tpwk

Harry Styles by Harry Styles is a masterpiece among masterpieces, an emerald gem in a music scene full of Lil’s and face tattoos. But, enough about the otherworldly Harry Edward Styles. Let’s discuss a song on his album, Woman.

Harry’s album is filled with bops: there are sad bops, rock bops, high energy bops, happy bops, and everything in between. Woman falls in a between stage. It’s slow and bass-heavy, sensual and pleading, quirky and the musical embodiment of a deep red.

Now, the song is called Woman. Which, for Larries seems discouraging. But, not for me. I sat down and created a (maybe convoluted?) theory about the song.

The song starts with Adam saying "Should we just search romantic comedies on Netflix and then see what we find?" Now, that doesn’t connect with my theory but, it’s cute and sets the mood for the actual song along with the la la la’s. Then, the song officially starts with:

I'm selfish, I know

But I don't ever want to see you with him

I'm selfish, I know

I told you, but I know you never listen

Let’s start. My theory (which could probably mean Louis and Harry weren’t together at some point and Harry slept with and had relationships with other women and in that case, true love isn’t real) is that Harry is talking to the women who are Louis’ beards. He feels selfish because he knows that Louis is protecting him by taking on all of the anti-Larry stunts. Still, he doesn’t want to see Louis with anyone else — he wants him all for himself. Harry has told Louis this, our stubborn little hedgehog, and he won’t listen. And even if he’s told this to other people (whether it’s management or the beard herself), everyone is sticking with Louis’ plan.

The Harry goes on to say:

I hope you can see the shape that I’m in

While he's touching your skin

He's right where I should, where I should be

But you're making me bleed

Now, he’s talking right to the woman who’s with his boy. He wants her to know that Louis touching her (and being allowed to) is hurting him. Harry yearns to be with Louis (he belongs there) and it’s killing him that he’s not.

Then we have the chorus, which serves as a quirky sort of distraction from the relatively somber lyrics in the rest of the song. Harry is super focused on L’s beard and is basically cursing her name and gender, which represents all of the hiding he and Louis have to do.

Tempted, you know

Apologies are never gonna fix this

I'm empty, I know

Promises are broken like the stitches

Louis knows that every outing with El or D*nielle or another beard and every damage-control interview hurts Harry and drives him closer to destroying their carefully crafted, anti-Larry stunts. Harry doesn’t want Louis to apologize for them because he knows that he’s protecting their relationship; but, H can’t help the fact that he’s so utterly sad (and empty). He knows that nothing will change their situation. Promises, between L & H and management or Louis and Harry themselves, are nothing in he grand scheme of the things.

I hope you can see the shape I've been in

While he's touching your skin

This thing upon me, howls like a beast

You flower, you feast

Once again, our dear Harold wishes that the woman with Louis knows how much he’s hurting. The “thing upon me” is his jealousy and pain, which is chactarized as a beast. Now, the last line of this pre-chorus could be two things: Harry just likes rhyming or the woman is beautiful but deadly, a leech feasting on Louis’ fame and their relationship.

In a very Larry conclusion, the song is about about Louis’ beards/stunt girlfriends and that’s the tea.

all the references to battles and knives (“I tried to pick my battles 'til the battle picked me / Misery / Like the war of words I shouted in my sleep” and “I was in the alley, surrounded on all sides / The knife cuts both ways” and “When I dropped my sword / I threw it in the bushes and knocked on your door”)

reputation was the “battle that picked her” (major LWYMMD vibes) and she was being attacked “from all sides” and it wasn’t until she met Joe (which did happen during rep) that she “dropped her sword”

also, “My castle crumbled overnight / I brought a knife to a gunfight / They took the crown, but it's alright” in CIWYW

the ‘fallen hero’ idea (“And I fell from the pedestal / Right down the rabbit hole / Long story short, it was a bad time” and “Pushed from the precipice / Climbed right back up the cliff / Long story short, I survived”)

this trope is HUGE in reputation — the fallen miss americana. like “I’m sorry the old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now. Why? Oh. ‘Cause she’s dead.” and “All my flowers grew back as thorns /

this whole verse: “Past me / I wanna tell you not to get lost in these petty things / Your nemeses / Will defeat themselves before you get the chance to swing / And he's passing by / Rare as the glimmer of a comet in the sky / And he feels like home / If the shoe fits, walk in it everywhere you go”

the whole idea that she shouldn’t have gotten involved with all of the drama, even though it was an absolutely incredible era, because everyone who fought her would fail and because she had Joe

uhm. Call It What You Want.

and this verse: “No more keepin' score now / I just keep you warm (keep you warm) / No more tug of war now / I just know there's more (know there's more) / No more keepin' score now / I just keep you warm (keep you warm) / And my waves meet your shore / Ever and evermore”

again. CIWYW.

Getaway Car and LWYMMD (“I don’t like your kingdom keys”) references: “Actually / I always felt I must look better in the rear view / Missing me / At the golden gates they once held the keys to”

she was always talking about the kingdom everyone took from her.