#just like in iicf....i think i might give up everything just ask me to

[lets-talk-spirituality]

Can you please do a song analysis on sunflower vol. 6 when you feel up to it?

Luckily for you lot, I had this typed out from awhile ago.

✨💕⚡️✨💕⚡️✨💕⚡️✨💕⚡️✨💕⚡️✨💕

SUNFLOWER VO. 6– still haven’t figured out volume 6 unless it signifies this is the 6th volume (in books it’s a continuation of a story) of sunflower, is this the 6th song about this mystery woman? (Something great, if I could fly, golden, she, sunflower? Is there a song that he didn’t release? Or one that is meant for she that I haven’t figured out?)

Song starts off with backmasking, tying it to she! I’d argue sunflower is about a daydream/dream with she. Here’s why:

Sunflower

Ties to golden with the sun theme

Sunflower, my eyes want you more than a melody

Sunflower is her nickname and he wants to see her more than he wants to write a song or discover a melody. You all know how much of a music nerd Harry is. This is telling! He doesn’t say he wants to see her, he says my eyes want you, my eyes in person in physical, I want to see you in person more than I want a melody (ties back to iicf and I’d give up everything just ask me to and something great you’re all I want); the only other place he uses the phrase my eyes is golden.

Let me inside, wish I could get to know you

Let me inside, inside what? Her heart because she’s scared of love? Her mind like she’s in his? Inside her body? Inside her world (something great)? Wish I could get to know you implies distance, he wishes he could but for some reason he can’t? Because she’s not physical to him! If she were and he knew her he wouldn’t say “wish” it would be want, or like, or even can. Wish implies hope, something hard to obtain, something like a dream. Could is also conditional and implies again there is some reason he doesn’t have agency to get to know this sunflower.

Sunflowers sometimes keep it sweet in your memory

Memory… where has memory been mentioned before, hmm? Oh he lives for the memory of she. He keeps it sweet in his memory. His memories of her are sweet. The first part seems unfinished like sunflowers sometimes what? Like his words are tongue tied literally?

I was just tongue-tied

He literally states it. He was literally just tongue tied. Why? Doesn’t know what to say about the experience? He doesn’t say if he was tongue tied to anyone just that he was tongue tied.

I don't wanna make you feel bad

Make who feel bad? She? Is she you again? He doesn’t want to make her feel bad? About what?

But I've been trying hard not to talk to you

He explains. He’s been trying hard, this implies it’s difficult for him not to talk to her, but why has he been trying not to? Because he’s tongue tied and can’t? Why would she feel bad? If this was about wanting an ex, why would she feel bad about him not talking to her? She’d expect it since they broke up and might not want to talk to him either because she wants closure and distance. To me, this is about she. He’s been trying to disengage and he doesn’t want her to feel bad about it. He knows it hurts her for him to not talk to her because they live together in daydreams, so he knows her even if he doesn’t know who or where she is, he knows she’s afraid of love, that’s why she would feel bad, he is abandoning her/doesn’t want her she thinks, why is he trying not to? Because he still has reality to live in and he can’t be in daydreams with her all day. Because it makes him feel out of his head and lonely.

Sunflower (Sunflower, sunflower)

Pet name to soothe her.

I couldn't want you any more

This part almost sounds giddy, joyful. He reassures her it’s not that he doesn’t want her, so she doesn’t feel bad.

Kiss in the kitchen like it's a dance floor

This is what they do in sweet memories, in daydreams where they live together, kiss is present though, so it also isn’t in the past, but the present, in the dream they are sharing right now

I couldn't want you any more

Again he’s telling her how much he wants her, so much he doesn’t think it's possible to want her more

Tonight (Tonight, tonight, tonight)

Tonight, tonight we will be together, in dreams, it’s repeated to reassure her, he says tonight because he knows the dream they are in right now has to end soon, but he’s saying he’ll be back.

Wondering, headshake

Not sure about y’all but these lyrics never made sense to me until I realized sunflower is connected to she and golden. Wondering, play on wandering? He’s confused about this whole thing going on with mystery woman. Headshake, to get her out of his head, to remind himself he’s not crazy? He’s going around wondering about her and this then shakes his head back to reality

Tired eyes are the death of me

Tired eyes? So lack of sleep? Why? Because he’s been trying not to talk to she! Not sleeping so she’s not in his dreams! Or when he does sleep it’s not peaceful. They are the death of him? He’s not talking to her but it’s killing him and messing up his day to day. He looks like shit and he knows it. They are presently the death of him.

Mouthful of toothpaste before I got to know you

This line always confused me! What does it mean? I couldn't figure it out. But then connecting it to she? Okay brushing your teeth with someone implies living with them, implies intimacy, he’s saying they have this close connection before he even got to know her. He’s living with she, but he’s getting to know her through their connection. It’s a little confusing but basically he’s saying they were already intimate before they knew each other.

I've got your face hung up high in the gallery

People want to connect this to cherry because of the word gallery but this reference is different. In that song he references another man's parents gallery. In this reference it’s in the gallery. Her face is hung high, as in above him like in golden, up high in a gallery where he’s studied it, in a gallery like it’s precious art to be studied, up high where it’s protected but also more distant, high above other things, implies importance, he’s telling her I’ll never forget your face, also memorializes her in a way, makes her untouchable almost on a pedestal. Presently, her face is hung there.

Out of the shade, sunflower, sunflower

The shade? Ties back to golden. What causes shade? Light not passing through an object. Like a shadow, hmm? He’s in her shadow? What is the shade? The light being blocked by her face in the gallery? Hmm is it that this mystery woman blocks out his other sources of light? Maybe gets in the way of other relationships? Out of the shade? Out of the darkness, so protecting them by keeping them hidden away high in the gallery. And calls her his pet name again.

Your flowers just died, plant new seeds in the melody

Your flowers, not his flowers, he’s talking to she. They just died. What are the flowers? Hopes, dreams, something beautiful? Something that couldn’t grow or bloom anymore? Is he aware of things going on for she? Does she talk to him about stuff? Plant new seeds in the melody. He’s saying try again. Plant new seeds in the melody. In what melody? This melody? Planting seeds can also refer to burying things, hiding things, plant seeds, he’s hiding messages in the melody, new messages to bring her hope again. He’s literally planting seeds for she in this song!

Let me inside, I wanna get to know you

Again he demands she let him inside. Inside what? He wants to get to know her. Know can mean sex in Shakespearean langauage. So maybe he’s saying I want to be with you in the flesh. See here’s why it’s confusing, in one part he says before I got to know you, but then throughout he is saying I want to get to know you. So does he know her or not? Yes and no! He knows her spiritually but not physically. He wants to get to know her in person, but he feels he knows her intimately already spiritually. Confusing? Um yah.

But I've been trying hard not to act a fool

He’s been trying hard? It’s hard for him to not act a fool when it comes to her? Act a fool? Act crazy or silly or strangely or stupidly? Tied back to golden and out of my head.

Then back to him reassuring her he couldn't want her anymore, but this time we get: kids in the kitchen listen to dancehall, dancehall is Jamaican music and seems to refer back to that time in his life, are they the kids he and she, or is it their kids? But it’s present so he’s picturing it now, so maybe he and she are the kids listening to dancehall and kissing and dancing in the kitchen together. This is what he pictures in a happy future relationship, what he wants. Basically this whole part is him picturing domestic bliss and for him it’s simple, being in the kitchen, cooking, kissing and dancing to music with your lover. That’s what he wants in reality with she.

Sunflowers just died, keep it sweet in your memory

Sunflowers died? But not she? Maybe he means the dream ended and he’s keeping it sweet in his memory. Sunflower here is multiple, so he maybe means what they were growing together. Maybe an element of her died to him. He’s saying even when something is over or ends that doesn’t mean it isn’t still something you can remember fondly. I read it as even though the dream, fantasy is over, I’ll remember it fondly.

I'm still tongue-tied

Still doesn’t know what he’s saying, confused about this whole thing, still can’t find the words for it. This whole song was him trying to explain it but he knows it was all muddled because he feels muddled. How do you explain it? He tried but it’s almost like he’s excusing his attempt.

Then he makes a lot of random noises or acts a fool, the woos even mimic a coo coo clock, which could be seen as a wake up call, and coo coo is another way to say crazy like you’re being coo coo or crazy. He just leans into it and decided to be crazy.

[softcherubhips]

She lives in daydreams with me....

crisp trepidation//i'll try to shake this soon

[finexbright]

the thing about the lyric "if you believe that guy is superman, they're selling tickets at the cinema" is that it comes off as a naïve thing at first. however it's louis saying, "if you believe in this thing, i believe in it too. if you really think this is true, i'll do everything i can to make it come true for you". it's this sort of genteel affection and willingness to get the stars and the moon and the entire world if your partner asked you to. it's both synonymous and still different from the lyric "i think i might give up everything, just ask me to" and while in iicf it's about literally giving up everything for this person, in lucky again it's about doing everything to keep this person. if you believe that guy is superman, i'll buy tickets for the both of us because you're ridiculous and i love you but above all i trust you and would do anything for you, even if it's as stupid and dumb as watching a movie about a superhero. because that's what love is, it's all these little things knit together to form a grander canvas of things. love isn't always grand gestures, love sometimes is little things like going out to the movies just because your person loves it.

[skepticalarrie]

I wanna hear about your iicf and defenseless parallels!!

If I could fly

I'd be comin' right back home to you

I think I might

Give up everything, just ask me to

I'm missing half of me

When we're apart

I can feel your heart inside of mine

I come runnin' to you like a moth into a flame

You tell me, "Take it easy," but it's easier to say

Wish I didn't need so much of you

I hate to say, but I do

- Being completely devoted, adoration. Parallels with flying

---

I've got scars

Even though they can't always be seen

And pain gets hard

But now you're here and I don't feel a thing

We're sleepin' on our problems like we'll solve them in our dreams

We wake up early morning and they're still under the sheets

I'm lost in my head, I'm spinnin' again

Tryna find what to say to you

- The "scars” and “problems” seems to be quite a big deal, but they don't address the problems directly, because when they're together everything feels fine, so they pretend like there's nothing wrong. (they really don't talk enough do they)

---

I've been goin' out of my mind

I feel it, I feel it

Know that I'm just wastin' time

And I hope that you don't run from me

Been up all night

All night runnin' all my lines

But it’s only the truth

Been up all night

Not sure how to say this right

Got so much to lose

- Going over and over about something unsolved. Afraid to say it, because there’s too much to lose, afraid to lose each other.

---

'Cause I let my guard down

Right now I'm completely defenseless

For your eyes only

I'll show you my heart

Never been so defenceless (Oh)

Never been so defenceless (Ooh)

You just keep on buildin' up your fences (Oh)

But I've never been so defenceless (Ooh)

I hope that I'm not asking too much

Just wanna be loved by you

And I'm too tired to be tough

Just wanna be loved by you

- Vulnerability.

---

For your eyes only

I'll show you my heart

No, you don't have to keep on being strong for me and you

Acting like you feel no pain

You know I know you do

And I can't get inside when you're lost in your pride

But you don't have a thing to prove

- Probably my favorite parallel. Harry is being vulnerable but this is for Louis and for him only, he would never show himself like that to anyone else. And we really see that on Harry, how he shut down completely years ago and he basically put his stage face on and protect everything else. He never "exposes" himself. And Louis is picking exactly on that here, IMO Louis implies so many times in his album that letting his walls finally fall down was basically like an wake-up call for him, to be completely open and vulnerable... and the way I see it, he wants the same in return.

[ostricacida]

.

[bluewinnerangel]

Hi! So I just wanted to share a thought about a line in Sunflower, Vol. 6.

I remembered the line 'my eyes, want you more than a melody' recently and I thought it could maybe be related to the line in If I Could Fly, 'I think I might give up everything, just ask me to.'

I was just wondering what if 'want you more than a melody' means he wants L more than his career, which is music, and how this links to the line in iicf which also seems to relate to the same thing.

Just a little thought I had :)

Hi! You had a just little innocent thought and what do I do, I turn it into brainpayne. Have fun with all this..

Of course I think a chunk of their songs all fit together like a puzzle, because it's autobiographical, and, you know, it all comes from the same place, the same story, their life, I mean, obviously. I thought about this too, and I remember reading something somewhere that I of course can't find back, that said something like this too, so you're definitely not the only one interpreting these lines as wanting this person more than his career in the sense that he's ready to give it up.

Another interpretation for "want you more than a melody" could be that he's being extra making the ultimate comparison: I want you that much I want you even more than the thing I want most in the world and not necessarily in the context of having to give that up. Because clearly, music is his life. And he loves to sing about it too, using it as a way to describe something being as amazing as hearing amazing music, or being so great there's music written about it:

Tastes like strawberries on a summer evenin', And it sounds just like a song, I want your belly and that summer feelin' -Watermelon Sugar

And I'm well aware I write too many songs about you - Falling

And if we're here long enough, They'll sing a song for us - TPWK

Tastes so sweet, looks so real, Sounds like something that I used to feel - Two Ghosts

She feels so good, I met her once and wrote a song about her, I wanna scream, yeah, I wanna shout it out - Carolina

She plays songs I've never heard, An old lover's hippie music, Pretends not to know the words - Canyon Moon [here I think he's using it to describe something being off, not his jam, not his music, in the same waters as "but there was something missing in her eyes", he's just thinking back to a time under the Canyon Moon, just waiting to go home, so he describes being somewhere that's not home as songs being played he doesn't know. It's a good ol reach here but with all the Canyon Moon / Home parallels this makes sense to me.]

Sunflower, Sunflower, My eyes, Want you more than a melody, Let me inside, Wish I could get to know you - Sunflower vol 6

But that link with the IICF line could be the case as well. Sunflower vol 6 is mostly just a happy sappy love song that yeah overcomes some struggles (its link with Two Ghosts giving that away even more) where that "want you more than a melody" line could imply being ready to just throw it all out the window and be together openly (as I interpret that line in IICF), maybe even more specifically reminiscing a time when that was a huge deal, maybe bigger than it is now (just going for pure speculation here sorry, just thinking, as it all relates back to a time before TG was written, but of course this is a persistent uh theme in their lives).

I'm also eyeing (see what I did there) that he goes "My eyes, want you more than a melody", because as I mentioned before (I'll link it below), IICF seems to be a Blaze Foley fanpiece, the songs If I Could Only Fly and Oooh Love, that second one pretty much exclusively going "you like my eyes and also I think you have pretty blue eyes", then he put that in the blender and went "If I could fly" + "for your eyes only". Maybe, maybe not. I mean we all only have 2 eyes and mentions of eyes don't mean links, it's like mentioning love or a heart or... a song really. But it could also be a little link to weave some songs together, as looking way too deep into his shit I'm convinced that's something he does often. Going down an eye spiral for absolutely no reason:

My eyes, want you more than a melody // Tired eyes are the death of me - Sunflower vol 6

I get so lost inside your eyes, Would you believe it? - Adore You

Same lips red, same eyes blue - Two Ghosts

I've been idolizing the light in your eyes - Olivia

For your eyes only, I show you my heart - If I Could Fly

Who's this man that's holding your hand, And talking about your eyes? - Stockholm Syndrome

Also a bunch of open eyes:

Golden, golden, golden, As I open my eyes, Hold it, focus, hoping, Take me back to the light - Golden

Open up your eyes, shut your mouth and see, That I'm still the only one who's been in love with me - Only Angel

I'll keep my eyes wide open, I'll keep my arms wide open - Don't let me go

Related readings for those in the mood:

My Sunflower vol 6 rabbit hole - @ialwaysknewyouwerepunk's Sunflower vol 6 close reading - If I Could Fly seems to be a Blaze Foley fanpiece - Defenceless seems to be an If I Could Fly fanpiece

[prncessparkrry]

i have no idea where it would’ve fallen in the larry timeline (i think it would be in the late 2016-early 2017 range) but i think they had a really bad breakup. i don’t think it was for a while, but it was still a very painful time for them. i know from personal experience, my song writing is at is peak whenever i’m in the most pain. in the week after i was dumped i wrote 13 songs, and i’ve done even more since. but anyways…here’s my reasoning behind thinking they had a mini breakup on the basis of their songs.

harry wrote a lot of hs1 in fall of 2016 (plus some fine line songs). a majority of the songs were very personal and had a deep emotional meaning if you look close enough. same goes for walls. many people have noticed parallels with the songs. here are some of those:

meet me in the hallway- Just let me know I'll be at the door, at the door. Hoping you'll come around. Just let me know I'll be on the floor, on the floor. Maybe we'll work it out

habit- You give me the time and the space I was out of control and I'm sorry I let you down. I guess that I know what I already knew I was better with you and I miss you now.

Harry is saying that he just needed to word and he’d go back to the person. Louis is apologizing for letting them down and realizing that he loved them all along, and it might be too late.

two ghosts- We’re not who we used to be, we don’t see what we used to see. We’re just two ghosts swimming in a glass half empty. Trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat.

too young- I've been looking back a lot lately, me and you is all I've ever known. It’s hard to think you could ever hate me, but everything's feeling different now

They both talk about previously having something great, but things feeling different

sweet creature- It’s hard when we argue, we’re both stubborn I know. But oh, sweet creature, swear creature, wherever I go. You bring me home.

louis wrote home.

need i expand?

ever since new york- There's no water inside this swimming pool, almost over, had enough from you. And I've been praying, I never did before. Understand I'm talking to the walls, I've been praying ever since New York.

defenseless- We're sleepin' on our problems like we'll solve them in our dreams. We wake up early morning and they're still under the sheets.

Harry is saying they’re struggling but praying things will get better. Louis is saying that they’re struggling through problems, but not getting anywhere. Connect the dots.

from the dining table- LITERALLY THE WHOLE MF SONG

miss you- Now I'm asking my friends how to say "I'm sorry", they say "Lad, give it time, there's no need to worry". And we can't even be on the phone now. And I can't even be with you alone now. Oh, how shit changes, we were in love, now we're strangers. When I feel it coming up, I just throw it all away, get another two shots 'cause it doesn't matter anyway

in ftdt harry is asking why they wont apologize to him, and then says that “even my phone misses your call”, to which louis responds that’s he’s trying to figure out how to apologize, and that he can’t be on the phone with him at the moment because of the situation they’re in.

fine line- You’ve got my devotion, but man I can hate you sometimes.

always you- I went to so many places, looking for you in the faces.

back to you- I know my friends, they give me bad advice. Like move on, get you out my mind. But don't you think I haven't even tried? You got me cornered and my hands are tied

this shows that they both still care about each other but aren’t together. it paints a picture of them wanting to move on, but being unable to.

then ofc there’s the princess park lyrics and other references to each other in their songs. the ones above are the most “conversation” like.

this is all just assumptions, but i was in a very similar situation as to what these songs sound like to me, hence my theory as to what happened to larry.

it seems to me that they both rushed into things and were so blinded by their love they never solved some issues they had (defenseless/two ghosts/sweet creature) and it eventually blew up in their faces (ftdt/tbsl/always you/fearless). i’m assuming in the time of this breakup, larry wrote these songs for each other. however, bc of things like chile, msg, still the one, iicf, and many other things, i think they got back together before harry went on HSLOT. but that’s my theory as to why we got so many heartbreak songs from the two, despite us still getting proofs of them together.

[ninacarstairss]

Cece hear me out, If I could fly, strong and home by one direction are the perfect songs for Alex and Henry 🥺

If I could fly:

If I could fly, I'd be comin' right back home to you, I think I might give up everything , just ask me to

Pay attention, I hope that you listen, 'cause I let my guard down, right now I'm completely defenseless

For your eyes only I show you my heart for when you are lonely and forget who you are, I'm missing half of me when we are apart 😭😭

I've got scars, even though they can't always be seen, and pain gets hard, but now you're here and I don't feel a thing

I can feel your heart inside of mine, I've been goin' out of my mind, Know that I'm just wastin' time, and I hope that you don't run from me 😭😭😭

Strong:

Pages between us, written with no end so many words we're not saying, don't wanna wait 'til it's gone you make me strong

I'm sorry if I say, "I need you" but I don't care, I'm not scared of love, 'cause when I'm not with you, I'm weaker Is that so wrong? Is it so wrong that you make me strong?

Home:

I was stumbling, looking in the dark, with an empty heart, but you say, you feel the same , could we ever be enough?, Baby, we could be enough

And it's alright, calling out for somebody to hold tonight, when you're lost, I'll find a way, and I'll be your light, you will never feel like you're alone, I'll make this feel like home

So hard that I couldn't take it, wanna wake up and see your face, and remember how good it was being here last night, still high with a little feeling, I see the smile as it starts to creep in, It was there, I saw it in your eyes

Besides "baby" is one of the nicknames that Alex used randomly when they hadn't define their relationship and even he said that it became a thing 😭😭

I'll be crying, how I didn't realized this before? 😭😭

OMG GABS IM DROWNING IN MY TEARS RN HOW DID I NOT SEE THIS BEFORE I LITERALLY LISTEN TO THESE SONGS ON A DAILY BASIS AND HOME AND IICF ARE MY ALL TIME FAVORITES SONSOSNOSWJ

i think i might give up everything, just ask me to

for your eyes only i’ll show you my heart, for when you’re lonely and forget who you are, i’m missing half of me when we’re apart, now you know me

i’ve got scars, even though they can’t always be seen

and i hope that you don’t run from me

I KNOW HARRY WROTE THIS FOR LOU BUT FUCK IF I DIDN’T KNOW THAT I WOULD THINK HE WROTE THIS FOR ALEX AND HENRY

these lines are literally them, it’s their story, their personalities. seriously the accuracy here— like the scars line is so accurate for both of them, and the chorus, the very core of the song, that’s literally alex and henry only showing their true selves to the other and IM MISSING HALF OF ME WHEN WERE APART SCREAMS FIRSTPRINCE

but strong too 😭😭 god that song is a masterpiece and it’s perfect for alex and henry

waves try to break it, i’ll do anything to save it

seriously some of these lines are written for them and tell their story perfectly jnsisnsj

and home— oh my god home.

first of all that baby is giving me chills and now my head is filled with alex telling henry “baby we could be enough”

as soon as i saw this ask i opened spotify, played home and cried for 3 minutes and 15 seconds straight because this song will always have a special place in my heart, it has one of the best lyrics ever and again it looks like it’s been written for alex and henry. i can’t even decide who it fits better between them, but seriously the words in this song are always breathtaking and now i can’t stop thinking about the scene at wimbledon and then after at the palace when alex is there for henry or the scene at the beekman hotel when henry tells alex “you are good” and all the other scenes of them confiding in each other and finding comfort in the presence of the other but having to let go of that in the morning and still not being able to get each other out of their minds even when they’re apart. and then, finally thinking of the other as home. they fucking did make it feel like home and i’ll never stop crying about it 😭

gaby now i need a hug and tissues for the rest of the day 😭😭

[daisiesonafield-blog]

Let's get more emotional and remember that iicf was released November 13 and Home leaked November 17 from the same year and never were preformed by the band ... And one is longing for home and the other reassuring him that he will make it feel like home and I'm crying yes

Louis is Harry’s home and Harry is Louis’ home.

Harry: I’m missing half of me when we’re apart 

Louis: I was stumbling, looking in the dark with an empty heart. But you say you feel the same. Could we ever be enough? Baby we could be enough

Harry: If I could fly, I'd be comin' right back home to you. I think I might give up everything, just ask me to

Louis: I’ll make this feel like home

[silverfoxlou]

I’d love to hear more of your thoughts about IICF if you’d like to share? The only part i like on that song is Louis’ solo.

At first I thought that I was exaggerating about how many thoughts I had about this stupid song, but then I wrote it out and it got long...

Like I said, it’s easy to promise “to give up everything” when you know the person you’re promising will never ask you to do so. The way things played out, he knew that and took advantage of it. And even then, it’s still he thinks he might give up everything. You could actually argue that Louis is the one that gave up everything... and this isn’t just me saying it, is it? A lot of larries seem to agree that Louis compromised on his career so that Harry could get the success he deserved. 

Looking back I think the fandom reaction (or well.. part of the fandom.. you know which part) to him singing this and Sweet Creature (??) on the “boyfriend stage” was what made me really hate the song with a burning passion. They were being baited to the max and fell for it hook, line and sinker, and they then used it to keep pushing the narrative of Louis following Harry on tour and hiding in the shadows. 

Thinking about it now, I guess the line

For your eyes only, I'll show you my heart

set the stage for how larries think Harry and Louis’ love and support works. Harry doesn’t need to publicly support or even acknowledge his partner because he does it all in private, behind the scenes, where no one can see it and it doesn’t actually do Louis any good. 

And a minor point, but I also remember thinking that it was surprising he just went ahead and performed a song from MITAM that they hadn’t performed live together yet by himself.. but I guess it was “his song” so it made some sense. 

Oh also, isn’t it fandom lore (or maybe it’s real, I don’t know) that he wrote this song around the same time Louis (and Liam) wrote Home the one time their two-week rule was broken? And they wrote the songs for each other? This was the best he could come up with?

@tomlinsno also pointed this out to me

For your eyes only, I show you my heart For when you're lonely and forget who you are

vs

I looked you in the eyes, saw that I was lost (saw that I was lost) For every question "why", you were my "because" (you were my "because")

It’s almost like Harry loved being adored and being the center of the someone’s whole universe. Louis loved Harry. 

[lets-talk-spirituality]

I know but as an English major that shit pisses me off and sits weird with me. //

You're an english major? Haha me too

You were doing song analysis right? I've been obsessed with 'daylight' lately and idk why but i think this song has parallels with 'she' and 'if i could fly'

For example: when he sings the chorus 'you got me cursing the daylight', in my opinion it correlates with 'she' when he sings 'she lives in daydreams with me' because he sees that person in dream only and as soon as it's morning, he's cursing the daylight because he cannot dream of them anymore and the line when says 'if i was a bluebird, i would fly to you', it gives such major vibes of 'i think i might give up everything just ask me to'. Like whatever the circumstances or situations, he's willing to leave everything behind for them and when in canyon moon he sings 'the world's happy waiting' all of them point in the same direction to me. Maybe it's just me or something but yes. I think all of his songs are so deep and filled with longing (:

It’s not just you. Daylight and IICF feel deeply connected because they’re both talking about how if he could leave it all behind he would. I think fly also has to do with ascension. He sees them as in the sky in so many ways and he wants to join them in the sky but he can’t. Because he can’t fly.

This whole thing feels very metaphoric about like the journey to find belonging and meaning and how much he wants to fly to where he knows that is. But it’s only in dreams. Sometimes he doesn’t want to sleep because it hurts to wake up, ain’t gonna sleep till the daylight. You know how sometimes you’re so tired you don’t dream? Well that’s the vibes of this I feel.

Special note “you got the antidote, I’ll take one to go, go please, get the picture, cut out my middle, you ain’t got time for me right now”

the antidote to his loneliness, they have it, but he can’t have them so he takes one to go (maybe filling the loneliness with easy flings, or he takes their love to go after the dream) go please—leave (a theme about not wanting to talk or for them to go away “I don’t want to talk to you”) it’s push and pull, he wants them but also it’s hard because he wants someone not there, get the picture “can’t you see I long to be with you all the time” see me for all I am, then cut out my middle, cut out all the in between, you ain’t got time for me right now… as much as you want us to be together you need to be focused on yourself, you don’t have the time to dedicate so I’ll take it to go, can’t have it right here but later on, at home.

[cristinayanggirl]

Whenever I feel like a weak Larrie there are a few moments/things I will go through in my mind that for me is so obvious that you can’t deny them even if you tried your hardest....

- the iconic “Always in my heart” tweet.

- Louis fonding over Harry and looking at him like he is his whole world. Being the only one who always listens to Harry even though he makes no sense at all. Always supporting and defending him.

- Harry looking at Louis like he is the sun. The fact that Harry is always the one that laugh the loudest when Louis says something funny. And later when they are not allowed to interact with each other Harry tries his hardest to keep a straight face whenever Louis says something funny. Louis is the funniest person in the world.

- the fact that they both have had many opportunities to deny the rumors but for some reason they find it very difficult... idk but it really isn’t that hard to just say “no” why do you have to talk around it so much?

- X-factor days....Just... Them being insanely and disgustingly in love with each other.

- Matching tattoos, a lot of matching tattoos actually. Not one, not two, not three, not even five, no they have about ten matching tattoos. But hey that must be a coincidence right... I don’t think so. And also that will be on their skin forever.... Just let that sink in...

- Harry and Louis VERY descretly checking each other out on the AMAs while being interviewed.

- Boners... Yeah there are a lot of moments with that...

- The butt plug incident, that happened not ones but twice. And that, let me tell you, is NOT two bros just being bros.

- The fact that Harry wrote If I could fly (and other love songs but I feel like iicf is the BIG love song) even though he never was in a relationship that lasted more than a few months. Weird. He’s just singing “I think I might give up everything for you”. But no he’s not in a relationship. Or maybe he’s stil thinking about Taylor Swift, yep that must be it.

- Serenading to each other. Totally enemies.

- Harry stuttering for 28 seconds when he was asked if Sweet creature was written about Louis.

- L.T written on the rubics cube on the intro visuals of every concert on Harry’s tour

- AND THE MOST RECENT ONE AND THE MOST OBVIOUS, “COME SO FAR FROM PRINCESS PARK”.... I mean I don’t know about you but I feel like that is a pretty obvious hint to Harry Styles...

And then when you look at it like that it’s pretty obvious. Yep they hate each other. Totally enemies.. yep..

[jalboyhenthusiast]

what’s your fav song hl have wrote for each other? besides jalboyh of course 👁👄👁

oh what a lovely question thank u 🥺

i think im going to have to go classic here and say iicf and home <3 i think the sentiments behind both songs are so beautiful and the way they line up to make “if i could fly home”.....sobbing. 

like what is more heart wrenching than “i think i might give up everything, just ask me to” and “stumbling, looking in the dark with an empty heart but you say you feel the same” like !! theyre both such vulnerable and revealing songs, i genuinely feel grateful that they shared them with us. theyre so 🥺

[ishipmutualrespect]

Have you ever thought of how much Louis would do for his and Harry’s love? Like we know that from Harry too (“I think I might give up everything just ask me to”) but Louis would also genuinely do everything possible for their love. It seems they had communication problems but Louis finally realised that Harry makes him strong but he doesn’t need him to be strong for the both of them anymore because he knows that Harry acts strong but feels pain too.

Parallels between STRONG and a couple of the new songs which made me realise what I wrote above:

First of all:

STRONG: “You make me strong”

DEFENCELESS: “You don’t need to keep on being strong for me and you”

Louis probably needed Harry to be strong for the both of them and he was afraid of that but he doesn’t need Harry to be anymore because he now knows that Harry acted like he didn’t feel pain but he did

STRONG: “You make me strong” and “Cause when I’m not with you I’m weaker. Is that so wrong?”

DEFENCELESS: “Wish I didn’t need so much of you I hate to say but I do”

But now:

DEFENCELESS: “You don’t have to keep on being strong for me and you acting like you feel no pain you know I know you do”

We know Harry felt pain from If I Could Fly

IICF: “I’ve got scars even though they can’t always be seen and pain gets hard but now you’re here and I don’t feel a thing”

(AND Harry was afraid that Louis would run from him

IICF: “hope that you don’t run from me”

Louis said he’s not running from him because he’s not afraid of love and he’s still saying the same in defenceless

STRONG: “there is nothing I’m running from”

DEFENCELESS: “I come running to you like a moth into a flame”)

There were communication problems and Louis found something very hard to say

STRONG: “waves trying to break it, I’d do anything to save it. Why is it so hard to say it?”

He would do anything but he was afraid to talk

STRONG: “so many words we’re not saying”

DEFENCELESS: “trying to find more to say to you”

SWEET CREATURE: “I always think about you and how we don’t speak enough”

But they finally talked things through

TOO YOUNG: “we can finally have a conversation of all the things we never said before”

I think that’s a really good thing to realise that someone can make you strong but you don’t need this person to be strong for you too because with this person being at your side you’re strong enough to face things on your own and I think this lyric is very important

“You don’t have to keep on being strong for me and you”

[warbetweenthevanities-x]

So I've got this headcanon. Remember how they had this sleepover in January 2011? That's after X Factor ended. And I've been thinking that this might be where they could have first had sex, cause before that, they were always in that X Factor house and around people and I'm sure some stuff happened there too but nothing all the way. Anyway, that's my headcanon. And I'm suddenly thinking that Why don't we go there sounds like a callback, a memory of that.

Then I wanted to tell you a bit about some thoughts I had before reading your analysis about what I thought when they might have had rocky patches or breakups.

In my head, the happy honeymoon phase actually lasted until mid 2012. at first, when the whole thing with the stunts started, like Caroline, Eleanor, I don't think they took that seriously at all. I think for a while that was more of a laugh to them, which, in my head, is why they were still so flirty in Dallas, Australia and New Zealand in spring 2012

then in June, there were the first signs of real separation. like aborted gestures, where you can really see that they're suppressing their instincts to touch. painful to watch, those gifs always kill me. that's where I think they were really in trouble and realized that management etc were really serious about this, especially with Harry supposedly moving out, the denials they had to do, the "biggest load of bullshit" tweet, and then Haylor. I think all those things hit home real hard. which is also when they start getting their partner tattoos. such a coincidence... (also this screams Through the dark and Something great to me)

anyway, from what I've read, they seemed pretty miserable in 2013 during the tour, visibly separated, tense, pale etc. there were still accounts of them having gone on dates or to parties though, there were the rope and rose tattoos, so I think they held on throughout the first half of 2013. but I can imagine that it was really wearing them down. that would have also been the time when Louis stopped being... well, "flamboyant", and enough time would have passed that all this would have had to mess with them

and then add to that that Harry was constantly being pushed as this front man, eventual solo artist, he had those new friends in London with the group surrounding Grimmy, and I think on top of everything else they would have had to deal with the constant attention Harry was getting, like, they both would have realized just how incredibly popular he was, how many people would have flirted with him. I imagine there was probably a bit of self-discovery for him going on there too, except not in the HarryandLouis bubble, but with others around him. we know how jealous they could both get, and I don't think there was necessarily a lot of drama or distrust about it, but - it was a thing they had to deal with on top of everything else

which is how I explain to myself everything that happened in october: on the 15th, there was a blind gossip article about one of them having cheated on the other, and that Harry was having a coke problem. on the 16th (and 28th), Harry talked about Still the one in 1D concerts, on the 17th, there was that concert where it looks like Harry was getting really choked up at the end of Over Again. that was also the time when this picture was floating around on Instagram with Harry and that model Paige Reifler sitting on top of him in a dressing room, so that's on top of everything else. then add to that that Louis was losing weight and escaped alone to Fiji for a few days...

what I was thinking so far is this: that this was the first kind of sort of but what I see as a possibility is that late summer 2013 to late autumn 2013 things got really rocky with all that going on and piling up. that's what I'm thinking that maybe Louis refers to in his lyrics, when he "gave in to the pressure" (to quote Too young) at the time and actively tried to stay away from Harry, and that Harry was sort of desperately trying to convince him otherwise (see Still the one, I imagine that to have been a way of not just telling everyone else but also telling Louis "hey, you're still my person, despite everything else that's going on, that's all bullshit, please don't do this". it would explain the blind gossip breakup rumours, the Louis going to Fiji alone, Harry during Over again, and... well, I found somewhere that two ghosts was written at THAT time, late 2013, while you have it one year later. but in my head it fit really well here, and maybe Harry's finally like "okay you know what, we'll have it your way then", but regrets that pretty quickly? (Where do broken hearts go referring to that time?)

anyway, there's this theory I read somewhere that they spent christmas 2013 in Holmes Chapel together, and that afterwards, Louis went home and told some family members about Harry, like Lottie and Fizzy, because it seems like he avoided his family for a few months after that, and I can imagine that it would have come as a shock to the girls, especially considering that they had gotten along well with Eleanor

so then in 2014 there seemed to have been a push back to being more open with each other again, lots of receipts seemed to have started popping up about someone having seen them together etc, Blind Gossip even reports that Harry and Nick broke up (haha) and that he and Louis are working things out. lots of Ready to run and Fireproof vibes. there's a receipt that they were in Jamaica together, in The Box on Valentine's Day, they're getting the anchor and arrow tattoos, there's a receipt of someone having talked to Harry about Jamaica and how he said that he was there with his friends and boyfriend, and when he was asked if it was still the same he supposedly said "of course, always". in may they were supposedly seen kissing behind a car, the rainbow bear becomes a thing, july is Jay's wedding after which Lottie definitely starts acting like she knows exactly what's going on (and like she had time to get used to it), they've got matching tans afterwards, several people said they had seen them out having dinner together that autumn, Lottie and Gemma spend lots of time together, Louis gets his dagger tattoo, Harry supposedly talked to someone about his "other half" who he'd been with for 4 years. Harry sold his house and didn't buy a new one, then Louis buys a house in LA that should have been a bit overkill and too expensive just for himself, so it's said that they probably bought it together. february 2015 they fly down to australia together, for the first time publicly on the same flight since 2012

now, from what Louis said about the break, I think he wasn't happy with that suggestion at all at first, cause he'd just felt like he'd really found his place etc. and if Harry really was the one to make it back in 2014, I can imagine that that threw them back into something rocky, especially if we add to that what you said about Harry's desire to explore rockstardom and LA and all that, and Louis was like "... okay where does that leave me/us?" so maybe that's where Love you Goodbye comes in? and what I was actually thinking was, what if Perfect comes RIGHT AFTER. like, the MORNING AFTER. that they decide "okay, whatever happens, we probably won't see each other as much when that time rolls around, but for now let's enjoy this anyway? it would fit if that lead into Olivia with all the "I LOVE YOU" but also the "I'm scared of what happens when you're not here anymore" vibes. and then right into Walking in the wind, and IICF and Home

okay, now something else comes into play that I've been thinking about a lot. so their last concert is in october, then it's officially over and they're free to go and do whatever. but the thing is, before the band's break, they never had to work to be together and see each other. you know what I mean? since their schedules were made for them by other people and they always saw each other. and after the break, it wouldn't be like that anymore. and since they're not used to that, they might not have actively put work into making sure they see each other even if they still love each other. so they might actually have not seen each other more often than not and might have just gone about their lives and done their own stuff. they'd grow apart before they even realize that it's happening. and that's when I think they could have started to fight a lot more, and go back and forth a lot (hello Sweet Creature), and fight some more, and go in circles, and "run out of words" to say because they've said it all before, and finally Harry takes "the higher ground" and puts an end to it (and this is where I get major Ever since new york vibes).

so they don't see each other. they go and do other things (and other people, probably... Carolina?), they get everything out of their system. EVEN THOUGH they probably both know very soon that they miss the other and that it's all not the same without them. I think they still would have had contact from time to time, especially because of Jay and what happened with her and how Harry would have been there for support from time to time and definitely at the end. maybe they even have sex again at some point, who knows (Meet me in the hallway gives me that vibe). Sign of the times totally fits there as well, as a mix between Jay telling Louis "Stop your crying, it'll be alright", and Harry going "we've been here before, will we ever learn, we don't talk enough, we should open up".

and man, From the dining table. Harry's MAJORLY MISSING HIM and real tired of that break. Cherry, even if written later, seems to me about just that time, like, if he ever got wind of Louis with aaanyone else, also Louis seems kind of alright, why does he seem alright if I'm feeling like shit? (cue Louis and Miss you and "everything's fucking great") and maybe they're "trying to be friends" but Harry hates it (just everything that will later be To be so lonely, basically)

also I don't think Lights up is about Louis, or at least - I think it's about Harry more than it is about Louis, and that journey of self discovery he kept talking about. finding out who he is. who he wants to be. sort of his coming out song, but it also reminds me of that struggle they probably did go through about whether they actually would want to come out, officially, or not. but yeah, for Harry it feels like a reflection of him finding himself and becoming comfortable with who he is and where he's at and what he might want. Falling is playing into this in my head too, like you had a connection there as well, the whole identity crisis thing where he'd desperately have missed Louis helping him through it (but ultimately it was probably good that he did it on his own).

and on the other hand there's Louis, doing a shitload of growing, "doing better" in his place on the other side of London "even when it hurts like hell", cause "nothing wakes you up like waking up alone", and he thinks a lot about their relationship and everything that happened and that he'll always love Harry despite everything (Fearless and Habit and "I'm too tired to be tough, just wanna be loved by you" and Always fucking you), AND THEN Harry comes along with that damn album and everything he's saying on it and then they SIT DOWN AT THE FUCKING KITCHEN TABLE AND FINALLY HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. like a real, proper, serious ADULT conversation about how, if they do want this again, they're gonna have to be adults about it and actually put some real, grown up work into their relationship

and basically there's no way they weren't back together at the start of 2018. and we can have all those songs, Golden, Adore you, Sunflower, Canyon Moon, Only the brave (even if he didn't write that by himself) and Fine line (we'llbealrightwe'llbealrightwe'llbealright)

[cosmicloveandot5]

IICF

While If I Could Fly is undeniably an intense and amazing declaration of deep love, it has always made me so sad, cause to me, it never seemed like a happy love song.  We are not sure when exactly it was written, but it has always been assumed it was written in April 2015, around the same time Home was written. Briana would have gotten pregnant about 3 weeks later. I always assumed Home and IICF were actually written shortly after their break-up.  Liam said both songs made him emotional/cry.

Much like Sweet Creature, IICF seems to be more of a song between separated/broken-up lovers.  The relationship has changed, but the love has not, and Harry feels as if they will find their way back to each other, but there is uncertainty in the moment.

“If I could fly, I’d be coming right back home to you.” People take this so literally, as if Harry was saying, “If I could hop on a plane right now, I’d be coming home to you,” but Harry is a poet and also a millionaire that could hop on a private plane at nearly any moment to return to his love, so this line appears to be much deeper.  Harry is stating if he could do the impossible, if they were free, if there were not obstacles between them in that moment, then they could be together, and that is ultimately what he wants.

“Think I might give up everything, just ask me to.”  Why is Harry so unsure?  He thinks he might give up everything for this person, but also, the person is not asking him to.  What did Harry have to give up/lose?  His career.  That is the only thing, and given the timing, he is probably talking about his solo career, which he’d been plotting with Jeff all of 2015.  Louis did not want a hiatus, but Harry did, and this might have been the beginning of a conflict between the two of them that they could not resolve right away.  This line is almost pleading one final time for his love to ask him to choose their relationship over his dreams and a successful career (if they were to come out before going solo, thus breaking contracts and giving up their lives as they knew it).  But no.  Louis does not appear to ask cause he would not want to be the thing holding Harry, the boy he always knew would be a star, back.  “Pick someone supportive.”  Also, he most likely did not want risk becoming someone Harry resented.

“Pay attention, I hope that you listen ‘cause I let my guard down / Right now I’m completely defenseless.” These aren’t the words you say to someone you are in a committed and happy relationship with, since generally your guard would be down for that person, nor one you communicate with regularly and openly.  Once again, he is begging for this lover to pay attention, but also letting them know that this is the most vulnerable he has ever been.

“For your eyes only, I’ll show you my heart / For when you’re lonely and forget who you are.” Such a beautiful line of reassurance to follow a statement of vulnerability.  It is as if he is saying no matter what, you are the one that knows me best and knows my heart and I will always be here when you need me, despite the state of our relationship.

“I’m missing half of me when we’re apart.”  This could be talking about physically apart, as in distance, or it could mean “when we are separated/on a break.”  

“I’ve been going out of my mind, I feel it, I feel it / Know that I’m just wasting time.” These lines seem to show that Harry feels like he is crazy for not being with Louis at this point in their lives, since he still loves him.  He knows that since their relationship is ultimately what he wants as endgame, that anything else he does, even going off on his solo career adventure, is ultimately wasting time cause it is time spent away from who he truly loves most.

“And I hope that you don’t run from me.” Not the line you would say to your husband, or someone you are currently committed to.  You know that person would not run.  Since this is the line to follow “know that I’m just wasting time,” it seems as if he is saying, “I hope that you don’t run from me [in the future], when I am ready for this again.  When the time is right.”

Additionally, Sweet Creature, written about a year later, has similar sentiments.

“Sweet creature / Had another talk about where it’s going wrong.” They are not a couple at the moment.  It has “gone wrong.”  They are still discussing it/thinking about it, though.  Either with each other from time to time, or with their friends.

“But we’re still young / We don’t know where we’re going /But we know where we belong.” “Still young,” seems to suggest Harry believes they still have time to fix things between them and be together again.  They know they belong with each other.

“I always think about you and how we don’t speak enough.” Louis has not left his mind, but they don’t speak as often as he’d like.  Couples speak often, so this continues to suggest they were separated/on a break at the time.

“I know, it’s hard when we argue / We’re both stubborn / I know, but oh / Sweet creature, sweet creature…” The separation is hard on them.  The words “but oh,” are actually so powerful here, cause the following line is. “sweet creature (a beautiful term of endearment)” and then, “wherever I go, you bring me home.”  Meaning the arguing and the stubbornness is not enough to keep them apart forever.  

“…Wherever I go, you bring me home / Sweet creature, sweet creature / When I run out of road, you bring me home.”  Louis wrote Home for Harry, about the story of how he realized what was missing in his girlfriend’s eyes, was in Harry’s eyes, but also as a reassurance that he would always have his arms open to Harry, cause they are each other’s “home.”  Louis’ compass tattoo points to “home.”  This is no coincidence.  The road that Harry is talking about, wherever he goes, could very much represent his solo career, their separate paths.  Harry recognizes that no matter what, when he is done, it is Louis that will pull him back.

Lastly, Harry also wrote Walking in the Wind on MITAM.  I will just leave these lyrics here:

The fact that we can sit right here and say goodbye Means we’ve already won A necessity for apologies between you and me Baby, there is none

Awh, we had some good times, didn’t we? Awh, we had some good tricks up our sleeve Awh, goodbyes are bittersweet But it’s not the end I’ll see your face again

Same. Exact. Sentiments.