KEEP DRIVING - Long Analysis
SUMMARY:
keep driving, the tenth song on harry's house, is a loving observation about a long-term relationship worth holding onto despite the presence of troubling truths and general chaos. its tender and delicate message portrayed beautifully by harry’s soft delivered lyrics in an almost humming manner, and the more concerning aspects represented by an increasingly chaotic chorus all ties into one question - should we continue this journey throughout life together?
CONTENTS:
- verse/chorus/bridge analysis
- comparisons
- final thoughts
VERSE/CHORUS/BRIDGE ANALYSIS:
First Verse:
Black and white film camera Yellow sunglasses Ashtray, swimming pool Hot wax, jump off the roof
the scenery has been set instantly from the first verse through a basic stream of consciousness writing technique. it implies that harry will be using the verses of the song to reminisce about memories shared between him and his partner.
the first verse has things that do not exactly relate to one another, with the exception of black and white film & camera. otherwise, it's quite literally a random toss of words that only have meaning to harry and his partner, and are therefore quite uninterpretable by anybody else.
A small concern with how the engine sounds We held darkness in withheld clouds I would ask, "Should we just keep driving?"
harry now snaps back to the current day. the vehicle represents their relationship, and thus the engine represents the state of their relationship. at the very worst, there’s a chance that their relationship may fail in the future because the situation doesn’t look ideal at the moment.
thus harry recalls an earlier time in which they had major concerns.
the lyric "we held darkness in withheld clouds" could mean several things, all of which have a similar message. he is remembering a period of time, perhaps within the band, in which their relationship was repressed. this caused them to hold darkness, or rather, to suffer greatly.
the past tense tells us they are no longer in that situation.
harry then says he would ask 'should we just keep driving?'. he's remembering that at the time they held darkness in withheld clouds, he would ask his partner if they should continue the relationship.
that is whats so interesting about this chorus. harry is acknowledging that there are problems with their relationship, but specifically notes that its a small concern. those two words sound so mild in comparison to the "darkness" he speaks about in juxtaposition. its almost like he's trying to say that we're concerned for the future, but we've been through worse.
Second Verse:
Maple syrup, coffee Pancakes for two Hash brown, egg yolk I will always love you
this verse is, arguably, my favorite out of all of them for four reasons:
his voice. this is the softest that he has sounds in the entire song, and it makes so much sense because its arguably the softest part of the whole song too.
the simplicity. the entire verse is just him describing their breakfast foods. it's sickeningly domestic, a simple and constant routine that he is highlighting because it means so much to him.
the last line. i will always love you is arguably the most blatant harry has ever been in a romantic song. he's not using flowery language and poetry and my eyes want you more than a melody. he's stating a simple fact. here are all our memories - i loved you during them. lets keep driving - i love you now. here is our breakfast foods - i will love you forever.
the fact that its the only verse in the entire song that follows a syllable meter rule (4/6), with four syllables making up the first and third lines and six syllables making up the second and fourth line. this is very often coincidental in songwriting, and more purposeful in poetry, but there's no hard and fast rule. assuming its not coincidental, the entire verse becomes even sweeter because its like he's saying that two things will always remain stable, a constant truth. the breakfast that we like. and the fact that i will always love you.
Second Chorus:
A small concern with how the engine sounds We held darkness in withheld clouds I would ask, "Should we just keep driving?" Should we just keep driving?
the second chorus has only one difference. he has thought about their memories in the first verse. he has reflected on what they did when they suffered previously in the first chorus. then, he remembers domesticity and love in the second verse. and now, upon having remembered that, he makes up his mind.
he'll ask what he asked before. the question is now being asked in the present. considering how they clearly kept driving before (as indicated by the past to present transition), there's an implication that he wants to keep going with his partner just like before.
Bridge:
Passports in footwells Kiss her and don't tells Wine glass, puff pass, tea with cyborgs Riot America, science and edibles Life hacks going viral in the bathroom
note: too many of you have been focused on the next line, and not on the fact that harry seems to have made an onlyjayus reference. tiktok harry please do not rise.
Cocaine, side boob Choke her with a sea view Toothache, bad move Just act normal Moka pot Monday, it's all good Hey, you Should we just keep driving?
this is one intense bridge.
what is interesting about this bridge is that it has become less intimate, less domestic. we're focusing on travel, fame, drugs, sexual innuendos, riots, america (in other words, not home), pain, etc.
its all a part of their relationship, but its not specific to them. and the second he starts talking about these things, aka when the bridge begins, the overall vibes of the song changes.
the music starts to become more and more intense, seemingly heading for a climax and there's a sense of anxiety and trepidation when one focuses on the music alone. it almost sounds like they're pushing the car's engine too far.
its like when the focus is on more chaotic matters in their life, their relationship suffers. fame, traveling, the state of the world. but whats also important to note is that the bridge is separated into two chunks and yet harry doesn't stop once between them to ask his partner the question. he doesn’t communicate.
but then, right when the climax is about to hit, he finally asks it. and the second he does, everything goes quiet. the music mellows and becomes the same sunshine-y rhythm as the beginning of the song.
and i think that's the whole point of the song. when you don't communicate (don't ask that question) in the more chaotic aspects of your life, there is a high chance that your relationship's engine will fail. its like harry has realized this because he doesn't try bringing up the small concern in how the engine sounds. he hears it, despite how obviously he's trying to keep his quickening voice calm and soft, and thus checks in with his partner.
and then does it again, and again.
COMPARISONS:
fine line, track 11:
this song can have a plethora of different interpretations, all valid. however, keep driving reminds me a little of fine line because i interpret both of them as inspections of his relationship (and life in general).
fine line is a slightly chaotic dissection between the extremes of his relationship like the really high & really low, while keep driving is about the in-betweens, like the memories, the inside jokes, the small and simple routines specific to him and his partner.
despite the difference in his approach to inspecting his relationship in both songs, the basic acknowledgements remain the same:
“we’ll be a fine line”/“small concern with how the engine sounds” - implying the imperfections of his relationship, that perhaps come with an instability and concern at times.
“we’ll be alright”/“we’ve held darkness and withheld clouds, should we just keep driving?” “it’s all good, hey you” - acknowledging that despite the issues, they’ve overcome bad things before and they’re gonna be okay.
“you’ve got my devotion”/“I will always love you” - assuring that above everything else, the good and the bad and in the in-between, there is an unwavering commitment.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
keep driving is a beautiful observation of a long-term relationship, layered in history and an endless stream of memories and absolutely drenched with commitment, love, and partnership.
the many different parts of life; the domestic, exciting and chaotic times are all shared within the comfort of one car on the same journey. there has been troubling experiences between them in the past, and there is small worries about longevity as anybody in a longtime relationship has experienced, worries that are perhaps not entirely in their control.
however, above all of that, there is something else. something that starts the song and ends it to. a willingness to make things work and continue being in this relationship together. there is communication that stops the chaos, the loudness, the potential failures. there is a softness to the narrators voice as all this happens, indicating the precious nature of the relationship itself. there is a reassuring admission of his endless love for his partner when he tells them he will always love them. there is a heart-fluttering playfulness in the way he greets his partner by saying hey, you.
all of these things, when combined together, make the reality of a long-term relationship. a reality that isn’t sugarcoated by poetry or prose or flowery metaphors, but is real and raw and existing and beautiful.
ignore this: tagging @larrylyrics