"Too Sweet" is a boozy ballad where Hozier portrays himself as a guy who's more partial to a slug of whiskey and a lie-in than a sunrise and a kale smoothie. Meanwhile, his other half is a devotee of discipline, health, and early mornings.
Now, there's nothing wrong with a bit of self-discipline, is there? But "Too Sweet" paints a picture of a love affair teetering on the edge thanks to a fundamental mismatch in energy levels. It's like trying to waltz with a hyperactive ferret.
"Too Sweet" was written for but left off Hozier's 2023 album
Unreal Unearth, which was inspired by Dante's Inferno. The scenario in this song has all the makings of a relationship destined for the third circle of hell: gluttony, like the
Unreal Unearth track "
Eat Your Young." In this case, it's a hedonistic inclination towards indulgence, mirroring the gluttonous behavior associated with this sin.
The song landed up on Hozier's Unheard EP, which comprises four previously unreleased tracks that were recorded for Unreal Unearth but did not make the final track listing. Hozier said the quartet of songs "might've made it to the circles of gluttony, limbo, violence and the outward 'ascent,'" referring to Dante's Inferno, but they did not appear on the album "for different reasons."
Hozier teamed up with Bekon, Peter Gonzales, and Sergiu Gherman to co-write and co-produce "Too Sweet." Stuart Johnson and Tyler Mehlenbacher also lent their writing skills to the track, with Chakra handling additional production duties. Notably, Bekon had a hand in crafting 10 out of the 16 songs on Unreal Unearth. Gonzales, Gherman, Johnson, and Mehlenbacher likewise collaborated on several other tracks for the album.
Hozier earned his first #1 single in the UK when "Too Sweet" climbed to the top of the tally dated April 14, 2024. It was the Irish singer-songwriter's second Top 10 UK single, joining "
Take Me to Church," which peaked at #2 in 2014.
It also reached #1 in several other countries, including the US, Australia and New Zealand.
Hozier joined an elite group of Irish artists to top the Billboard Hot 100. He followed in the footsteps of Gilbert O'Sullivan with "
Alone Again (Naturally))," U2 with "
With Or Without You" and "
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," and Sinéad O'Connor with "
Nothing Compares 2 U."
During a concert at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in August 2024, Hozier paused his performance to share a humorous anecdote with the audience. He recounted a night out when he boozed it up with a friend, even though he had a flight to catch the next morning.
Upon arriving at the airport, Hozier encountered the famous Irish actor, Cillian Murphy. While walking through the terminal, Hozier stumbled and hit his head against a window, sustaining a minor injury. Despite the pain, he managed to board the plane.
As Murphy approached Hozier to introduce himself, the musician realized the severity of his head injury. To his embarrassment, Hozier was bleeding slightly, and he struggled to maintain composure. Murphy, however, was incredibly understanding and kind.
Inspired by this experience, Hozier wrote the line, "I aim low, I aim true and the ground's where I go" for "Too Sweet." He admitted to the audience that he had never revealed this connection to Murphy, feeling too embarrassed to do so.
Hozier
performed "Too Sweet" on the December 21, 2024, episode of
Saturday Night Live. He also sang a cover of The Pogues' "
Fairytale of New York." It was Hozier's second appearance on the comedy sketch show following his debut in 2014.
