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BTS's "ON" Lyrics Talk About All the Sacrifices They Have Made to Become Superstars

Photo credit: Steve Granitz - Getty Images
Photo credit: Steve Granitz - Getty Images

From Seventeen

BTS fans are going crazy over their latest album, Map of the Soul: 7, which was finally released after weeks of waiting. Along with the album finally dropping, the boys also took out a music video for their latest single "ON". Fans got the chance to listen to a snippet of it a day before the album was released on TikTok, a first for the hit platform, and even caused the app to crash once it was posted. With the album finally out, fans can now enjoy the full song and find out all the special meanings behind it.

Here are the meanings behind BTS's "On".

Jimin and V:
I can't understand what people are sayin'
Who and what do I need to follow
With each step then again grows the shadow
Where is this place I open my eyes to
Maybe Seoul or New York or Paris
I get up, unsteady on my feet

Jimin and V talk about the craziness of their life and how it has changed over the past couple of years, especially thanks to their worldwide fame. They have been able to travel all over the world, even to places where they don't know the language or even the place that they are currently in. The shadow that is their past lives keeps growing as they continue to get successful, leaving them uncertain of what is next.

RM:
Look at my feet, look down
The shadow resembles me
Is it the shadow that's shaking
Or is it my feet that are trembling
Of course I'm not unafraid
Of course it's not all okay
But I know
Awkwardly I flow
I fly together with that black wind

RM talks about the shadow that V and Jimin were previously singing about revealing that the shadow is their past selves and how scared they were for the unknown of the future. While that part of them still stays with them even after all their success, they continue to be brave and move forward no matter what.

Jimin, Jungkook, and Jin:
Hey na-na-na
Gotta go insane to stay sane
Hey na-na-na
Throw myself whole into both worlds
Hey na-na-na
Can't hold me down 'cuz you know I'm a fighter
Carried myself into this beautiful prison
Find me and I'm gonna live with ya

Jimin, Jungkook, and Jin talk about living with both their past selves and their current selves. While they might still have reservations about the future, likely due to the fact that anything can change overnight, they still are determined to fight for their success and put everything on the line.

BTS:
Eh-Oh
Bring it, bring the pain, oh yeah
Eh-Oh
Come on up, bring the pain, oh yeah
Rain be pourin'
Sky keep fallin'
Everyday oh na-na-na
Eh-Oh
Bring it, bring the pain, oh yeah

In the chorus, the guys all talk about how despite how things might be tough, they're still going to get right back up. Everyday brings them a completely new struggle, but they are not willing to let them down.

J-Hope:
Bring the pain
It'll become my blood and flesh
Bring the pain
No fear, now that I know the way
Breathe on the small things
My air and my light in the dark
The power of the things that make me, "me"
Even if I fall, I come right up, scream

In this verse, J-Hope talks about the sacrifices they have made to achieve their success. They're no longer afraid to push themselves anymore and all the problems that seemed big for them in the past, don't matter much now. Even when things seem tough, they still are able to get right back up and continue their careers.

Suga:
Even if I fall, I come right up, scream
That's how we've always been
Even if my knees drop to the ground
As long as they don't get buried
It won't matter
Win no matter what
Whatever you say, whatever they say
I don't give a uhh
I don't give a uhh
I don't give a uhh, yeah

Suga continues off of J-Hope's verse saying that they're ready to fight to continue on their trajectory of their success. Even when things seem tough for the group, they are willing to stand back up and not listen to anything the haters say.

Jimin and V:
Hey na-na-na
Gotta go insane to stay sane
Hey na-na-na
Throw myself whole into both worlds
Hey na-nana
Can't hold me down 'cuz you know I'm a fighter
Carried myself into this beautiful prison
Find me and I'm gonna live with ya

Jimin and V revisit the pre-chorus which continues to drive their message that they're not ready to give up.

BTS:
Eh-Oh
Bring it, bring the pain, oh yeah
Eh-Oh
Come on up, bring the pain, oh yeah
Rain be pourin'
Sky keep fallin'
Everyday oh na-na-na
Eh-Oh
Bring it, bring the pain, oh yeah

Jungkook and Jimin:
Where my pain lies
Let me take a breath
My everythin'
My blood and tears
Got no fears
I'm singin' ohhhhh
Oh I'm takin' over
You should know yeah
Can't hold me down 'cuz you know I'm a fighter
Choosing to descend into the dark abyss
Find me and I'm gonna bleed with ya

In this verse, Jimin and Jungkook talk about how much of themselves they have thrown into this group. They have sacrificed so much to make it to where they are and they're not going to stop any time soon.

BTS:
Eh-Oh
Bring it, bring the pain, oh yeah
Eh-Oh
Come on up, bring the pain, oh yeah
Rain be pourin'
Sky keep fallin'
Everyday oh na-na-na
Eh-Oh
Find me and I'm gonna bleed with ya

Eh-Oh
Bring it, bring the pain, oh yeah
Eh-Oh
Come on up, bring the pain, oh yeah
All that I know
Is just goin' on & on & on & on
Eh-Oh
Bring it, bring the pain, oh yeah

The boys end the song with the chorus reiterating the fact that they are ready for whatever life is going to throw at them and that anyone who doubts them should remember that.

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