Golden, a lyrical analysis from Fine Line, a Harry Styles album

Golden, Song Meaning and Lyrical Interpretation

Golden is a nice, mellow song about equating love to hope.

Golden, golden, golden as I open my eyes
Hold it, focus, hoping, take me back to the light
I know you were way too bright for me
I'm hopeless, broken, so you wait for me in the sky
Brown my skin just right
You're so golden

Harry Styles is creatively talking about the sun here. The sun is a symbol for hope. The sun brings warmth and energy that allows all living things to stay alive. The sun peeking out from the sky also represents a new day where things can change and good things can surprise you.

Harry may have been heart-broken by a love gone wrong. Maybe he thought he would never see love again. "I know you were way too bright for me." He couldn't accept the sun's hope before because of how broken he was. But now he can finally accept the hope the sun has given him - that he will fall in love again. "Brown my skin just right." He is really taking in all the hope the sun can give him - so much so that he is getting a tan. The ending sentence of this verse, "You're so golden," implies that he has found a person who is his sun, his hope, and his love.

You're so golden
I'm out of my head, and I know that you're scared
Because hearts get broken

I don't want to be alone
I don't want to be alone when it ends
Don't wanna let you know
I don't want to be alone
But I can feel it take a hold (I can feel it take a hold)
I can feel you take control (I can feel you take control)
Of who I am, and all I've ever known
Lovin' you's the antidote
Golden

Harry and his lover are both scared of getting their hearts broken again. But the love, the hope and light are enough for him to dispel these fears. The cure for his fears of loneliness is to love. The antidote is to embrace all that he feels for the object of his affection.

"I know that you're scared because I'm so open." This is one of my favorite lines from the song. When you love someone, you have to be open and vulnerable and show them everything that you are. This can, once again, bring up feelings of being scared that you might be rejected and alone. But Harry is really soaking in the sun. He is really embracing love. So he will give everything that he's got.

Other thoughts

I really love how smooth and effortlessly Harry rhymes golden and broken. At first glance, it doesn't look like it's a rhyme but it works!

This song definitely reminds me of some other songs from my favorite artists.

Kacey Musgraves: I think Kacey definitely influenced Harry during the time they were on tour together. Firstly, Harry has mentioned that he was on mushrooms when he wrote this song. And this song is supposed to be a smooth, mellow song. What does this remind me of? Slow Burn by Kacey Musgraves. She admits she was doing drugs when she wrote that song AND that song is also a cool, mellow jam.

Secondly, this song reminds me of Golden Hour by Kacey Musgraves! (I say this with excitement even though in my track-by-track listing, I ranked Golden hour last lmao). In both songs, the artists compare their love to the sun. They both talk about how they feel hope, warmth, love from the sun and their lover!!

Taylor Swift: Harry Styles released this album 4 months after Taylor's album Lover so I doubt Harry could have copied Taylor - but they were both on the same wavelength! Taylor Swift has a song called, "Daylight" where she says she thought love was "red" but it is really, "golden." Harry Styles and Kacey Musgraves agree! Love is golden to all three of these artists!! (At most, Taylor could have copied Kacey?? Also, when I say "copy" I mean it kindly. Maybe I should use the word "inspired"??)

Personally, I think it is super cool how Harry Styles, Kacey Musgraves and Taylor Swift all see love as Golden.

Do you agree or do you interpret these lyrics differently? Let me know what you think in the comments below.

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Friday, April 24, 2020