Tonight’s singer is angry. Very angry. And she turned that anger into one of the most famous songs of our century.
Learn from Songs · Unit 10: Relative clauses · B2
Rolling in the Deep
A furious break-up song that became one of the biggest hits of the century: non-defining relative clauses with commas (Adele, who was only twenty-one,…), which for a whole idea (…, which explains the anger), and prepositions in relative clauses (the person with whom / who… with), with Philo, Sophia, Marcos and Demetria.
SOPHIA
MARCOS
Angry at whom?
SOPHIA
At the man who left her. But listen carefully: she isn’t crying. She’s strong, and she’s warning him.
DEMETRIA
Good for her.
Before you listen: the song
London, 2010
Adele wrote the song the day after a painful break-up, with the producer Paul Epworth. She arrived at the studio, which was in west London, still upset, and the song, which began as a shout of anger, was almost finished in one afternoon.
The title comes from a London slang expression, to roll deep, which means to have someone who always protects you, who “has your back”. In the song, that is exactly what she thought he was, and what he was not. The song, which opened her second album, 21, was number one in many countries in 2011, and won the Grammy awards for Record and Song of the Year.
In the song, the singer feels a fire burning inside her. She gave him her heart, and he played with it. Now she tells him that he will remember her, that the scars of their love will stay with him, and that they could have had everything.
The person who has your back: who is it?
Listen: the warning
PHILO
Listen once. Is she sad, or angry? What does she say he will feel?
SOPHIA
Then answer Section A. Listen to the drums: they sound like footsteps, or a heartbeat.
🔥 Listen to the song: “Rolling in the Deep” (Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth, 2010), sung by Adele.Listen to the official recording →
📜 Read the words while you listen: “Rolling in the Deep”, Adele.Read the lyrics →
Defining and non-defining clauses
MARCOS
The man who left her (which man? this one) · Adele, who was twenty-one, wrote it in a day (extra information).
SOPHIA
Defining: no commas, tells us which one. Non-defining: commas, adds extra information about someone or something we already know. In non-defining clauses, never use that, and never leave out the pronoun.
Which for a whole idea
DEMETRIA
She wrote it the day after the break-up, which explains the anger.
SOPHIA
, which can refer to the whole previous clause, not just one noun: He never called, which made her furious. Always with a comma.
Prepositions in relative clauses
PHILO
The man with whom she shared everything. The man (who) she shared everything with.
SOPHIA
Formal: preposition + whom / which: the studio in which she sang. Informal: the preposition at the end: the studio (that) she sang in. Never with who, and never in that.
Sophia’s comparison: Medea and Ariadne
SOPHIA
When Theseus left Ariadne on Naxos, she wept on the shore. When Jason left Medea, her anger burned down a palace. Adele chooses a third way: she makes something strong out of her anger, and walks on.
PHILO
And the Proverbs say that one who is slow to anger is better than the mighty.
MARCOS
So the best revenge is a number-one song.
Sophia’s summary
| Words and forms | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| who / which (no commas) | defining: which one? | The man who left her regrets it. |
| , who / , which (commas) | non-defining: extra information | Adele, who was 21, wrote it in a day. |
| , which + whole clause | commenting on a whole idea | He never called, which made her furious. |
| preposition + whom / which | formal | the man with whom she shared everything |
| … who / that… + preposition | informal | the man she shared everything with |
Practice
Listen to the song for Section A, then do the rest. Press “Check my answers” at the end. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Listen: the song
Listen to the song and choose the best answer.
1. How does the singer feel?
2. What does she say about the scars of their love?
3. What could they have had?
4. What does “to roll deep” mean in London slang?
5. On which album is the song?
6. How long did it take to write?
B · Grammar and vocabulary
Write the missing word or words.
7. Adele, was only twenty-one, wrote it in a day.
8. The album, came out in 2011, sold millions.
9. He never called, made her furious.
10. The man with she shared everything left.
11. The studio in she recorded it was in London.
12. The man she shared everything left her.
C · Right or wrong?
Is the sentence correct English?
13. “Adele, that was only twenty-one, wrote it in a day.”
14. “He never called, which made her furious.”
15. “The man with who she shared everything left.”
16. “The song, which opened the album, won two Grammys.”
Talk and write
Discussion and writing
Who has your back? Describe three people who help you, using non-defining clauses: My sister, who lives in Madrid, always…
Discuss. 1. Is anger ever useful? When? 2. Why do you think so many people around the world loved this song? 3. Do the best songs come from happy or unhappy moments?
Write (120–150 words). A song that changed something. Write about a song, book or event that came out of a difficult moment. Use at least two non-defining clauses, one , which for a whole idea, and one preposition + whom / which.
Now play the gamebook: stolen work, and a friend who has Demetria’s back.Play the gamebook →