Adele & Roger

Roger Lawson
9 min readFeb 14, 2018

English singer and songwriter Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, 29, has released three acclaimed albums over a seven year period. American television publicist and aspiring writer Roger Lawson, 32, has had three committed relationships over that same period of time. The following is an examination of the parallels between each of Adele’s albums and each of Roger’s relationships.

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Adele released her first album, entitled ‘19’, in the United States on June 10, 2008. Less than three months later, Roger would meet Mike* at a dive bar in New York City’s East Village. Roger had been casually dating, coincidentally, another guy named Mike that autumn, though after two dates knew there was an impending expiration date. The First Mike was inexperienced, awkward and overeager; Roger was looking for something else at age 22. Indeed, though Roger had only come out of the closet less than a year earlier, he was much more confident in his dating wants and needs.

*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.

After a terrible third and final date, Roger left First-Mike and immediately went to the nearest dive bar — Beauty Bar on East 14th Street — to meet his friend Hannah. There was a DJ spinning in the back room, so Roger and Hannah grabbed some whiskeys from the bar and headed towards the music.

There was a decent-sized crowd for 11 o’clock on a Wednesday night. Everyone was dancing to the 80s and 90s set blaring from the speakers in each corner of the small, windowless room. In the middle of the dance floor was a lanky young man dancing with a girl. Roger was drawn to him. He had effortless dance moves and knew the words to every song. Roger nodded to Hannah and they headed onto the dance floor.

Mike and Roger danced together until the bar closed. Mike walked Roger to the subway; they exchanged numbers and hugged goodbye. They promised they’d be in touch soon. By the time Roger exited the subway station 45 minutes later, Mike had texted: “See you tomorrow?” He did.

They started dating. As this was Roger’s first adult relationship, he was able to experience the joys of partnership for the first time. They spent all their time together — cooking meals, traveling, and having lots of sex. Their relationship bordered on severe co-dependence, but they were happy for a while.

Two and a half years later, Roger started getting bored with their relationship. They had started arguing more frequently, had started having sex less frequently, and were getting drunker than normal. Roger was no longer happy. A D-list celebrity had started texting him, inviting him to drinks late at night. Roger slowly started to realize he wanted out. He loved Mike but knew they weren’t good together anymore. At 25 years old, he was ready to date someone new.

“First Love” written by Adele Adkins

So little to say but so much time,
Despite my empty mouth the words are in my mind.
Please wear the face, the one where you smile,
Because you lighten up my heart when I start to cry.

Forgive me first love, but I’m tired.
I need to get away to feel again.
Try to understand why,
don’t get so close to change my mind.
Please wipe that look out of your eyes,
it’s bribing me to doubt myself;
Simply, it’s tiring.

This love has dried up and stayed behind,
And if I stay I’ll be a lie
Then choke on words I’d always hide.
Excuse me first love, but we’re through.
I need to taste a kiss from someone new.

Forgive me first love, but I’m too tired.
I’m bored to say the least and I, I lack desire.
Forgive me first love,
Forgive me first love,
Forgive me first love,
Forgive me first love,
Forgive me,
Forgive me first love,
Forgive me first love

Adele released her second studio album, entitled ‘21’, in the United States on February 21, 2011. Roger had been dating filmmaker Ian for seven months. The two had met through a popular dating website called BoysBoysBoys. Roger liked Ian because he was coarse, moody and hyper-intelligent; he was the very definition of an Artist. He had ambition and talent pouring out of him. Roger was instantly drawn to him.

Everything about their relationship was fast; Roger brought Ian home to his parents in New England after just four months. They spent New Year’s Eve getting drunk with all of Roger’s childhood friends. A week into 2011, however, everything changed: Roger’s company went through end-of-year budget cuts. Roger’s salary was one of those cuts. Ian, tired of the indie film-making scene in New York, suggested they take a trip to Los Angeles to explore job opportunities. It was perfect timing.

Roger and Ian made the official move to Los Angeles on June 1, 2011. Not only did they move across the country together, but they also moved in together. They found a cute apartment in Toluca Lake and adopted a dog. Their domesticity was fast and furious. Ian found a job working nights at a restaurant; Roger found a job at a start-up film distributor.

Sadly, their sex life suffered almost immediately. They saw each other less than two hours a day and were almost always exhausted. They would often kiss each other good morning or good night and that would be their only physical interactions for weeks at a time. The tension built between the two at a terrifying pace. They argued about money, the dog, even the weather. Yet Roger was too scared to end things. They had upended their lives to be together and to admit defeat was unacceptable. He still believed in Ian’s talent and wanted to see success for him.

However, their relationship had become so toxic that everything came to blows at a 2013 Christmas party. Roger had jokingly pushed a cupcake into Ian’s face. Ian, unamused, blew up at Roger in front of all their friends. He said things so nasty that there was no turning back. Roger took a deep breath and said he was done. He couldn’t handle Ian’s negative energy any longer. He was nasty right back to him. Roger cut so deep that any hope for reconciliation went out the window. Everything that had bothered him about Ian over the past few years poured out of him. Their friends were stunned. Ian was stunned. Roger moved out a week later.

“Rolling In The Deep” written by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth

There’s a fire starting in my heart
Reaching a fever pitch, it’s bringing me out the dark
Finally I can see you crystal clear
Go ‘head and sell me out and I’ll lay your shit bare
See how I leave with every piece of you
Don’t underestimate the things that I will do

There’s a fire starting in my heart
Reaching a fever pitch
And it’s bringing me out the dark

The scars of your love remind me of us
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless
I can’t help feeling
We could have had it all
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside of your hand
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
And you played it, to the beat
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

Baby, I have no story to be told
But I’ve heard one on you
And I’m gonna make your head burn
Think of me in the depths of your despair
Make a home down there
As mine sure won’t be shared

(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
The scars of your love remind me of us
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
I can’t help feeling
We could have had it all
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside of your hand
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
And you played it, to the beat
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
We could have had it all
Rolling in the deep
You had my heart inside of your hand
But you played it, with a beating

Throw your soul through every open door (woah)
Count your blessings to find what you look for (woah)
Turn my sorrow into treasured gold (woah)
You’ll pay me back in kind and reap just what you sow (woah)
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
We could have had it all
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
We could have had it all
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
It all, it all, it all
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

We could have had it all
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside of your hand
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
And you played it to the beat
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)

We could have had it all
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)
Rolling in the deep
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
You had my heart inside of your hand
(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)

But you played it
You played it
You played it
You played it to the beat.

Adele released her third studio album, entitled ‘25’, in the United States on November 20, 2015. Roger and Patrick had been dating for either ten or eleven months, depending on who you asked. Roger considered their first date at the beginning of December 2014 to be their anniversary marker, while Patrick preferred using the date at the end of December 2014, when they decided to be exclusive. Either way, the men were approaching their first anniversary when Adele’s album was released.

The two felt an instant connection upon meeting. They both knew they were meant to be together. Patrick was older and more experienced and had lived a harder life than Roger. Patrick grew up in Los Angeles, didn’t know his father and barely spoke to his mother. East Coast-born Roger, who had problems with his family, still spoke to them with somewhat regularity. Roger had lived a middle-class life in the suburbs, while Patrick was lower-income and had lived in West LA. Now, in the present, Roger was a publicist and Patrick was a DJ, played in a rock band, and worked full-time at a bar.

Despite their differences, Roger and Patrick had an understanding. They were able to be honest and supportive with each other with no hidden motives. Their love was — and is — strong, pure. Roger met Patrick at a time in his life where his career was coming together after a rocky few years of freelancing and awful bosses. His Saturn was returning and he was coming into focus. Roger was maturing. Patrick was the stability he craved. Patrick opened Roger’s eyes to how a Modern Gay Romance (TM) could be.

Roger was good for Patrick, too. Patrick had spent years in dysfunctional relationships, always searching for something else. Now, Patrick was able to lean on Roger when he was hurting. Patrick was able to be vulnerable, to be sweet to his partner. Perhaps since they both suffered from anxiety disorders, they were able to connect on a deeper level of understanding. And, despite their anxieties, they were, finally, truly happy.

“Remedy” written by Adele Adkins and Ryan Tedder

I remember all of the things that I thought I wanted to be
So desperate to find a way out of my world and finally breathe
Right before my eyes I saw, my heart it came to life
This ain’t easy, it’s not meant to be
Every story has its scars

When the pain cuts you deep
When the night keeps you from sleeping
Just look and you will see
That I will be your remedy
When the world seems so cruel
And your heart makes you feel like a fool
I promise you will see
That I will be, I will be your remedy

No river is too wide or too deep for me to swim to you
Come whatever, I’ll be the shelter that won’t let the rain come through
Your love, it is my truth
And I will always love you
Love you

When the pain cuts you deep
When the night keeps you from sleeping
Just look and you will see
That I will be your remedy
When the world seems so cruel
And your heart makes you feel like a fool
I promise you will see
That I will be, I will be your remedy

When the pain cuts you deep
When the night keeps you from sleeping
Just look and you will see
I will be, I will be
When the world seems so cruel
And your heart makes you feel like a fool
I promise you will see
That I will be, I will be, I will be…
Your Remedy

Adele would go on to win Album of the Year for ‘25.’

Patrick would go on to win Roger’s heart forever.

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