GODS — NewJeans: what the lyrics really mean
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in syncOnce you play God, once you play GodPlay the first verse with translationNo sign-upWhat does “GODS” by NewJeans mean?
NewJeans' “GODS” is about rising to the top of a fierce contest and being worshipped for it. The group pictures a stadium turned into a church, where a crowd chants their name, rivals fall away, and they ride toward the sun as if claiming a throne. Underneath the swagger sits an underdog who prays for strength and asks for help keeping her heart unbreakable.
Key lines
4 lines from the song with the slang, wordplay and references behind them. The full line-by-line breakdown lives in the app.
Once you play God, once you play GodListen from this lineWhat's behind the line: To 'play God' means to act as if you have the power of a god over others' fates. Here it means becoming godlike in the game.
Ay, welcome to the big show, next on the ladderListen to the first verse — freeWhat's behind the line: A ladder is literally a set of steps; here it means the ranking ladder of fame and success. 'Next on the ladder' means the next one to climb to the top.
Bad girl woke up and chose violenceListen to the first verse — freeWhat's behind the line: 'Woke up and chose violence' is an internet meme: someone wakes up in a fierce mood and decides to act boldly. It is a joke about attitude, not real violence.
Then we gon' ride right into the sunListen to the first verse — freeWords in this line- gon'going to
- rightstraight
What's behind the line: "Gon'" is short for "going to". "Ride right into the sun" is a bold image of charging toward something huge and dangerous, like Icarus.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “GODS” — NewJeans. Quoted for commentary and learning.
Mini-lesson: fill in the missing word
A line from the song with one word missing: listen, then pick the right word. Sori checks your answer and saves the new words to your notebook.
Try the lessonAsk Sori about this song
Why this word and not another? What does that slang mean? Ask in your own words and your idol answers about this exact line.
Ask SoriSong vocabulary
Words from the song in alphabetical order, with what they mean here.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| anyone | anybody |
| can't | cannot |
| cause | because |
| crumble | fall apart |
| dropping | falling |
| raise | lift up |
| unbreakable | cannot be broken |
Keep these 7 words
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Questions about “GODS”
What is “GODS” by NewJeans about?
NewJeans' “GODS” is about rising to the top of a fierce contest and being worshipped for it.
What does “Once you play God, once you play God” mean in “GODS”?
To 'play God' means to act as if you have the power of a god over others' fates.
What does “Ay, welcome to the big show, next on the ladder” mean in “GODS”?
A ladder is literally a set of steps; here it means the ranking ladder of fame and success.
Where can I see every line of “GODS” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Sori goes through all 46 lines word by word, in sync with the song; the first verse is free and needs no sign-up.
Official music video
The video loads from YouTube only when you press play. YouTube ↗
Credits and sources
- Artist
- NewJeans
- Official video
- League of Legends · YouTube
Lyrics and music belong to their rights holders. This page quotes no more than four lines for commentary; the translations, pronunciation and explanations are written by theIDOL.