Fine Line

Album: Fine Line (2019)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The Fine Line album finds Harry Styles recalling the roller coaster of emotions he experienced when he found love, only for the relationship to end. This song, the title track, pieces together the push-pull of love and heartbreak that he sings of on the individual cuts.

    You've got my devotion
    But man, I can hate you sometimes


    Speaking during an interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Harry explained: "When I was making this album, the times I was sad were among the saddest times of my life, but at the same time, the times when I was happy were some of the best times I've ever had in my life. So it's a fine line."
  • After Harry repeats "we'll be a fine line" twelve times, the song fades into acceptance as he concludes, "We'll be alright."
  • At 6:17, this sprawling track is the longest song on Fine Line. It builds from a softly strummed intro into an epic baroque number featuring marching drums, strings and an explosion of mariachi-like horns.

    Harry originally wrote the song as a simple folky ballad, but he explained to Rolling Stone it kept expanding and evolving. "It started simple, but I wanted to have this big epic outro thing," he said. "And it just took shape as this thing where I thought, 'That's just like the music I want to make.' I love strings, I love horns, I love harmonies - so why don't we just put all of that in there?"
  • The Fine Line album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 478,000 equivalent units. That figure marked the biggest week for a pop album by a male artist since Justin Bieber's Purpose entered at the summit of the December 5, 2015-dated tally with 649,000 units.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles

Timothy B. Schmit of the EaglesSongwriter Interviews

Did this Eagle come up with the term "Parrothead"? And what is it like playing "Hotel California" for the gazillionth time?

Steve Morse of Deep Purple

Steve Morse of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple's guitarist since 1994, Steve talks about writing songs with the band and how he puts his own spin on "Smoke On The Water."

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")Song Writing

Nick made some of the biggest videos on MTV, including "The Final Countdown," "Heaven" and "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)."

Did They Really Sing In That Movie?

Did They Really Sing In That Movie?Fact or Fiction

Bradley Cooper, Michael J. Fox, Rami Malek, Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow and George Clooney: Which actors really sang in their movies?

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")Songwriter Interviews

Holly Knight talks about some of the hit songs she wrote, including "The Warrior," "Never" and "The Best," and explains some songwriting philosophy, including how to think of a bridge.