The Meaning Behind the Pillow Talk in Harry Styles’ “Late Night Talking”

Harry Styles teased a few songs from his lauded third album, Harry’s House, during his headlining performance at this year’s Coachella. The first was a Fleetwood Mac-Esque ballad about toxic relationships titled, “Boyfriends.” The other was the disco-infused “Late Night Talking.”

The latter sees Styles reminiscing about, as the title suggests, talking to his lover in the wee small hours of the morning. The song skyrocketed Styles to the top of the charts and generated a widespread buzz around what was waiting inside Harry’s House.

But exactly what sleepy promise is Styles making in “Late Night Talking?” Let’s explore the meaning behind the song below.

Origin

“Late Night Talking” reportedly was the first song Styles wrote for the record alongside one of his songwriting partners, Kid Harpoon. “First day, we were setting up and it was just me and Tom,” Styles told Apple Music. “We got there early and we wrote ‘Late Night Talking.’”

Kid Harpoon played all the instruments on the track: synthesizer, bass guitar, drum machine, drums, electric guitar, and tambourine.

Meaning of The Lyrics

The lyrics center on Styles missing his lover while being away from them. After a couple of days of separation, they are already missing each other and their bedside conversations. Styles promises to follow them anywhere and through everything as long as they can keep their pillow talk up.

If you’re feelin’ down
I just wanna make you happier, baby
Wish I was around
I just wanna make you happier, baby

We’ve been doin’ all this late night talkin’
‘Bout anythin’ you want until the mornin’
Now you’re in my life
I can’t get you off my mind

Like much of the album, many fans theorized that the track is about Styles‘ recent girlfriend and director Olivia Wilde. Though nothing has been confirmed, one of the song’s lyrics points to his lover being in the movies. He tells them that though he tends to hold on to consistency, he would happily drop everything for them.

I’ve never been a fan of change
But I’d follow you to any place
If it’s Hollywood or Bishopsgate, I’m coming, too

Music Video

The accompanying music video sees Styles bed-hopping, literally. Directed by duo Bradley and Pablo, Styles performs the song in various beds in a variety of off-kilter scenarios. After falling through a portal, clad in polka dot Gucci pajamas, Styles finds himself in an art gallery, a restaurant, a theatre box, and one that cruises through London in midday traffic.

“Late Night Talking” was the second video Bradley and Pablo shot for Styles. The first was his beach-day extravaganza in “Watermelon Sugar.”

(Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)