He’s Not Interested 😂😂😂😭

Personal attack right there 😂

Are you taken?

as a fucking joke, absolutely

SHE // BREATHE : THE LITTLE BOOK OF CALM

Literally nothing to do with RBB/SBB, sorry to disappoint already. I just thought the lil wordplay was relevant.

This post is dedicated to She and gender. She is a song that I think really stands out from the rest of the album in many ways. While the song is a big part of Harry’s "self discovery journey", the sound really takes us back to good ole psychedelic rock, very… Pink Floyd.

‼️DISCLAIMER‼️ This analysis deals with gender and identity crisis. When I use the term "queer" in this, I think it’s important to acknowledge its semantic: to be different, weird by society standards. I don’t think there is anything to TW but please tell me if you think there should be !

BREATHE

A lot of people pointed it out: the beginning of She is extremely similar to Breathe. The first 20sec of both songs give it away.

Breathe is the opening song of The Dark Side of the Moon, another concept album by Pink Floyd. The album left such a mark it became their visual brand (that gay prism triangle thingy). Harry even got it tattooed on his sleeve.

This album deals with themes such as money, dehumanization, insanity and the passing of time. All in all, if you combine those themes, you get a blatant criticism of capitalism and… society… the one we live in… damn Murray. There will be a lot of "society" thrown around in this post askdeojdosd

Here’s the tracklist of the album. The songs I’ve highlighted are the ones I’m gonna talk about in this post.

SO before the album dives into total conceptual madness (as usual with PF), Breathe is like a disclaimer, a warning about what life is about:

Breathe.

Don’t be afraid to care.

Leave, but don't leave me,

Look around, choose your own ground.

Inhale, exhale. Take some time to think about the person you are, break from society if you must, so you stay in touch with the real you and the people you love. Because soon enough, you'll be caught up in a restless life, having to work all the time until you're in the grave. Fun, fun, fun.

So what about She and Breathe ? With that similar riff between them both, is it Harry saying "figuring out who you are is exhausting so take a step back and breathe" ? Yeah seems good, but there’s ALWAYS more. Because referencing the opening song of an album is an invitation to listen to the rest of it.

Later in The Dark Side of the Moon, we get the track Time. It is directly related to Breathe in different ways:

Time is what Breathe summarized. You’re chilling, doing nothing, feeling like wasting time and that’s when it dawns on you: time’s ticking for real. So you panic and try to keep up and life goes faster and you get old and… time’s up. FUN FUN FUN.

At the end of Time, there is a reprise of Breathe. Meaning the She-esque riff comes back.

Let’s go for some Time and She parallels:

Nine in the morning, the man drops his kids off at school / Sends his assistant for coffee in the afternoon, around 1:32, She

Ticking away the moments that make a dull day, fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way, Time

The man in She has a routine: first dropping the kids off (getting rid of them for the day so he can work), ticked. Then sending someone for coffee (he doesn’t have the time to do it himself, he has to work), ticked. You can even picture the scene, him waving his assistant off. In an offhand way. And that’s it, morning and afternoon, all in a day work. Work work work.

And not telling his mates, he wouldn't know what to say

Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way

There is this idea of a "phantom menace" (pewpew nerd) in both songs: something that isn't tangible, but there is no escaping it. Rather than adressing it, they stick with their routine and suffer in silence, stuck in their own "preset" character (the English man).

HARRY SAID WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY

The man has a very different life from Harry the popstar. The man is your average dude succeeding in life as we know it: he has kids, a job where he gets to order people around, so probably good money. He can easily lead a comfortable and secure life for the rest of his days. However, the man isn’t comfortable with himself, he doesn’t feel secure at all: he dreams of her, the man is queer. He knows it deep down but can’t quite accept it. He doesn’t know how to come to term with this idea of being different from the societal norm, so he separates this part from himself, from the man that society raised. She is seen as a stranger. Maybe in another life, one where he wouldn’t have to work and please everyone around him, a life where he could breathe, he could sort out who (s)he is. But he can’t, so he simply dreams of sailing away, to get away from here.

This struggle to know who you are and the idea of having to separate yourself in different parts can also be found in the song Brain Damage. The track exposes the consequences of society forcing people into one path and keeping them from straying away. In this song, the speaker who starts by identifying themselves as the "lunatic" is completely lost: who’s the real them ? The inadequate person that should not exist by society standards or the tamed, socially acceptable version of them, that is deemed to be good but was molded by the world they live in ? Eventually the speaker says that the real them, the lunatic, was forcefully locked away and the person they present as in order to please society isn’t genuine. Keeping that in mind:

A woman who’s just in his head, She

The lunatic is in my head, Brain Damage

Oh and really quick, if you think Only Angel could be about gender you’re gonna like this one:

End up meeting in the hallway every single time

The lunatic is in the hall

Broke a finger knocking on your bedroom door

You lock the door and throw away the key

Wanna die, wanna die, wanna die tonight [scream]

You shout and no one seems to hear

^This one is the exact opposite of what happened with She and Time (suffering in silence, pretending). Here the speakers are being loud, but it doesn’t change anything: the issue is that people don’t care or don’t want to understand. You’re on your own with this one. So no use in telling your mates.

With Harry, it’s always about the speaker (the man) and a woman whose only attributes are… being a she (or presenting a femininity which is disapproved by society, like a skirt too short or a high sex drive associated to the literal devil). That woman is unreachable but always there, looming in the hallway or occupying his bed, so close yet so far. In Brain Damage, the lunatic may be locked away but is never gone for good: the speaker became pliant with time under society’s pressure, but remembers fondly being themselves before, the lunatic. Lives for the memory.

What is also really… poetic with this comparison is the term lunatic itself: its latin etymology is luna, related to the moon. One was called a lunatic because we used to think the moon changes could affect one’s behavior. The moon is also commonly associated with femininity. She affects him and together, they’re the lunatic.

BONUS REACHING FEST!!!

One thing I’ve always wondered listening to Fine Line and its carefully crafted storyline is: what’s the transition between the deeply introspective She and the lovey dovey Sunflower vol 6 and Canyon Moon ? How can Harry go from "society kills who I really am in favor of a facade" to "domestic sappy love songs" ?

Well remember when I said Time ended with a Breathe reprise ? Same riff that She begins and ends with ? Here are the lyrics to said reprise:

HARRY GET THE FUCK OUT WTF THAT’S IT I’VE HAD IT

So basically. Those lyrics are the continuation of the track "On the Run" where the speaker rushes at the airport because they travel so much all the time (fast life work modern society capitalism you get the idea). Also it’s a little bit funny because the plane they have to take goes to Rome. But eventually they get back home for a break, and at last they breathe.

And then you have Harry writing a song about counting the days until he can come home from work and constant travel (Canyon Moon) and a song where Harry wants to take the time to really know the person who’s like home to him (Sunflower vol 6). And in order to do that he has to… breathe. Take a step back from everything that has caused the flowers to die in the past. [insert inhaling sound effect]

It baffles me how it always comes back to this. Harry is always coming home. Where he feels safe, loved, where he gets to explore and be who he is. It’s a place where time doesn’t apply. He gets to feel like a kid again. It’s a rainbow paradise, it’s a light for when he feels lost. Send in Sunflower vol 6 and Canyon Moon I’m gonna lose it-

Hi! Your fic recs are amazing and I was wondering if you could think of any fics that have this like hazy quality to them, kinda like Etched in Salt? I hope that makes sense haha

Oooh. That fic is wonderful! Ok…I think I know what you mean. There’s something kind of gritty and dreamy about that one. Let me see if I can suggest anything that works for you:

Let’s start with the fic that prompted this request:

Etched in Salt (is a cathedral of the world) by @helloamhere (E, 24K) You all know I love this author’s writing –– this time they give us a dark, American, thriller with a bit of psychic goodness. Bonus points for Harry taking care of Louis in a very deep way. 

our little corner of the world by brownheadedstranger (E, 30K) This one is just slow and wistful and filled with beautifully written passages. This is one I read very early on when I entered the fandom and I still think about it from time to time. I’m actually annoyed at myself for not reading the rest of this author’s fics (I plan to remedy that). 

These Roads We Stumble Down by onewasturning (E, 18K) I adore this author’s writing and I’ve read this particular one multiple times. It’s just a little melancholy and very sexy and one of those fics that reminds me why I can read about the same two people falling in love 46372 times and never tire of it. 

another hazy may by deLILah (M, 41K) Another author who writes great fic after great fic. This one has that dreamy quality I love and there’s also something about it that, at times, reminds me of a little bit of a Raymond Chandler novel. I know that’s weird…but, yeah, it does. Anyway, I love this one. Such a good read. 

Whether Clouds or Clear Skies by onewasturning (E, 26K) I love everything I’ve read by this author – their fics are always full of beautifully crafted sentences and dreamy melancholy. This one is just slow and sweet and achingly pretty. 

Dream Awake by protagonist_m (M, 31K) This fic…I just….the writing is so lovely. It’s just one of those fics where I had to slow down and really savor the writing. And “hazy” is really the perfect descriptor as it drifts between memories and current moments. 

six feet beneath the moon by starseas (NR, 25K) Ugh I wish I could remember more of this besides that I loved it. My notes simply say “Beautiful. Dreamy” (thanks old me, super helpful). But I do think my dim memory is that it will fit in with these others and, at the very least, that it’s a very well written fic!

A Red-Dusted Planet by onewasturning (E, 38K) Hey look! Another fic by this author. Can you tell I love their writing? It’s all SO GOOD! This one is so dreamy and sexy and this is one of those fics where the the smut (especially in the final scenes) is so emotional and revealing and I just really love this fic. 

Three Days Underwater by theteapirate (E, 10K) This is really a beautiful fic but I’m warning you, it’s got an open ending so if you can’t deal with that, don’t read it. But if you can….wow, it’s lovely. 

Coup de Foudre by angelwarm (M, 15K) The characters (particularly Louis) are pretty OOC, but god this fic is gorgeous. After I read it I just sat there not knowing what to do with myself. It’s sad and hopeful and just gorgeously written.

Little Technicolor Things by scary_crow (M, 72K) This is truly one of the most beautiful pieces of writing I have ever read and it is an absolutely travesty that it’s not being talked about every day. This fic is gorgeous and poetic and romantic and heartbreaking and an explosion of metaphoric images and everything I never knew I needed but now that I have it I want to read it over and over and over. 

reeling through the midnight streets by vashtaneradas (NR, 8K) This author writes melancholy in the most perfect way. It’s poetic and dreamy and tinged with pain, but there’s also a thread of hopefulness. It’s just beautiful. 

Into the Deep Below by writeivywrite (E, 19K) This one is gorgeous and makes me feel like I’m underwater when I read it – I don’t know how to explain that clearly. It’s just very dreamy. The fic is about the early stages of figuring out you love more than one person…and it’s gorgeous. (Harry/Louis/Zayn)

rivers ‘til i reach you by embodied / @crossnecklace (E, 29K) I’m going to copy what @thenewlarryclassics said about this fic because they really summed up exactly my thoughts: The writing is poetic and a sparse in a way that makes it feel moody, heavy, significant somehow. The characters are fascinating and the author really captures that uncertainty that comes with falling for someone and not knowing how they feel too. The scenery and atmosphere feels like a third character, but what I really love is how the most is said through the dialogue–and it’s not a lot–it shows so much with so few words. 

kiwi by fondleeds (M, 24K) honestly I have trouble putting down anything this author writes…they just build a setting and detail characters in a way that I find really compelling. This one maybe feels slightly OOC, but it’s such a good read I didn’t care at all.

caught by the sun by metal-eye / @metal-eye (M, 19K) Sometimes you just stumble on a fic that moves you deeply and makes you feel a lot and sits with you after you’ve finished it. This was one of those fics for me. It’s beautifully written in a quiet, poetic way. It’s thoughtful, and intimate, and full of memories that are both melancholy and beautiful in all the right ways and at all the right times. And it’s a fic that’s not been read nearly enough.

Take Care Down By The Water by shyserious (M, 37K) Oh my goodness I loved this fic. Magical realism, mythical creatures, dreamy/moody atmosphere, beautiful writing. Sadly, it’s been deleted, but the link is to a download.

i was at an all night diner by @yoursongonmyheart  (6K, NR). This is more of a prose poem, and i really enjoyed the way the author built such an intimate portrait of the 5 boys in so few words. It’s beautiful and dreamy and I think about it still. 

a prayer for which no words exist by eliane (M, 34K) A dystopian fic with gorgeous, deep, layered writing that really made me slow down and think. At times the story felt like a metaphor for the “war” these boys have been through irl.

Close to Nowhere by @angelichl (E, 35K) I don’t know if I’d say this fic has exactly the same storytelling quality as the one you mention, but it’s similar in many ways and it’s such a good fic, I decided to include it. I really enjoyed the unique story and the way Harry and Louis relate to each other in this one (again, similar to Etched in Salt with Louis being a bit of a renegade and Harry wanting to care for him). It’s fun and quirky and sexy and keeps you on the edge until the end. Definitely worth checking out. 

Hi, Dea! I'm sorry, I'm on mobile and can't link, but can you analyze "TheHug" from the Sheffield show? Specifically Louis' shrug before they hug. Thank you.

Ok, here we go. Link to the slow motion video.

Louis’ shrug was never big deal to me. Why? Because I don’t read it like something negative. I read it like “ok, let’s do it”, like they both expected this to happen and now is the place and time to do this. So it’s not negative or positive gesture, just something neutral “ok, here we are”, “come here then” or “go ahead”.

The hug itself is more interesting to me:

First thing first. Do you see their arms when they are walking in each other’s hug? they are open, ready, familiar… Louis face isn’t tense, he even looks straight to Harry’s face. 

Then the fucking “pull” happens. The pull you ask? Yes the fucking pull. Do you see their grip? Yes? Yes, that very hard, tight grip on each other. The arms with the mics are still and very strongly pressed around each other. Harry’s even jumps by the force. But. Do you see how Harry almost trips at the beginning? How he falls in Louis embrace? Yes, that’s Louis’ doing. His strong force startles Harry and then happens the most painful thing on this planet. He stills. Louis completely stills. The moment he strongly pulls Harry to himself, he stills. Watch it. If you blink, you will miss it. He stills, he is still. He is just there in Harry’s hug. Then Harry starts patting his back, which is very “yeah bro” movement and he starts doing that too. But it’s a tiny bit fake, tiny bit too much force behind that patting, if you know what I mean. The grip and the closeness should tell you how intimate the hug is, yet the pat-pat is camouflaging something, I think they tried to hide the intimacy… (In my opinion.)

Now. Let’s talk about their bodies. The upper parts are very close, heads turned to each other’s necks. Intimacy. 

The end of the hug is a bit awkward, because they get control over themselves. And Harry wants to hide his facial expression with some weird mouth movement. Though his eyes are smiling.

Let’s talk more about their facial expressions. Louis is happy, content, tight lips, smile and closed eyes. I wonder what he is thinking about. And you can see the grip from this angle better too. I think this hug was huge for him, that it meant a lot to him. For him to show to people that yes, he does not hate this boy.

Harry was literally grinning, with his eyes closed too. His face is turned into Louis sweaty neck and shoulder and he doesn’t care. He is happy being just there. The grips on their mics should also tell you how hard they are hugging. Harry’s grip has the gentle aura too, which is almost fascinating to me, because if you look at the video, there is just force. But now. This hug meant a lot to him too. 

Long story short, those are not two enemies hugging, trust me on that. 

Their love is a powerful force.

+

PILIPINAS ARE WE READY!!!? Shet

MANILLA HAS A DATE! - 30.05

He is goals for my next life

One of the lads I play football (soccer, if you’re American and wrong) with at Uni is from Doncaster and went to the same school as Louis Tomlinson. He sat next to him in English and describes him as “Flamboyant as he seems and a little bit sinister,” 😂😂😂

I want to be a mic 😂😭

x

We're talking away

Do know any single songs from Lou? Louis voice is the best :3

well louis hasn’t recorded songs of his own that we know of but here’s links to only his solos :D

louis soundchecking for live lounge || another video Louis’ solo in night changes (acoustic) for 1 minute and 8 secondslouis’ high note in love you goodbye from ellenlouis’ solo in don’t forget where you belong from otra ottawa || dfwyb part 2 louis’ solo in no control from otra seattlesteal my girllouis’ solo in history from alan carrlouis’ solo in infinity from the london sessionlouis’ solo in FourFiveSeconds from live loungetorn from live lounge

Oldies:

rock melouis leading the chorus in live while we’re younglouis’ solo in momentsi wouldVALERIE

other stuff:

thisall his solos from up all night to fourall his solos from made in the am