Music is weirdly cyclical. Every decade or so, a song comes along that doesn't just top the charts but actually defines the collective mood of the planet. When Harry Styles dropped As It Was in early 2022, it felt like everyone stopped breathing for a second. It wasn't just a catchy synth-pop track. It was a 2-minute and 47-second capsule of transition, loneliness, and the realization that you can never actually go back to how things used to be. Honestly, even years later, that "gravity" Harry sings about feels just as heavy.
Most people recognize the opening. It’s a child’s voice—specifically Ruby Winston, the daughter of producer Ben Winston—saying, "Come on, Harry, we wanna say goodnight to you!" It’s cute, sure. But it’s also the perfect setup for a song about the isolation of fame. You’ve got this mega-star who is adored by millions, yet he’s being nudged by a child because he’s probably stuck in a studio or a hotel room somewhere, missing the simple "goodnight" moments that make up a normal life.
The Sonic DNA of As It Was
Technically, the song is a masterpiece of "sad bop" energy. It’s got that 80s-inspired, New Wave pulse that feels like A-ha’s "Take On Me" crashed into a modern indie record. It’s fast. It’s driving. It makes you want to dance while simultaneously staring out a rainy window.
The production, handled by long-time collaborators Tyler Johnson and Kid Harpoon, uses a very specific bell-like synth sound that stays consistent throughout. This creates a sense of momentum. It’s like a train that won’t stop moving even if you want to jump off. That’s the core of As It Was. It’s about the relentless forward motion of time. You’re being pushed into a new version of yourself, whether you’re ready for it or not.
Why the 80s sound worked
Everything old is new again. But Harry didn't just copy the past. He used those textures to create nostalgia for a time we didn't even live through. It’s a trick of the light. By using sounds that feel "vintage," he emphasizes the lyrical theme of looking backward.
Decoding the Lyrics: Loneliness in Plain Sight
If you actually sit down and read the lyrics without the upbeat music, As It Was is actually pretty heartbreaking. It’s a song about a guy who is struggling.
"Harry, you're no good alone / Cheeky phone, what are you sitting on the floor in?"
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That line is brutal. It’s self-confrontational. We’ve all been there—sitting on the floor, doom-scrolling, feeling like a ghost in our own house. Styles is admitting to a level of depression and stagnation that rarely gets talked about by people who are supposedly "winning" at life. He mentions "pills" and "blue lights." It’s dark. It’s real.
Then there’s the bridge. "Go home, get ahead, light-speed internet / I don't wanna talk about the way that it was." This is the sound of burnout. It’s the sound of someone who has reached the pinnacle of global stardom and realized the view is actually kinda lonely. He’s talking to himself, but he’s also talking to us. We all live in this high-speed, digital-first world where we’re constantly told to "get ahead," but nobody tells us what to do once we get there and realize we’re missing the "way it was."
The Performance and the Visuals
The music video, directed by Tanu Muino, uses a revolving platform to illustrate the central metaphor. Harry and a partner (played by dancer Mathilde Lin) move toward and away from each other. They’re wearing contrasting red and blue outfits. It’s a literal cycle. No matter how hard they try to grip onto each other, the spinning floor pulls them apart.
- Red vs. Blue: Classic symbolism for passion versus coldness, or perhaps two people who are simply on different wavelengths.
- The Circular Motion: Represents the trap of memory. You keep revisiting the same thoughts, the same people, the same regrets.
- The Stripping Down: By the end, Harry is in his underwear. It’s a vulnerable moment. No costumes, no glitter, just the person underneath the persona.
This visual language helped As It Was stay in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 for an astounding 31 weeks. It became the longest-running number-one song by a solo artist in history at that time. That doesn't happen just because of a catchy beat. It happens because the imagery and the sound hit a nerve in the culture.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Meaning
A lot of fans immediately jumped to the conclusion that the song was strictly about Harry’s then-relationship with Olivia Wilde. While the line about "two kids follow her" seemed like a direct nod to her life, reducing the song to celebrity gossip misses the point entirely.
As It Was isn't a breakup song about a girl. It’s a breakup song about a former version of yourself.
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Think about it. We all have that "before" and "after" version of our lives. Maybe it’s before a move, before a loss, or before the world changed in 2020. The song resonates because it captures that specific grief of realizing you’ve changed so much that you wouldn't even recognize the person you were three years ago. You’re looking in the mirror and seeing a stranger who lives in your skin.
The "Gravity" Factor
"In this world, it's just us / You know it's not the same as it was."
That "just us" could be a couple, sure. But it’s more likely Harry talking to himself. Or Harry talking to the listener. It’s an acknowledgment that the external world is chaotic and shifting, and the only thing you have left is this internal reality. The gravity he mentions is the weight of expectation. It’s the pressure to stay the same when everything around you is forcing you to evolve.
How to Apply the Lessons of As It Was to Real Life
It’s easy to just listen to the track and move on, but there’s a reason this song became a "cultural reset." It teaches us something about the inevitability of change. If you're feeling stuck or mourning a version of your life that no longer exists, here is how to process it through the lens of this track.
Accept the "Floor" Moments
Styles talks about sitting on the floor. It’s okay to have those moments where you aren't "on." In a world of "light-speed internet," we feel forced to be productive 24/7. Sometimes, the most honest thing you can do is admit you're "no good alone" right now and just sit with it.
Recognize the "Cheeky Phone" Trap
The song warns us about seeking connection through a screen when we’re feeling isolated. Scrolling through photos of "the way it was" usually just makes the present feel worse. Put the phone down. Engage with the "gravity" of your actual life, even if it’s heavy.
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Stop Chasing the Past Version of You
The most important takeaway is in the title itself. It’s not the same. Trying to recreate a feeling or a relationship exactly as it existed two years ago is a recipe for misery. You have to let the revolving floor move. You have to see where it takes you next.
Build New Traditions
If the "goodnight" calls are changing, find a new way to connect. The song starts with a missed connection (the child's voice) but ends with a frantic, beautiful energy. It suggests that while things aren't the same, there is still music to be made in the new reality.
The Legacy of a Modern Classic
Years from now, music historians will point to As It Was as the definitive sound of the early 2020s. It captured the weird, jittery, slightly anxious feeling of coming back out into the world and realizing that neither we nor the world stayed the same while we were away.
It’s a song about the courage it takes to keep moving when you’re terrified of what you’re leaving behind. Harry Styles managed to take a very personal, very specific feeling of celebrity isolation and turn it into a universal anthem for anyone who has ever looked at their life and realized the "old days" are officially over.
So, next time it comes on the radio, don't just dance. Listen to the bells. Listen to the kid. Remember that it's okay that things aren't the same. That’s just gravity doing its job.
Actionable Steps for Navigating Change
- Audit your nostalgia: Identify if you are holding onto a version of your life that is preventing you from enjoying the present. Write down three things that are better now than they were two years ago.
- Limit digital "blue light" loops: When you feel that "Harry sitting on the floor" vibe coming on, physically leave the room. Change your environment to break the cycle.
- Acknowledge the weight: Don't pretend things are the same. Use the phrase "It’s not the same as it was" as a mantra of acceptance rather than a complaint. Acceptance is the first step toward building something new.