Adele – Turning Tables

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  Song Meaning:Adele is an AMAZING artist first and foremost. This song is about always feeling defeated in a relationship anytime you try to stick up for yourself. The other person always has the upperhand and you makes you feel so insignificant.
  
  "I can't keep up with your turning tables
  Under your thumb, I can't breathe"
  
  This is a very arguementative relationship she is in. There is a lot of tension in the air and everytime she tries to defend herself she is shut down.
  
  "Close enough to start a war
  All that I have is on the floor
  God only knows what we're fighting for
  All that I say, you always say more"
  
  I can so relate Adele.
  
  

  Flag Lulubaby88on April 11, 2013   Link

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  General Comment:My take on the song is it is about being in a relationship that is not the greatest. The two people love each other but are not on the same page. They fight alot about stupid stuff. The part where she says "all that i have is on the floor" many put that this has to do with items like she doesnt have alot but I take it as that what she has to give in the relationship its out there she has given it her all. And the other person is always wanting more (not material items but love respect...). The other person feels they have given more love in the relationship. Not that this is a controlling relationship but one person is more in control of what goes on... Being under your thumb.... the turning tables meaning to me is more about how one person in the relationship can never take responsibility for something they might have said, they always find a way to turn it on the other person. Just a few thoughts... i didnt want to break the whole song down piece by piece just an over view

  Flagged britwat20on November 14, 2012   Link

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• +1
  My Opinion:First off, Adele is an amazing artist. Her songs come straight from the heart. This song could be interpreted in any way. I think Adele is talking about being emotionally abused. "I can't keep up with your turning tables." The guy "seduces" a woman by the way he looks and acts. Once he has her, he treats her poorly. When the woman wants to leave "It's time to say goodbye to turning tables", the guy then goes back to what he did to have her. "I won't let you close enough to hurt me. I can't give you what you think you gave me." The woman becomes more conserved and cautious. "Next time I'll be braver. I'll be my own saviour standing on my own two feet." Next time she is going be strong and leave him. She will do what makes her happy. "It's time to say goodbye to turning tables."

  Flag liv3y0urlif3on April 19, 2012   Link

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  My Interpretation:This song, in my opinion, shows her leaving him for the first time. She is tired of him "turning the tables" on their relashonship. He is coming back and leading her on, but then treating her like trash, and she's done with it. She falls for him every time because he is their to support her, when in reality she is supporting him, and now she "be braver, be her own savior" without him. And in the song she even states that she is leaving him. She can't be pushed down ("...under your thumb i can't breathe...") and, again, treated like trash in a relashonship.
  I love how all of her songs have a timeline, that the fans put together.

  Flagged gareth1998on March 11, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:Here is my take:
  
  Close enough to start a war we are physically close and you may get the wrong impression (relationship)
  All that I have is on the floor I have nothing to give, only have the clothes on the floor-emotionally tapped out
  God only knows what we're fighting for we are fighting about something I can’t give you
  All that I say, you always say more you are more invested in this than me
  
  I can't keep up with your turning tables i am too tired to turn this into something this is not
  Under your thumb, I can't breathe I can’t breathe you are suffocating me
  
  So I won't let you close enough to hurt me I am going to hold you at arms length
  No, I won't ask you, you to just desert me I won’t ask you to leave because I need this
  I can't give you, what you think you give me I can’t give you love, or let you try to save me
  It's time to say goodbye to turning tables I can’t let you turn this into something it is not
  To turning tables
  
  Under haunted skies I see you, ooh it haunts me that I can’t do this because I know what you offered me
  Where love is lost, your ghost is found what you did for me and how great you are
  I braved a hundred storms to leave you I have tried to leave, but I really need this
  As hard as you try, no I will never be knocked down I will never let you turn this into something it’s not
  
  I can't keep up with your turning tables
  Under your thumb, I can't breathe
  
  
  So I won't let you close enough to hurt me, no
  I won't ask you, you to just desert me
  I can't give you, what you think you give me
  It's time to say goodbye to turning tables
  Turning tables
  
  Next time I'll be braver next time I get into a relationship
  I'll be my own savior I won’t need someone to save me
  When the thunder calls for me when the time is right this will happen
  Next time I'll be braver
  I'll be my own savior
  Standing on my own two feet
  
  I won't let you close enough to hurt me, no
  I won't ask you, you to just desert me
  I can't give you, what you think you give me
  It's time to say goodbye to turning tables
  To turning tables

  Flag karenkilohon February 28, 2012   Link

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  Lyric Correction:The lyrics to the chorus are supposed to be:
  
  "I can't give you THE HEART you think you gave me"
  
  I know it doesn't sound like it but I've seen the original sheet music and it does say the heart.

  Flagged dancersluvmusic4evaon December 22, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:This song is amazing! I hate it how people seem to take the mick out of Adele and its not fair! I mean we all have bad times but there is no need for some peoples reaction and thoughts of Adele :/

  Flag noddyrockson November 04, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:i've loved this song since i first heard it but 2day i heard again in a very different way i heard it as a dialogue between a 'couple' i knw that's not how Adele meant it but anyway here it goes :))
  
  its about 2 people who love each other but the girl is never sure n never letting the guy close enough yet he has been hanging on 2 her n trying n break in to her n everytime she ends up pushing him away n hurting him again but in the end he's so sick of it but she realises she can't lose him for real n she "wants him back" :(
  
  
  her : close enough to start a war
  all that i have is on the floor (every thing's at stake am about to lose you)
  
  
  
  him : god only now what we're fighting for (i;m tired why we're doing this)
  all that i say u always say more
  
  i can't keep up with your turning tables (i'm done)
  
  
  her : under your thumb i can't breathe (it "ur love" is too much 4 me)
  
  
  
  him :i won't let u close enough to hurt me
  i won't rescue u 2 just desert me (not doing this again)
  
  
  
  her : i can't give you , what u think u gave me ( can't love you the way u want me 2)
  
  
  
  him : it's time 2 say goodbye to turning tables (that's itt :( )
  
  
  her : under haunted skies i see you
  where love is lost your ghost it found (i start to need you when times get hard)
  
  
  him : i braved a hundred storms to leave you (it was hard enough)
  as hard as u try , no i will never be knocked down ( not changing my mind again)
  
  i can't keep up with your turning tables (i'm done)
  
  
  her : under your thumb i can't breathe (it "ur love" is too much 4 me)
  
  
  
  him :i won't let u close enough to hurt me
  i won't rescue u 2 just desert me (not doing this again)
  
  
  
  her : i can't give you , what u think u gave me ( can't love you the way u want me 2)
  
  
  
  him : it's time 2 say goodbye to turning tables (that's itt :( )
  
  
  her : next time i'll be braver (this time i'll give more n not fear to love)
  
  
  him : i'll be my own savior (now n not take u back)
  when the thunder calls for me (when U call for me)
  
  her : next time i'll be braver (please :'( )
  
  
  him : i'll be my own savior
  standing on my own two feet (it's not according to you any more )
  
  
  
  sorry for it being too long but i'm kind of a "her" right nw so i hope u like it :)
  
  
  

  Flag neverlanderon November 02, 2011   Link

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• +2
  General Comment:The first time I heard this song, it spoke volumes to me. I feel like it was written for me. I feel very strongly that this is about a psychologically abusive relationship. Close enough to start a war, all that I have is on the floor. The tension is high, she has reached her breaking point and has given all that she has and has nothing left. God only knows what we are fighting for, all that I say, you always say more. Things have gotten so complicated and messy, it's impossible to pinpoint what all the fighting is about, but it doesn't matter what she says, he always has to one up her, he's always right. He controls her, she can no longer breathe under his control and she can't deal with the volatility, his constant flip flopping of emotions, his turning the tables on her to make it her fault. She has left him, and has made sure he cannot get close enough to hurt her, but as messed up as he was with her, he's even more lost without her, but she won't rescue him, because as soon as she does, he will only desert her emotionally, he will give her nothing. She no longer has the love to give that he THINKS that he gave her. He is delusional, cannot see how awful he really is, he is a sociopath or narcissist. She is haunted every time she see's him, but when she does, he's only a ghost of what he once was. She went through hell to get away from him, lost friends, family,almost everything, but no matter what, she will not let him knock her down. She has learned from her mistakes and vows that next time she sees the warning signs, she will be strong and stand on her own two feet, saving herself from ending up in the same situation again. This is my life....

  Flag BetsyJaneon October 21, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:This song really reminds me of a relationship where one of them is incredibly bi-polar or back and forth, and eventually one of them gets fed up with dealing with it. But even though they want to be with the other person, they realize that for their own good they need to let go. It could also be about an abusive relationship.
  
  Loveeee the song though. Adele can speak to just about anyone through her music.

  Flag HadMeAtHelloon October 15, 2011   Link

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