Watermelon Sugar

Harry Styles has confirmed the primary meaning of "Watermelon Sugar" is about the female orgasm and the initial euphoria of a new sexual relationship. During a concert in Nashville, he told the audience, "It's about... the sweetness of life... It's also about the female orgasm, but that's totally different. It's not really relevant." The song uses extensive fruit-based metaphors and sensory language to explore themes of pleasure, desire, and intimacy. The lyrics, such as "Tastes like strawberries on a summer evenin'" and "I just wanna taste it," are double entendres that allude to oral sex and the intoxicating feeling of being with a romantic partner. Styles himself described the song as being about "that initial euphoria of when you start seeing someone or start sleeping with someone and you have that excitement about being around someone."

The song opens with the sensation of a perfect summer evening, comparing a feeling to the taste of strawberries and the sound of a beautiful song. The narrator expresses a deep craving for more of this specific feeling, describing it as wonderfully warm and essential, something he feels he can't live without. This initial euphoria is described as a 'watermelon sugar high,' a recurring phrase that encapsulates an intense state of bliss and pleasure.

As the song progresses, the imagery becomes more intimate and personal. The subject of the narrator's affection is likened to the end of June, a peak summer moment, reinforcing the themes of warmth, perfection, and fleeting happiness. He speaks of wanting their 'belly,' a term of endearment and physical closeness, and the desire to be 'washed away' in them, suggesting a complete immersion in this person and the feeling they provide. The lyrics convey a sense of beautiful obsession and addiction to this euphoric state.

The central metaphor revolves around fruit—strawberries and watermelon—used to describe the intoxicating nature of a physical and emotional connection. The repeated plea of 'I just wanna taste it' makes the desire explicit and palpable. The verses touch upon a slight feeling of inadequacy, with the narrator admitting his partner might be 'too bright' for him and that he is 'hopeless' and 'broken' without them, adding a layer of vulnerability to the otherwise joyful track. The overarching narrative is one of longing for and reveling in the intoxicating, sweet, and all-consuming feeling of being with someone who brings about an ecstatic 'watermelon sugar high,' a feeling so powerful it's like a drug.

"Watermelon Sugar" was written by Harry Styles, Mitch Rowland, Tyler Johnson, and Kid Harpoon. The song's creation began in September 2017 while Styles was on a day off from his tour. The group was at The Cave Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, and the idea sparked when Styles saw a copy of Richard Brautigan's 1968 novel "In Watermelon Sugar" on a table. He thought the title would sound cool as a hook, and they developed the repetitive chorus melody from there. Styles mentioned that it was one of the longest songs for him to complete; he initially liked it, then grew to hate it for a while before it kept coming back into the mix. The song is rumored to be inspired by his ex-girlfriend, model Camille Rowe, who was a known fan of the Brautigan novel. It was recorded across several studios, including Real World in Bath, RAK in London, and Henson in Hollywood. The track was first released as a promotional single on November 16, 2019, just before Styles hosted and performed on Saturday Night Live, and was later released as the fourth official single from the album "Fine Line" on May 18, 2020.

"Watermelon Sugar" is set in a 4/4 time signature with an uptempo, danceable groove. The verses follow a loose ABAB rhyme scheme, seen in lines like "Tastes like strawberries on a summer evenin' / And it sounds just like a song / I want more berries and that summer feelin' / It's so wonderful and warm". The rhythm is a key component of its funk-pop style, with a syncopated bassline and steady drum beat that drive the song forward. The interplay between the laid-back vocal rhythm and the tight, groovy instrumental rhythm creates a relaxed yet energetic feel. The song's structure builds dynamically, starting with a simpler arrangement and progressively adding layers of instrumentation, which increases the rhythmic complexity and energy, culminating in the full, celebratory sound of the choruses and the horn-filled outro.

"Watermelon Sugar" is characterized by its retro-inspired sound, blending funk-pop and rock with a '70s aesthetic. Musically, the song is built on a groovy, prominent bass line and a funky electric guitar riff. It features a layered homophonic texture that builds throughout the track. The song opens with isolated vocals and a gentle electric guitar, gradually adding more instruments like drums, a driving bass, and eventually a bright, celebratory horn section, creating a crescendo of sound that enhances the feeling of escalating excitement. The brass-infused arrangement, particularly the trumpet lines, contributes significantly to its party-like, summery atmosphere. Styles's vocal delivery is laid-back and informal, using elisions to convey a relaxed energy that transitions into a more sincere, yearning tone in the pre-chorus. Lyrically, the song relies heavily on sensory imagery (taste, sound, warmth) and repetition to create a memorable and immersive experience.

"Watermelon Sugar" was a major commercial success, becoming Harry Styles's first number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song also reached the top ten in over 20 countries, including the UK, Australia, and Canada. It won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance in 2021 and Song of the Year at the Brit Awards in the same year. The song's music video, released in May 2020 and "dedicated to touching," became particularly resonant during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering a vibrant, joyful vision of human connection and intimacy when many were in isolation. The song's success solidified Styles's status as a major solo artist, making him the second member of One Direction to achieve a US number-one hit. Styles performed the song to open the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, a further testament to its impact.

The song is built around a central extended metaphor where fruit represents sexuality and pleasure.

• Watermelon and Strawberries: These fruits are used as direct metaphors for the joys of physical intimacy and, as confirmed by Styles, specifically the female orgasm. The lyrics "Tastes like strawberries on a summer evenin'" and the recurring phrase "Watermelon sugar high" use taste and sensory details to convey a feeling of sweet, summery euphoria associated with a lover. The watermelon itself, with its pink flesh and high water content, is symbolic of fertility and sensuality.
• Summer Evening: The setting of a "summer evenin'" evokes feelings of warmth, nostalgia, and perfection, creating an idyllic backdrop for the song's themes of love and desire. It symbolizes a peak moment of happiness and connection.
• High: The word "high" in "Watermelon sugar high" is a double entendre. It refers to the euphoric, almost drug-like feeling of intense pleasure and excitement derived from the romantic and physical encounter, lifting the experience into a state of ecstasy.

The most prominent recurring motif is the title phrase, "Watermelon sugar high." This hook is repeated extensively throughout the chorus and post-chorus, acting as the song's central anchor. Its repetition emphasizes the theme of an addictive, euphoric state of pleasure. Another recurring lyrical phrase is "I just wanna taste it," which appears in the post-chorus, making the song's sensual desire more explicit and urgent. The opening line, "Tastes like strawberries on a summer evenin'," also reappears in the bridge, reinforcing the core sensory imagery and connecting the song's beginning and end. Musically, the simple, catchy guitar riff that opens the song and the bright trumpet fanfare serve as recurring instrumental motifs that make the track instantly recognizable and contribute to its cheerful, retro vibe.