“18” by One Direction Lyric Analysis
Disclaimer: This lyric analysis is not going to be unbiased. I 100% believe this is a song about Louis and Harry’s love story and this analysis will explain why.
Firstly, it was written by Ed Sheeran. And this is what he said about it:
This song was released end of 2014. Considering none of the boys had been in relationships with anyone since they were 18 at that time, according to the official narrative, this doesn’t quite make sense that it was written from any band member’s perspective unless you take into count the fact that Louis met Harry when he was 18. What about Harry, though? He was only 16. Well, for songwriting purposes, choosing one age makes sense (and is less blatantly obvious than since we were 18 and 16). Additionally, it’s well known that Harry is very close to Ed and it’s highly likely he knows details of their relationship.
I got a heart and I got a soul
Believe me, I will use them both
We made a start, be it a false one I know
Baby, I don’t want to feel alone
“We made a start” sounds a lot like “we started, two hearts in one home” from Harry’s solo song Sweet Creature. It reminds me of all the times Harry was proud of his domestic life with Louis, doing the cooking, unbothered by his messiness, stating it would not be a bachelor pad, but a “family home.” They moved in together, quickly, at younger ages than most couples. The idea of it being a “false start” may be referring to the fact that the image of a happy domestic life was premature given their ages and the separation and changes their relationship would go through later. They got ahead of themselves. Now they lament this, feeling the separation and change. They don’t want to be alone or without each other.
So kiss me where I lay down
My hands pressed to your cheeks
A long way from the playground
They’ve grown up a bit. They aren’t the kids that fell hard for each other, but the love is still very much there.
I have loved you since we were eighteen
I want to address the age again. Yes, Louis was eighteen when he met Harry, and it’s quite apparent they loved each other from nearly the moment they met, but if you think about it, Harry had also loved Louis since he was eighteen. Since he had loved him since he was sixteen, he had also loved him since he was seventeen, and he had also loved him since he was eighteen. Technically, they had both loved each other since they were eighteen.
Long before we both thought the same thing
To be loved and to be in love
I believe these lines are referring to the idea that they loved each other from nearly the moment they met, yet they may not have known initially that it was the romantic sort of love. They loved each other before they knew that they desired to be in love with each other, to be loved romantically by each other.
All I can do is say that these arms were made for holding you
I wanna love like you made me feel
Sadly, this song was written the same year Harry wrote Two Ghosts. Two Ghosts talks of how things had changed within a relationship. “We are just two ghosts swimming in a glass half empty.” After years of hard times and rough patches, things were not the same as they once were when they were carefree teenagers falling in love. These lines appear to reflect that as well. They long for the easy, sweet, hopeful love of their younger years.
We took a chance, God knows we’ve tried
Yet all along, I knew we’d be fine
They took a change and gave it everything they had over the years to make it work, against struggles. And Louis got “Given a chance” tattooed on him shortly after FOUR, the album 18 appears on, was released. (Likely in Harry’s handwriting.)
So pour me a drink, oh love
Let’s split the night wide open
And we’ll see everything we can
Living love in slow motion, motion, motion
Earlier we had imagery of a playground alluding to a more innocent, youthful time. Pouring a drink is an adult action. This relationship has grown with them. Splitting the night wide open could be seen as a sign of hope, and the desire to take their relationship from a place of darkness back to light. They may regret how quickly the good moments of their relationship have gone by, so now there is a desire to slow down and enjoy the moments yet to come at a slower pace.
(the rest of the song repeats lyrics)
And in case there were any doubts, Louis made this lyric change, just once, starring longingly at Harry.
kianamaiart
tangentwithtanner
pixelskylines
turnnoffyourmind
gracieabrams
vaporwave
titsay
s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s
