لیدی گاگا - Shallow

And the Oscar goes to… Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson…

Shallow:

As an adjective, this is the opposite of deep, for example, shallow water.

This is song, as we will see, has a lot of references to water, so we could just take this literally.

However, much like deep has both a literal figurative meaning, so does shallow.

If a subject is deep, it can mean that it is full of complexity, there is more than meets the eye.

shallow Would mean the opposite of this.

You will probably find it useful knowing both of these definitions in order to interpret the song.

Is there something else you’re searching for ?

Else:

Adverb meaning in addition, besides, or different.

Example : Would you like to order anything else ? Dessert maybe?

I want to go somewhere else.

Searching for:

To look for something.

Here it may be being used in a more profound way; such as trying to find one’s purpose.

Example : I’ve been searching the Internet for hours, but I can’t find a good explanation.

She decided to travel across Europe to search for herself.

Is there something else you’re searching for? = Is there somethi-nels you’re searchin’ for?

Is there something else you’re searching for?

In all the good times I find myself longing … = Ih-nall the goo-times I find myself longin’ …

In all the good times I find myself longing for change.

And in the bad times I fear myself.

Good times, bad times:

Here, times refers to a period of time, an epoch.

Example : We had some crazy times When I lived in Rio De Janeiro.

Maria went through some rough (difficult) times When she was unemployed.

To long for:

To have a strong wish or desire.

It’s also commonly used to say that we miss something a lot.

Example : She has a longing for the good old days.

We’re longing to see each other again.

To fear (something):

To be scared of something.

Example : I fear I will never be able to move out of this dull (boring) town.

Here, he uses it reflexively:

He fears himself.

This most likely means that he is in a bad mental state, he is scared that he might do something drastic.

And in the bad times I fear myself = An-din the ba-times I fear myself.

And in the bad times I fear myself.

Tell me something, boy

Aren’t you tired trying to fill that void ?

To fill a void:

A void is a completely empty space, for example, the black void of space.

Figuratively, as it is used in this song, it means an emptiness caused by the loss of something.

Example : Since he passed away (died) she has felt a void.

To fill a void is to try to do something to correct that empty feeling, although this also has the connection of being something destructive and counter-productive (e.g. drinking, drugs, having sex).

Example : His girlfriend left him for another man, and he’s been trying to fill the void by having meaningless relationships with different women, but I don’t think it is helping him.

Or do you need more?

Ain’t it hard keeping it so hardcore ?

Ain’t:

Colloquial slang for the first or third person singular of the verb to be (am not / is not or isn’t).

While this is not considered grammatically correct, natives say it all the time.

As a learner, I would recommend you say the correct “am not” or “isn’t,” but it is good to know that natives sometimes use this alternative.

Example: I ain’t gonna be able to come to your party, but I’ll see you Monday.

He ain’t the smartest guy you’ll meet.

Keeping it so hardcore:

Hardcore is an adjective that can used in a few different ways, but that is normally related to how extreme something is.

For example, if you have an extreme dedication to a certain activity, such as gaming, you may call yourself a hardcore gamer.

We can also use it more informally (as the song does), to describe someone that is particularly intense; thrilling dangerous or erratic; desirably violent in appearance; pleasing or “cool” due to intensity or danger.

In the movie A Star is Born, Bradley Cooper’s character is a hardcore rockstar.

To keep here means to remain, to continue, or to be a certain way.

So, in other words, she is saying, “Isn’t it difficult always being so risky and intense?”

Example: KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON

Ain’t it hard keeping it so hardcore? = Ai-nit hard keepi-nit so hardcore?

Ain’t it hard keeping it so hardcore?

I’m off the deep end, watch as I dive in

I’ll never meet the ground.

Off the deep end:

To be off the deep end, or more commonly to be off the deep end, is to become so angry, nervous, or excited that you lose control of yourself and start to behave in a crazy or irrational way.

Example : The man went off the deep end When he found out that his son got arrested.

This could also go along with the theme of water.

For example, the deep end of the pool is the part where, if you were to touch the ground, the water would be above your head.

To dive in:

Literally, to dive is to jump into water, especially with your head and arms going in first, or to move down under the water.

Example : They ran to the pool, dived in, and swam to the other side.

To dive in is often used figuratively, meaning to start doing something in a very enthusiastic, energetic way.

In the song, Gaga probably means that she is committing herself completely.

Example : I need to study for tomorrow’s test, so today I’ll just dive in, and only stop to eat or go to the bathroom.

You can also say dived into something for the same meaning.

Example : The analysts dived into the data and came up with the same result.

I’m off the deep end, watch as I dive in.

I’ll never meet the ground = I’ll never mee-the ground.

I’m off the deep end, watch as I dive in.

I’ll never meet the ground .

To meet the ground:

Here we see a less common use of the verb to meet, which normally means to see and talk to someone for the first time or to come together with them.

However, to meet can also be the same as to join or touch, when talking about objects.

So if our feet meet the ground, that means we are touching the ground.

This could also refer to a sensation elation, which in English we often relate to a feeling of flying.

She is so happy or emotionally high that she feels like she will never come down (to the ground).

Crash through the surface, where they can’t hurt us.

We’re far from the shallow now.

Crash through the surface:

To crash through something is to physically break through something such as barrier, often in a dramatic or violent way.

Example : She came crashing through the window.

We also call the top of a body of water the surface.

So crashing through the surface could refer to jumping into water.

Example : The swimmers crashed through the surface of the pool with a big splash!

In the sha-ha-sha-ha-low

In the sha-ha-sha-la-la-la-low