Habits (Stay High)

Habits (Stay High) is a brutally honest exploration of the destructive coping mechanisms often employed to deal with heartbreak. Unlike traditional breakup ballads that focus on sorrow or longing, Tove Lo's track delves into the avoidance of these feelings through hedonism. The song illustrates a "flight" response where the protagonist runs from her emotions into a haze of drugs, alcohol, casual sex, and binge eating.

The central message is one of vulnerability masked by recklessness. The lyrics expose the ugly, unglamorous side of moving on—the vomiting, the empty bank account, and the degradation of seeking validation from strangers. The narrator admits that these "habits" are not bringing her joy; they are merely tools to keep the memory of her ex-lover at bay. The repetition of "gotta stay high all the time" emphasizes the necessity of this state; it is not a choice for pleasure, but a requirement for survival against the pain.

Implicitly, the song critiques the pressure to be "perfect" even in grief. Tove Lo presents a female protagonist who is messy, flawed, and spiraling, challenging the polished image often expected of pop stars. It is a story about the fear of silence and solitude, acknowledging that for some, the only way to get through the "most intense" heartbreak is to completely disconnect from reality.

The narrative begins in a state of chaotic isolation, where the protagonist describes her post-breakup existence as a series of numbness-seeking rituals. She paints a vivid picture of eating dinner in her bathtub and frequenting sex clubs to watch strangers be intimate, not out of desire, but out of a restless need to feel something other than pain. Her coping mechanism involves a cycle of binge-eating sugary snacks like Twinkies until she becomes physically ill, followed by passing out in the very tub where she dined, having spent her last dime on alcohol.

As the story progresses, the central theme emerges: a relentless pursuit of intoxication. She confesses that her only strategy for dealing with her ex-partner's absence is to maintain a constant state of being high. Sobriety is the enemy, as it allows memories of him to intrude. She spends her days in a self-imposed haze, terrified of the clarity that would force her to confront her loss.

The behavior escalates into reckless social interactions. She describes wandering into playgrounds to pick up older men, specifically "dads," engaging in casual, meaningless encounters just to pass the time and feel a fleeting sense of aliveness. She admits to being "easy" and using these interactions to numb the ache inside. The bridge reveals the terrifying silence of her own home; she cannot bear to return there alone, so she seeks any distraction or person to delay the inevitable solitude. Ultimately, the song is a confession of a spiraling "play pretend" world where fun is absent, replaced entirely by the desperate need to obliterate consciousness and memory.

Habits (Stay High) was born from a period of intense personal turmoil for Tove Lo. The song was written in the aftermath of a breakup with a boyfriend who had joined a Buddhist movement—a path she refused to follow, leading to the relationship's end. Lo wrote the verses as a poem while she was struggling to cope, initially describing her behavior during that difficult time.

The chorus was written months later, during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Tove Lo was staying at a friend's apartment in New York City, which had lost electricity and heat due to the storm. In this cold, isolated environment, she found the melody and lyrics for the chorus, channeling the darkness of the situation into the song's hook. She collaborated with the production duo The Struts (Ludvig Söderberg and Jakob Jerlström), who helped transform her acoustic demo into the electropop track known today.

The song was originally self-released as "Habits" in March 2013. It gained traction on music blogs and caught the attention of artists like Lorde and Marina and the Diamonds. After Tove Lo signed with Universal Music, it was re-released as "Habits (Stay High)" in late 2013 and became a sleeper hit in 2014, eventually peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song follows a standard verse-chorus pop structure but plays with rhythm to enhance its mood. The rhyme scheme in the verses is generally AABB or AQAQ (e.g., bathtub/clubs, on/restless), utilizing slant rhymes (nervous/restless, money/lonely) that contribute to the song's imperfect, jagged feel.

Rhythmically, the track is set in 4/4 time at approximately 110 BPM. The verses feature a staccato, conversational delivery that contrasts with the soaring, elongated notes of the chorus ("stay hiiiigh"). This rhythmic shift mirrors the transition from the frantic activities of the day (verses) to the extended, numbing release of the drug-induced state (chorus). The beat is steady but has a "dragged" feel, simulating the sensation of moving through a haze.

Literary Techniques: The song employs radical honesty and confessional storytelling, breaking the fourth wall of pop polish. Lo uses juxtaposition effectively, contrasting the innocence of words like "playground" and "Twinkies" with sexual and substance-fueled imagery. The narrative voice is unrepentant yet tragic, using a stream-of-consciousness style in the verses to mimic a frantic mind.

Musical Techniques: The production relies on a minimalist electropop arrangement. A driving, slightly sluggish beat mimics the feeling of intoxication. The use of vocal fry and cracks in Lo's voice adds a layer of raw authenticity and vulnerability. A significant technique is the contrast between the dark, depressing lyrics and the upbeat, catchy melody—a hallmark of "crying in the club" anthems. The "Oh-oh" vocal hook in the intro and background acts as a haunting, recurring motif that anchors the track's pop sensibility.

Habits (Stay High) was a watershed moment for pop music in the mid-2010s, helping to popularize the "sad girl" aesthetic and the trend of anti-pop stars who spoke openly about flaws, drugs, and sex. It became the highest-charting song by a Swedish artist on the Billboard Hot 100 since Ace of Base's "The Sign" in 1994, peaking at number 3.

The song's longevity was significantly boosted by the Hippie Sabotage remix (titled "Stay High"), which stripped the production back to a glitchy, hypnotic vibe and became a global club hit. Culturally, it marked a shift away from the polished, aspirational pop of the early 2010s toward a grittier, more authentic narrative. Notable covers include a viral performance by Vin Diesel as a tribute to the late Paul Walker, and a soulful rendition by Kelly Clarkson.

The lyrics are laden with symbols of emptiness and regression:

• The Bathtub: A recurring setting that symbolizes a womb-like refuge and total isolation. Eating dinner and sleeping in the bathtub represents a regression to a childlike state of helplessness and a withdrawal from the functioning world.
• Twinkies: Represent empty calories and the attempt to fill an emotional void with physical substance. The subsequent vomiting highlights the body's rejection of this toxic coping mechanism, mirroring the emotional purging she cannot achieve.
• Playground: Ironically juxtaposed with picking up "dads," the playground symbolizes a loss of innocence. It twists a setting meant for children into a backdrop for predatory, reckless adult behavior, emphasizing her confusion and lack of direction.
• High/Haze: The state of being "high" is a metaphor for emotional numbness. It is a shield or a barrier constructed to prevent the "ghost" of her ex from entering her mind.
• Sex Clubs/Freaky People: These represent the extreme lengths she is willing to go to for distraction. Watching others offers a vicarious thrill that requires no emotional investment, allowing her to be present physically but absent mentally.

"Stay high all the time": The central mantra of the song. Its repetition underscores the obsessive nature of addiction and the impossibility of the task—she must do it all the time because the moment she stops, the pain returns.

"To keep you off my mind": This phrase acts as the "why" to the "stay high" "how." It explicitly links the substance abuse to the breakup, preventing the listener from interpreting the song as merely a party anthem.

"Oh-oh" Vocal Hook: A melodic motif that appears in the intro and throughout the song. It creates a hypnotic, circular feeling, suggesting a cycle that the narrator cannot break free from.