MULTIMEDIA-ENGLISH
All About That Bass (Meghan Trainor)
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3:09
Video page URL
https://multimedia-english.com/videos/music/all-about-that-bass-meghan-trainor-5687
Description

Beauty is not in being fat, skinny or having a 10 body. This simple message catapulted this song to the top of music charts. "All About That Bass" is the debut single by American artist Meghan Trainor. The song was positively received by critics who praised the catchy beat, lyrics, and message. The song has become a commercial success, peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 becoming her first hit single on the chart. Internationally, it has topped the charts in Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, and peaked within the top ten of the charts in other countries.

Transcript

Because you know
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass

Yeah, it's pretty clear, I ain't no size two
But I can shake it, shake it
Like I'm supposed to do
'Cause I got that boom boom that all the boys chase
And all the right junk in all the right places

I see the magazine workin' that Photoshop
We know that sh*t ain't real
C'mon now, make it stop
If you got beauty, beauty, just raise 'em up
'Cause every inch of you is perfect
From the bottom to the top

Yeah, my mama she told me don't worry about your size
She says, "Boys like a little more booty to hold at night."
You know I won't be no stick figure silicone Barbie doll
So if that's what you're into then go ahead and move along

Because you know I'm
All about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass
Hey!

I'm bringing booty back
Go ahead and tell them skinny b*tches that
No I'm just playing. I know you think you're fat
But I'm here to tell ya
Every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top

Yeah my mama she told me don't worry about your size
She says, "Boys like a little more booty to hold at night."
You know I won't be no stick figure silicone Barbie doll
So if that's what you're into then go ahead and move along

Because you know I'm
All about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass

Because you know I'm
All about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass

Because you know I'm
All about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass
'Bout that bass, 'bout that bass
Hey, hey, ooh
You know you like this bass

Explanations

I'M ALL ABOUT...= I love...; I am completely in favour of...


THAT= In colloquial English we sometimes use THAT with the same meaning as THE.


BASS= /beɪs/ Bass is a low pitch sound or tone. A bass is a string instrument that looks like a very big violin and has a very deep and low sound (see picture). In this song, the bass is a metaphore of fat bodies, or more specifically, fat body bottoms.


'BOUT= (coll.) About.


TREBLE= (sounds) Treble is the opposite of bass, it's a high pitch sound or tone. In music, the bass is the lowest range of sounds and treble is the highest range. In this song the bass is used as a metaphore for fat bodies and treble is a metaphore for skinny (very thin) bodies.


PRETTY= (coll.) Very.


I AIN'T NO SIZE TWO= (coll.) I'm not size two.
People often say that any girl over size 2 is fat, although size 2 is rather skinny. Size 2 is a dress size for women.
Note: This sentence has a double negative (ain't - no), which is not correct in standard English but it is not uncommon in very colloquial English.


SHAKE IT= Shake my body (move it from side to side with sudden and violent motion).


LIKE I'M= As I'm, The way I'm...


'CAUSE= (coll.) Because.


I GOT= (coll. or AmE) I've got, I have.


CHASE= Run after something in order to catch it or hunt it. If a boy chases a girl, he is trying to seduce her.


JUNK= (a little bit rude) Junk is something which is rubbish, useless (as in "junk food"). It may also refer to the sexual parts of your body (slang).


WORKING= In this case it means "using" or "doing".


PHOTOSHOP= She refers to the use of the image program Photoshop to modify the picture of a person and make them look more beautiful than they really are.


THAT SH*T= (coll. rude) That.


AIN'T= (coll.) Isn't (also: am not, aren't, haven't, hasn't)


'EM= (coll.) Them.


EVERY INCH OF YOU= Every part of your body (an inch = 25.4 mm)


MY MAMA SHE TOLD ME= (coll.) Using a noun phrase as a subject and then a pronoun is not correct grammar but it is sometimes done in colloquial English.


BOOTY= (coll.) Botom, the part of your body you use to sit down, etc.


I WON'T BE NO...= (coll.) Another double negative (see above)


STICK FIGURE= A very think figure (see picture of a stick)


BARBIE DOLL= A very popular doll depicting a very thin woman (see picture)


THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE INTO= That's what you like.


MOVE ALONG= Move away, don't stay here.


THEM= (coll.) Those.


SKINNY= Very very thin.


B*TCHES= (rude, very offensive) Girls (literally it means "a very disgusting and annoying woman, malicious, unpleasant and selfish")


YA= (coll.) You.

Meaning

Asked by Billboard magazine how she came up with the song's title and imagery, Meghan replied: "You know how the bass guitar in a song is like its 'thickness,' the 'bottom'? I kind of related a body to that."


The song depicts the "ideal" skinny body type as overrated and promotes body acceptance by celebrating men and women of all sizes and shapes with lyrics such as "Every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top" and “It's pretty clear I ain't no size 2, but I can shake it, shake it like I'm supposed to do". Trainor says, "I wrote this song because I myself struggle with this concept of self-acceptance. It was written from a real place so I’m glad that other people can relate to it." Though it has been suggested that the song is a feminist anthem, Trainor has insisted that she didn't set out to write a feminist anthem, rather a universal message to appreciate your "booty".