Music Friday: Adele Turns Sorrow Into Treasured Gold in Her Mega-Hit, ‘Rolling in the Deep’ October 30, 2020

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, British sensation Adele “turns her sorrow into treasured gold” in one of the most popular tunes of all time, the 2010 international mega-hit, “Rolling in the Deep.” The official music video has been viewed more than 1.74 billion times.



In this powerful song about a scorned woman seeking to turn the tables on a lover who has done her wrong, Adele promises revenge. In the end, she knows her anguish will pale in comparison to the torment he’s about to suffer. She takes great pleasure in plunging him into the depths of despair, and this is where our precious metal reference comes into focus.

She sings, “Turn my sorrow into treasured gold / You’ll pay me back in kind and reap just what you’ve sown.”

Not surprisingly, the song was inspired by the real-life breakup of Adele and her then-boyfriend. It’s been reported that Adele co-wrote the song with Paul Epworth in a single afternoon.

“Rolling in the Deep,” which was the lead single from Adele’s breakthrough album 21, quickly became an international sensation. It reached #1 in 12 countries, including the U.S. and Canada. As of 2019, "Rolling in the Deep" has sold 20.6 million copies, making it the best-selling digital single of all-time.

The song won three Grammy Awards in 2012 for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Short Form Music Video. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it #8 on its list of "The 100 Greatest Songs of the 21st Century."

Born in London in 1988, Adele Laurie Blue Adkins began singing at the age of four and eventually attended the prestigious — and free — BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology.

Four months after graduation, a friend posted a few of Adele's demo songs on Myspace, which led to a meeting with an executive from XL Recordings. She signed a record deal with the company in 2006 at the age of 18.

During her 14-year career, Adele has sold 120 million singles and secured her reputation as one of the most successful recording artists of all time.

Trivia: The mind-boggling viewer count for "Rolling in the Deep" (1.74 billion) fails to crack the list of the Top 30 most-viewed YouTube music videos of all time. The #1 spot is held by "Despacito" with 7.03 billion views. "Baby Shark Dance" is close behind at 7.00 billion views.

We invite you to watch the official music video of Adele's “Rolling in the Deep.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along...

“Rolling in the Deep”
Written by Adele Laurie Blue Adkins and Paul Richard Epworth. Performed by Adele.

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 ahead and sell me out and I’ll lay your ship bare,
See how I’ll 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 it’s 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,
(Your 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)
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 as 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,
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
I can’t help feeling,
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

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 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)

Could have had it all,
Rolling in the deep,
You had my heart inside of your hands,
But you played it with a beating.

Throw your soul through every open door,
Count your blessings to find what you look for.
Turn my sorrow into treasured gold,
You’ll pay me back in kind and reap just what you’ve sown.

(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
We could have had it all,
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
We could have had it all.
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me),
It all, it all, it all.
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

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)

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 hands,
(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.


Credit: Photo by Kristopher Harris from Charlotte, NC, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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