Harry, You’re So Golden

The anticipation is finally over.  With #Golden taking over Twitter and the never-ending deluge of new hontent (as we like to call it), these past few weeks have proven to be quite stressful for Harry Styles’ fans worldwide. Now that the music video is here and we have channeled our inner detectives, let’s see how many Easter Eggs we can find!

While many of us were immediately drawn towards the entrancing melody of Golden when we listened to it for the first time last December, many others have gradually grown to love it.  The fact that a post-album single with minimal promo has become Harry’s biggest music video debut yet on YouTube simply embodies the sheer growth that his musical career has witnessed since we were blessed with Fine Line last year.  And, Golden serves as the perfect introduction to this engrossing experience.  The dance-worthy upbeat tune masking Harry’s desolate confessions underneath, somehow, mirror our own gestures of feigned laughter as we struggle to carry on with our lives in a world ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic.  Nonetheless, watching Harry frolic against the backdrop of the gorgeous Amalfi Coast makes us genuinely smile, especially when moments of respite from our bleak realities are considerably rare.  Harry’s vulnerability is what makes him profoundly relatable. 

As we dive into the first verse, it seems as if the somber thoughts that haunted Harry in the closing track of his eponymous album have followed him here as he opens his eyes.  Regardless of whether he is disoriented or not, Harry paints a vivid picture of how he is dazzled by someone/something golden. Here, the meaning of the song’s poignant lyrics could very well be emblematic of a past relationship which once occupied a positive space in his life.  When we delve into the cinematic aspect of Golden, the imagery of Harry running towards the light at the end of the tunnel successfully heightens his hope for deliverance.  Moreover, the contrasting montages of Harry driving a convertible at night and during the day along the picturesque coastline of Italy offer a visual representation of the growing optimism that the accompanying lyrics seek to convey.  In my opinion, he looks particularly anxious under the ominous glow of the dim tunnel lights as he navigates his car through the traffic.  However, with the warm sunshine brightening up his day, Harry looks progressively relaxed as he travels closer to his destination.  In a therapeutic manner, he also confesses that he is heartbroken and hopeless.  Here, the lyrics “I know you were way too bright for me” seem to allude to the different head space that Harry and the subject were in, resulting in their incompatibility.  He, however, appears to be comforted by the assurance that this individual is waiting for him as he gradually heals himself.  By drawing an analogy between the subject and the sun, Harry acknowledges how the positivity that this person radiates is inspiring him to feel comfortable in his own skin.  This perceptive lyricism appeals to me personally because it reiterates how someone/something can emerge as a beacon of hope from afar, and this is precisely what Harry and his music mean to millions of fans living in different corners of the world. In a befitting manner, the music video depicts Harry glowing under the afternoon sun as he eagerly runs towards the camera (symbolic of the subject here), against the beautiful Italian townscape. 

While the warm chorus lifts our spirit, the lyrics concurrently manifest Harry’s increasing vulnerability.  At a superficial level, “I’m out of my head” can signify his experimentation with psychedelics during the making of Fine Line. However, after careful contemplation, it seems as if this phrase refers to the toxic emotions that he has succumbed to.  This is a sentiment that majority of human beings encounter at some point in their lives.  Although we might yearn for anew beginning, it does not necessarily mean that we are ready for it.  Harry additionally admits that the subject is apprehensive here because they might end up heartbroken once again.  But, he is extremely understanding of this person’s predicament and this indicates growth. Considering how insightful Harry is as an individual, the lyrics he has penned along with his fellow songwriters in all likelihood have multiple layers of meaning.  Therefore, it is possible that he has directed those considerate words at himself as he is trying to move past the trauma that he endured in a previous relationship.  Overall, these lyrics can also serve as a subtle social commentary about how substance abuse can potentially ruin lives and relationships.  In the music video, Harry certainly is a vision in the bespoke Gucci turquoise jacket, tartan pants, and crochet gloves.  As we have witnessed countless times during the course of his musical career, Harry rarely fails to deliver when it comes to his sartorial choices.  Besides, in a manner similar to how the essence of the lyrics contrasts with that of the melody, Harry’s delivery of these heartrending words is antithetical to his whimsical dancing against the backdrop of a beautiful sunset.  This ambiguity creates a space for subjective interpretation where we can associate imageries such as these with our own personal experiences. 

As a continuation of the same thread of thought, Harry admits in the second verse that he doesn’t want to be alone when he is perhaps intoxicated or consumed by despair.  He appears to be hesitant and doesn’t want the subject to be aware of his compromised state.  However, in an unguarded moment, Harry reveals how he can feel the substance and the subject waging a battle in order to gain a hold over him.  In the end, the subject takes control of his journey towards self discovery and Harry realizes that love is the antidote to the poisonous emotions that are paralyzing his existence.  In this particular context, it is once again highly probable that the subject is none other than Harry himself.  Given that he is not only addressing issues such as identity crisis but also emphasizing a long-standing sense of familiarity, these introspective lyrics can be about Harry preaching self-love.  If we take the composition into account, the swelling melody is generated by layered vocals which resemble mild echoes, thereby cutting across the loneliness conveyed in the lyrics.  Now, the moment Harry vocalizes this sentiment, a fisheye lens appears in the music video.  This, I believe, is a subtle nod to the Adore You music video, at the end of which Harry takes his boat out to explore the world.  He had to let go of the fish, which is symbolic of a relationship that helped him through the darkest moments of his life.  This journey towards self-discovery leads him to Golden where Harry is unapologetically himself.  Instead of shutting himself off, he is sharing his intimate thoughts with us.  Accordingly, the music video seems to indicate that “the boy” from Adore You still pines for a certain scaly companion every once in a while.  It is very likely that Harry reaching out to something in the water while sitting at the edge of a rock pool reflects that emotion.  The underwater shots of shimmering sunlight dancing across his body reinforce Harry’s identification with water in the music videos of the Fine Line era.  Regarded as one of the classical elements, different cultures around the world associate it with rebirth and purity.  This reference is significant in this specific context because Harry has addressed the issue of holding himself back in certain aspects with regard to his debut album.  In Fine Line, he has shed all his inhibitions; he is honest and free.  In terms of artistic vision, it is definitely a curious coincidence that Golden represents both the beginning and the end of this impactful era.  However, this farewell is a hopeful one. 

The repetition of the lyrics “I don’t wanna be alone” in the chorus demonstrates Harry’s conviction.  We can witness this progress in the music video as he is seen deriving happiness from ordinary activities such as greeting a stranger walking down the road or casually smiling at a scooter rider stuck in traffic. As Harry restates his inability to think clearly, the accompanying visual depicts him shaking his head vigorously in an effort to escape those constraints. 

The artistic sensibility of Harry and his team manifests fervently in the bridge when the changes in the sequences of Harry engaging in multiple activities at different locations coincide with the tinkles of the glockenspiel.  These clips feature Harry looking bewildered in the middle of a dimly lit forest and performing sun salutations on a rocky shore dressed in floral high waist trousers and a bright yellow rain hat. Furthermore, there are also multiple shots of rock pools and a glass ball which display the reflections of the endearing gestures that Harry makes. As noticed by many others, Harry’s distorted images in the glass ball are similar to several of his underwater ones in Falling.  Throughout these sequences, there are moments which capture both pristine and distorted reflections.  It appears as if Harry is trying to figure out his own reality, given that the picture-perfect image is often an illusion.  Ultimately, when he slaps the water hard, he accepts himself for exactly who is.  With this realization hitting him, we can see Harry changing the course of his run for the first time in the music video.  In this particular moment, he wants the camera to follow him instead as he starts forging his own path.  This feat of self-acceptance also leads Harry to proclaim something new – “I know that you’re scared, because I’m so open.”  So far as my interpretation goes, these lyrics indicate that the subject is fearful of his profound honesty because that individual is, in all likelihood, unable to correlate Harry’s current reality with that of his past.  At times, this sort of intimacy can be daunting because it also creates the possibility of developing a deeper bond, thereby making the person on the other end of the relationship vulnerable too. 

Golden’s emotional quotient witnesses its culmination in the final chorus of the song where Harry reiterates the passionate lyrics with the purpose of ingraining them in the mind of the subject.  As we are well aware, repetition also suggests familiarity and this is Harry’s medium of re-assuring both the subject and himself.  In the visual equivalent, it can be affirmed that he is not running away from someone/something because he never looks back.  On the contrary, Harry beams with happiness and excitement as he runs forward and gazes fondly at a stranger, signifying all the possibilities that he has yet to explore in life.  Finally, he reaches the destination of his journey and stops running.

This music video somehow compels me to picture Harry sitting inside a quaint Italian pizzeria on a warm summer afternoon.  After he puts down his heartfelt emotions on a scenic postcard purchased during the vacation, Harry tucks it away safely under the cover of his tattered journal.  One fine day, he trips over his guitar and the journal slips out of his hand. As he notices the postcard on the floor, an old memory brings a smile to his face.  Harry picks up his guitar and Golden finally comes to life.  Well, I just let my imagination run wild! Nevertheless, Golden is a musical letter from Harry to his fans.  As it brings to life Harry’s journey towards self-discovery and self-acceptance, it inspires us and brightens up our hearts with its vibrant warm tones.  In the end, Golden affirms that we will always walk that fine line between heartbreak and love, light and darkness, despair and hope.  At the end of the day, that’s life.

La vita è bella.  

-Senjuti Jash

You can check out what Tommy Marz had to say before Golden was released.

Why The World Need ‘Golden’ By Harry Styles To Be A Monster Hit