Plastic Hearts

Album: Plastic Hearts (2020)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This raucous cut finds Miley Cyrus looking to make a connection without going too deep.

    Love me now, but not tomorrow
    Fill me up, but leave me hollow
    Pull me in, but don't you get too close
  • "Plastic Hearts" is the title track of Cyrus' seventh studio album, a record where she frequently touches on how it's hard for her to commit fully to a relationship. "Angels Like You," for instance, finds her apologizing to her romantic interest before walking out on them.
  • When asked during the first episode of Amazon Music Holiday Plays about the meaning behind "Plastic Heart," Miley said her homeless charity Happy Hippie inspired the song. The "Midnight Sky" singer explained she wrote the tune following the annual Christmas holiday party Happy Hippie throws for homeless youth in Los Angeles.

    "Right down the street from where we are right now, there is more homelessness than anywhere else in the country - this is kind of the nucleus of homelessness," she said. "So really knowing that I live in this extravagant world and so many homeless kids are on the street it just never really felt right and so this song was dedicated to that community that is so important to me."
  • Miley Cyrus wrote the song with Ryan Tedder, Ali Tamposi, Andrew Watt and Louis Bell. The same quintet also penned "Angels Like You."
  • The song's intro references The Rolling Stones' "Sympathy For The Devil," with Stonesy percussion performed by Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith.
  • The song's demo version, titled "California Dreamin'," was leaked online. It is also known as "Keep Me Up."
  • Miley Cyrus sung the song on the May 8, 2021 episode of Saturday Night Live, hosted by Elon Musk. She also teamed up with The Kid Laroi to perform his remix of "Without You."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Early Days of MTV

Early Days of MTVFact or Fiction

If you can recall the days when MTV played videos, you know that there are lots of stories to tell. See if you can spot the real ones.

Macabre Mother Goose: The Dark Side of Children's Songs

Macabre Mother Goose: The Dark Side of Children's SongsSong Writing

"London Bridge," "Ring Around the Rosie" and "It's Raining, It's Pouring" are just a few examples of shockingly morbid children's songs.

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Creedence Clearwater RevivalFact or Fiction

Is "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" about Vietnam? Was John Fogerty really born on a Bayou? It's the CCR edition of Fact or Fiction.

Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty

Rob Thomas of Matchbox TwentySongwriter Interviews

Rob Thomas on his Social Distance Sessions, co-starring with a camel, and his friendship with Carlos Santana.

Rob Halford of Judas Priest

Rob Halford of Judas PriestSongwriter Interviews

Rob Halford dives into some of his Judas Priest lyrics, talking about his most personal songs and the message behind "You've Got Another Thing Comin'."

Jon Anderson

Jon AndersonSongwriter Interviews

Jon Anderson breaks down the Yes classic "Seen All Good People" and talks about his 1000 Hands album, which features Chick Corea, Rick Derringer, Ian Anderson, and many other luminaries.