Welcome To ‘Harry’s House’, A Dazzling World Of Intimate Lyrics And Nostalgic Sounds Of The 70s/80s

Posted On May 20, 2022

Samantha Colleran, May 2022

Did you think I wouldn’t review this album the day it dropped? After a surprise announcement back in March followed by the wild success of lead single “As It Was”, two stellar Coachella 2022 headlining performances, and an extension to his Love On Tour North American dates (ten nights at MSG!!!!), the journey to Harry’s House has finally come to its peak with the release of the album, and I’m so excited to finally share my thoughts with you! This album is one I knew I’d have to sit and truly take in, so these are not my first listen thoughts, but I hope you’ll enjoy them just the same. Now, enough of my rambling. Welcome to Harry’s House, I hope you enjoy your stay… 

1. “Music For A Sushi Restaurant”

I’m a self proclaimed lover of album openers; “Meet Me In The Hallway” and “Golden” are my favorite tracks off of Harry Styles and Fine Line respectively, so I was incredibly excited to see if the opening track of Harry’s House would follow in the footsteps of previous albums (and you’ll have to wait until the end of this post to see if this took the number one spot). “Music For A Sushi Restaurant” isn’t at all what you’d expect it to be; we get a total Prince vibe right off the bat as Harry harmonizes with himself and immediately kicks into the first verse, “Green eyes/ Fried rice/ I could cook an egg on you”. Lyrics that feel random upon your first listen will quickly ingrain themselves in your mind as you listen more. Harry also scats, which is an unexpected but fun touch. A powerful horn section accompanies Harry as he yells out how much he loves his baby, and it’s an absolutely perfect way to welcome us inside his world. 

2. “Late Night Talking” *

“Late Night Talking” made its world debut on the Coachella stage where Harry was the headliner for the Friday shows back in April. Its groovy instrumentals and sweet lyrics show the beginning of a budding romance, and it’s so beyond sweet. It’s similar to “Sunflower, Vol. 6” in the sense it highlights the newness of getting to know someone and wanting to please them in any way you can (“If you’re feeling down, I just wanna make you happier, baby/ Wish I was around, I just wanna make you happier, baby”). You’ll find yourself getting right into the groove of the track, as the infectious chorus rolls around and you can feel just how happy Harry is as he sings, “Now you’re in my life/ I can’t get you off my mind”. The studio version of this song feels almost as if Prince’s “Kiss” and “Raspberry Beret” were married into one track. 

3. “Grapejuice”

We kick this track off with Harry whispering “1, 2, 3”, and I HIGHLY suggest listening to this song with headphones since there’s a lot of stereo sound (where sounds bounce between left and right speakers/headphones/whatever you’re listening through). The piano in this track feels like a slowed version of “The Rubberband Man” by The Spinners, but in the best way possible. Harry carries out the final notes of each line of the chorus, “There’s just no getting through/ Without you/ A bottle of rouge/ Just me and you”. Everything about this song is sickeningly sweet; Harry expresses how no one else in his life has ever been a perfect match for him, until now. Life is more enjoyable when his muse is around, and the instrumentals are a great fit for the calming feeling you have around someone you know you’re meant to have in your life.

4. “As It Was” *

As we all know, “As It Was” was the lead single off of Harry’s House and has taken on a life of its own since its April release. With its 80s-esque synth, emotional lyrics, and beautifully crafted music video, “As It Was” was the perfect track to kick off Harry’s House. Covering feelings of loneliness and isolation, and looking to someone specific in life to help you out of the turmoil, “As It Was” firmly establishes this body of work as Harry’s most open and emotional album to date. He also opened his Coachella set with this track, and that moment finally made the rest of the world wake up and realize just how talented he truly is. (This song has also become my most streamed track of all time on Spotify, officially beating out “Lights Up” in the short month and some days it’s been out. Am I crazy? Maybe just a little bit…).

5. “Daylight”

We continue our sweet lyrics with “Daylight”. “If I was a bluebird, I would fly to you/ You’ll be the spoon/ Dip you in honey so I could be sticking to you” Harry sings in the pre chorus. Bouncy instrumentals in the verses build up to slightly heavier guitars and drums in the chorus. References to his self-titled album (“Ever Since New York”) and Fine Line (“Golden”) make their way into this track, “You’ve got the antidote/ I’ll take one to go-go, please”. Harry curses the daylight on this track, because it means he can’t be with his person. It’s one of the lighter moments on the album, and definitely a solid second single choice. 

6. “Little Freak”

Simply based on the title of this track I expected a rock track, but I was pleasantly surprised, and I actually like it way better the way it is. “Little Freak” is a slower moment on the album where Harry looks back on a past relationship; he doesn’t necessarily miss this person, but there are things about the relationship he reflects on. “I was thinking about who you are/ Your delicate point of view/ I was thinking of you/ I’m not worried about where you are/ Who you will go home to/ I’m just thinking about you”. Although the relationship seemed to be important enough to write about, it doesn’t seem as though things got too far, as Harry notes our “Little Freak” never saw his birthmark. All in all, it’s a vulnerable moment for Harry as a songwriter and a vocalist. 

7. “Matilda”

Absolutely nothing could have prepared me for how heartbroken this song left me. Drawing inspiration from the movie and Roald Dahl book Matilda, where Matilda’s family wasn’t too kind to her, Harry sings to an anonymous person and expresses his concern for the situation they grew up in but doesn’t want to step on their toes or intrude (“Matilda, you talk of the pain like it’s all alright/ But I know that you feel like a piece of you’s dead insidе/ You showed me a power that is strong enough to bring sun to the darkest days/ It’s none of my business, but it’s just been on my mind”). The chorus will rip your heart to shreds as you listen to Harry’s voice over a gently plucked guitar, “You can let it go/ You can throw a party full of everyone you know/ And not invite your family ’cause they never showed you love/ You don’t have to be sorry for leaving and growing up, mhm”. The final chorus has a slight lyrical change, “You can throw a party full of everyone you know/ You can start a family who will always show you love”. Just typing out the lyrics makes my eyes fill with tears. 

8. “Cinema”

This track is easily the most catchy off the album. This song sounds like it would fit perfectly in an 80s club scene, and when you listen you’ll understand what I mean. Funky basslines in all the right places, groovy percussion, and Harry’s raspy vocals make this track a standout. John Mayer is also featured as a studio musician on this track, which is pretty sick. “I just think you’re cool/ I dig your cinema/ Do you think I’m cool, too?/ Or am I too into you?”. We once again follow the intimate string of lyrics, as Harry expresses how spending time with this person of interest feels so right to him. The most incredible part of the song is the outro, which repeats the lyrics “You got, you got the cinema/ I bring the pop to the cinema” in a number of different ways. Harry’s backing belts of “Cinema!” make it more interesting to listen to, and you’ll certainly find yourself grooving along to this track.

9. “Daydreaming”

On the topic of grooving, our ninth track samples “Ain’t We Funkin’ Now” by The Brothers Johnson, and it works so well. There’s no chorus in “Daydreaming” until the end, which keeps you on your toes the first time you listen to it. Harry’s vocals are arguably at his best on this track, you can tell at times it isn’t his normal vocal range, but he pulls it off effortlessly. Harry shares with us that he’ll be gone for a while (life of a touring musician), so he asks his love interest to give all their love and give Harry something to dream about on the road. Layered vocals and a strong buildup of instruments carry us through the final moments of the song, and Harry even hits a few very impressive high notes. It’s songs like these that make it impossible to choose a top three.

10. “Keep Driving”

The most domestic track lyrically is “Keep Driving”, which sees Harry and his muse ignoring the rest of the world and staying in their own world. “A small concern with how the engine sounds/ We held darkness and withheld clouds/ I would ask, “Should we just keep driving?”/ Should we just keep driving?” Harry sings on the chorus. A drum machine and synthesizer drive this track, which gives it more of an 80s-esque sound, and it flows so smoothly. In the bridge we have a buildup of events; passports and cars, kissing and keeping it secret, drugs and having tea with cyborgs, side boob (yes, yes I said side boob), a critique of social media normalizing making content everywhere you go, and trying to act normal through all of this. Harry wakes up on a Monday, and asks once again if they should just keep driving. 

11. “Satellite”

Following an 80s style once again, Harry compares himself to a satellite spinning round waiting to be pulled back into his love’s life. It seems as though Harry and this person are going through some sort of rough time, as Harry asks things like “Am I bothering you? Do you wanna talk?” as they “drink off the wall” until they’re ready to talk. Harry expresses concern for the person of interest in the chorus despite the fact they may not be on the best terms, he compares himself to a satellite “Spinnin’ out, waitin’ for ya to pull me in/ I can see you’re lonely down there/ Don’t you know that I am right here?” The instrumentals on this track are some of my favorites, and once again Harry tests his vocal abilities as he sings in a slightly higher register. 

12. “Boyfriends” *

Another track debuted on the Coachella stage, “Boyfriends” is incredibly interesting because the way the lyrics work it sounds as if Harry is singing from experience, and not about how he himself is as a boyfriend. He detaches himself from the ‘boyfriend’ label and instead sings from a third person perspective. Boyfriends think you’re easy, they take your caring nature for granted, and you constantly question if they even love you as you watch them slowly get involved in their own vices like drinking and avoiding communication. It doesn’t matter, because you’re a lovesick fool who will return to him no matter what, “You/ Feel a fool, you’re back at it again”. The studio version and the live version sound almost identical, and that’s the mark of an excellent performer who writes excellent music. There’s a callback to “Sunflower, Vol. 6” off of Fine Line, as the beginning of “Boyfriends” is reversed (“Ooh/ Fool, you’re back at it again”). 

13. “Love Of My Life”

We come to a close with our final track, “Love Of My Life”. Once again, I’m someone who absolutely adores closing tracks, and this song also happens to share a title with one of Queen’s most well known ballads, so I had high expectations for this one. I think closing tracks hold a lot of power when it comes to finalizing your listening experience, and “Love Of My Life” is no different. As we prepare to say goodbye to Harry’s House and thank the man behind the music for allowing us to spend some time in his world, “Love Of My Life” leaves us with a darker sounding instrumentation full of deep synth sounds and simple high hat clicks. The lyrics are sort of a juxtaposition, it seems as if Harry’s preparing to go out on the road and he has to leave his baby behind (“I take you with me everytime I go away/ In a hotel usin’ someone else’s name”). He tells this person that he felt lost in life before the two fell in love, and that he doesn’t want to leave them behind (“It’s not what I wantеd, to leave you behind/ Don’t know whеre you’ll land when you fly”). It may seem sad on the surface level, but as you look deeper into the lyrics you’ll notice the first verse is in present tense, insinuating that Harry is still very much happy with his baby, the love of his life. The final piano outro was featured in the album trailer, and it ends the album on a hopeful, positive note. 

Sam’s Song Selection

There’s room for change as I give this album every ounce of my attention over the next few weeks (even now as I’m listening to the album for a third time I’m not sure of my choices), but based on my first few listens, here’s how I’m feeling:

1. “Matilda”: I haven’t cried to a new song the way I did “Matilda” in a very long time. The lyrics felt incredibly deep and personal, the instrumental was perfect for getting the message across, it’s overall such a powerful moment for Harry. 

2. “Music For A Sushi Restaurant”: This to me feels so Prince, and I love the overall feel of the track. I love when lyrics take a little time to make sense of, and this track is such an upbeat, fun track and an excellent way to start the album. 

3. “Daydreaming”: I can’t get over the use of the sample, how insanely awesome Harry’s voice sounds, and the overall feel of the track. I think it’s a standout moment, and regardless of how my ranking changes as I listen more, I know I’ll always  have a special feeling about this one. 

If you haven’t listened to Harry’s House yet, GO GO GO! I fell in love upon my first listen, and I can’t wait for these songs to find ways to shape memories I know will stick with me for a lifetime. The production on this album is incredible, Harry tests his vocal abilities more than ever before, and these songs are most definitely some of the best in his discography. To Harry, thank you for sharing your lyrics and art with the world. I am so beyond proud of everything this album has accomplished so far, and will accomplish as it inevitably breaks records and becomes the best selling album of the year.