JUST GET DRUNK, LIKE A 'DIONYSUS' ♬

 

What Do BTS' "Dionysus" Lyrics Mean? It's The Party Song You'll Be Jamming To All Summer

For starters, Dionysus is a figure from Greek mythology. He is said to be the son of Zeus and Theban princess Semele, and is referred to as one of the Olympians. He's also one of the only Greek gods with a mortal parent. (Percy Jackson fans are LOLing.) His ~person~ is linked to wine, fertility, grapes (lol), religious ecstasy (also lol), theater (yay!), and ritual madness (oh...). So, how does all of this apply to BTS? Basically, just the grapes. I kid, I kid.

The website Greek Gods & Goddesses sites Dionysus as such:

Dionysus was often called Eleutherios, meaning 'the liberator,' because his wine, music, and ecstatic dance freed his followers from self-consciousness and the restraints of society.

Most notably, Dionysus was considered to be the God of Intersex and trsngender people.

BTS fans, in their tweets about "Dionysus" when the Map Of The Soul: Persona tracklist dropped, theorized that the song is titled after this specific Greek god because they want it (and the album as a whole) to appeal to their LGBTQI audience.

That theory makes sense, considering Halsey — an openly bisexual queen — is featured on "Boy With Luv," one of the album's other songs. If the boys wanted to send a message to their queer fans, naming a song after this particular god is definitely an intriguing way to go about it.

Now, let's break down BTS' "Dionysus" lyrics in English, because this song is literally going to be the song you get lit to all summer.

Shot glasses (sippin’), Linked arms (tippin’)
One mouthful, Thyrsus (grippin’)
Grape (eatin’), Drink up
Vibes (Keep it), D style (rip it)
One mouthful, Here (Kill it)
let’s steal it, The illest

Just get drunk, like Dionysus
In one hand, a shot glass, and in the other hand, Thyrsus
Art flowing Inside the transparent crystal cup
Art is alcohol too, I guess, if you drink it, you like it fool
You dunno you dunno
You dunno

What to do with I will show you, I propel towards something completely different
From my mic made of Ivy and scruffy wood
There’s no other sound but my one breath
Until the sun comes up, where the party at
Until we fall asleep, where the party at
Sing it, sing it again
Drink it, drink it again
We’re born again

Drink it up (the pain of creation)
Have a mouthful (the scolding of this generation)
Drink It up (The communication between you and me)
One mouthful (Okay now l’m ready fo sho)

Clearly, this song is a bop, first of all. Second of all, it seems like it may be more about having a great time and enjoying drinks (like Dionysus would do with his wine) than identity, but there's nothing wrong with having a good time!

But back to Dionysus!.

Actually I was big fans of Greek Gods. Since I read Percy Jackson’s book, I became Greek Mythology enthusiast and now I want to share a bit about Dionysus in details.

·         Dionysus was primarily known as the God of the Vine.

·         He was also referred to as Bacchus.

·         Dionysus and DEMETER, the Goddess of the Corn, were the supreme deities of the earth.

·         Unlike the immortal gods, who were often hostile toward human beings, Dionysus and Demeter were benevolent toward mankind.

·         Dionysus was the younger of the two, and little is known about how he came to take his place beside Demeter to be worshipped.

·         Dionysus and Demeter were worshipped at Eleusis, a little town near Athens.

·         Dionysus was a happy god during the harvest, but during the winter he languished along with the rest of the Earth.

·         Dionysus was the last god to enter Olympus.

·         Dionysus was the son of Zeus and the Theban princess Semele. He was the only god who had a mortal parent.

·         He was born in Thebes.

·         He was born of fire and nursed by rain. His birth corresponds to the development of grapes: heat ripens the fruit and water keeps it alive.

·         Upon reaching adulthood, Dionysus wandered the Earth, teaching men the culture of the vine.

·         Many festivals were held in honor of Dionysus: the Lesser or Rural Dionysia, the Greater or City Dionysia, the Anthesteria, and the Lenaea.

·         Dionysus was variously represented in art as a full-grown bearded man, as a beast, and as a slight youth.

·         Dionysus was insulted by Lycurgus, one of the kings in Thrace. Dionysus initially retreated and took refuge in the sea, but later he imprisoned Lycurgus for opposing his worship.

·         Performances of tragedy and comedy were a part of the festivals thrown in his honor.

·         Dionysus was also honored in lyric poetry.

·         Dionysus was once captured by pirates because he looked like the son of a king. They kidnapped him, envisioning the ransom his parents would pay upon his return. Aboard the ship, the pirates were unable to confine him; the ropes fell apart when they touched Dionysus.

·         Dionysus rescued the princess of Crete, Ariadne, and subsequently fell in love with her. Upon her death, Dionysus placed the crown he had given her among the stars.

·         Though Dionysus was mostly a kind and generous deity, he could be cruel when necessary. Pentheus, a king of Thebes, tried to stop the frenzied worship of Dionysus. He attempted to imprison the God of Wine, while hurling insults and accusations at him. Dionysus explained his own eminence calmly, but Pentheus was unreceptive. Dionysus caused the Theban women to go mad so that they thought Pentheus a wild beast. They tore Pentheus limb from limb.