The song is an electropop song with traditional Korean instrumentation. The song was co-produced by DJ Frants who also worked with Sunmi on her 2018 single, “Siren”. Lyrically, the song uses the metaphor of a butterfly and the process of metamorphosis, detailing her unwillingness for the media’s negativity to break her wings. In the past, Sunmi has been heavily criticized for her weight.
The song debuted with a real-time All kill on Korean music charts. The song also debuted at #4 on Billboard’s World Digital Songs Chart making Sunmi the female soloist in K-Pop with the most Top 5 hits on the chart.
LALALAY 날라리
SunMi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
또 입방아에 들썩
온종일 난리 법석
애써 아니라고 말하기도 애석
너만 빼고 다 아는데
너 그거 몰라 맞아 난 말이야
분위기가 좋아 그렇다면 okay (okay)
뭐라고 뭘 하고 다녀도
You know I'm okay
알잖아요 난 naughty but
아니에요 날라리
맞으면 뭐 어쩔 건데 (hey) ah ah higher
날라라라라라라라라라라리
Ah ah higher 날라라라라라라라라라라리
나 몰라라 너 몰라라
다 몰려와 어디에 또 (어디에 또)
재밌는 거 없나
벌떼처럼 wing wing
그럴수록 win win
난 날이 선 칼날 위에
피리 부는 조그마한 captain
You ready, get ready
난 여기서만 날라리 now
분위기가 좋아 그렇다면 okay (okay)
가루가 되도록 터는 것도 okay
뭐라고 뭘 하고 다녀도
You know I'm okay
알잖아요 난 naughty but
아니에요 날라리
맞으면 뭐 어쩔 건데 (hey) ah ah higher
날라라라라라라라라라라리
Ah ah higher 날라라라라라라라라라라리
Ladies and gentlemen
Welcome aboard
I'll take you high high high higher
Don't need to buckle up
If we got caught
Then we can just 날라 리!
Ah ah higher 날라라라라라라라라라라리 (yeah yeah yeah)
Ah ah higher 날라라라라라라라라라라리
Ah ah 날라라라라라라라라라라리
Ah woo eh 날라라라라라라라라라라리
In SunMi's song LALALAY, the lyrics seem to express the idea of carefree living and having fun without worrying about the consequences. The opening lines of the song, translated into English, suggest that the singer is aware of what others are saying about her, but she just shrugs it off and continues to enjoy herself. The chorus also reinforces this idea, as she confidently sings "You know I'm okay" and "If we got caught, then we can just 날라 리!" which roughly translates to "Let's just fly away!"
Throughout the song, there is a strong emphasis on the "okay" mentality, which can also be interpreted as a sort of rebellion against societal expectations. The singer seems to be saying that regardless of what others think or say, she's okay with who she is and how she lives her life. This is reflected in the line, "알잖아요 난 naughty but 아니에요 날라리," which translated means "You know I'm naughty, but I'm not a bad person."
The overall tone of the song is upbeat and carefree, encouraging the listener to join the singer in her wild and adventurous lifestyle. With its catchy chorus and funky instrumentation, LALALAY is a fun and empowering anthem that celebrates living in the moment and not taking life too seriously.
Line by Line Meaning
말해 뭐해 그랬니 어쨌니
What's the point of talking about it, what does it matter, what happened?
또 입방아에 들썩
My heart is racing again
온종일 난리 법석
I've been crazy all day
애써 아니라고 말하기도 애석
It's sad that I have to deny it
너만 빼고 다 아는데
Everyone else knows, except for you
너 그거 몰라 맞아 난 말이야
Yes, you don't know that, that's what I'm saying
분위기가 좋아 그렇다면 okay (okay)
If the atmosphere is good, then it's okay
가루가 되도록 터는 것도 okay
It's okay to explode like powder
뭐라고 뭘 하고 다녀도
No matter what I do or say
You know I'm okay
You know I'm okay
알잖아요 난 naughty but
You know I'm naughty but
아니에요 날라리
No, I'm a free spirit
맞으면 뭐 어쩔 건데 (hey) ah ah higher
What can you do if I'm right? (hey) ah ah higher
날라라라라라라라라라라리
Fly away
나 몰라라 너 몰라라
I don't know, you don't know
다 몰려와 어디에 또 (어디에 또)
Everyone gathers again, where to next?
재밌는 거 없나
Is there nothing fun to do?
벌떼처럼 wing wing
Like a swarm, wing wing
그럴수록 win win
The more you do, the more you win
난 날이 선 칼날 위에
I'm on the sharp edge of the sword
피리 부는 조그마한 captain
A small captain blowing on a whistle
You ready, get ready
You ready, get ready
난 여기서만 날라리 now
Now I'm just a free spirit here
Ladies and gentlemen
Ladies and gentlemen
Welcome aboard
Welcome aboard
I'll take you high high high higher
I'll take you higher and higher
Don't need to buckle up
Don't need to buckle up
If we got caught
If we got caught
Then we can just 날라 리!
Then we can just fly away!
날라라라라라라라라라라리 (yeah yeah yeah)
Fly away (yeah yeah yeah)
Ah woo eh 날라라라라라라라라라라리
Ah woo eh fly away
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Seok Choi, Sunmi Lee
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@HuTao77777
Clc: Burns the rose
BTS : throws the rose
Blackpink: has rose
Iz*one : La Vie en Rose
Sunmi: eats the rose
Twice : gets pricked by rose
Rose : name of the band
Nct Dream: looks at rose
Mamamoo : has a rose in a vase
Exo : drinks liquor with rose
Loona : eats the rose
Hwasa : blows the rose
Seven o'clock : fandom roses
Seventeen : munches on the rose
Rose 🌹: Can I leave already?
@kai-xc5dk
(Hi i'm a native korean so please at least read the previous comments before coming at me with 'i'm a native korean but')
A bit of korean trivia here:
the song is called '날라리 (nallari),' which means something along the lines of a delinquent, but a bit softer(?), like a punk. It's basically one of the words that adults call teens who don't study and instead, want to become an idol/dance/sing (I know it refers to any child that plays more than studies, usually in a negative way, but this explanation is just the most fitting- stop coming at me if you haven't read my explanation in the comments). Sunmi using this word is ironic, as she's a singer, but also really cool because she uses it in a dual way. She first still uses the original meaning of nalalay, but also when she says 'higher' in the chorus it's also because if you get rid of the 'lay' at the end of nalalay, it becomes 'nala,' which means to fly/take flight. Also the flute-thing in the intro + chorus is called the taepyungso mainly, but may also be called nalalay.
Something else that was added through the comments was the fact that the title in english (lalalay) does not match how the korean title is pronounced (lallari). It's apparently to be similar to lala, which just means it's easier and more fun to sing along with :)
I just realized it, so I thought it would be cool to share owo
@g.h3874
Wow thanks would not have guessed that, and she wrote and produced it a true Artist
@beys7361
Thats so cool man
@saraha7145
👌🏻
@aman-man9577
And i think 'nalari' is also the name of the traditional instrument heard through out the song. Overall Sunmi really likes word-play in her songs😂😂
@_moonku
Thanks for the explanation,bro!
@maryphantomhive7310
Sunmi was reportedly rushed to the hospital after her shoulders couldn't handle the pain of carrying the whole kpop industry.
@icecream.-.
Dont scare me like that😂
@milikbread
You almost had me on the first half ngl
@user-cm6vx4im2s
Mary Phantømhive 😂