning Meaing
Weezer

In fact, it probably causes him to lose the relationship: (“Every time I pin down what I think I want it slips away.”) But perhaps he is just destined to a life of chasing butterflies. As the song ends, he concludes that he is, in fact, never coming back to the relationship.

The beauty of “Butterfly” is in the honesty of the lyric. Regardless of whether it is based on real events or not, it paints a clear picture of the struggle young men face with the need to sow their wild oats. This is one of the more honest and raw depictions I can think of. The simplified vocal track and acoustic arrangement brings the lyric to the forefront making this a great candidate for Weezer’s best song.

Butterfly Lyrics

Yesterday, I went outside
With my momma’s mason jar
Caught a lovely butterfly
When I woke up today
Looked in on my fairy pet
She had withered all away
No more sighing in her breast

I’m sorry for what I did
I did what my body told me to
I didn’t mean to do you harm
Every time I pin down what I think I want, it slips away
The ghost slips away

Smell you on my hand for days
I can’t wash away your scent
If I’m a dog, then you’re a bitch
I guess you’re as real as me
Maybe I can live with that
Maybe I need fantasy
Life of chasing butterfly

I’m sorry for what I did
I did what my body told me to
I didn’t mean to do you harm
Every time I pin down what I think I want, it slips away
The ghost slips away

I told you I would return
When the robin makes his nest
But I ain’t never coming back

I’m sorry
I’m sorry
I’m sorry

written by Rivers Cuomo