DIONYSUS LYRICS
This song has been written revolving around the Greek god Dionysus, one of the 12 Olympian Gods (often switched up with Hestia), also known as the 'god who was born twice'. Dionysus is the god of wine, rebirth, fertility, grape cultivation, theater, and religious ecstasy.
There have been a lot of references made to what Dionysus represents and to his twice-born upbringing in this song connected to art and BTS's nature. BTS also performed Dionysus onstage with a pair of huge panthers (a symbol of Dionysus) looming over the stage and showed many more symbols such as the Thyrsus, serpent (another symbol of Dionysus) on-stage.
Not only are there references to Dionysus but many wordplays in Korean and references to Korean culture as well. I will try my best to provide simplified explanations of the referenced Greek myths wherever possible. The lyrics that are connected to each other or share the same reference are provided the same numbers, you can scroll down to understand the references in the notes at the bottom.
쭉 들이켜
술잔 sippin’ 팔짱 tippin’
한 입
티르소스¹ grippin’ 포도 eatin’
쭉 들이켜
분위기 keep it D style rip it
한 입
여기 kill it let’s steal it
The illest
Drink it up
A glass of drink (sippin'), arms crossed (tippin')
One sip
Thyrsus¹ (grippin'), grapes (eatin')
Sip it all down
The mood (keep it), D style (rip it)
One sip
Here (kill it) let's steal it
The illest
그냥 취해 마치 디오니소스
한 손에 술잔 다른 손에 든 티르소스¹
투명한 크리스탈 잔 속 찰랑이는 예술²
예술도 술이지 뭐²
마시면 취해 fool
You dunno you dunno you dunno what to do with
내가 보여줄게 난 전혀 다른 걸 추진
아이비와 거친 나무로 된 mic¹
절대 단 한 숨에 나오는 소리 따윈 없다³
Just be drunk, like Dionysus
A glass of drink in one hand, Thyrsus¹ held in the other
Splashing art² in a transparent crystal glass
Well, alcohol is art too²
You get drunk if you drink it fool
You dunno you dunno you dunno what to do with
I'll show you, I'm pushing forward something totally different
A mic made of ivy and rough wood¹
There's no sound that comes out in only one breath³
해가 뜰 때까지 where the party at
잠이 들 때까지 where the party at
Sing it 불러 다시
Drink it 마셔 다시
우린 두 번 태어나지⁴
Until the sun comes out, where the party at
Until we fall asleep, Where the party at
Sing it, sing it again
Drink it, drink it again
We are born twice⁴
쭉 들이켜 (창작의 고통³)
한 입 (시대의 호통)
쭉 들이켜 (나와의 소통)
한 입 (Okay now I'm ready fo' sho')
Drink it up (the pain of creation³)
One sip (the roars of the eras)
Drink it up (the communication with myself)
One sip (Okay now I’m ready fo sho)
다 마셔 마셔 마셔 마셔 내 술잔 ay
다 빠져 빠져 빠져 미친 예술가에
한 잔 (one shot) 두 잔 (two shots)
예술에² 취해 불러 옹헤야⁵
Drink drink drink drink all of it, my liquor glass ay
All fall in fall in fall in fall in the mad artist
One glass (one shot) two glasses (two shots)
Be drunk on art², sing ongheya⁵!
다 마셔 마셔 마셔 마셔 내 술잔 ay
다 빠져 빠져 빠져 미친 예술가에
한 잔 (one shot) 두 잔 (two shots)
꽹과리⁶ 치며 불러 옹헤야⁵
Drink drink drink drink all of it
My glass of wine ay
All fall in fall in fall in fall in the crazy artist
One glass (one shot)
Two glasses (two shots)
Hit the kkwaenggwari⁶ while calling ongheya⁵!
술잔 sippin’ 팔짱 tippin’
티르소스¹ grippin’ 포도 eatin’
쭉 들이켜
분위기 keep it D style rip it
한 입
여기 kill it let’s steal it
The illest
Drink it up
A glass of drink (sippin'), arms crossed (tippin')
One sip
Thyrsus¹ (grippin'), grapes (eatin')
Sip it all down
The mood (keep it), D style (rip it)
One sip
Here (kill it) let's steal it
The illest
난 지금 세상의 문 앞에 있어 (shot)
무대에 오를 때 들리는 환호성 (shot)
Can't you see my stacked broken thyrsus¹
이제 난 다시 태어나네⁴ 비로소 (비로소) eh oh
Right now I'm standing in front of the world's door (shot)
The cheers I hear when climbing on-stage (shot)
Can't you see my stacked broken thyrsus¹
Now I'm being born again⁴ at last (at last) eh oh
When the night comes mumble mumble mumble (eh oh)
When the night comes tumble tumble tumble (eh oh)
Studio를 채운 저음 저음 저음
Bass drum goes like 덤덤덤 yeah
When the night comes mumble mumble mumble (eh oh)
When the night comes tumble tumble tumble (eh oh)
Studio full of low notes, low notes, low notes
Bass drum goes like deom deom deom yeah
해가 뜰 때까지 where the party at
잠이 들 때까지 where the party at
Sing it 불러 다시
Drink it 마셔 다시
우린 두 번 태어나지⁴
Until the sun comes out, where the party at
Until we fall asleep, Where the party at
Sing it, sing it again
Drink it, drink it again
We are born twice⁴
쭉 들이켜 (창작의 고통³)
한 입 (시대의 호통)
쭉 들이켜 (나와의 소통)
한 입 (Okay now I'm ready fo' sho')
Drink it up (the pain of creation³)
One sip (the roars of the eras)
Drink it up (the communication with myself)
One sip (Okay now I’m ready fo sho)
다 마셔 마셔 마셔 마셔 내 술잔 ay
다 빠져 빠져 빠져 미친 예술가에
한 잔 (one shot) 두 잔 (two shots)
예술에² 취해 불러 옹헤야⁵
Drink drink drink drink all of it, my liquor glass ay
All fall in fall in fall in fall in the mad artist
One glass (one shot) two glasses (two shots)
Be drunk on art², sing ongheya⁵!
다 마셔 마셔 마셔 마셔 내 술잔 ay
다 빠져 빠져 빠져 미친 예술가에
한 잔 (one shot) 두 잔 (two shots)
꽹과리⁶ 치며 불러 옹헤야⁵
Drink drink drink drink all of it
My glass of wine ay
All fall in fall in fall in fall in the crazy artist
One glass (one shot)
Two glasses (two shots)
Hit the kkwaenggwari⁶ while calling ongheya⁵!
우리가 떴다 하면 전세계 어디든지 stadium party ay
K-pop 아이돌로 태어나 다시 환생한 artist⁴
다시 환생한 artist 다시 환생한 artist⁴
내가 아이돌이든 예술가이든 뭐가 중요해 짠해
예술도² 이 정도면 과음이지 과음 yeah
새 기록은 자신과 싸움이지 싸움 yeah
축배를 들어올리고 one shot
허나 난 여전히 목말라
What
When they say we rise
Wherever in the world stadium party ay
Born as a K-pop idol, reincarnated again as an artist⁴
Reincarnated as an artist again, reincarnated as an artist again⁴
Whether if I'm an idol or artist what does it matter, cheers!
Even art² on this level, is excessive drinking, excessive drinking yeah
Making new records are a match against myself/ourselves, a match yeah
Raise a toast, one shot
But even then I'm still thirsty
What
You ready for this?
Are you ready to get hyped up?
Come on
다 마셔 마셔 마셔 마셔 내 술잔 ay
다 빠져 빠져 빠져 미친 예술가에
한 잔 (one shot) 두 잔 (two shots)
예술에² 취해 불러 옹헤야⁵
Drink drink drink drink all of it, my liquor glass ay
All fall in fall in fall in fall in the mad artist
One glass (one shot) two glasses (two shots)
Be drunk on art², sing ongheya⁵!
다 마셔 마셔 마셔 마셔 내 술잔 ay
다 빠져 빠져 빠져 미친 예술가에
한 잔 (one shot) 두 잔 (two shots)
꽹과리⁶ 치며 불러 옹헤야⁵
Drink drink drink drink all of it
My glass of wine ay
All fall in fall in fall in fall in the crazy artist
One glass (one shot)
Two glasses (two shots)
Hit the kkwaenggwari⁶ while calling ongheya⁵!
술잔 sippin’ 팔짱 tippin’
티르소스¹ grippin’ 포도 eatin’
쭉 들이켜
분위기 keep it D style rip it
한 입
여기 kill it let’s steal it
The illest
Drink it up
A glass of drink (sippin'), arms crossed (tippin')
One sip
Thyrsus¹ (grippin'), grapes (eatin')
Sip it all down
The mood (keep it), D style (rip it)
One sip
Here (kill it) let's steal it
The illest
술잔 sippin’ 팔짱 tippin’
티르소스¹ grippin’ 포도 eatin’
쭉 들이켜
분위기 keep it D style rip it
한 입
여기 kill it let’s steal it
The illest
Drink it up
A glass of drink (sippin'), arms crossed (tippin')
One sip
Thyrsus¹ (grippin'), grapes (eatin')
Sip it all down
The mood (keep it), D style (rip it)
One sip
Here (kill it) let's steal it
The illest
NOTES:
1. A thyrsus was a wand or staff of giant fennel covered with ivy vines and leaves, sometimes wound with taeniae and topped with a pine cone or by a bunch of vine-leaves and grapes or ivy-leaves and berries that Dionysus and his followers carried.
2. Wordplay between two similar rhyming words: 예술 (yesool) → art; 술 (sool) → alcohol.
3. Even every sound has to go through the 'pain of creation' (referenced in these lyrics) and don't come out in just 'one breath'.
4. In the lyrics 'we are born twice' and 'reincarnated as an artist again' the story of Dionysus, the son of Zeus and Semele, who was born twice is referenced.
Dionysus's mother Semele was tricked by Hera (the wife of Zeus) out of jealousy. She convinced Semele to make Zeus grant her a wish and went as far as to make him swear it on River Styx (the most extreme form of oath). Semele wished Zeus to appear in his true form, bound by the oath on River Styx, Zeus unwillingly appeared in his true form that burnt Semele to ashes who was pregnant with Dionysus at the time. Zeus managed to save his son Dionysus by sewing him into his thigh until he was ready to be born and thus gained immortality later as he was born again through Zeus (despite being a demigod at first). Therefore he was often treated as an outsider among the Olympians.
5. Ongheya is a cheer from a Korean folk song called ‘Song of Boritajak’. People sing and shout this cheer while working to keep the pace of work and make it through work while singing. Go here for details and listen here for Ongheya.
6. 꽹과리 (kkwaenggwari) is a type of small flat gong-like percussion instrument used in Korean folk and traditional music like Samulnori, or Pungmulnori (folk music common among farming folks).