The Hills

"The Hills" delves into the dark and complex themes of a clandestine, toxic relationship set against the backdrop of fame and hedonism. The song is a raw confession of emotional detachment, where the connection is purely physical and transactional, highlighted by the lyric, "I only love it when you touch me, not feel me." The Weeknd explores the concept of a persona shaped by substance abuse, proclaiming, "When I'm f****d up, that's the real me," suggesting that his true self is unleashed only when his inhibitions are gone. It's a commentary on the emptiness and moral decay that can accompany a luxurious lifestyle, where secrets and lies are the foundation of relationships. The recurring line, "The hills have eyes," is a direct reference to Wes Craven's horror film, symbolizing the paranoia of constant surveillance by paparazzi, the public, and even those close to him in the Hollywood Hills. This creates a sense of being trapped and judged, blurring the lines between private and public life. Ultimately, the song is a reflection on the destructive nature of fame, the struggle with personal demons, and the difficulty of finding genuine connection in a world of facades.

The narrative unfolds with the protagonist arranging a secret rendezvous with a woman whose partner is away on business. He's eager to move their relationship beyond a platonic 'friend zone' because her real-life allure surpasses her photos. Navigating to her exclusive, gated community, he finds that she has sent her friends away in anticipation of his arrival, though he suspects they are aware of their clandestine affair. The song then shifts to a raw confession of his emotional state and the nature of their connection. He admits to only seeking her out late at night, a time when his inhibitions are lowered by substances. This is when he feels most like his true self, unburdened by facades. The physical connection is what he craves, explicitly stating a preference for touch over genuine emotional intimacy. He acknowledges a pattern of self-destructive behavior, noting that others try to push him toward rehabilitation, but the highs he used to chase no longer have the same effect, feeling as muted as decaf coffee. He is committed to living for the moment, rejecting the judgment of others who, he implies, secretly wish for his downfall. A recurring and ominous theme is the feeling of being constantly watched, symbolized by the phrase "the hills have eyes." This paranoia is directed at the woman he is with, questioning her right to judge him when she is also hiding secrets and lies. He feels he can only trust her in this deceptive world they inhabit. The song concludes with a poignant outro in Amharic, The Weeknd's first language, where he seems to express sentiments of love and endearment, a stark contrast to the dark, transactional nature of the relationship depicted throughout the song. This suggests a flicker of genuine emotion buried beneath the layers of hedonism and emotional detachment.

"The Hills" was written by Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd), Emmanuel "Mano" Nickerson, Carlo "Illangelo" Montagnese, and Ahmad "Belly" Balshe. It was produced by Mano and Illangelo. The song was recorded in 2014 at The Weeknd's home studio in Toronto, referred to as "Abel's Crib". The initial demo was created by Mano, who then sent it to The Weeknd. Illangelo and The Weeknd then collaborated on the track, with The Weeknd quickly developing the top line melody. Illangelo aimed to create a sound that harked back to The Weeknd's earlier, darker mixtapes but with a faster tempo and a pop arrangement. The song's creation was a fluid process, with writing, producing, and mixing happening concurrently. A significant element of the song's production is the bassline, which was sampled from the score of the 2013 film 'The Machine,' composed by Tom Raybould. This led to a plagiarism allegation and a lawsuit filed in December 2015. The song was debuted at a SXSW party in 2015 under the title "Mood Music" before being officially released on May 27, 2015, as the second single from the album Beauty Behind the Madness.

"The Hills" features a rhythmic structure that significantly contributes to its dark and ominous feel. The song is written in the key of C Minor with a tempo that drives the track forward. The rhythm is built upon a heavy, distorted 808 bass pattern that is both powerful and menacing, creating a sense of dread. The drum programming incorporates trap-style hi-hats and a prominent, impactful snare. The song's structure alternates between sparser verses and a dense, explosive chorus, creating a dynamic ebb and flow that mirrors the emotional turbulence of the lyrics. The lyrical rhythm often follows a conversational, rap-like cadence in the verses, delivering the narrative in a direct and confessional manner. In contrast, the chorus features more elongated, sung phrases that emphasize the key emotional declarations. The rhyme scheme is not strictly rigid, often employing slant rhymes and internal rhymes to maintain a natural, narrative flow rather than adhering to a predictable pattern. The interplay between the insistent, heavy beat and The Weeknd's floating, ethereal vocal melodies creates a compelling tension that is central to the song's power.

"The Hills" employs a range of stylistic techniques to create its haunting and atmospheric tone. Musically, the song is characterized by its heavily distorted, rumbling bassline, which was sampled from the film 'The Machine'. The production, handled by Illangelo and Mano, blends trap, industrial, and electronic elements, marking a return to the darker sound of The Weeknd's early mixtapes but with a more polished, pop-oriented structure. The instrumentation is sludgy and dissonant, creating a sense of unease. The Weeknd's vocal delivery is a key feature; he sings in a high, soulful tenor, creating a stark contrast with the dark lyrics and heavy production. His vocals are often heavily processed with reverb and delay, making them sound spacious and lo-fi, adding to the song's eerie quality. A notable sonic element is the use of horror-movie-like shrieks before the chorus, which were inspired by a fan's scream in a leaked live performance. Lyrically, the song utilizes a confessional, first-person narrative, drawing the listener into the protagonist's dark world. The reference to Wes Craven's film "The Hills Have Eyes" is a significant use of allusion, amplifying the themes of paranoia and surveillance. The song's outro features lyrics in Amharic, The Weeknd's first language, which adds a layer of personal and emotional complexity, contrasting with the otherwise detached tone of the song.

"The Hills" had a significant cultural impact, solidifying The Weeknd's transition from a mysterious R&B outlier to a mainstream superstar while retaining his signature dark aesthetic. The song was a massive commercial success, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for six consecutive weeks, notably replacing his own single "Can't Feel My Face" at the top spot. It has since been certified Diamond by the RIAA for selling over ten million units in the United States. The track was praised by critics for its return to the harsher, more experimental sound of his early work, in contrast to the more pop-oriented singles released around the same time. Its cinematic and ominous music video, directed by Grant Singer, has amassed over two billion views on YouTube and is a key part of the visual narrative of the Beauty Behind the Madness era. The song's popularity was further bolstered by official remixes featuring high-profile artists Eminem and Nicki Minaj. "The Hills" has been featured in various forms of popular culture and is widely considered one of The Weeknd's most iconic and important tracks, instrumental in bringing his dark, moody R&B sound to the forefront of pop radio.

"The Hills" is rich with symbolism and metaphors that paint a dark picture of fame and toxic relationships.

• The Hills: The titular "Hills" primarily symbolize the affluent and secretive world of Hollywood Hills, representing both the pinnacle of success and a place of moral decay and constant surveillance. They are personified with the line "the hills have eyes," a direct reference to the Wes Craven horror film, which evokes a sense of paranoia, judgment, and the feeling of being constantly watched.
• The Car Crash: The music video opens with a car crash, which symbolizes the chaotic and destructive nature of The Weeknd's lifestyle and relationships. The flipped car represents his life being turned upside down by temptation and corruption, leaving him to navigate the emotional and psychological wreckage. Some interpretations also suggest the crash represents the negative reception of his previous album, Kiss Land.
• The Mansion: The lavish but decaying mansion he enters in the music video serves as a metaphor for his own psyche—a once grand structure now deteriorating due to his choices. It symbolizes the corruption, excess, and hollow nature of the glamorous world he inhabits.
• Red Lighting: The prominent red lighting throughout the video symbolizes danger, temptation, passion, and sin, accentuating the seductive and perilous nature of his choices. It also visually represents his inner turmoil and emotional conflict.

The most prominent recurring motif in "The Hills" is the phrase "The hills have eyes," repeated in the bridge. This line, a direct cinematic allusion, encapsulates the song's central themes of paranoia, surveillance, and judgment within the context of celebrity life in Hollywood. Its repetition builds a sense of inescapable dread. Another key recurring lyrical phrase is the chorus's chilling confession: "I only call you when it's half past five / The only time that I'll be by your side / I only love it when you touch me, not feel me / When I'm f****d up, that's the real me." This section is repeated multiple times, hammering home the song's core message of emotional detachment, hedonism, and a self-identity intertwined with substance abuse. The repetition serves as a dark anthem, defining the transactional and hollow nature of the relationship. Musically, the song is built on a recurring, distorted bassline and a heavy drum beat that provides a constant, ominous pulse throughout the track. The shrieking sound effect that precedes the beat drop in the chorus also acts as a recurring sonic motif, heightening the horror-esque atmosphere.