As It Was, yea or ney?

The song ‘As It Was’ by Harry Styles was a big hit when it came out across the world on May 20th, 2022. The song is an iconic song that Styles wrote in the countryside in England. The lyrics showcase how he has issues letting go of his past and moving on. The underlying theme of the track revolved around Styles’ inability to open up his issues. This vibe of this song is superior to other Harry Styles originals due to its strong use of piano in the melody, deep lyrical meaning, and the feelings it evokes in the listener.

The piano is one of the highlights in this piece made by Harry because of how lively, but yet sad it makes the song. The song was originally not supposed to have the piano in it, but he sampled the beat in ‘Take On Me,’ by A-Ha,  to enhance the song. Styles described how the piano gives it that extra “boost” to make the song come to life. 

The lyrics really convey what Styles was feeling during his writing process. He explains in a plethora of interviews that he wrote this song to express how he had trouble letting go of the past. During the time he was writing this song Styles was feeling very lonely. He said in an interview that the underlying meaning of this song was about losing yourself, finding yourself, and embracing change.

You feel so many emotions when listening to this song. He wrote this song during a time when he was lonely and was bottling up his emotions. This song has a very nostalgic feeling to it. Maybe because it was written during COVID, but whatever the reason was it is part of what makes the song so great. This song also makes you feel more sad towards the beginning of the song , but towards the end the song starts to lighten up and become more upbeat.

As It Was is a very well-written ballad. Styles’ composition and deep lyrical emotion elevated the track to a well-deserved top spot on any playlist.  The lyrics are brave and beautiful. If listened to with intentionality, the listener will be filled with a relatable empathy for Styles himself.