Just a Little Bit of Your Heart (JALBOYH)
Harry wrote JALBOYH for Ariana Grande, he first performed on his first solo tour. It is about loving someone who is not fully committed to the singer. Harry has performed 89 of its total 99 live performances, starting with this one in September 2017:
Ariana told J-14 she almost didn't record it because Harry's demo was so good and his was her favourite version:
“I was more intimidated because he recorded a demo for me so I could learn the song. I was like, "I don't know if I wanna touch this song.'
He was just visiting the studio and (producers) Savan (Kotecha) and Johan (Carlsson) were like 'Hey do you wanna write a song for Ariana?' and he was like 'Oh sure!'" "He went into the other room and they were writing for a while and I remember when I heard it I was like 'Wow that's a really strong verse, that's really beautiful’
Savan Kotecha and Max Martin produced Ariana’s album, 'My Everything', which was recorded at Conway Studios September 2013 to March 2014. Savan wrote WMYB and was close with Harry.
In another interview Ariana said it was written in Los Angeles when Harry had dates town. (6:50). 1D didn't have L.A. tour dates then. However he was in L.A. 20 February - 18 March 2014. Ariana was at Conway Studios the first week of that:
If Max Martin at Conway Studios 15-22 February 2014 sounds familiar, it should. That’s the who, where and when Style, I Know Places and Shake it Off were recorded (with another Johan). Ari and Taylor were at the same studio at the same time. Max Martin worked on both projects and Scott Borchetta managed them both. Taylor also would have played Style for Harry as a courtesy before leaving the studio with Max. Other artists also shared Conway during 1989.
In the 2014 timeline, within a fortnight: Harry was spotted backstage at Red, he broke up with Kendall, left Brits after party early to fly straight to LA the next morning, 20 February. Visited Conway Studios where Taylor was recording Shake it Off! Wrote this song. Then on on 25 February 2014 he got the anatomical heart tattoo and incorporated HSA Publishing. As this was his first commercial work outside 1D it was presumably to give Ariana this song. No wonder he has said it is special and his favourite song he gave away.
(Harry was also in LA 20 January, Ari and Taylor were also in Conway then, it could have been 20 January and I Know Places, I think Feb because of HSA's incorporation)
Harry was there when Ariana recorded it:
Ariana describes Harry’s energy in the studio: “Great! Very funny, very silly, very sweet, very professional, and never too serious. Like I would be singing in the booth and I would cut a vocal, and he would be like, ‘Oh that was terrible, you should try it again,’ but he was like joking. He was very nice, very very sweet guy.”
Taylor saw Ariana perform it at the Grammys. The screens showed Harry’s name. Ariana hugged Taylor after she performed OOTW.
On 25 September 2015 (Interesting date) Ariana performed it with Coldplay, Chris Martin said "This is a song written by the most handsome man in the world, Harry Styles, he couldn't be here so asked we perform it for you". Ariana Tweeted and Coldplay replied "beautiful song", which Harry liked. As publisher he approved that.
When meeting fans in 2017 Ariana also told fans it was about a relationship that wasn’t known and winked when asked if it was about Taylor. Tumblr post from a person there and one with screenshot of it. Thank you @womanexile
I don't ever ask you where you've been
And I don't feel the need to
Know who you're with
I can't even think straight but I can tell
That you were just with her
This verse establishes that Harry is writing about someone in an open relationship. The opening line is similar to Little Freak “I'm not worried about where you are / Or who you will go home to, I'm / Just thinkin' about you”
This verse is similar to the Taylor's line in:
Style “I say, "I heard, oh / That you've been out and about with some other girl, some other girl" / He says, "What you heard is true, but I / Can't stop thinkin' 'bout you and I" / I said, "I've been there too a few times" and
Tis the Damn Season "If I wanted to know who you were hanging with While I was gone I would have asked you"
And I'll still be a fool, I'm a fool for you
This line is very reminiscent of One Direction's Fool's Gold, which Harry wrote 6 months later. "I've let you use me from the day that we first met / But I'm not done yet / Falling for your fool's gold"
In both JALBOYH and Fool's Gold Harry sees his love is not reciprocated but he is a fool who loves them anyway. Harry was also a fool for love in Sunflower and Boyfriends. More on fool.
ChorusJust a little bit of your heart x2
Just a little bit of your heart is all I want
Just a little bit of your heart x2
Just a little bit is all I'm asking for
This chorus is heartbreaking, here he settles for the smallest affection from someone in an open or not committed relationship.
A very similar idea is in Music For a Sushi Restaurant's "If the stars were edible / And our hearts were never full / Could we live with just a taste?"
Songs can be about more than they seem, (an open relationship), I think JALBOYH, Fools Gold and MFASR could all be about someone with different priorities who doesn't want to settle down and commit.
I don't ever tell you how I really feel
'Cause I can't find the words to say what I mean
And nothing's ever easy
That's what they say
I know I'm not your only
Not communicating with his muse is a theme in Harry's work, and something he has said in interviews is that it's easier to say something in song:
MMITH "We don't talk about it / It's something we don't do".
Sign of the Times "We don't talk enough / We should open up / Before it's all too much"
Talk "Don't ask me to talk about / I don't wanna talk at all (hey)"
If I could fly is a nice juxtaposition, also written with Johan Carlson a year later, when he opened up.
Things are not easy, or complicated in Lay Down "Even though it's complicated / We were never meant to make it this time" and Complicated Freak.
But I'll still be a fool
'Cause I'm a fool for you
I know I'm not your only
But at least I'm one
I heard a little love is better than none
In the last verse Harry resigns himself to not being his loves only, or priority but can't let it go.