Harry Styles’ ‘Falling’ Lyrics Are the Complete Opposite of ‘Watermelon Sugar’
Harry Styles is officially a Grammy winner. The “Adore You” singer won Best Pop Solo Performance for “Watermelon Sugar” at the 2021 Grammy Awards. And while Fine Line lost Best Pop Vocal Album to Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia, we’re still feeling nostalgic for Styles’ 2019 sophomore album.
That said, now’s as good a time as any to unpack one of the most emotional ballads on Fine Line. Just who are Styles’ “Falling” lyrics about? Brace yourselves. This is a sad one.
Harry Styles’ ‘Fine Line’ was nominated for 3 Grammys
Styles wowed the Grammys audience with his performance of “Watermelon Sugar” that opened up the award ceremony on March 14. Donning a black leather suit sans shirt and a Grinch-green feather boa, Styles jammed out to his now Grammy-winning song.
In total, Fine Line was up for three Grammys. “Watermelon Sugar” won Best Pop Solo Performance. Fine Line was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album. And the “Adore You” music video was nominated for Best Music Video. (He lost Best Music Video to Beyoncé and Blue Ivy Carter’s “Brown Skin Girl.”)
The best part about Styles’ 2021 Grammys performance was that other artists followed directly behind him, making it one big jam session of your favorite musicians. Billie Eilish and Finneas performed “Everything I Wanted,” which won Record of the Year. And Haim performed “The Steps” from their album Women In Music Pt. III, which was up for Album of the Year.
Who is Harry Styles dating?
The meaning of “Watermelon Sugar” is, first of all, very sexual. But as Styles explained, it’s also “about the euphoria of being in love with someone.”
“It’s similar to Adore You,” he told RADIO.com, “but it’s more about the all-encompassing, visceral euphoria of being with someone when you start seeing someone and just kind of wanting to immerse yourself in them.”
“Falling” is the opposite end of the “having sex and feeling sad” spectrum that Fine Line is about. Styles is reportedly currently dating Olivia Wilde, but the album is believed to be inspired by his relationship and breakup with model Camille Rowe.
The former One Direction star said “Falling” is all about the feelings of slipping into the grief of a breakup.
“Falling is about getting right before a place that you recognize as a low for you,” he told RADIO.com. “You kind of feel yourself falling back into that down period, I guess, and being sad about what you lost.”
The music video, he said, is a metaphor for drowning in your feelings.
Harry Styles’ ‘Falling’ lyrics are about the pains of heartbreak
The lyrics clearly reflect that. As he sings in the first verse:
I’m in my bed
And you’re not here
And there’s no one to blame but the drink in my wandering hands
Forget what I said
It’s not what I meant
And I can’t take it back, I can’t unpack the baggage you left
The chorus are the familiar feelings of dread that wash over you when you’re going through the loss of a relationship.
What am I now? What am I now?
What if I’m someone I don’t want around?
I’m falling again, I’m falling again, I’m fallin’
What if I’m down? What if I’m out?
What if I’m someone you won’t talk about?
I’m falling again, I’m falling again, I’m fallin’
The next verse is about his self-awareness. As Styles sings:
You said you cared, and you missed me too
And I’m well aware I write too many songs about you
And the coffee’s out at the Beachwood Cafe
And it kills me ’cause I know we’ve run out of things we can say
The chorus repeats before Styles heartbreakingly belts the one-line bridge:
And I get the feeling that you’ll never need me again
The chorus repeats one last time with some small but powerful lyric changes:
What am I now? What am I now?
What if you’re someone I just want around?
I’m falling again, I’m falling again, I’m fallin’
What if I’m down? What if I’m out?
What if I’m someone you won’t talk about?
I’m falling again, I’m falling again, I’m fallin’
“Watermelon Sugar” is all about the high of being in love, and “Falling” is all about the beginning phase of heartbreak. We’re not crying, you are.
