As a teen, I kept quotes of poems and songs in piles of spiral bound notebooks. Those paper notebooks are long gone, but teenager Harry Styles put lyrics and words that resonated for him on his public Twitter feed. Many of them are still preserved on the platform now known as X, even though Harry rarely uses it anymore.
We can’t possibly know if he had any specific intention when he tweeted lyrics by other musicians, or if something simply resonated with him in a moment. But some of his posts seem to align with events that were swirling around One Direction at any given time.
I can’t contextualize all the lyrics he posted, but I imagine a sweet and sensitive lad thinking he was being subtle when he tweeted meaningful lyrics out into the ether. When possible, I’ve added a tiny bit of context if I know something factual and meaningful (source cited), and it’s clear when it’s my opinion. It’s impossible to be fully inclusive of dates and events as this spans the full One Direction timeline.
I’ve provided the date the lyric was tweeted, the link itself to the live post, the song and artist quoted, the link to the full song lyric, and the screen shot of the post (all taken by me). All posts are live on the X platform as of the writing of this article on October 6, 2023.
In early September 2010, the boys had been put into the band, but the live X-Factor shows had not begun airing. Harry tweeted song lyrics starting on September 9, 2010 and continued to quote lyrics from other bands, never with an attribution or a source noted (along with hundreds of other tweets), until after One Direction went on hiatus. Harry and Louis didn’t tweet directly to each other until September 27, 2010. This is surely not a complete list, as I can’t guarantee I haven’t missed some tweets.
My primary source for early timelines is the BulletProofLarry account on Tumblr: https://bulletprooflarry.tumblr.com/timelines. Tour dates and later calendar notes come from: https://onedirection.fandom.com/
Note: I’m coming at these from a Larry-centric perspective. It’s entirely possible that Harry’s tweets aren’t about his relationship with Louis, but the context I provide often seems to skew that direction.
2010
Harry later sang the Bruno Mars lyric quoted below to Louis in their first (and only) twitcam together in January 2011.
September 9, 2010
Just the Way You Are: Bruno Mars
https://genius.com/Bruno-mars-just-the-way-you-are-lyrics
When i see your face, there's not a thing that i would change, cause you're amaizing...Just the way you are 🙂
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) September 9, 2010
This Script lyric below might reference the fact they both saw the band at the same date, time and place in 2009, two years before they met on X-Factor.
September 12, 2010
For the First Time: The Script
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/script/forthefirsttime.html
OOh These times are hard,And they're making us crazy..Don't give up on me Baby .xx
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) September 12, 2010
Coincidentally (or not), Hannah is the name of Louis’ ex-girlfriend.
September 13, 2010
Hannah: Ray LaMontagne
I lost all of my Vanity,When i peered into the Pool..I lost all of my Innocence,When i fell in Love with you .xx
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) September 13, 2010
September 18, 2010
Dancing in the Moonlight: Thin Lizzy
Well i passed you in the doorway,and you took me with a glance..I should have got the last bus home, but I asked you for a dance 😉 .xx
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) September 18, 2010
2011
Spring 2011 marked the beginning of the X-Factor Tour, in which One Direction and eight other contestants from series 7 participated from February 19 – April 9, 2011 (source: https://onedirection.fandom.com/wiki/X_Factor_Live_Tour#SnippetTab).
A few minutes before tweeting the lyrics to Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, he tweeted: “The cutest thing i have ever seen about a father and daughter performing the song.
The cutest thing i have ever seen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L64c5vT3NBw
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) January 10, 2011
January 10 is also the day the boys moved into the rehearsal hotel for the X-Factor Tour and Harry tweeted about loving Nando’s.
I forgot how much I love Nandos <3
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) January 10, 2011
January 10, 2011
Home: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
We laugh until we think we’ll die,Barefoot on a summer night..Nothin’ new is sweeter than with you 😀 night .x
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) January 10, 2011
On January 23, 2011 (two tweets below) Harry and Louis spent the day together in London going to a movie, dinner, and then did a TwitCam at night. It was a proper “girls’ day out” as they say in the TwitCam.
January 23, 2011
California: Phantom Planet
On the stereo,listen as we go,nothing's gonna stop me now..California here we come..Right back where we started from 😀
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) January 23, 2011
January 23, 2011
Price Tag: Jessie J.
It's not about the Money money money,We don't need your Money money money..We just wanna make the World Dance..forget about The Pricetag 😀
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) January 24, 2011
As a collective, the 1D boys often mentioned Bruno Mars as someone with whom they’d like to collaborate. During the X-Factor Tour, they covered Mars’ Grenade.
I wanted to find something meaningful about lyrics from two different Bruno Mars’ songs being posted two days before Valentine’s Day 2011, and a week before the X-Factor Tour started. The only thing I can find, though, is that a year later, during the Paris interviews in February 2012, Harry alluded to Louis having been in a relationship for a year – he’s technically referring to Eleanor, who’d only been around for a few months at that point.
February 12, 2011
Count on Me: Bruno Mars
If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea,I'll sail the world....to find you 😀
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) February 12, 2011
February 12, 2011
Marry You: Bruno Mars
It's a beautiful night,we're looking for something dumb to do,hey baby...I think I wanna marry you.. 😀
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) February 12, 2011
One Direction recorded their first album in Sweden in June 2011.
The video for WMYB was shot in CA in June/July and there’s speculation that Harry and Louis moved in together in June 2011.
June 3, 2011
I Wish I was a Punk Rocker: Sandi Thom
I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair.
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) June 3, 2011
2012
The Up All Night tour kicked off on December 18, 2011 in Watford, England and concluded July 1, 2012 in Orlando, Florida, w/ a few dates played later into the fall.
In the spring of 2012, One Direction was on tour supporting Big Time Rush. The boys walked the red carpet at the premier of Big Time Rush: The Movie in New York City on March 8, 2012.
March 8, 2012
No Diggity: Blackstreet
I like the way you work it, No Diggity...
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) March 8, 2012
April 5, 2012
Sweet Disposition: The Temper Trap
April 22, 2012 marked the infamous night out in Wellington, NZ. Harry quoted Sweet Disposition twice this month. Later in June 2012, he got “won’t stop ‘till we surrender” tattooed under the star on his left arm, a slightly varied lyric from this song from Temper Trap, a band they’d seen at the Leeds Festival back in August 2011.
Harry’s “I Can’t Change” tattoo came at a similar time and while I would not be surprised if he also quoted the Rise Against song (Make It Stop (September’s Children)), I can’t find evidence of that song quoted in his twitter feed.
April 23, 2012
Sweet Disposition: The Temper Trap
Take Me Home was released November 9, 2012.
The last tour dates of Up All Night were performed in Connecticut on November 30 and December 1 and Madison Square Garden on December 3, 2012.
November 27, 2012
The Sun Has Got His Hat On: Ambrose and his Orchestra (from Me and My Girl)
The sun has got his hat on.
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) October 11, 2014
Did he watch Mary Poppins during their holiday break?
December 27, 2012
Feed the Birds (Tuppence a Bag): Julie Andrews
2013
The Take Me Home tour started on February 23, 2013 in London, England, and concluded on November 3, 2013 in Chiba, Japan.
July 22, 2013
At one point, Harry referenced The Beach Boys’ Wouldn’t It Be Nice as a song that might be a soundtrack of his life.
The boys were part of a charity single in the fall of 2014 covering the Beach Boys’ God Only Knows – I love that he tweeted this song. It’s MY favorite Beach Boys song, and it’s lovely when you listen with a Larry lens.
God Only Knows: The Beach Boys
The tweet from September 2013 is one of the several tweets that inspired the oft mentioned Larry rumor that Harry and Louis might have gotten married on the night of September 28, 2013, while in Australia.
September 29, 2013
My Old Man: Joni Mitchell
One Direction played in Auckland, NZ on October 13, 2013.
October 13, 2013
Tupelo Honey: Van Morrison
She's as sweet, as Tupelo honey. She's alright.
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) October 13, 2013
Kings of Leon is often mentioned by both Harry and Louis as a favorite band. In 2022, Louis would cover their Beautiful War on his solo tour.
Midnight Memories was released November 25, 2013.
November 27, 2013
Temple: Kings of Leon
2014
Where We Are tour kicked off on April 25, 2014 in Bogotá, Colombia and concluded on October 5, 2014 in Miami, Florida.
This tweet from May 2014 was between show dates in the UK.
May 26, 2014
Electric Avenue: Eddy Grant
June 22, 2014
Bible Verse: Proverbs 16:24
On July 8, 2014, One Direction played in Barcelona.
July 8, 2014
Long Hair: The Drowners
All the girls had long hair, all the boys had long hair, and you were missing out.
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) July 8, 2014
July 10, 2014
Black or White: Michael Jackson
I saw you kicking dirt in my eye. http://t.co/2JyPvddMTS
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) July 11, 2014
On August 14, 2014, One Direction played in Philadelphia.
Secrets is a powerful song about being queer from lesbian singer songwriter Mary Lambert.
August 14, 2014
Secrets: Mary Lambert
Scared of the dark and the dentist.
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) August 19, 2014
August 20 was a break between Nashville and Houston. I think it’s safe to say the next several tweets were likely made while driving between cities on the tour bus.
August 20, 2014
It all Comes out in the Wash: Miranda Lambert
September 15 was during a break between Pasadena, CA and Glendale, AZ.
September 15, 2014
Cigarette Dreams: Cage the Elephant
You can drive, all night..
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) September 15, 2014
September 20 was during a break between El Paso and San Antonio, TX.
September 20, 2014
The Car Song: Cat Empire
October 11 is National Coming Out Day in the United States. The lyrics of this song he quoted below feel appropriate for the celebration. He tweeted this song before, back on November 27, 2012.
October 11, 2014
The Sun Has Got His Hat On: Ambrose and his Orchestra (from Me and My Girl)
The sun has got his hat on.
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) October 11, 2014
On November 9, the day he tweeted the Coldplay lyric below, an article praising Louis Tomlinson for supporting Tim Cook (Apple CEO) was published (this was also a few days after Harry said it was “not that important” for a prospective romantic partner to be female). This article (linked below) set off a whirlwind of drama when Louis’ twitter account blasted the reporter for alluding that he might be gay (article about the Tweet storm linked below as well).
Harry has mentioned being a massive fan of Chris Martin, which might explain this tweet of Coldplay lyrics.
November 9, 2014
Yellow: Coldplay
It was all yellow. http://t.co/xB4dkWuoKi
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) November 9, 2014
2015
2015 kicked off the On the Road Again tour. Tour dates were from February 7, 2015 (Sydney, Australia) to October 31, 2015 (Sheffield, England).
The Coldplay song Yellow was previously tweeted on November 14, 2014.
January 26, 2015
Yellow: Coldplay
February 19, 2015
I Got Stripes: Johnny Cash
Chains around my feet. http://t.co/P34GNwkP3j
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) February 20, 2015
February 27, 2015
My Winding Wheel: Ryan Adams
The day before the fourth anniversary of the famous Always In My Heart tweet from Louis Tomlinson, Harry tweeted these lyrics from a song he wrote for MITAM.
Always in my heart @Harry_Styles . Yours sincerely, Louis
— Louis Tomlinson (@Louis_Tomlinson) October 2, 2011
October 2, 2015
Olivia: One Direction
Pink Floyd, quoted below, is often referred to as an inspiration for Harry’s first solo album.
October 9, 2015
Time: Pink Floyd
The sun is the same, in a relative way, but you're older.
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) October 9, 2015
On November 5, 2015, Harry posted If I Could Fly six days after the last performance of On The Road Again on October 31, 2015 in the early days of MITAM promotion.
Made in the A.M. was released on November 12, 2015.
November 5, 2015
If I Could Fly: One Direction
If I could fly.
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) November 5, 2015
In fall 2015, he posted a lot of MITAM lyrics, which I won’t screenshot, links here still live as of 10/6/23.
“Hey Angel. Do you know the reasons why, we look up to the sky?” on October 6,
Hey Angel. Do you know the reasons why, we look up to the sky?
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) October 6, 2015
He tweeted about Perfect being the next single:
on October 9 “Hey Angel. Do you look at us and laugh, when we hold on to the past?” on October 9,
“Hey Angel. Tell me, do you ever try to come to the other side?” on October 16.
“Hey Angel. Tell me do you ever cry, while we waste away our lives?” on October 22,
“You’ve got to help me, I’m losing my mind” on November 6,
“I told her that I loved her, I’m not sure if she heard” on November 9,
“What a Feeling” on November 11,
“the summertime, and butterflies, all belong to your creation” on October 2 .
The two tweets below were during the very busy MITAM promo days, after the OTRA Tour concluded.
On November 26, 2015, the boys performed a short set (6 songs) live at the Telehit Awards in Mexico. No idea if it’s relevant, but James Taylor’s Mexico (quoted by Harry below) is about having diarrhea and having to cancel a show.
November 26, 2015
Mexico: James Taylor
The sun's so hot I forgot to go home.
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) November 26, 2015
On December 1, 2015 One Direction performed live in Dallas, Texas as part of the KIIS-FM Jingle Ball.
December 1, 2015
Cherry Wine: Hozier
2016 – Hiatus and beyond
2016 marked the first time the boys didn’t have One Direction responsibilities since July 2010.
Harry posted the lyric below two days after Louis tweeted about the birth of Freddie. I’d encourage you to go to the link to the full lyrics of the song below for context. I’m not saying it’s definitely related, but I find the lyrics haunting.
January 23, 2016
Watching His Son Go Down: Jeff Bates
He posted the link below on his twenty-second birthday.
February 1, 2016
22: Taylor Swift
The lyric below from Stuck on You by Elvis is an interesting lyric about sticking together with your partner, with some allusions to parenthood.
February 27, 2016
Stuck on You: Elvis Presley
You can shake an apple off an apple tree.
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) February 27, 2016
2018
Harry Styles self titled first album was released in May 2017, and he was about to kick off the European leg of Live on Tour in March 2018.
The song quoted below by King Princess has an especially interesting lyric given that he would go on to play two different roles that took place in the 1950s a few years after this tweet. In particular, I don’t think it’s a stretch to imagine that he was already aware of Bethan Roberts’ novel My Policeman.
March 6, 2018
1950: King Princess
And there you have it. After 2018, Harry’s Twitter/X feed becomes a lot more focused on promotion and less personal. I can’t find any lyric tweets that aren’t his own after this one in 2018. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any or that some haven’t been deleted. In some way, as an adult, he perhaps never again felt as compelled to share things that resonated in such a public manner. And since the band was on hiatus and he was embarking on a solo tour, it’s also more likely that he had the time and space to communicate directly with people who mattered to him in other ways.
I like the little slice of his personality that shines through in the song lyrics he chooses to tweet. It’s not always the lyric you’d pull from the text, and it often comes across as obscure and quirky. Just like the Harry we’ve come to know and love.
I’d love to know what you think about any of these lyrics, let me know @Rosann_1986 on X.
