We may be obsessed with them and their story, but trust and believe our feelings pale in comparison to their feelings for each other. Here is a short list of examples of that very notion. Unlike other “ships” Zarry didn’t just have “moments.” Sometimes they would quite literally have entire days (concerts) where they were just obsessed with one another.
Think “parents” in Outside could be referencing management? If I Could Fly he says he might give up everything if asked. If the boys have had- and might currently have, PR situations on and off there has to be a reason. Harry hasn’t openly dated a man so is this due to restrictions or do we think he is too big of a Star now to care what his team says?
Interesting analysis of NILJishnu. I haven’t given up on it either. Zayn and Harry approach things so differently. I think Zayn purposely did not respond to FL and when he says “don’t wanna stop at words” in Connexxion I almost feel like he is saying that he is done with responding to lyrics because “ain’t enough”. Harry seems to be more ok with expressing himself through his songs in a much more direct and straight forward manner. Zayn “prefers speaking in analogies” and he knows that will cause confusion but, in general, it just seems that Zayn is much less willing to give himself away in such a public forum. I get that. So looking at the tracks:
Calamity: is for everyone who listens. Zayn is making it clear that he is doing what he wants and how he wants whatever the consequences. Whether he is actually doing that in life, I have my doubts, it seems to be what he wants to express in this song.
Better: Harry. He seems to feel badly about how much he has seen Harry suffer in this relationship. I think Zayn has also but he is not acknowledging his own pain here, he will do that in River Road. “It’s a gamble to take anymore of you”- I don’t want to keep seeing you hurt. It seems like Zayn is saying that he would rather he and Harry love each other and not be together than continue and end up hating each other “why wait to hate, can we save love?”
Outside: could be Harry or Gigi. I think mainly Harry although there seems to be some tips of the hat (as Harry would say) to Gigi. I think here, Zayn is saying that the person he is with has to take all of him including his baggage/life. That is why he says “leave my sh-t outside, leave my life outside or let me in” He’s not saying leave it outside AND let me in. Either you take it all or you take nothing.
Vibez: Typical Zayn sex song. I love the song but with regard to deep lyrics, I really don’t think there is much to unpack here. This is probably because it was going to be a single. In my head, I feel like it was going to be the first single but with the birth of the baby, Zayn released Better for Harry.
When loves around: Gigi. Unpopular opinion but look at these lyrics “Never feels right, Never feel that type of way, But I need you in my life”. Personally, I would be so offended if the person I am with said that to me. Basically Zayn is saying, this relationship doesn’t feel right but I need you. Probably for the reasons that, A.D. you already discussed, the pr relationship and also at this point, he is probably a bit too dependent on her and the Hadids.
Connexion: Harry. it’s like a force we can’t explain, work like a magnet, babe” “ Like you come into the picture, when I start to feel that somethings missing” Pretty self-explanatory. From this song on, pretty much all Harry except Unf-kwitable.
Sweat: Harry!!!!!!!! “sweat for me” oh please! We all know he is really saying “c-m for me”
Unf-kwitable. I agree with your analysis Jishnu but am going to add in Louis Tomlinson for good measure.
Tightrope: Harry of course. Cannot add anything more to you’re analysis A.D. it was so deep!.
River Road: Harry. Let’s just begin with the fact that sonically, it reminds me of Elvis; both the music and Zayn’s voice. I cried the first time I heard it. This is all Zayn’s pain. I don’t think he means to be mean when he says “don’t you ever hope for something else?”. Is it better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all? Sometimes, it just doesn’t feel that way and I think Zayn is saying, the pain is so great that doesn’t Harry wish the pain were not there, that they didn’t have to hurt so much. Never mind why or whose fault, they are both in such pain it seems and I think this is a fair question for Zayn to ask. “To tell the truth I’ m tired of falling, when I’m floating I’m closer to you” Aside from the Falling reference, I am thinking that Zayn is explaining why he is smoking so much. When he is high, he can float, dream and be with Harry. “We don’t define each other, stand on your own be a pillar” the reference to the Kahlil Gibran poem that Zayn has tattooed is obvious but the concept is quite deep and very positive. The relationship, any relationship” doesn’t define who you are, you bring who you are into a relationship and that is what is supposed to make it great. I think A.D. you said, that Zayn is saying to Harry “be a pillar” but that is not what he does with Gigi. I think you hit the nail on the head, Zigi is not a healthy relationship and, even if on a subconscious level, he is make that statement about his relationship with Gigi.
Now, the two videos (Vibez&Better) those are for Harry and Zayn being such a visual person, that says a lot! Also, in Better, interesting that you first see the heart tattoo and then the “Harry” eye tattoo. You know what you can barely make out? The Gigi eye tattoo. Interesting considering that it is right front and center on his chest and if this song or the visuals where for Gigi, why wouldn’t that tattoo be visible? A.D. your analysis of that video was outstanding so I will stop here since there would be nothing more that I could add. Soooooo sorry for this incredibly long comment.
Wow! We really think alike, I too noticed many things you mentioned here, but wanted to keep it short (or maybe too lazy to write down every detail 😆). ‘Sweat for me’ being an analogy for ‘cum for me’ that was a good catch dear! I was sensing it was about a men when he said (dive in to ocean of YOUR love) but didn’t truly understand until you said so. Do you also think Zayn singing “only takes a WOMAN to let you know what it means to love” could be implying after being Gigi he realized how much he actually loves Harry?. I’m 100% sure outside is about Harry not Gigi “snuck out of parents” couldn’t be about two adults in a open relationship. But one thing I couldn’t let two things out of mind.
1) will he tell Harry that they don’t define each other? Isn’t Harry already the most successful 1D? Like every normal relationship he wants Zayn to be by his side and needs his support but if anyone asks me who’s defined by Zayn I would undoubtedly say Gigi she’s the one who builds her career with Zayn’s popularity. And “called you my lover, drinks to my lover” well he didn’t publicly admitted his relationship with Harry but Gigi , so I would like to think it’s how calling Gigi his lover only caused him pain
2)It’s also why I have a love-hate relation with Zayn how can he say “I prefer sooner than after late” in a tone of coming out and ” you could be my wife for real” in a same album?
I know it’s hard to come out when you’re South Asian (moreover he’s from a Muslim family). Believe me I’m a upper caste north Indian (geographically east but WB is culturally north anyways) but when you started you’ve to go all the way! Ugh I feel so bad for Harry 😒
Two words. Rare, and real. This type, Love will find a way!
I must be onest am over worried about my sweet Zarry, I don’t know if I should still hang on. Zayn should just come out now, am tired of this game, it drives me crazy. God knows I have been very faithful to their love hoping they will be together. Someone should help me to understand if I should still be by their side or give up.💛💚🌈🌻
You should be by there side, unlike many I still didn’t gave up on NIL yet. This album is a masterpiece. In Calamity he mentions how consumed and desperate he had became with his acting, in Better he talks about their separation, in Outside him coming back (definitely not to Gigi), Vibez how he can’t wait for night to come so he can live this scripted drama, When loves’ around how he want to be with his lover 24/7 same goes with connexion. Sweat… well you know. Unfuckwithable likely about his management and how less he cares about them now. Windowsill again calling his lover. Tightrope (well as A.D. just explained enough already) abouthow he finally feels ready again and reassures his lover. River road is saying goodbye to a stuck up partner where no life is left (or maybe there never was) while hoping to see the SUN again… you know 😉
See it takes time, with this baby Zayn and Gigi are tangled in a way you can’t cut all the ties. And I feel like that valentine’s day pic was more platonic than romantic (it never was romantic, just that now he’s not forcing it to be either)
I agree ☝️ with everything you wrote. I ,too, didn’t give up hope. Z is trying to figure out his truth, it’s gonna take some sorting thru. I feel like he knows what makes him happy (H) but for sooooo long he has been trying to live a PR/closeted life. The line of real and unreal becomes hard to distinguish. So I think to make a real move, it’s gonna be alittle messy at first but I feel like I see the effort on his part. H has done all he can… I do believe it’s Zs time to show H that he wants what H wants and is choosing H. I want them both to be happy yes but I think they have to give a real relationship a try before throwing the towel in. 🤞 and if they do I don’t think they’ll look back and live a happy life together.
Always hoping for best💛💚
Aww 💚🌻💛