Warm
by Charli XCX (featuring Haim)

Album: Charli (2019)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This dream-like slice of electro pop finds Charli XCX hooking up with Haim. Over glitchy, warm synths, the four girls ask their crush why he's so convinced they can't be together.

    So you gotta tell me the reason
    Why we can't fall in love
    You gotta tell me the reason
    Why you won't open up


    Charli and Haim don't understand why the love they feel for the guy isn't mutual.
  • The song was produced by A. G. Cook, who executive produced XCX's entire Charli album. The idea for "Warm" came about from Cook sending her a demo of him singing a melody without any lyrics. Charli explained: "It was so beautiful and I sat with it for ages and just played it over and over again."

    When Danielle, Este and Alana Haim came over to the singer's studio house in LA, Charli and Cook chose the producer's demo as an ideal one for them to collaborate on. The Californian trio wrote their part and crooned the second half of the song.
  • According to the Haim sisters, "Warm" was inspired by records like Quad City DJs' 1996 hit single "C'mon N' Ride It (The Train)" and Imani Coppola's 1997 Chupacabra album.
  • Charli XCX told Q magazine that "Warm" was something she's never heard Haim do before. "There's no guitars, no live instrumentation, but I feel like that vocal melodies are quite them," she explained.
  • Charli and A.G. Cook had rented a house in California which they had turned into a studio. Charli told Q magazine that Haim's visit coincided with a challenging day for her. "I'd been to the dentist that day so the whole side of my face was numb," she recalled. "I'd already recorded my vocals. I couldn't really talk. We were co-writing. I was trying to suggest lyrics and melodies but I couldn't. I was like, 'mm-he-hoo-ha-ho.' I had told them I'd been to the dentist. They didn't think I was having a stroke."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Dean Friedman - "Ariel"

Dean Friedman - "Ariel"They're Playing My Song

Dean's saga began with "Ariel," a song about falling in love with a Jewish girl from New Jersey.

Linda Perry

Linda PerrySongwriter Interviews

Songwriting Hall of Famer Linda Perry talks about her songs "What's Up" and "Beautiful," her songwriting process, and her move into film music.

Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots

Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple PilotsSongwriter Interviews

Stone Temple Pilots bass player Robert DeLeo names the songs that have most connected with fans and tells the stories behind tracks from their Tiny Music album.

Randy Houser

Randy HouserSongwriter Interviews

The "How Country Feels" singer talks Skynyrd and songwriting.

Francesca Battistelli

Francesca BattistelliSongwriter Interviews

The 2011 Artist of the Year at the Dove Awards isn't your typical gospel diva, and she thinks that's a good thing.

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?