Only Angel, a lyrical analysis from Harry Styles the album

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Only Angel, a lyrical analysis from Harry Styles the album

Only Angel, Song Meaning and Lyrical Interpretation

Only Angel starts off sweet and slow musically and then kicks off with some intense Rock and Roll beats. The saccharine of the beginning few seconds stems from the song title being about an angel. Angels are characterized as pure and good. The person Harry is singing about is both good and bad. She is a kind soul but she can be bad in an exciting way for Harry.

Open up your eyes, shut your mouth and see

Harry is being a little saucy here - telling his lover to shut up. It's bad and exciting.

That I'm still the only one who's been in love with me

This line reminds me of The 1975. In their song, "The Sound," they sing, "It's not about reciprocation, it's just all about me," which is similar because both artists are being selfish. I know Harry Styles and One Direction do get inspired by The 1975 (One Direction was even accused of copying from them! *GASP*).

I'm just happy getting you stuck in between my teeth
And there's nothing I can do about it

I have reacted to this line already here.

Broke a finger knocking on your bedroom door
I got splinters in my knuckles crawling across the floor

These lines remind me of Meet Me In The Hallway. Harry is pleading with his lover to stay and be with him. The person Harry is talking about is very enticing and may be playing hard to get - and Harry is falling for it with reckless abandon.

Couldn't take you home to mother in a skirt that short
But I think that's what I like about it

Once again, Harry is emphasizing that this girl is bad in an exciting way.

I must admit I thought I'd like to make you mine
As I went about my business through the warning signs
End up meeting in the hallway every single time
And there's nothing we can do about it
Told it to her brother and she told it to me
That she's gonna be an angel, just you wait and see
When it turns out she's a devil in between the sheets
And there's nothing she can do about it

He even mentions meeting in the hallway here! This song does have a lot of connections with Meet Me In The Hallway. Here Harry is recognizing this girl's good and bad side. She's an angel but she's also a "devil in between the sheets" - that's what makes her so cool.