What A Time

"What A Time" is a deeply nostalgic and bittersweet duet that explores the complex emotions following a breakup. The song mourns the end of a relationship by looking back on its beautiful moments. The lyrics capture the feeling of fondly remembering the good times, even though the relationship itself was flawed and ultimately failed. It speaks to the universal experience of running into an ex and feeling a rush of conflicting emotions—love, hate, and everything in between. The core message is a reflection on a shared past that was beautiful in moments ("what a time") but perhaps built on a false premise or destined to fail ("what a lie"), creating a poignant tension between cherished memories and the painful reality of the ending. The song suggests that one can treasure the positive memories of a past love without denying the reasons it concluded, capturing the ache of what is lost while acknowledging its past beauty.

The song begins by painting a picture of intense physical anxiety. The narrator feels sick and her hands are trembling, signs that an ex-lover is nearby. Her throat is dry and her heart is pounding, a visceral reaction to their proximity. Even though it's been a while since they were together, she finds herself thinking about him. She acknowledges that the past isn't as far away as it might seem and she still feels a pull to reminisce about it.

The chorus plunges into a specific, cherished memory: a night spent in a park. As darkness fell, they stayed up for hours, lost in each other's company. She recalls the feeling of him holding her as if he never wanted to let go. This memory prompts the recurring, poignant phrase, "What a time, what a time, what a time for you and I." It's a bittersweet acknowledgment of a beautiful, now-lost moment.

The second verse, sung from the male perspective, offers a parallel reflection. He concedes that their breakup wasn't ideal and that there's tension between them now. He wonders if his memory is selective, filtering out the negative aspects of their time together. He admits that, logically, their relationship didn't make sense. Despite this, just like her, he finds himself thinking about her and wanting to reminisce about their shared history, even though it's relatively recent.

The two voices then unite in the chorus, jointly recalling the intimacy of that night in the park. The repetition of "What a time" serves as a shared, wistful sigh over the perfection of that single moment, a stark contrast to their present reality. The bridge is a simple, lingering echo of the phrase "for you and I," emphasizing their shared past and the bond that once existed. It builds on the central motif, underscoring the significance of what they once had.

In a surprising and emotionally charged twist, the final chorus alters a key word. The memory of the night in the park is replayed, but this time, the declaration is not of a beautiful time, but a beautiful lie. The line changes to "What a lie, what a lie, what a lie." This sudden shift re-contextualizes the entire song, suggesting that the perfect moments they've been clinging to were perhaps not as genuine as they seemed, or that the promise of forever contained within them was ultimately false. The song concludes with this melancholic echo, leaving a lingering sense of disillusionment and heartbreak over what was and what was deceptively promised.

"What A Time" was written by Julia Michaels, Justin Tranter, Casey Barth, and Riley Knapp. It was produced by Ian Kirkpatrick and the duo RKCB (Riley Knapp and Casey Barth). The song was born from a personal experience Julia Michaels had after unexpectedly seeing an ex-boyfriend at a baseball game. She described the relationship as intense, and seeing him again brought back a flood of conflicting emotions, from love to hate, and a sense of nostalgia tainted by the relationship's end. The day after this encounter, she went into a writing session with her frequent collaborator Justin Tranter and channeled these feelings into the song, starting with the physical sensations of anxiety and a racing heart she felt upon seeing her ex. The title phrase, "What a time," was something Michaels said aloud during the session, which then became the central hook. Tranter suggested an alternate final chorus, changing the line to "what a lie," which added a layer of heartbreak and complexity to the narrative. Michaels wanted a male perspective on the track and chose Niall Horan, with whom she had become close friends after touring together in 2018. She felt he was perfect for the song, and his vocal performance moved her to tears in the studio, solidifying her choice. The song was included on her 2019 EP, Inner Monologue Part 1, and released as its second single on March 29, 2019.

"What A Time" features a relatively simple and direct structure that supports its lyrical content. The song is written in the key of C Major and maintains a slow, gentle tempo throughout. The rhythm is primarily driven by the acoustic guitar, providing a steady, contemplative pace that mimics the act of reminiscing. The lyrical rhythm is conversational, with phrases that flow naturally rather than adhering to a rigid metrical pattern, a characteristic of Julia Michaels' songwriting style. The rhyme scheme is generally simple, often following an AABB or ABCB pattern in the verses (e.g., shaking/racing, by/side), which makes the lyrics feel direct and sincere. The chorus relies more on repetition than on complex rhyme, with the key phrase "What a time" creating a rhythmic and melodic hook. The interplay between the gentle musical rhythm and the free-flowing lyrical phrasing creates an intimate, story-like feel, as if the singers are lost in thought.

"What A Time" employs several literary and musical techniques to achieve its emotional impact.

• Musical Arrangement: The song is a slow pop ballad driven by a gentle, finger-picked acoustic guitar, creating an intimate and confessional atmosphere. The production is minimalist, focusing on the vocals and allowing the emotional narrative to take center stage. The addition of subtle strings and soft harmonies enhances the nostalgic and melancholic mood.
• Vocal Delivery: Both Julia Michaels and Niall Horan use a soft, breathy vocal delivery that conveys vulnerability and sincerity. Their voices blend seamlessly, representing two sides of the same story. Michaels' delivery, in particular, carries a signature rawness and emotional honesty, while Horan's tone is described as angelic and tender, adding to the song's sweet sadness.
• Narrative Structure: The song uses a dual-perspective narrative, with each artist singing a verse from their point of view before joining in the chorus. This creates a conversational feel, as if two ex-lovers are independently reminiscing about the same moments, highlighting both their shared memories and their current distance.
• Rhetorical Questioning: Niall Horan's verse includes the line, "I wonder if my mind just leaves out all the bad parts," a rhetorical question that explores the unreliability of memory and the human tendency to romanticize the past.
• Repetition (Anaphora): The repetition of the phrase "What a time, what a time, what a time" in the chorus drills the central theme of nostalgia into the listener's mind, making it a memorable and poignant hook.

"What A Time" is a fan-favorite track from Julia Michaels' EP Inner Monologue Part 1 (2019). While not a major chart-topper upon its initial release as a single, the song gained significant traction over time, particularly on social media platforms. In May 2021, the song went viral on TikTok, which led to it entering the UK charts for the first time, two years after its release. Its success showcases the power of social media in reviving and popularizing music long after its debut. The collaboration between Julia Michaels and Niall Horan was praised by critics and fans for their vocal chemistry. The pair performed the song together live for the first time on The Late Late Show with James Corden on February 18, 2019. The song was nominated for Choice Collaboration at the 2019 Teen Choice Awards. It has been certified Platinum in several countries, including the US and Canada, attesting to its enduring popularity. The music video, directed by Boni Mata, features Michaels and a Horan look-alike in a flower-filled apartment, visually representing the beautiful but decaying memories of the relationship.

The primary symbolism in "What A Time" revolves around the contrast between light and dark, memory and reality.

• The Park at Dark: The memory of "the night in the park, it was getting dark" serves as the song's central image. The park represents a private, idyllic world the couple created for themselves. The encroaching darkness symbolizes both the intimacy and romance of the moment, as well as a subtle foreshadowing of the end of their relationship. Night is often a time for intimacy and secrets, but also for uncertainty and the end of a day, mirroring the end of their time together.
• Physical Symptoms of Heartbreak: The lyrics open with visceral descriptions of anxiety: "I feel a little nauseous and my hands are shaking... My throat is getting dry and my heart is racing." These are not just descriptions of nervousness but physical manifestations of past emotional trauma being re-triggered by proximity to the ex-partner. They symbolize the indelible mark the relationship left on the body and mind.
• "What A Time" vs. "What A Lie": The most powerful lyrical device is the shift from "What a time" to "What a lie" in the final chorus. "What a time" acts as a recurring motif symbolizing the peak of their shared happiness. However, its transformation into "What a lie" serves as a powerful metaphor for disillusionment. It suggests that the perceived perfection of the memory was either an illusion, a temporary truth, or a promise that was ultimately broken, recasting the entire nostalgic reflection in a more tragic and cynical light.

The most significant recurring motif in "What A Time" is the titular phrase itself, "What a time, what a time, what a time." This phrase, repeated in each chorus, acts as the emotional anchor of the song. It functions as a wistful sigh, encapsulating the beauty and significance of a past moment. Its repetition emphasizes how powerful and defining this memory is for both narrators.

A crucial variation occurs in the final chorus when the phrase is altered to "What a lie, what a lie, what a lie." This change is a powerful turning point in the song's narrative. It retroactively colors all the previous nostalgia with a sense of betrayal or disillusionment, revealing that the foundation of that beautiful time was not as solid as it seemed. This twist provides emotional depth and a heartbreaking conclusion to the story.

Another recurring idea is the act of reminiscing, explicitly mentioned in both verses with the line "I still wanna reminisce it." This motif highlights the central theme of being caught between the past and present, unable to let go of memories even when knowing the relationship wasn't right.