Introducing my quarantine passion project! I worked so hard on this all of these months since like April during self-isolation from the COVID-19 pandemic. I had a blast writing this and am extremely proud of it! It certainly kept me busy, productive, and happy. Some circumstances then took place, and I kept perfecting it and adding things, but now I finally finished it (I think LOL, unless/although I will probably/maybe continue to edit and revise it and add things while it's live lol). I wanted to wait for the best time to share it, so hopefully now should be good. I have to let it go at some point and I wanted to release it before the year ends lol. Plus, from the writer's standpoint, I'm kinda tired of looking at it now. Haha!
If you're in the mood to read something extremely lengthy about two of the best male bands of this generation, please enjoy! lol :)
Just so you know, this critique essay includes mentions of sex and profanity.
Ever since I got into One Direction (1D), I have felt myself becoming interested in boy bands again.
But let's talk about 5 Seconds of Summer.
5 Seconds of Summer (also known as 5SOS, the cool way to say it) is a self made (and super underrated) Australian band consisting of lead vocalist and guitarist Luke Hemmings, bassist and keyboardist Calum Hood, guitarist Michael Clifford, and drummer Ashton Irwin. Luke, Michael, and Calum were school friends who used to post videos of themselves playing music on YouTube and then they decided to ask Ashton to join them because they needed a drummer. They came to fame when they toured with One Direction: Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, and formerly, Zayn Malik, and both groups seemed to have gotten their start around the same time, so therefore I refer to them as brother bands. Louis was initally the one who really helped them to get noticed and the two groups have always been supportive of each other ever since.
INTRODUCTION
Ever since I got into One Direction (1D), I have felt myself becoming interested in boy bands again.
But let's talk about 5 Seconds of Summer.
5 Seconds of Summer (also known as 5SOS, the cool way to say it) is a self made (and super underrated) Australian band consisting of lead vocalist and guitarist Luke Hemmings, bassist and keyboardist Calum Hood, guitarist Michael Clifford, and drummer Ashton Irwin. Luke, Michael, and Calum were school friends who used to post videos of themselves playing music on YouTube and then they decided to ask Ashton to join them because they needed a drummer. They came to fame when they toured with One Direction: Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, and formerly, Zayn Malik, and both groups seemed to have gotten their start around the same time, so therefore I refer to them as brother bands. Louis was initally the one who really helped them to get noticed and the two groups have always been supportive of each other ever since.
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| 5SOS! L-R: Michael Clifford, Luke Hemmings, Ashton Irwin, and Calum Hood (Photo from Facebook) |
I watch YouTube video compilations of songs and notice that these guys are sometimes featured. I had always heard of them, particularly associated with One Direction, and I liked their singles that often play on the Spotify playlist we use at work, but I was kind of indifferent. I knew of their existence as a band but never looked into them fully. They haven't reached the level of neverending fame One Direction did (no other latter band has, except for maybe BTS), so therefore I was never irritated by any overabundance of them either to the point where they could get tiresome. They are decently known, but not overly so, so therefore they are not as mainstream. This is a compliment lol. Though maybe this isn't the best status quo for them to have in their careers (What do I know?), I personally love this about them. They have a nice balance between fame and normalcy. Because I somewhat see 5 Seconds of Summer as the underground underdogs of the music scene, this could be a reason why they are on my radar lately.
I had been thinking that maybe I should check them out and then had heard that they had just released their fourth studio album CALM (2020), so I decided to listen to it...
...OH MY GOD. IT'S SO GOOD! :D
What an appropriate name for an album released during this time, right?? The timing may not have been beneficial for them as businessmen, but for music consumers, it is a gift.
Honestly, 5 Seconds of Summer and One Direction and their solo work are getting me through this pandemic. They're my constant playlists. I feel bad that CALM and other albums that came out recently are missing out on their tours right now due to the coronavirus, but I am pleased that I am still able to celebrate them while they're current.
Naturally, since they are associated acts of similar age, I have a tendency to compare 5SOS to 1D and used to somewhat think of them as the Australian One Direction, but that may not be altogether fair. Though both groups consist of (mostly white) boys that started out as teenagers and include a number in their band names that don't have specific meanings, that is pretty much where the similarites end.
...Well, maybe they're more alike than I think.
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| One Direction (Photo from Facebook) |
I'm no big music connoisseur either, so these are just opinions. However, I am well-versed in analysis, so get ready for some deep critical thinking!
It's interesting how both groups make the same points but execute them in different ways. 1D seems to be more whimsical, creating a fantasy world of romance and freedom, whereas 5SOS is edgier and maybe even raunchier (Is this a good word to use to describe them? I'm not sure...), rooted in realism of how much life can really suck, but that's okay.
Here is actually a pretty clear distinction between them: They each have a song called "18." One Direction's version is a sweet love song about being in love with a person since age 18. 5SOS's version is about an underage kid who has the hots for someone older, so therefore he can't wait to turn 18 to legally hook up with that person.
See the difference? (Even the photos that they take as groups I've now noticed too are opposite in a way.)
In short, One Direction is lighthearted, maintained more family friendliness, and is pleasant to listen to with an overall kind and gentle demeanor. 5 Seconds of Summer is darker, explores more angst and self-deprecation, and is in general more interesting, innovative, and thought-provoking.
I mean, One Direction made an appearance on "Sesame Street." 5 Seconds of Summer, of course, did not.
But then there are those moments when they actually break out of the boxes that I've placed them in. One Direction's "No Control" and 5 Seconds of Summer's "Ghost Of You" open the same way, but there is an opposition in meaning. This juxtaposition actually illustates One Direction at their most edgy and 5SOS at their most romantic.
"No Control:"
"Ghost Of You:"Stained coffee cup/Just a fingerprint of lipstick's not enough/Sweet where you lay/Still a trace of innocence on pillowcaseWaking up/Beside you I'm a loaded gun/I can't contain this anymore/I'm all yours, I got no control, no control
They're both very poetic and well written, but look at how much more gorgeous the lyrics for "Ghost Of You" are.Here I am waking up, still can't sleep on your side/There's your coffee cup, the lipstick stain fades with time
Unlike boy band One Direction, 5 Seconds of Summer is a straight up BAND. My impression of boy bands is that they are cute boys that dance around and play up to the camera in music videos. Though 5SOS play up to the camera and dance around as well, they also play their own instruments. Each member of One Direction has his share of lyrics whereas even though all of the guys in 5SOS have their own solos sometimes too, it's not as often evenly distributed and Luke usually takes on most of the vocal weight. 1D is more like Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, and New Kids On The Block while 5SOS is more remiscent of Fall Out Boy, Blink-182, and Green Day.
Therefore, because of this contrast, their messages are going to be conveyed accordingly. Pop can be a little bit more fluff whereas rock is more in your face. One Direction for me has potential to be heartwarming and easy listening, depending on the song. I never really get that from 5SOS. It's on very rare occasions that they have a mellow song. 5SOS is what you listen to when you need your adrenaline pumped up for something or if you want to release your aggression in some way.
For example, some quiet, laid back One Direction songs to me are like "Little Things," "They Don't Know About Us," "Don't Forget Where You Belong," "Right Now," "Once in a Lifetime," "Moments," "Over Again," "Summer Love," etc. Some "quiet" 5SOS songs to me are maybe "Amnesia" (which could pass as a One Direction song for me), "Beside You," "Vapor," "Airplanes," "San Francisco," "Why Won't You Love Me," etc., but yet these are still louder than One Direction's quiet and maybe even loud songs.
I don't know why this is. Maybe it's because there are more instruments and drums involved? Or maybe I don't know what I'm talking about. :P The only real laid back songs I can think of from 5SOS is "High" and maybe "Best Years" from CALM. I think "High" is the calmest song they have so it's no wonder that it would end an album called that. "Lie To Me," "Carry On," and "Invisible" are perhaps decent examples from their other albums.
This also seems to be the case among them when they perform live. 5SOS hype each other up during their instrumental solos or whatever, which might be a little awkward for One Direction to do for each other's vocal solos in the same way. I know that there were times when they were visibly impressed with Zayn's high notes, but it makes more sense for Luke to scream out "Guitar solo!" right before Michael starts jamming in his setting, you know what I mean?
The clear target demographic for One Direction is preteen and teenage girls who are discovering what love is for the first time and here are these handsome boys to help them realize what could be, with some references snuck in for adults. However, 5SOS's target demographic just seems to be their age group and older, both men and women, living in the now with a "we're all in this together" mentality as they scream out anthems lamenting lack of financial means and self-worth.
It's even down to their physical appearances. One Direction wore shirts, jeans, jackets, stuff like that, their style in general pretty boy-next-door casual, which is exactly the image they seemed to go for. 5SOS dressed similarly at first, but they are also more likely to wear rockstar attire such as their leather outfits, piercings, eccentric hairstyles, chokers, chains, etc. The only aesthetic of 1D that was really iconic was Harry's long hair and button down shirts that he never fully buttoned.
Oh, but wait! Both groups do have their share of tattoos though! lol
The next is culture. One Direction is English/Irish; 5 Seconds of Summer is Australian. Now I'm not an expert on UK and Australian cultures, but I do have some knowledge about Australian communication based on some research that I did back in college. I took a course called Workplace Writing and one assignment I had was to pretend that I worked for a company that was about to do international business and my job was to prepare my department for how the other country handles business.
I chose Australia because I have always been fascinated by that country (being on the other side of the world and all) and I wanted my project to be unique (a majority of my classmates chose Italy or Japan). What I learned is that Australians are laid back and punctual, but they can also be blunt and have a colorful sense of humor. I didn't understand what this all meant exactly when I worked on the assignment, but this has now been proven to me seeing the 5SOS guys in action, whether it be their music, interviews, or just them interacting with each other. This is exactly how they are.
I would see inside jokes about Luke hating the band and be like, "Aww. Why does he hate the band?" But now I get that it's just their Australian response to things.
To get a taste of their personalities and what I mean, WATCH THIS. Best video EVER! lol
You know what? Watch this one too! This is one of the first videos I watched of them. lol
While 1D may have been more careful with how they expressed themselves, 5SOS are extremely straightforward, unfiltered, rebellious, and don't shy away from poking fun at themselves. This could mean that they simply have more creative freedom than One Direction did. The fact that both groups are from totally different areas might say a lot about the music that they produce.
The fact that 5SOS also has a 40 second punk rock song about pizza though. I'm not even kidding. They went ahead and recorded it and it's available on music streaming apps.
I love that they do stuff like this too. lol They have fun with it.
If you want to learn more from my Australian communication project, check out this presentation I made. Interesting stuff.
I've noticed that in a way Australian and New Jersey culture and mannerisms are very similar, which might be another reason why I like these guys so much. We understand each other. lol
Another thing is language. Though One Direction may have made it a point to word things cleaner and more carefully, especially when singing about sex, 5 Seconds of Summer is more likely to be a little bit vulgar and drop f-bombs sometimes. They have parental advisory warnings on their records for explicit content. One Direction never did.
Such choice words and references in 5SOS's lyrics include:
This could simply be because of how One Direction was marketed as a group. As Harry Styles's catchphrase says, "This is a family show...or is it?" and maybe 5SOS's shows are more just geared towards adults. Again, this could all be attributed to genre, culture, and target demographic.
The final thing, which is actually the most important, is formation and longevity. There is definitely a different dynamic between the two groups, and we have seen this ever since their humble beginnings.
It's always so precious to watch videos like Harry Styles's audition on "The X Factor," Luke Hemmings's first YouTube video, the moment Simon Cowell formed One Direction, 5 Seconds of Summer's first video with Ashton Irwin, etc., to see how they were first introduced to the world and how far they have come since.
But here is a key distinction. We met One Direction through television but 5 Seconds of Summer through their personal YouTube channels. Although we've seen footage of the One Direction guys performing before their TV debuts, a majority of people still initially knew them as TV competitors. Television is a bit more regulated. Not everyone gets to audition and TV chooses what we get to see. However, anybody can put a camera on themselves and put their own videos on YouTube like 5SOS did. Also, Michael reached out to Ashton on FACEBOOK to ask him if he wanted to jam with them, and that's as normal as anything could get.
Compare their videos addressing their fans. 5SOS's videos feel way more authentic and natural as opposed to maybe One Direction's video diaries on those steps. In the 1D video diaries, being teenage boys they are fidgety and stuff, but at the same time they seem to have been told what to say and how to conduct themselves more professionally. In the 5SOS update videos, they are way more rambunctious as they chew gum and wrestle each other while they talk to a camera in one of their houses. I have a feeling that One Direction had someone coach them whereas these 5SOS kids just winged their videos and lacked that kind of guidance. They fool around and are still like this to this day. They still willingly share videos of themselves joking with each other and being childlike even when they're trying to be serious. They're older and a bit more mature of course, but they still act the same as they did back when they first started out. However, while One Direction joked around with each other at the beginning as well, towards the end they were more serious and we didn't get to see their playful sides as much anymore in videos. One Direction looked more calculated.
You can tell that 5SOS are naturally friends. They definitely have a more comfortable and genuine banter. They are sarcastic and constantly make fun of each other, but it's hilarious and lighthearted because that is the relationship they have, which brings us back to the culture thing. They're childhood mates and Ashton just happened to gel well with them. They all seem like they are on the same page and have the same music tastes. That's important when you're friends who also work together in the music industry!
Though 1D formed friendships as well, they are more so glorified co-workers and acquaintaces, but then again they did develop this brotherhood because they are the only people who understand each other being in the same situation. At first complete strangers, they all auditioned as solo artists for "The X Factor" but then Simon Cowell and Nicole Scherzinger decided to group them together, almost as an experiment, and that just so happened to have worked out for five straight years.
To put it simply, 5SOS chose each other while 1D was chosen for each other. I've also noticed too that you're more likely to retain friendships with people with whom you went to school, so this too could be the secret to 5SOS's bond.
One Direction was formed in 2010 and released their debut single "What Makes You Beautiful" in 2011. 5 Seconds of Summer was formed in 2011 and released their debut single "She Looks So Perfect" in 2014. I've seen that they had other songs out prior to this released in their 2012 EPs Unplugged and Somewhere New, but that right there tells me that 5SOS had a few years to really establish their sound before they became more recognized. And they still pace it this way. Between 2011 and 2015, One Direction released five studio albums, cramming one album a year while on tour recording the next in hotel rooms and tour buses, while 5SOS released only four studio albums between 2014 and present 2020. Also, like One Direction, 5SOS had a (three-year) hiatus, but unlike 1D, they then CAME BACK in 2018.
Imagine THAT?!?
Because 5SOS spread this out more, they aged and their music aged with them, so therefore their music is more advanced at some points than One Direction's. For example, I think it's safe to say that a third album is the charm. One Direction's Midnight Memories (2013) and 5 Seconds of Summer's Youngblood (2018) are what really put both groups on the map. As an outsider, meaning not a fan at the time, these albums are what made me really notice them. Midnight Memories gave us "Story Of My Life" and "Best Song Ever," two of 1D's most well known songs, and coincided with their This is Us documentary while Youngblood gave us "Youngblood" the song, which is the song for which 5SOS is the most known and earned them a 2018 ARIA Award.
But while Midnight Memories came out with such singles as "Best Song Ever" and "Story Of My Life" when 1D were just exiting their teenage years, Youngblood came out when 5SOS were already in their twenties with "Want You Back," "Youngblood," and "Lie To Me" as singles. They had lived more by this point, so therefore their third album is way more mature, and perhaps darker since they are more rooted in realism as I said, than One Direction's third album. Because they are close in age, we can say that One Direction's fourth album Four (2014) and 5SOS's debut self-titled album, which both came out the same year, are on an equal playing field, as opposed to Four and CALM, the fourth studio albums for both groups. It makes me wonder what kind of deep pieces we would have gotten from 1D had they paced the way 5SOS did.
What we really need to study is their general content. Though I do love listening to them, a problem that I have with One Direction's Up All Night (2011) and Take Me Home (2012) and 5SOS's 5 Seconds of Summer (2014) and Sounds Good Feels Good (2015) is that a lot of the songs on these albums sound alike and have the same themes, so it's basically like I'm hearing the same song over and over again. But interestingly, this is also where One Direction and 5 Seconds of Summer are the most similar, even down to some alike titles. However, there are also titles that remind me of each other later on as well. Examples are as follows:
"Kiss You" (1D)
"Kiss Me Kiss Me" (5SOS)
"Story Of My Life" (1D)
"Story Of Another Us" (5SOS)
"Everything About You" (1D)
"Everything I Didn't Say" (5SOS)
"Little White Lies" (1D)
"Thin White Lies" (5SOS)
"Long Way Down" (1D)
"Long Way Home" (5SOS)
"She's Not Afraid" (1D)
"She's Kinda Hot" (5SOS)
"Gotta Be You" (1D)
"Gotta Get Out" (5SOS)
And even:
"San Francisco" (Niall Horan)
"San Francisco" (5SOS)
"Kill My Mind" (Louis Tomlinson)
"Kill My Time" (5SOS)
This was probably because they were young and followed the cookie cutter model of what songs for their age group should sound like. In their earlier songs, they've used chants and "whoa whoa" ditties like that. (In fact, it seems that current 5SOS has adopted the chants that One Direction used to do in their fetus years. See "Meet You There" and "Lonely Heart.")
Specific songs are also examples. "Little Things" and "Amnesia" give me the same vibes down to similar music video scenes and the mere fact that "Amnesia" mentions the words "little things" in the chorus. However, the songs have different meanings. Also, "Little Things" is an incredibly calming acoustic tune with a simple black and white music video of the guys recording the song in a studio and "Amnesia" has more detail in general. 1D's "Little White Lies" and 5SOS's "Greenlight" are practically clone songs about asking for sexual consent. But while "Greenlight" is featured on 5SOS's iTunes deluxe edition of their first album, "Little White Lies" didn't show up until 1D's third album. And of course, "Greenlight" is way more straightforward about the subject than "Little White Lies" is. Another similar duo for me is 1D's "Little Black Dress" and 5SOS's "Don't Stop," and maybe even 1D's "Does He Know?" could be in their category. They even each recorded their own covers of songs, such as 1D's "One Way Or Another" and 5SOS's "What I Like About You." Not to mention their own takes of "Teenage Dirtbag" and I think "Teenage Dream" as well.
In addition, they both seem to be influenced by 80s and 90s music. :D Early 5SOS also reminds me of early 2000s material a bit too.
One Direction is a Generation Y band whereas 5SOS is either a Generation Y or Z band, apart from Ashton, who is a millennial. This is somewhat relevant too. (I'm saying either or for 5SOS because I'm not sure whether or not Luke, Calum, and Michael are millennials. In one of their quarantine livestream videos, Ashton was talking about how he was the only millennial in the band but then the other guys said that they are millennials as well. Michael looked it up and apparently Generation Z starts with people born in 1997. However, I've also seen articles say that Generation Y ends with those born in 1995, which would make Ashton right. I'm not sure which is correct because I'm seeing all different answers, so I'm referring to them as both Generation Y and Z to cover all bases for now. lol)
I would also argue that One Direction is doing certain things now as soloists, particularly Harry Styles with his sophomore album Fine Line (2019), that 5SOS is doing now as a group, or has always done. I'd say that all five of One Direction's albums are equivalent to 5SOS's 5 Seconds of Summer and maybe Sounds Good Feels Good, when perhaps 5SOS's Youngblood and CALM are more equivalent to One Direction's fifth album Made in the A.M. (2015) and their eventual solo stuff due to their evolutions of sound and maturity. I'll be making some of those comparisons slightly thoughout this essay as well.
(We can always say that some of these songs are gender neutral, but for argument's sake, let's just assume that they are singing about the opposite sex.)
Boy bands have a tendency to really put girls high on a pedestal, don't they? They know who their audiences are.
Of course, while One Direction portrays girls as a delicate angel in need of rescuing, 5SOS portrays girls as a devilish vixen, but that's okay, because she's HOT.
But then again, they both blend these depictions as well.
As a girl myself, I take either one as a compliment. ;)
There are times when they are very obvious about it too. One Direction has a song called "Hey Angel," Harry Styles has a song called "Only Angel," and now Niall Horan has a song called "New Angel." However, in "Teeth," 5 Seconds of Summer refers to the girl as a "late night devil." In fact, they seem to have a handful of demonic references in their songs, mostly alluding to inner demons:
"What Makes You Beautiful" is a saccharine song about how a girl doesn't know just how beautiful she is and that's what makes her just so goshdarn beautiful. The video is a whimsical piece of joy with the kids all running around the beach and splashing in the waves. Aww. How touching.
"She Looks So Perfect" is a song about wanting to break free, overcoming adversity, love, and maybe even (first time) sex. In the video, everyone strips down to their underwear in everyday settings, assumingly because of the lyric, "You look so perfect standing there in my American Apparel underwear." (...Why is SHE wearing HIS underwear, though?)
While One Direction had a G-rated, innocent introduction, 5SOS just kinda went for it and pushed the envelope a bit with this right away. These two songs set the blueprint of what to expect from both groups from that point on, and I think we can all agree that it's what they now have delivered throughout.
However, what both songs and videos manage to do is promote positive body image.
In the "What Makes You Beautiful" music video, the girls are average teens, the perfect counterparts for the One Direction boys, who fawn over them.
With songs like "What Makes You Beautiful" and "Little Things," One Direction really caters to their target demographic. As a former teenage girl, I can tell you that those years are full of insecurities. I can imagine how being told by a cute boy that he loves you despite how grotesque you think you are could give your self-esteem a boost.
The song is giddy and catchy with the guys literally toasting to how amazing the girl is.
Now let's look at how 1D and 5SOS have handled a more realistic, perhaps dangerous, portrayal of girls.
Unlike "Girl Almighty" where the guy is defending the girl from everyone who doesn't trust her, in One Direction's "She's Not Afraid" and "Stockholm Syndrome," he admits that she's trouble, or at least difficult. But even though he knows this, at the same time he seems to enjoy this while being entirely fixated on her. In fact, it's because of her annoying ways that he wants her more.
I love the girl we meet in "She's Not Afraid." She's very independent and owns herself well. Here is how they describe her:
So basically, she's noncommittal while our guys want more from the relationship he has with her. She's into the sex, but doesn't want to fall in love. It seems to be an inverse of what we normally get from situations like this, which is a girl pining for a guy who only wants sex.
But we also get this lyric:
It's funny to me how the guy is trying to convince us that he's the powerful one here, like he's the bad boy her friends are warning her against.
No. SHE is obviously the one in control here, buddy.
This brings us to the bridge:
It's a part of the game. Albeit, a very stressful game for him. lol
While "She's Not Afraid" is a twofold cat and mouse chase, the girl is totally dominant in "Stockholm Syndrome."
The next is culture. One Direction is English/Irish; 5 Seconds of Summer is Australian. Now I'm not an expert on UK and Australian cultures, but I do have some knowledge about Australian communication based on some research that I did back in college. I took a course called Workplace Writing and one assignment I had was to pretend that I worked for a company that was about to do international business and my job was to prepare my department for how the other country handles business.
I chose Australia because I have always been fascinated by that country (being on the other side of the world and all) and I wanted my project to be unique (a majority of my classmates chose Italy or Japan). What I learned is that Australians are laid back and punctual, but they can also be blunt and have a colorful sense of humor. I didn't understand what this all meant exactly when I worked on the assignment, but this has now been proven to me seeing the 5SOS guys in action, whether it be their music, interviews, or just them interacting with each other. This is exactly how they are.
I would see inside jokes about Luke hating the band and be like, "Aww. Why does he hate the band?" But now I get that it's just their Australian response to things.
To get a taste of their personalities and what I mean, WATCH THIS. Best video EVER! lol
One Direction had its comedy too, but 5 Seconds of Summer is way funnier to me. lol
The fact that 5SOS also has a 40 second punk rock song about pizza though. I'm not even kidding. They went ahead and recorded it and it's available on music streaming apps.
If you want to learn more from my Australian communication project, check out this presentation I made. Interesting stuff.
Another thing is language. Though One Direction may have made it a point to word things cleaner and more carefully, especially when singing about sex, 5 Seconds of Summer is more likely to be a little bit vulgar and drop f-bombs sometimes. They have parental advisory warnings on their records for explicit content. One Direction never did.
Such choice words and references in 5SOS's lyrics include:
My girlfriend's bitchin' cause I always sleep in
Raise ourselves and a middle finger/'Cause they all think we're twisted
Had to fuck it up before I really got to know me
And I did some shit I never should've done
Is it tears or just the fucking rain?
One Direction never dared to release lyrics like this, except for the one in "A.M."We fuck and we fight, then you call me a psycho
They even went ahead and censored "Midnight Memories" like this:We're just swimming 'round in our glasses/And talking out of our asses
However, I actually get the most "grown up" One Direction lyrics from "Change Your Ticket," but even they aren't that explicit.People talk shh but we don't listen
5SOS also casually drops f-bombs during their concerts and stuff. One Direction would NEVER. 5SOS even talked about this themselves in this Billboard article, thus proving me right. ;)Watching you get dressed/Messes with my head/Take that bag off your shoulder/Come get back in bed/We've still got time left/This don't have to be over.
This could simply be because of how One Direction was marketed as a group. As Harry Styles's catchphrase says, "This is a family show...or is it?" and maybe 5SOS's shows are more just geared towards adults. Again, this could all be attributed to genre, culture, and target demographic.
The final thing, which is actually the most important, is formation and longevity. There is definitely a different dynamic between the two groups, and we have seen this ever since their humble beginnings.
It's always so precious to watch videos like Harry Styles's audition on "The X Factor," Luke Hemmings's first YouTube video, the moment Simon Cowell formed One Direction, 5 Seconds of Summer's first video with Ashton Irwin, etc., to see how they were first introduced to the world and how far they have come since.
But here is a key distinction. We met One Direction through television but 5 Seconds of Summer through their personal YouTube channels. Although we've seen footage of the One Direction guys performing before their TV debuts, a majority of people still initially knew them as TV competitors. Television is a bit more regulated. Not everyone gets to audition and TV chooses what we get to see. However, anybody can put a camera on themselves and put their own videos on YouTube like 5SOS did. Also, Michael reached out to Ashton on FACEBOOK to ask him if he wanted to jam with them, and that's as normal as anything could get.
Compare their videos addressing their fans. 5SOS's videos feel way more authentic and natural as opposed to maybe One Direction's video diaries on those steps. In the 1D video diaries, being teenage boys they are fidgety and stuff, but at the same time they seem to have been told what to say and how to conduct themselves more professionally. In the 5SOS update videos, they are way more rambunctious as they chew gum and wrestle each other while they talk to a camera in one of their houses. I have a feeling that One Direction had someone coach them whereas these 5SOS kids just winged their videos and lacked that kind of guidance. They fool around and are still like this to this day. They still willingly share videos of themselves joking with each other and being childlike even when they're trying to be serious. They're older and a bit more mature of course, but they still act the same as they did back when they first started out. However, while One Direction joked around with each other at the beginning as well, towards the end they were more serious and we didn't get to see their playful sides as much anymore in videos. One Direction looked more calculated.
You can tell that 5SOS are naturally friends. They definitely have a more comfortable and genuine banter. They are sarcastic and constantly make fun of each other, but it's hilarious and lighthearted because that is the relationship they have, which brings us back to the culture thing. They're childhood mates and Ashton just happened to gel well with them. They all seem like they are on the same page and have the same music tastes. That's important when you're friends who also work together in the music industry!
Though 1D formed friendships as well, they are more so glorified co-workers and acquaintaces, but then again they did develop this brotherhood because they are the only people who understand each other being in the same situation. At first complete strangers, they all auditioned as solo artists for "The X Factor" but then Simon Cowell and Nicole Scherzinger decided to group them together, almost as an experiment, and that just so happened to have worked out for five straight years.
To put it simply, 5SOS chose each other while 1D was chosen for each other. I've also noticed too that you're more likely to retain friendships with people with whom you went to school, so this too could be the secret to 5SOS's bond.
One Direction was formed in 2010 and released their debut single "What Makes You Beautiful" in 2011. 5 Seconds of Summer was formed in 2011 and released their debut single "She Looks So Perfect" in 2014. I've seen that they had other songs out prior to this released in their 2012 EPs Unplugged and Somewhere New, but that right there tells me that 5SOS had a few years to really establish their sound before they became more recognized. And they still pace it this way. Between 2011 and 2015, One Direction released five studio albums, cramming one album a year while on tour recording the next in hotel rooms and tour buses, while 5SOS released only four studio albums between 2014 and present 2020. Also, like One Direction, 5SOS had a (three-year) hiatus, but unlike 1D, they then CAME BACK in 2018.
Imagine THAT?!?
Because 5SOS spread this out more, they aged and their music aged with them, so therefore their music is more advanced at some points than One Direction's. For example, I think it's safe to say that a third album is the charm. One Direction's Midnight Memories (2013) and 5 Seconds of Summer's Youngblood (2018) are what really put both groups on the map. As an outsider, meaning not a fan at the time, these albums are what made me really notice them. Midnight Memories gave us "Story Of My Life" and "Best Song Ever," two of 1D's most well known songs, and coincided with their This is Us documentary while Youngblood gave us "Youngblood" the song, which is the song for which 5SOS is the most known and earned them a 2018 ARIA Award.
But while Midnight Memories came out with such singles as "Best Song Ever" and "Story Of My Life" when 1D were just exiting their teenage years, Youngblood came out when 5SOS were already in their twenties with "Want You Back," "Youngblood," and "Lie To Me" as singles. They had lived more by this point, so therefore their third album is way more mature, and perhaps darker since they are more rooted in realism as I said, than One Direction's third album. Because they are close in age, we can say that One Direction's fourth album Four (2014) and 5SOS's debut self-titled album, which both came out the same year, are on an equal playing field, as opposed to Four and CALM, the fourth studio albums for both groups. It makes me wonder what kind of deep pieces we would have gotten from 1D had they paced the way 5SOS did.
What we really need to study is their general content. Though I do love listening to them, a problem that I have with One Direction's Up All Night (2011) and Take Me Home (2012) and 5SOS's 5 Seconds of Summer (2014) and Sounds Good Feels Good (2015) is that a lot of the songs on these albums sound alike and have the same themes, so it's basically like I'm hearing the same song over and over again. But interestingly, this is also where One Direction and 5 Seconds of Summer are the most similar, even down to some alike titles. However, there are also titles that remind me of each other later on as well. Examples are as follows:
"Kiss You" (1D)
"Kiss Me Kiss Me" (5SOS)
"Story Of My Life" (1D)
"Story Of Another Us" (5SOS)
"Everything About You" (1D)
"Everything I Didn't Say" (5SOS)
"Little White Lies" (1D)
"Thin White Lies" (5SOS)
"Long Way Down" (1D)
"Long Way Home" (5SOS)
"She's Not Afraid" (1D)
"She's Kinda Hot" (5SOS)
"Gotta Be You" (1D)
"Gotta Get Out" (5SOS)
And even:
"San Francisco" (Niall Horan)
"San Francisco" (5SOS)
"Kill My Mind" (Louis Tomlinson)
"Kill My Time" (5SOS)
This was probably because they were young and followed the cookie cutter model of what songs for their age group should sound like. In their earlier songs, they've used chants and "whoa whoa" ditties like that. (In fact, it seems that current 5SOS has adopted the chants that One Direction used to do in their fetus years. See "Meet You There" and "Lonely Heart.")
Specific songs are also examples. "Little Things" and "Amnesia" give me the same vibes down to similar music video scenes and the mere fact that "Amnesia" mentions the words "little things" in the chorus. However, the songs have different meanings. Also, "Little Things" is an incredibly calming acoustic tune with a simple black and white music video of the guys recording the song in a studio and "Amnesia" has more detail in general. 1D's "Little White Lies" and 5SOS's "Greenlight" are practically clone songs about asking for sexual consent. But while "Greenlight" is featured on 5SOS's iTunes deluxe edition of their first album, "Little White Lies" didn't show up until 1D's third album. And of course, "Greenlight" is way more straightforward about the subject than "Little White Lies" is. Another similar duo for me is 1D's "Little Black Dress" and 5SOS's "Don't Stop," and maybe even 1D's "Does He Know?" could be in their category. They even each recorded their own covers of songs, such as 1D's "One Way Or Another" and 5SOS's "What I Like About You." Not to mention their own takes of "Teenage Dirtbag" and I think "Teenage Dream" as well.
In addition, they both seem to be influenced by 80s and 90s music. :D Early 5SOS also reminds me of early 2000s material a bit too.
One Direction is a Generation Y band whereas 5SOS is either a Generation Y or Z band, apart from Ashton, who is a millennial. This is somewhat relevant too. (I'm saying either or for 5SOS because I'm not sure whether or not Luke, Calum, and Michael are millennials. In one of their quarantine livestream videos, Ashton was talking about how he was the only millennial in the band but then the other guys said that they are millennials as well. Michael looked it up and apparently Generation Z starts with people born in 1997. However, I've also seen articles say that Generation Y ends with those born in 1995, which would make Ashton right. I'm not sure which is correct because I'm seeing all different answers, so I'm referring to them as both Generation Y and Z to cover all bases for now. lol)
I would also argue that One Direction is doing certain things now as soloists, particularly Harry Styles with his sophomore album Fine Line (2019), that 5SOS is doing now as a group, or has always done. I'd say that all five of One Direction's albums are equivalent to 5SOS's 5 Seconds of Summer and maybe Sounds Good Feels Good, when perhaps 5SOS's Youngblood and CALM are more equivalent to One Direction's fifth album Made in the A.M. (2015) and their eventual solo stuff due to their evolutions of sound and maturity. I'll be making some of those comparisons slightly thoughout this essay as well.
CHAPTER ONE:
PORTRAYAL OF GIRLS
& THE EARLY DAYS
PORTRAYAL OF GIRLS
& THE EARLY DAYS
Boy bands have a tendency to really put girls high on a pedestal, don't they? They know who their audiences are.
Of course, while One Direction portrays girls as a delicate angel in need of rescuing, 5SOS portrays girls as a devilish vixen, but that's okay, because she's HOT.
But then again, they both blend these depictions as well.
As a girl myself, I take either one as a compliment. ;)
There are times when they are very obvious about it too. One Direction has a song called "Hey Angel," Harry Styles has a song called "Only Angel," and now Niall Horan has a song called "New Angel." However, in "Teeth," 5 Seconds of Summer refers to the girl as a "late night devil." In fact, they seem to have a handful of demonic references in their songs, mostly alluding to inner demons:
Devil at my door/Got me knocking, knocking, knocking/On the other side
The demons we're running from/They're begging to stay
But I'm getting a little ahead of myself. Let's start at the beginning. We first met our lads through their debut singles "What Makes You Beautiful" and "She Looks So Perfect."Demons hide behind my back/And I can see them, one, two, three, four/Leading me to do their dirty work/Won't let them knock down my door
"What Makes You Beautiful" is a saccharine song about how a girl doesn't know just how beautiful she is and that's what makes her just so goshdarn beautiful. The video is a whimsical piece of joy with the kids all running around the beach and splashing in the waves. Aww. How touching.
"She Looks So Perfect" is a song about wanting to break free, overcoming adversity, love, and maybe even (first time) sex. In the video, everyone strips down to their underwear in everyday settings, assumingly because of the lyric, "You look so perfect standing there in my American Apparel underwear." (...Why is SHE wearing HIS underwear, though?)
While One Direction had a G-rated, innocent introduction, 5SOS just kinda went for it and pushed the envelope a bit with this right away. These two songs set the blueprint of what to expect from both groups from that point on, and I think we can all agree that it's what they now have delivered throughout.
However, what both songs and videos manage to do is promote positive body image.
In the "What Makes You Beautiful" music video, the girls are average teens, the perfect counterparts for the One Direction boys, who fawn over them.
With songs like "What Makes You Beautiful" and "Little Things," One Direction really caters to their target demographic. As a former teenage girl, I can tell you that those years are full of insecurities. I can imagine how being told by a cute boy that he loves you despite how grotesque you think you are could give your self-esteem a boost.
However, I also recognize how these songs can be a bit off as well, which was brought to my attention from others' interpretations. In "What Makes You Beautiful," they basically say that the girl is beautiful simply because she doesn't have confidence, though this is played off as him being attracted to her humbleness, and in "Little Things," they point out every insecurity a girl could have when maybe they should just not mention them at all.
One lyric that Niall delivers in "Little Things" is actually very horrendous:
You'll never love yourself half as much as I love you
Um...no. What is this?
Pay close attention: ALWAYS love yourself more than a man will. A man can come and go, but you will always be there for yourself. He has no right to say something like this to you.
Forget for a moment that Niall is singing this and instead imagine an abusive boyfriend saying this to his victimized girlfriend to keep her from leaving him. All of a sudden now it takes on a whole new meaning. It isn't cute anymore but actually terrifying.
Forget for a moment that Niall is singing this and instead imagine an abusive boyfriend saying this to his victimized girlfriend to keep her from leaving him. All of a sudden now it takes on a whole new meaning. It isn't cute anymore but actually terrifying.
"Little Things" was written by a teenage Ed Sheeran, so I guess I should give it a pass for it being a little bit childish and nonsensical. I'm sure he had good intentions.
I don't want to give this impression that I hate the song though. It's actually one of favorites from One Direction because I like how simple and sweet it is. However, I also do realize that it may some problems.
I don't want to give this impression that I hate the song though. It's actually one of favorites from One Direction because I like how simple and sweet it is. However, I also do realize that it may some problems.
The "She Looks So Perfect" music video features men and women of all different ages and body types. Unlike "What Makes You Beautiful" and "Little Things" where we have teenage boys simply telling a girl how beautiful she is and how much he loves her despite everything, "She Looks So Perfect" has all of the people celebrating themselves in the middle of their mundane lives, whether they are at school, work, or the grocery store. Or even prison.
There's this one scene that I really appreciate. A heavyset man and woman are flirting with each other in a diner. Then, overcome with passion, they rip off their clothes and run into each others' arms for a warm embrace.
Here we have some representation. As a thick woman, I somewhat identify with the woman in this scene. I am sometimes self-conscious of my body, so it's nice to see a bigger woman confident in her own skin and desired by a man. This could encourage other bigger women to feel the same about themselves if they see themselves through her.
The main One Direction song that comes to mind that gushes about girls to the utmost degree is "Girl Almighty."
The song is giddy and catchy with the guys literally toasting to how amazing the girl is.
Though the song suggests that the girl is seen as troublesome by others, our guys are blinded by love and come to her defense.Let's have another toast to the girl almighty
Not only is the girl portrayed as wonderful with symbolic mentions of light throughout the song, they take it even further.Some say, "She's such a fake,"/That her love is made up/No, no, no, no
Am I the only, only believer?/There's something happening here [2x]/The only, only believer
I'd get down, I'd get down, I'd get down on my knees for you
Her light is as loud as as many ambulances/As it takes to save a savior, oh
Let's pray we stay young, stay made of lightning
They don't necessarily treat her with respect and loyalty as if she is a normal human being, but rather the words "believer," "on my knees," "savior," and "pray" suggest that they are instead worshipping her and giving her an almost divine acclamation. This song could really prove my theory about One Direction viewing girls as "angelic."
This is the ultimate boy band girl praising song. I usually like the idea of a man feeling this way about his woman and that he would "kiss the ground she walks on." But looking at this song more analytically, it doesn't give her any room to have flaws, kind of making him oblivious to any possible red flags and taking away her humanity, setting her up for inevitable failure from having to live up to such high compliments.
I saw on Twitter recently that "Girl Almighty" was perhaps actually written about One Direction's fans and how people may negatively view them, somewhat like how "Steal My Girl" is supposedly about 1D not wanting other boy bands to steal their fans. This is their way of showing appreciation towards them. The song makes so much more sense now!
I saw on Twitter recently that "Girl Almighty" was perhaps actually written about One Direction's fans and how people may negatively view them, somewhat like how "Steal My Girl" is supposedly about 1D not wanting other boy bands to steal their fans. This is their way of showing appreciation towards them. The song makes so much more sense now!
Unlike "Girl Almighty" where the guy is defending the girl from everyone who doesn't trust her, in One Direction's "She's Not Afraid" and "Stockholm Syndrome," he admits that she's trouble, or at least difficult. But even though he knows this, at the same time he seems to enjoy this while being entirely fixated on her. In fact, it's because of her annoying ways that he wants her more.
She sneaks out in the middle of the night, yeah/Tight dress with the top cut low/She's addicted to the feeling of letting go/Let it goShe walks in and the room just lights up/But she don't want anyone to know/That I'm the only one that gets to take her home/Take her home
She's not afraid of scary movies??? WOW! WHAT A BADASS! :DShe's not afraid of all the attention/She's not afraid of running wild/How come she's so afraid of fallin' in love/She's not afraid of scary movies/She likes the way we kiss in the dark/But she's so afraid of fa-fa-fallin' in love,/Love
So basically, she's noncommittal while our guys want more from the relationship he has with her. She's into the sex, but doesn't want to fall in love. It seems to be an inverse of what we normally get from situations like this, which is a girl pining for a guy who only wants sex.
AS SHE SHOULD! All girls should feel this way about themselves!Maybe she's just trying to test me/Wanna see how hard I'm gonna work/Wanna see if I can really tell how much she's worth/What you're worth
She delights in the flirtation and is again denying any feelings she may have towards him.But either way she's teasing me and it's just so hard'Cause every time I tell her how I feel/She says it's not real
But we also get this lyric:
Eh...no.Or maybe all her friends have told her don't get closer/He'll just break your heart
It's funny to me how the guy is trying to convince us that he's the powerful one here, like he's the bad boy her friends are warning her against.
No. SHE is obviously the one in control here, buddy.
This brings us to the bridge:
Once he says no to her, she comes back to him again. They seem to be trying to say that he has the upper hand now because of this, but it's still in her court of what happens next. Maybe she wants to continue just hooking up, or maybe she actually does want more and this entire song is her way of testing how dedicated he is.What about all the things we say/Talking on the phone so late/I can't let her get away from meBut when I say that I can't do it no more/She's back in my door
It's a part of the game. Albeit, a very stressful game for him. lol
While "She's Not Afraid" is a twofold cat and mouse chase, the girl is totally dominant in "Stockholm Syndrome."
Who's that shadow holding me hostage?/I've been here for days/Who's this whisper telling me that I'm never gonna get away?I know they'll be coming to find me soon/But I feel I'm getting used to/Being held by you
As soon as it starts, the girl is portrayed as the villain. A very appealing villain. "Stockholm syndrome" is defined as a condition in which a captive bonds with the captor. She is keeping him captive, but yet, he likes being held captive by her, at least eventually.Oh, baby, look what you've done to me/Oh, baby, look what you've done now/Oh, baby, I'll never leave if you keep holding me this way, oh o-oh/Oh, baby, look what you've done to me/Oh, baby, you've got me tied down/Oh, baby, I'll never leave if you keep holding me this way, oh o-oh
Or does he?
I'm trying to isolate lyrics to talk about them more specifically to see if they add any new information to the song, but literally the entire song is like this.
They even sing about apparently another dude who can't resist her charms. At first I took this as jealousy, as if our guys and the girl are broken up and he can't stand the thought of her being with someone else. But now it just seems to be more like, "Here's another one of her victims. Poor fella."I know they'll be coming to find me soon/But my stockholm syndrome is in your room/Yeah, I fell for you
I can't tell if this song is about love, lust, or an addiction metaphor. It's probably all three.Who's this man that's holding your hand/And talking about your eyes?/Used to sing about being free but now he's changed his mind
All my life I've been on my own/I use a light to guide me home/But now together we're alone/And there's no other place I'd ever wanna go
Baby, look what you've done/(Look what you've done to me)
Harry once randomly said in an interview that this song is about a nymphomanic (a female that has excessive sexual desire).
I mean, okay. So is "She's Not Afraid," maybe. But while "She's Not Afraid" is treated like a flirtation with the guy definitely knowing and understanding what he wants as the outcome, I'm not sure if "Stockholm Syndrome" is supposed to be positive or negative from the guy's perspective. Does he love this girl and is okay with it, is he just in it for sex, or is he mad at her for the uncontrollable infatuation that he has for her? Maybe it's just supposed to represent his confusion, which is completely valid and probably the meaning of the song.
A 5SOS song that uses this concept is "Voodoo Doll." This one is very clever. While "Stockholm Syndrome" is about the guy feeling engrossed in the girl simply because he can't get his mind off of her, in "Voodoo Doll" the guy is captivated in the same way but the song adds an extra creative component of her enchanting him through supernatural metaphors. They kind of do this for "Daylight" too with vampire references.
The song opens with the lyric "I don't even like you," so right away they set the negative tone and it makes you wonder why he doesn't like her in the first place. Regardless, throughout the song she somehow convinces him to do things he normally wouldn't and he questions why.
I don't even like you/Why'd you want to go and make me feel this way? (What?)/I don't understand what's happened/I keep saying things I never say
I can feel you watching even when you're nowhere to be seen/I can feel you touching even when you're far away from me
Tell me where you're hiding your voodoo doll 'cause I can't control myself/I don't wanna stay, I wanna run away but I'm trapped under your spell/And it hurts in my head and my heart and my chest/And I'm having trouble catching my breath/Oohooh oohoh/Won't you please stop loving me to death?
I don't even see my friends no more/'Cause I keep hanging out with you/I don't know how you kept me up all night/Or how I got this tattoo
Like with "Stockholm Syndrome," we don't necessarily know which position the guy stands on with this. In "Stockholm Syndrome" the guy seems to at least like the girl and is just bothered by his feelings, but in "Voodoo Doll" he seems to put up a front and act as if he is disgusted by her. Is he secretly enjoying falling for her, or are his feelings for her just a burden to him that he's trying to avoid despite the fact that he obviously can't? The "Won't you please stop loving me to death?" line is a sharp one. He's saying here that her love for him is figuratively killing him, really solidifying that he doesn't return this love she has for him, or at least doesn't want to. Or maybe she's just smothering him, but I think it is more likely the other motives.
Interestingly, it's kind of the inverse of "She's Not Afraid," this time with the guy being the cold one rejecting feelings, but it's still from the male's perspective. "She's Not Afraid" describes the intentions of both parties and the girl herself well, but in "Voodoo Doll" we don't really know much about the girl except for the effect that she has on him.
Actually, the girls in both "Stockholm Syndrome" and "Voodoo Doll" are seemingly unknown and not really characters in the story as much as they are his state of mind. In "Stockholm Syndrome" she's keeping him captive, but here in "Voodoo Doll" she's practically possessing him and has even way more command over him.
However, after a whole song of him being coy, we get these final lyrics:
Aww. He likes her. He really likes her. :)Every time you're near me suddenly my heart begins to race/Every time I leave I don't know why my heart begins to break
"Voodoo Doll" takes us on a journey and we're all like, "Well, geez. I feel bad for him. How is he going to get out of this?" But if you notice, these final lines are the first time in the song that he makes a statement. Instead of asking "Why and how do you make me feel this way?" like he has been doing, here he's finally admitting to her how he truly feels, even though he does say, "I don't know why my heart begins to break."
Oh, he knows. If he doesn't like her, why would his heart break when he's leaving her side? ;)
5SOS's most famous song about the female population is one called "Good Girls." In the music video, the guys pretend to be classical string musicians in order to liberate the girls in this reform school/prison.
Now "Good Girls" isn't about a relationship with a girl or making his girl feel good about herself, but is rather a commentary on girls in general. The song is about a girl who is considered good, meaning a Straight A student and all that, but is caught by the narrator sneaking out and meeting with her boyfriend when her parents think that she's in her bedroom studying. She explains that "good girls are bad girls that haven't been caught" and kinda warns him to keep his mouth shut about her whereabouts. In the video, the principal of the school tells the boys that, and I quote, "It is our viewpoint that all girls are bad."
...
WHAT?!
Honestly, this pissed me off when I first watched it. It can come across offensive.
Let me tell you this right now: When I was in school, I was a "good girl" and not a "bad girl" that hadn't been caught yet, okay? I was a nerd. Still am. We exist. The fact that I even wrote this whole essay FOR FUN is evidence of this. :P
But what exactly is considered "bad" here anyway? Let's examine the possibilities.
If the girl is still indeed getting straight As, is fluent in French (though who knows, this could be slang for something), and is evidently on her way to Harvard, what is wrong with her sometimes going out with her boyfriend or hooking up with him in the library? I know there is a time and place for such things, but she's getting chastized for doing it in the first place. Where is the boyfriend's badge of dishonor?
Also, who is this narrator that caught her? Is he watching everything she does? How about you mind your own business, MIKEY!!!
...
WHAT?!
Honestly, this pissed me off when I first watched it. It can come across offensive.
Let me tell you this right now: When I was in school, I was a "good girl" and not a "bad girl" that hadn't been caught yet, okay? I was a nerd. Still am. We exist. The fact that I even wrote this whole essay FOR FUN is evidence of this. :P
But what exactly is considered "bad" here anyway? Let's examine the possibilities.
If the girl is still indeed getting straight As, is fluent in French (though who knows, this could be slang for something), and is evidently on her way to Harvard, what is wrong with her sometimes going out with her boyfriend or hooking up with him in the library? I know there is a time and place for such things, but she's getting chastized for doing it in the first place. Where is the boyfriend's badge of dishonor?
Also, who is this narrator that caught her? Is he watching everything she does? How about you mind your own business, MIKEY!!!
Are they trying to say that a girl embracing her sexuality is...BAD???? DUN DUN DUN!
I didn't continue watching the video at first after hearing what that old man had to say about girls, but then I gave it another chance because I figured that there was probably a modern feminist point to all this. It was released in 2014, after all. There is no way that they could have gotten away with such outdated views of women without making the video work out in the girls' favor in the end.
I have two different theories about this song and video. One is that it celebrates the freedom and normalization of girls to be who they want to be and do what they want. The other is that it fetishizes the idea of good girls gone bad, kind of like a "lady on the street, freak in the sheets" thing. The first caters more to female empowerment whereas the second caters more to the male gaze.
Much like "She's Not Afraid" and "Stockholm Syndrome," "Good Girls" gives this impression that girls with a "bad" side (depending on what you classify as "bad" really) are a little sneaky and dangerous, but yet cunning, confident, intelligent, and in control, and perhaps that's attractive to guys.
But this isn't necessarily a BAD way to portray girls. I for one wouldn't mind being described like this.
I mean, why not? That makes sense. Girls are often attracted to the forbidden bad boys, who tend to have these same traits, so why can't guys go for the same thing?
Also, because a girl in control is a recurring theme between both bands, maybe this is their way of telling us that guys like it when girls take charge and they don't mind being vulnerable to their allure a little bit.
But why does female confidence have to be connected to "badness" to begin with? Are they trying to say that "good girls" don't have the confidence and (sexual) appeal that "bad girls" do? One Direction's songs seem to think this. In fact, their song "Little White Lies" straight up says it:
Anyway, in the "Good Girls" video, the girls overthrow the school thanks to 5SOS and their music. Even the female teachers get into the song, so I think it's supposed to be like a girl power thing or something.
But it's not like they did it on their own. What really happens here is that 5SOS, boys, are treated as the heroes to help these girls break their chains. I feel like that might counteract the point they're trying to make here if they were trying to promote female empowerment somehow.
You know, I'm probably reading way too much into a song that is just supposed to be fun. LOL XD
For the record, as a woman, I'm not mad at them for making this song. I'm sure that they meant no harm with it. But I do like making fun of it in retaliation. ;)
An idea that we seem to have run into here with both groups is that a young man's view of women is unfortunately somewhat narrow-minded, just putting her in the girlfriend or friend-with-benefits mold. But then again, literally any musical artist usually sings about someone in this role, so this is probably not that profound.
This is actually a great segway to my next section.
I didn't continue watching the video at first after hearing what that old man had to say about girls, but then I gave it another chance because I figured that there was probably a modern feminist point to all this. It was released in 2014, after all. There is no way that they could have gotten away with such outdated views of women without making the video work out in the girls' favor in the end.
I have two different theories about this song and video. One is that it celebrates the freedom and normalization of girls to be who they want to be and do what they want. The other is that it fetishizes the idea of good girls gone bad, kind of like a "lady on the street, freak in the sheets" thing. The first caters more to female empowerment whereas the second caters more to the male gaze.
Much like "She's Not Afraid" and "Stockholm Syndrome," "Good Girls" gives this impression that girls with a "bad" side (depending on what you classify as "bad" really) are a little sneaky and dangerous, but yet cunning, confident, intelligent, and in control, and perhaps that's attractive to guys.
But this isn't necessarily a BAD way to portray girls. I for one wouldn't mind being described like this.
I mean, why not? That makes sense. Girls are often attracted to the forbidden bad boys, who tend to have these same traits, so why can't guys go for the same thing?
Also, because a girl in control is a recurring theme between both bands, maybe this is their way of telling us that guys like it when girls take charge and they don't mind being vulnerable to their allure a little bit.
But why does female confidence have to be connected to "badness" to begin with? Are they trying to say that "good girls" don't have the confidence and (sexual) appeal that "bad girls" do? One Direction's songs seem to think this. In fact, their song "Little White Lies" straight up says it:
What this song basically says is, "You say you're a good girl, but let's be honest here, you want sex just as much as I do." So only "bad girls" want sex and "good girls" don't? Why is wanting sex "bad?"You say you're a good girl/But I know you would girl/'Cause you've been telling me all night/With your little white lies, little white lies
Anyway, in the "Good Girls" video, the girls overthrow the school thanks to 5SOS and their music. Even the female teachers get into the song, so I think it's supposed to be like a girl power thing or something.
But it's not like they did it on their own. What really happens here is that 5SOS, boys, are treated as the heroes to help these girls break their chains. I feel like that might counteract the point they're trying to make here if they were trying to promote female empowerment somehow.
You know, I'm probably reading way too much into a song that is just supposed to be fun. LOL XD
For the record, as a woman, I'm not mad at them for making this song. I'm sure that they meant no harm with it. But I do like making fun of it in retaliation. ;)
An idea that we seem to have run into here with both groups is that a young man's view of women is unfortunately somewhat narrow-minded, just putting her in the girlfriend or friend-with-benefits mold. But then again, literally any musical artist usually sings about someone in this role, so this is probably not that profound.
This is actually a great segway to my next section.
CHAPTER TWO:
LONGING FOR (AND THE PURSUIT OF) LOVE & SEX
LONGING FOR (AND THE PURSUIT OF) LOVE & SEX
Let's look at the most common tropes between both bands: 1) Guy likes girl, but girl is with another guy. 2) Guy feels inadequate to be with girl.
"You don't need him! I'm the guy for you! I'll treat you right! If only you would notice me!" says every boy band (or band comprised of boys) EVER.
I mean, given their age levels when such trope songs are released, they're obviously going to write about this kind of experience.
It always kinda annoys me though when people at such a young age claim to be in love or know and understand what romantic love is. What they're most likely feeling is infatuation. :P
"Save You Tonight," "I Wish," and "More Than This" are One Direction songs about our boys crying about how the girl they like is with another guy and he's either just complaining about it or trying to convince her that he is the better man for her, as if he's her knight in shining armor there to save her.
"Try Hard" is a 5SOS song that details the guys doing extravagant things to impress a single girl he feels is out of his league. But they also have songs like "End Up Here" and "English Love Affair," which are about a guy being with a girl and feeling shocked about it, questioning what such a hot girl would see in an apparent dork like him.
I may claim that One Direction is more "whimsical" than "edgy" like their Australian counterparts, but I have to mention too that such amazing hookup gems like "Rock Me," "Alive," "No Control," and "Temporary Fix" exist in their repertoire.
But we're talking about how they're presented here. One Direction's songs like these are written more poetic and cryptic, and maybe because of this a little less edgy, so therefore you have to read between the lines and interpret some of the ambiguity based on the clues we are given.
5 Seconds of Summer's sexual lyrics are pretty much the same in terms of mere suggestion. In fact, though not necessarily a hookup song, 5SOS's "Safety Pin" uses the word "fix" like "Temporary Fix" does:
Let's look at some of the lyrics that I'm referring to.
From "End Up Here:"
From "Rock Me:"
"No Control" is pretty obvious about the content, but even this song still dances around the subject a little.
The running idea of "control" with these bands could be a thesis in itself.
Look, the bottom line is, neither group straight up blurts out, "We had sex!" But they do both go through great lengths to describe enough to indicate exactly what is going on without saying it, 5SOS a bit more than One Direction in their earlier songs.
This part was confusing for me to even write so I hope I'm making sense. LMAO! XD
But of course, the courting element must be accomplished first.
Though One Direction's "I Would" and 5 Seconds of Summer's "Just Saying" are twin songs, they hit much differently and I love how opposite they are. They both are corny, juvenile songs that have grown on me because they are so catchy and hysterical.
But not every One Direction song is about unrequited love. Sometimes we get simple, fun, upbeat songs such as "Kiss You," "Live While We're Young," "Up All Night," "Act My Age," "One Thing," and of course, "Best Song Ever."
At this point, the guy is already seemingly in a relationship or at least has the object of his affection's attention now and/or is now just happy about living life to the fullest.
CALM and Made in the A.M. are pretty comparable because they are both groups' latest albums. The songs on both are way more mature because they themselves are more mature.
I've been talking a lot here about how One Direction is way tamer than 5 Seconds of Summer, but I will give them some credit here that MITAM is an album that provided some more slightly deeper songs. For example, some interpret their songs "Hey Angel" and "Walking in the Wind" to be about death or loss of some kind, which makes them similar to interpretations I've seen for 5SOS's "Ghost Of You." "Long Way Down" is suggested to be about building One Direction from the ground up and then dismantling it just like that by going on their hiatus.
But of course, most songs on this album are about love. But while previous albums focused more on the pursuit of love, MITAM and maybe even Four focuses on the loss of it. The same goes for Youngblood and CALM.
Weirdly enough, at first I couldn't think of any (verge of) breakup songs from One Direction besides "Perfect," but then I thought of "Love You Goodbye" and plenty more from Four, such as "Where Do Broken Hearts Go," "Clouds," "Spaces," "Once in a Lifetime," etc., and even more from their other albums, like "Gotta Be You" and "Half a Heart." 5SOS has ones like "Amnesia," "Heartbreak Girl," "Safety Pin," "Broken Pieces," and "Castaway," etc. Oooh! And "Babylon."
But for this particular section, I'm going to pay a special attention to their later songs and music videos, because by this point in both of their careers, their videos have evolved as well. "Perfect" just so happened to be the only One Direction song of this nature to get a video at this point.
They are all great songs and videos, but while the videos themselves don't necessarily tell the story of the songs, they do give us some cool effects. "Night Changes" is a point of view video with the viewer on a date with each of the guys and in "You & I" the guys morph into each other. However, the "Story Of My Life" music video seems to have some meaning that works hand in hand with the "time is frozen" lyrics because the guys are developing photographs and there are scenes of their family members frozen in time.
From my understanding, "Night Changes" is about losing your virginity. At first listen this didn't dawn on me, but after seeing people say this and paying more attention to the lyrics, this does make sense. It isn't written as obvious as their other sexual songs, but it is still pretty clear, presenting the subject very beautifully and romantically. There is only so much you can do in a video for this type of a song though if you want keep it family friendly. The completely innocent music video warmed my heart when I first watched it, so I'm pleased with the result. It is my favorite music video of theirs, actually. :)
I don't think 5SOS really made any videos for a sexual song, if I recall correctly. Point towards One Direction for being a tiny bit daring!
If you want more interesting videos from One Direction now, I suggest looking at some of their solo work. I highly recommend the videos for Harry Styles's "Adore You," Zayn Malik's "Let Me," and Liam Payne's "Bedroom Floor." These all tell stories that keep you invested.
While I'm talking about 5SOS's music videos that color code the members, I might as well share their latest one for their single "Wildflower," which I believe is the happiest song that they have ever written. This video is intriguing to me because they filmed it separately while in quarantine, so therefore they were obviously limited with what they were able to do. It makes me wonder what they would've done without the quarantine limitations. (In fact, it seems that I've now gotten my answer. This new behind the scenes video details what was and what would have been.)
Looks like I spoke too soon. Ironically enough, this is actually a family friendly music video for a song about sex. XD (However, does "Don't Stop" also count?)
Hey, 5SOS can be whimsical too, you know! :P
Well, wait. It's not that family friendly because Ashton throws up middle fingers and Luke mouths the f-word. Even a video that looks like it belongs on PBS Kids they managed to make a little explicit. lol
I'll give both One Direction and 5 Seconds of Summer this: Neither group has rude or objectifying lyrics or music videos about sex and women. They are always very tasteful and focus on the artistic side of things, so I appreciate that.
What would have made the "Wildflower" video even better actually is if their ladies made an appearance, like how the Jonas Brothers' wives did in their "Sucker" music video, since I am assuming that they are the "wildflowers" that the guys are singing about. They even had a hand in filming the video, so why not? :) I guess a reason why is because Calum, the member who sings the entire song, is the one single member of the band. Another reason I would think is to maintain an ounce of privacy.
"Wildflower" actually has the same energy as Harry's "Watermelon Sugar" for me. Both songs are suggested to be about sex, but while "Watermelon Sugar" is written poetically with fruit symbolism and euphemisms, the word "wildflower" doesn't necessarily represent anything and is just treated as a term of endearment. Throughout the song they block out words in the chorus, letting us fill in the blanks. It actually reminds me of Harry's unreleased song "Medicine" in that way. But regarding using a flower as a term of endearment and song title, "Wildflower" is very much similar to Harry's "Sunflower, Vol. 6."
Also, much like in "Sunflower, Vol. 6" when Harry says that they "Kiss in the kitchen like it's a dance floor," 5SOS has their share of dancing in the house.
But in terms of being a poetic and symbolic song about sex like "Watermelon Sugar," I'd say that 5SOS's song "Valentine," which also uses color coding in its music video, takes the cake. ;)
That song mentions cake. Enjoy my pun there. lol
That was a nice transition to get more positive here. :)
This is actually the perfect section for this time.
"Drag Me Down" was One Direction's first single off of MITAM and "Tomorrow Never Dies" is only a bonus track on the Target exclusive version of 5 Seconds of Summer. I know about "Tomorrow Never Dies" only because one night I just decided to look up Ashton's vocal solos. I wanted to hear what his singing voice sounds like because it's rare for him to sing being the drummer. His solo in this was in a YouTube video and I liked what I heard so I decided to check out the entire song.
A reason why I like both of these songs so much is that my boys Harry Styles and Ashton Irwin dominate the vocals well.
We all know how obsessed I am/was with "Drag Me Down." If you don't, now you do. ;)
"Drag Me Down" is what made me become a One Direction and Harry Styles fan, much like how certain memories I associate with "Teeth" got me more interested in paying attention to 5SOS more.
"Drag Me Down" and "Tomorrow Never Dies" are two of my favorite songs because neither one is necessarily a romantic love song. A strange thing is, I never liked love songs that much. I don't hate them, but I never was able to relate to them because I have never experienced love in that way. I tend to like songs that are more uplifting and powerful about self-confidence, self-reflection, and self-realization. "Drag Me Down" seems to be the only One Direction song like this. Harry's "Lights Up" is another one of my favorite songs for this reason.
Whenever I deal with anxiety and sadness, "Drag Me Down" is always there to remind me that I do indeed have a wonderful support system and that nobody (and nothing) can drag me down:
I was listening to 5SOS songs wondering if they had a "Drag Me Down" equivalent, so when I heard "Tomorrow Never Dies," I felt like I had struck gold but was also surprised that I would be comparing a later One Direction song to one from their very first album.
These lyrics really emphasize on the self-reflection of the song:
"Drag Me Down" is one of One Direction's more rock sounding songs, so it's no wonder that I would connect it to an earlier 5SOS song when their original signature rock sound was most prominent. The percussion in both is enough to make you want to take on the world.
Though both songs can very well be interpreted as romantic love, we can also look at these as songs about family love, friend love, self love, or even divine love, and they would still make sense in context.
Other 5SOS songs that do this well and are very uplifting are "Red Desert" and "Safety Pin."
Initially I thought that "Red Desert" was just a tribute song to their homeland Australia and leaving it behind to pursue their music careers, yet remembering to never forget their roots, and I believe that is an interpretation that I've read as well. However, in addition to this, in this interview Ashton explains that it is actually about spiritual enlightenment, leaving behind doubts, and growing as a person.
"Red Desert" is one of my favorite songs from CALM and one of the first tracks I listened to from that album, so therefore it's partially to thank for me becoming a fan. I never was able to relate to it as much until I heard that meaning behind it, so I am very grateful. Once again, this is a song of theirs with a universal message, one that I can get behind. It made me love the song even more.
I've sprinkled mentions of "Safety Pin" throughout this essay, but I only saw it as a relationship song, particularly one about breakup probabilities. However, I have also noticed, as opposed to other songs like that, this one also has some light at the end of the tunnel:
I never really thought about the song like this, but according to Pauling's statement, "Safety Pin" can be applied to any life experience, not just romance. The "safety pin" became the symbol and theme of Sounds Good Feels Good, which is mentioned in the behind the scenes video for the "Hey Everybody!" music video. This actually is very appropriate because that album covers plenty of areas.
Another 5SOS song that surprises me in this way is "Best Years." "Best Years" is another favorite of mine from CALM and I see it as a love song. But actually, to me it's not as much as 5SOS song as it is a Luke Hemmings song, for he is the only 5SOS member with writing credits on this track and you hear his vocals the most. It's basically his message to his significant other. I picture him by himself in the studio just pouring his heart out. It's a calming visual.
But what is really special about this piece is that it is a love song that only 5SOS would write. Look at these lyrics in particular:
Now, this section was pretty much reserved for non-love songs, but I really wanted to talk about "Best Years" and felt that this was where my thoughts fit the most. But this is actually where my comparisons to "Safety Pin" come into play. Much like how I initially perceived "Safety Pin" solely as a love song and nothing more and now see how it can be interpreted to be about any type of relationship, I now also see this with "Best Years."
5SOS performed "Best Years" for this year's Red Nose Day. Given my feelings about the song, I didn't really understand at first why this was their choice, but then I realized that I couldn't envision them singing any other song from CALM for this event.
We see clips of various children throughout their quarantined performance, the video going back and forth between the kids and them. Red Nose Day is a campaign to end child poverty, so I see this as 5SOS singing to the kids, telling them that their lives will get better and that "the future is better than yesterday." Even though I already appreciate the song as a love song, this makes it that much more heartwarming.
Now I'm going to take this all even further. 5SOS's "She's Kinda Hot" conveys the same message as Harry's "Fine Line." Yes, the song.
You wouldn't think that these two songs would connect, but here I go.
"She's Kinda Hot" and "Fine Line" are both self-deprecating in certain ways but leave you with a twinge of hopefulness at the end. At one point towards the end of "She's Kinda Hot" there is a vocal that goes "We're gonna be okay!" "Fine Line" has the lyric "We'll be alright." This is a prime example of how such totally different songs can deliver the same concept but do it on total opposite sides of the spectrum. Even though "She's Kinda Hot" is kinda corny and goofy, this in itself could prove how much far advanced 5SOS is compared to 1D. Harry Styles had to exit 1D to finally produce the same type of message for his second, not first, second album!
A 5SOS song that conveys the same message as well as has a similar musical style as "Fine Line" is "Carry On."
This one is the obvious comparison. "Old Me" is obviously 5SOS's version of 1D's "History." Both are fantastic songs about reflecting on past experiences and how they helped develop them into the men that they are today. Again, what we have here aren't love songs but rather self-discovery songs, something I can relate to and like better.
Both songs address a "you." In "Old Me" they are addressing their younger selves whereas it is speculated that "History" addresses Zayn Malik. But of course, this is just speculation. They could just be addressing each other and their fans.
There isn't really much to say about either song and music video because they are literally the same. The lyrics discuss their memories and the video shows a compilation of their flashbacks. But what makes "Old Me" a bit more special are the scenes of the guys on the train in the middle of a red desert (a nice homage to "Red Desert") and the scenes with the kids playing 5SOS's childhood selves. The same scenes would shift back and forth between the guys and the kids to illustrate how things haven't changed between them.
From what I gather, the train ride represents their journey as 5 Seconds of Summer. They each board the train in the order of when they joined the band and other passengers come and go to represent people coming and going into their lives.
These guys are an example of that:
Hey, wait a minute! They look familiar! ;)
I love how 5SOS used "Old Me" as a chance to shout out their brotherhood with One Direction. This scene is a nice touch to link the two bands. :) My only issue with it though is that I wish they hired kids to play One Direction like they did for their miniature selves. Looking at their outfits, One Direction here is clearly representing their "What Makes You Beautiful" video, which came out when they were teens, so it's a little awkward for me to see guys who are clearly older portraying them. But that's just me.
There's also this other guy that is randomly set on fire, but strangely enough I don't really know how to interpret that. (Evidently it's partially a Pink Floyd reference. Ashton explained this scene a bit on Twitter.)
"Save You Tonight," "I Wish," and "More Than This" are One Direction songs about our boys crying about how the girl they like is with another guy and he's either just complaining about it or trying to convince her that he is the better man for her, as if he's her knight in shining armor there to save her.
"Try Hard" is a 5SOS song that details the guys doing extravagant things to impress a single girl he feels is out of his league. But they also have songs like "End Up Here" and "English Love Affair," which are about a guy being with a girl and feeling shocked about it, questioning what such a hot girl would see in an apparent dork like him.
I may claim that One Direction is more "whimsical" than "edgy" like their Australian counterparts, but I have to mention too that such amazing hookup gems like "Rock Me," "Alive," "No Control," and "Temporary Fix" exist in their repertoire.
But we're talking about how they're presented here. One Direction's songs like these are written more poetic and cryptic, and maybe because of this a little less edgy, so therefore you have to read between the lines and interpret some of the ambiguity based on the clues we are given.
5 Seconds of Summer's sexual lyrics are pretty much the same in terms of mere suggestion. In fact, though not necessarily a hookup song, 5SOS's "Safety Pin" uses the word "fix" like "Temporary Fix" does:
But, at the same time, 5SOS also seems to be a little bit more obvious and detailed with their stories, almost like they're bragging, "Wait until you hear what happened to me!"Once I had a little taste/Now I'm addicted to your fix
Let's look at some of the lyrics that I'm referring to.
From "End Up Here:"
Now we're walking back to your place
I'm pretty sure that we're halfway there/And when I wake up next to you I wonder how/How did we end up here?
From "English Love Affair:"Call me lucky 'cause in the end/I'm a six and she's a ten/She's so fit, I'm insecure/But she keeps coming back for more
Every single step had me waiting for the next/Before I knew it, it was serious/Dragged me out the bar to the backseat of a car
The movie playing in my head/Of her king size bed
Next thing we were back at her place/A hideaway in Mayfair/All the great and good there/Drinking all the way to third base/Princess getting naked/Falling on their faces
Dragged me up the stairs and it wasn't ending there
I'll also include some One Direction lyrics for comparison's sake.When I got out I knew/That nobody I knew would be believing me/I look back now and know/That nobody could ever take the memory
From "Rock Me:"
From "Alive:"I want you to/Hit the pedal heavy metal show me you care/I want you to/Rock me, rock me, rock me... yeah!
I asked the doctor, "Can you find out what is wrong with me?/I don't know why I wanna be with every girl I meet./I can't control it./Yeah, I know it's taking over me./I'm going crazy./Can't contain it./So tell me just what I should do?"
Went to a party just after the doctor talked to me/I met a girl and took her right up to the balcony/I whispered something in her ear that I just can't repeat/She said, "OK," but she was worried what her friends will think/She's going crazy/Can't contain it/She asked me, "What should I do, oh?"
Just for fun, I'm going to include Louis's bridge from "Alive" as well. It's not necessarily sexual, but it's my favorite part of the song because of how determined it is. lolI said, "Hey, it's alright./Does it make you feel alive?/Don't look back,/Live your life,/Even if it's only for tonight."/I said, "Hey, it's alright/If it makes you feel alive."
One Direction instead always threw in these euphemisms instead of saying what they really mean:We got to live before we get older/Do what we like/We got nothing to lose/Shake off the weight of the world from your shoulders/Oh, we got nothing to prove
I want you to rock me
People going all the way/Yeah, all the way
At the party in "Alive," he whispers something in her ear (that he just can't repeat!) and we're supposed to deduce what he said to her without them telling us. Some of their other songs possibly refer to having sex with code words like "getting" and "giving:"I don't know why I wanna BE WITH every girl I meet
Tonight let's get some and live while we're young
Are you giving it to someone else?
I'd say that the most straightforward sex songs One Direction has are "No Control" and "Temporary Fix." However, they are found on the fourth album and the deluxe edition of their fifth album, respectively, so they are a bit later than the 5SOS songs that I brought up.Give it to me one last time
"No Control" is pretty obvious about the content, but even this song still dances around the subject a little.
Stained coffee cup/Just a fingerprint of lipstick's not enough/Sweet where you lay/Still a trace of innocence on pillowcaseWaking up/Beside you I'm a loaded gun/I can't contain this anymore/I'm all yours, I got no control, no control/Powerless/And I don't care it's obvious/I just can't get enough of you/The pedals down, my eyes are closed/No controlTaste on my tongue/I don't wanna wash away the night before/In the heat where you lay/I could stay right here and burn in it all day
Lost my senses/I'm defenseless/Her perfume's holding me ransom/Sweet and sour/Heart devour/Lying here I count the hours
However, in a nutshell, the gist for 5SOS is, "She brought me back to her place and I woke up next to her," so we clearly know what happened. But in "18" of all songs, they also somewhat word things the same way 1D does.
The most direct One Direction sex content comes from "Temporary Fix," particularly Harry's taxi lyric:She's got a naughty tattoo/In a place that I want to get to
Standing with somebody but he doesn't know what you like
All that I can see is you waking up in my t-shirt
You can call me/When you're lonely/When you can't sleep/I'll be your temporary fix/You control me/Even if it's just tonight/You can call me/When you feel like/I'm your good time/I'll be your temporary fix/You can own me and we'll call this what you like/Let me be your good night
The night is on your lips and I feel like I'm locked in/There's a million lights,/I don't care if they're watching/Your body is saying everything, I don't have to read your mind/Feel you on my neck while I'm calling a taxi/Climbing over me while I climb in the backseat/Now we're taking off, now we're taking it off tonight
"Losing control" seems to be a common euphemism in their sexual songs in place of saying something more suggestive.We can roll in the darkness,/Let me touch you where your heart is/And if you're feeling the weakness/Well, I told you, baby, that you can call me/I'll be your temporary fix/You can call me
The running idea of "control" with these bands could be a thesis in itself.
Look, the bottom line is, neither group straight up blurts out, "We had sex!" But they do both go through great lengths to describe enough to indicate exactly what is going on without saying it, 5SOS a bit more than One Direction in their earlier songs.
This part was confusing for me to even write so I hope I'm making sense. LMAO! XD
But of course, the courting element must be accomplished first.
Though One Direction's "I Would" and 5 Seconds of Summer's "Just Saying" are twin songs, they hit much differently and I love how opposite they are. They both are corny, juvenile songs that have grown on me because they are so catchy and hysterical.
"I Would" is about a guy who likes a girl but he can't compete with her current boyfriend so the entire time he whines about how he doesn't compare to the guy while giving us a spelling lesson.
I hate it when they spell things. They did this with "Rock Me" as well and now Liam did it with "Stack It Up" too! That is just lazy lyricism to me.
Anyway, here are the various lyrics from One Direction's "I Would:"
He drives to school every morning (morning)/While I walk alone in the rain (the rain)
So basically the guy has a car while our boy is walking to school, like a LOSER.
He'd kill me without any warning (warning)/If he took a look in my brain
With this lyric I'm picturing the boyfriend to be pretty tough and muscular, so not only does he have a car, he has a buff physique too. He's probably on the football team or something, the jerk.
Back in my head we were kissing/I thought things were going alright (alright, alright, alright)/With a sign on my back saying kick me/Reality ruined my life
Wow! So his life was ruined because of the boyfriend's existence! Sheesh! That's a little much, isn't it?
Feels like I'm constantly playing/A game that I'm destined to lose/Cause I can't compete with your boyfriend
Why's that, Louis?
He's got 27 tattoos
HE'S GOT 27 TATTOOS TOO? Oh no! Deal breaker! You DEFINITELY don't stand a chance now, kid!
And then we go into the chorus:
Would he say he's in L-O-V-E/Well if it was me then I would (I would)/Would he hold you when you're feeling low/Baby, you should know that I would/I would, I would
Would he please you?/Would he kiss you?/Would he treat you like I would?/Would he touch you?/Would he need you?/Would he love you (like I would)?
Oh my gosh, you guys. What a desperate song this is. Really.
I know it's from the perspective of a younger guy so I need to take that into account, but geez. There is absolutely no confidence here at all. It reads to me like he's a wimpy dork begging her for affection because evidently her boyfriend is this intimidating "bad boy" who isn't good enough for her so therefore we have to root for the "nice guy."
He's questioning "Would he do this for you? Because I WOULD!" Who's to say that the boyfriend isn't treating her right? Just because he's got 27 tattoos and a car all of a sudden he's the bad guy?
I've also noticed too that this song is similar to 5SOS's "18" with the school references. They really want to stress the notion of a distressed, lovesick schoolboy.
I've also noticed too that this song is similar to 5SOS's "18" with the school references. They really want to stress the notion of a distressed, lovesick schoolboy.
Now let's look at "Just Saying." "Just Saying" is literally the same song of our boys comparing themselves to a girl's boyfriend in order to come across as the better man for her. But instead of complaining about how inadequate they feel next to him, they trash the boyfriend. LOL Like literally throughout the entire song they make fun of the guy.
You got a boyfriend,/And he's a total loser
This is how the song starts! They call him a loser right off the bat! XD
All your friends tell you that he's got no future,/But they like me,/Just saying
Even her friends think the boyfriend sucks! Here's some more stuff the jerk does wrong:
He barely takes you out,/If he does he's late,/And when the check comes he always makes you pay,/I'd never do that,/Just saying
Throughout the song "just saying" is such a passive aggressive line of suavity! And then it goes like this. This is my favorite part:
Got a big house,/He says he lives alone,/But when I drove by I could see his mom was home,/I got my own place (He totally lies to you)/Just saying
...
PFFT! WHAT?! BAHAHAHA!
So wait! The boyfriend in "I Would" may have a car, but these guys are saying "Screw that! I have my own house!" As if this is a point against him, even though it is completely acceptable for them to live with their parents at their age!
And another thing! Why is he driving by the boyfriend's house anyway? Is he investigating him???
And another thing! Why is he driving by the boyfriend's house anyway? Is he investigating him???
HAHAHAHAHA!!! XD
And wait a minute! When I looked up these lyrics on Genius, there's an interpretation on there that says that him having his own place also means that there won't be any parental disturbance when they are...ahem...being intimate. I didn't even think of that! I thought it was just a condescending lyric!
And wait a minute! When I looked up these lyrics on Genius, there's an interpretation on there that says that him having his own place also means that there won't be any parental disturbance when they are...ahem...being intimate. I didn't even think of that! I thought it was just a condescending lyric!
Okay, okay, okay! Whew. Let's get through the rest of this. We're almost there.
He says he loves you,/But it's all an act,/He's seeing someone else right behind your back,/You know I'd never do that (He would never do that)/Just saying
So not only is he a crappy boyfriend in general, he's cheating on her too.
And this is how it ends:
You should leave him,/'Cause it really makes me sick,/Just saying, just saying/You don't need him,/I'll help you get over it,/Just saying, just sayingWhen you change your mind I'll be waiting,/'Cause I'm better than him,/Just saying/When you change your mind I'll be waiting,/Just saying
He straight up tells her that he's better than her boyfriend! LMAO XD
Oh my gosh! Let me calm down. Let me get the rest of my laughs out. LOL
...
Okay, I'm good.
This song is SO blunt! While "I Would" is all like "I can never compete with this guy, but does he hold you??? Does he love you??? I WOULD!" "Just Saying" is just like, "No, I'M the guy to compete with. Pssh. I'm better than him. Just saying."
Look, I know that they were youngish when "Just Saying" came out, the song itself is very young sounding, and the narrator may come across rude as he constantly disses her boyfriend and tries to come between them, but the confidence and attitude that this song exudes is obvious. I mean, he's making an effort here at least and not being much of a whiner.
Just put yourself in the girl's shoes really quick. What would impress you more? This or "I Would"?
Just put yourself in the girl's shoes really quick. What would impress you more? This or "I Would"?
Just saying. ;)
CHAPTER THREE:
LIVING THE DREAM AND LIFE STRUGGLES
LIVING THE DREAM AND LIFE STRUGGLES
At this point, the guy is already seemingly in a relationship or at least has the object of his affection's attention now and/or is now just happy about living life to the fullest.
The whimsical whimsy of One Direction, everybody!!! lol
If you notice, pretty much every single one of One Direction's songs is about love, relationships, heartbreak, and just having fun in your youth. 5SOS songs that seem to do this as well are "Never Be" and "Unpredictable."
But while there doesn't seem to be anything else to 1D, 5SOS also tackles more serious topics. They have their fun songs too, but go deeper even with them. They really flourish here.
But while there doesn't seem to be anything else to 1D, 5SOS also tackles more serious topics. They have their fun songs too, but go deeper even with them. They really flourish here.
I'm about to talk about two of my favorite songs of theirs. And they're both singles from their second album. Sounds Good Feels Good is a pretty great record the more I think about it.
Can you hear me fangirling??? :D
Can you hear me fangirling??? :D
Looking at these song titles and music video thumbnails alone, I wasn't expecting much. They look like typical boy band outlandish tomfoolery at first glance. "She's Kinda Hot" sounded like another girl praising song and "Hey Everybody!" sounded like a party anthem and reminded me of Backstreet Boys' "Everybody."
But both songs are so much more than that. As a millennial, I've never heard songs that I could relate to as much as I do these. They both perfectly describe everyday life of having financial and self-esteem issues.
Just look at some of these lyrics! XD
From "She's Kinda Hot":
Really. Who doesn't relate to these lyrics???
Let's look at them more in-depth, shall we?
The title for "She's Kinda Hot" intrigued me, making me wonder who the "she" is.
This is actually a song of theirs that could really resonate with their fellow Generation Y and Z fans well. As I've said, it does with me. Being a millennial, I grew up with the belief that you go to elementary school, then middle school, then high school, then college, and then your career starts. That was the expected timeline based on what our parents, Generation X and Baby Boomers, were familiar with. These previous generations place a huge importance on this, maybe because some of them didn't get to go to college themselves and they want their children to have a better life than they did.
However, Generations Y and Z seem to have a different view of professional life due to how circumstances have changed in our economy and society. Now, people are making their own money by their own standards. Jobs don't necessarily have to be a dead end 9 to 5 with a boss breathing down your neck anymore. But yet, that type of job is still what is considered the ultimate success because maybe that was what worked for so long. But because of all of the new opportunities we are given in this day and age, we members of Generation Y and Z are encouraged to follow our dreams but yet are also expected to get a good paying job, hence why obtaining a degree is so major. But we're at a time where the two may not coincide well yet and we're constantly towing the line of which path to take. It's a miracle if we're able to do what we love AND make good money doing it.
"She's Kinda Hot" is actually a very good, yet vague commentary about this.
He left college because it felt like a "job," meaning that he wants more out of life. "Job" and "career" aren't necessarily synonymous anymore. Today, a job is just something you do to make money (for the man) whereas a career is a life dream fulfillment.
(I freelance sometimes, so again, this song speaks to me on a personal level. lol)
So what exactly are these "bigger plans that no one else understands"? This probably means different things to different people.
Freelancing is when you work for yourself. Basically you're starting your own business but you're the only boss and employee, so everything is on you. You choose your own assignments, you work from home, and you determine your own hours, income, and insurance. This career choice is more prominent today among Generation Y and Z than it is for previous generations, so much so that sometimes it may be difficult for previous generations to totally comprehend it. But it's also a game of chance. Some freelancers are really successful at it while others (like myself) kind of find it frustrating. It's not for everyone.
This is where Michael's sarcastic jabs come in. Throughout this verse, Michael jumps in with remarks like "No, not really" and "My, that's a big plan you've got there" to mock this idea of being optimistic that not following the expected pathway to success will go well. It's one of my favorite parts of the song because it makes me laugh so much.
I believe Ashton puts it best when he says:
Instead of taking on their "bigger plans" (which is represented by them building a parade float and performing on it down a suburban block) like they did in the "She's Kinda Hot" music video, in the "Hey Everybody!" music video, the guys actually do have less than stellar jobs. Calum is a dog walker, Ashton entertains kids' birthday parties, Michael is a hot dog sign holder, and Luke is an office intern.
"Hey Everybody!" has the same message as "She's Kinda Hot" for the most part. But while "She's Kinda Hot" is more about having dreams and being okay with your current situation until a decent opportunity arises, "Hey Everybody!" is more determined about the getting paid side of it and like, "No! Let's create our own opportunities and make the money we deserve NOW!"
While One Direction's "Live While We're Young" resembles some of the lyrics and theme (both songs say "get some" in their own context), they treat it more like living it up during a spring break while "Hey Everybody!" is less about escapism and more about increasing morale during down times.
There's a voiceover narrator in the "Hey Everybody!" video. Right before the song starts, he says, "They dreamed of a better life where they would never have to worry about money again."
If that one sentence doesn't resonate with everyone reading this, then I don't know what will.
The music video is the guys' fantasy about what a wealthy life would be like for them, so there are scenes of them all dressed up at a mansion where they ride scooters, get their portraits painted, run around a maze dressed in mascot costumes, and wrestle professional wrestlers.
...
Honestly, this video is kinda dumb, and here's why.
Director Isaac Rentz said this about the video's concept in the behind the scenes video for the shoot: "We were trying to imagine if the guys from 5 Seconds of Summer had an unlimited amount of money, what would they spend it on? And I felt like the guys from 5 Seconds of Summer would want to do something a little bit more ridiculous with it. I figured they'd probably pay some professional wrestlers to come to their mansion and wrestle them."
I feel like this idea would work better for younger teenage boys, like maybe ages 14 to 16. At this point in 5SOS's life, it would have been more appropriate to have scenes of them maybe buying their first cars, enrolling in college, or comfortably renting an apartment together. Whatever shows them "adulting" for the first time, I guess. The lyrics literally talk about not being able to afford gas, bus fare, and rent, but they decided that adult men would fantasize about being able to hire professional wrestlers? Why not respond to what the lyrics are saying, which are legitimate financial hardships that people endure every single day?
It's still a fun, watchable video, don't get me wrong, but they didn't necessarily have to go this childish of a route just because they were still in a youngish age range with a young demographic following. But I guess to make a more entertaining music video, this is the route you need to take.
Another thing I don't understand is how it ends. The narrator comes back and tells us that eventually all of the lads' dreams come true. Luke becomes the CEO of his own business, Michael starts a successful chain of hot dog food trucks, Ashton goes on to become the mascot for a Canadian basketball team, and Calum gets his own cable TV dog training show. So basically they all now have better versions of the jobs that they hated.
This literally makes no sense whatsoever. Why would this be a happy ending for any of them considering how miserable they were? Even the narrator sounds confused when he tells us about Ashton's outcome. Listen to how his voice hesitates.
What would have been more interesting is if each of the guys got each others' jobs. Like they all realized that they weren't where they were supposed to be and discovered that they belonged in another field all along. Like maybe Luke finds fulfillment running a hot dog truck, Calum becomes a business CEO, Ashton becomes a dog trainer, and Michael becomes a mascot. Something like that.
But then again, maybe this is their way of showing them starting at the bottom of their respected fields and working their way to the top, which is actually a very great lesson for their generations. Maybe Generations Y and Z assume that once we get a degree, our career will automatically take off from there, when in reality this is never the case. Of course, it would be very appropriate that 5SOS would demonstrate this given that they are all about realism.
But both songs are so much more than that. As a millennial, I've never heard songs that I could relate to as much as I do these. They both perfectly describe everyday life of having financial and self-esteem issues.
Just look at some of these lyrics! XD
From "She's Kinda Hot":
My girlfriend’s bitching 'cause I always sleep in
My shrink is telling me I've got crazy dreams/She’s also saying I've got low self-esteem
My friend left college 'cause it felt like a job/His mum and dad both think he’s a slob/He’s got a shot though (No, no, not really)
When you've got bigger plans that no one else understands/You've got a shot though
They say we’re losers and we’re alright with that/We are the leaders of the not coming backs/But we’re alright though
Sometimes I'm feeling like I'm going insane
Yeah, we’re alright though (We're gonna be okay)From "Hey Everybody!":
She maxed her credit cards and don't got a job/She pays the gas with all the change in her car
He's walking home 'cause he can't pay for the bus/He needs a dollar but he ain't got enough
It's not the end of the world/Yeah, we've all been there before
Don't have your rent and it's the first of the month/Your bank account has got insufficient funds/We can't afford to give up/We gotta make our own luck
Hey, everybody/We don't have to live this way/We can all get some/Yeah, we can all get paid/So what you say, everybody?/Gotta live it up today/We can all get some/Yeah, we can all get paidThey get it. They know what it's like to struggle. They're not talking about crushes here, but rather education, finances, jobs, self-esteem, and therapy instead.
Really. Who doesn't relate to these lyrics???
Let's look at them more in-depth, shall we?
The title for "She's Kinda Hot" intrigued me, making me wonder who the "she" is.
Okay so from this first lyric and how Luke delivers it, I thought that this song was very strange. I was like "What kind of song is this?" because it sounded like it was going to be a weird mix of "She's a bitch, but that's okay, because she's hot!" But I'm pleased that the message is more overall inspiring and positive. You have to listen to the entire thing in order to get it because the title and opening lyrics are misleading.My girlfriend's bitchin' 'cause I always sleep in/She's always screaming when she's calling a friend/She's kinda hot though
This is actually a song of theirs that could really resonate with their fellow Generation Y and Z fans well. As I've said, it does with me. Being a millennial, I grew up with the belief that you go to elementary school, then middle school, then high school, then college, and then your career starts. That was the expected timeline based on what our parents, Generation X and Baby Boomers, were familiar with. These previous generations place a huge importance on this, maybe because some of them didn't get to go to college themselves and they want their children to have a better life than they did.
However, Generations Y and Z seem to have a different view of professional life due to how circumstances have changed in our economy and society. Now, people are making their own money by their own standards. Jobs don't necessarily have to be a dead end 9 to 5 with a boss breathing down your neck anymore. But yet, that type of job is still what is considered the ultimate success because maybe that was what worked for so long. But because of all of the new opportunities we are given in this day and age, we members of Generation Y and Z are encouraged to follow our dreams but yet are also expected to get a good paying job, hence why obtaining a degree is so major. But we're at a time where the two may not coincide well yet and we're constantly towing the line of which path to take. It's a miracle if we're able to do what we love AND make good money doing it.
"She's Kinda Hot" is actually a very good, yet vague commentary about this.
So here we have the friend who dropped out of college because it felt like a "job" with the parents basically thinking that he is a waste of life. Of course the guy is considered a lazy loser for this, and maybe he very well is, but let's see if we can give him a benefit of the doubt. Assuming that he is a member of either Generation Y or Z, him dropping out of college could also mean that he realizes that he has other options. Nowadays, even though the life stepping stone of going to college is usually still expected, people don't HAVE to go to college. It's more of a choice now and also depends on what career goals you have.My friend left college 'cause it felt like a job/His mom and dad both think he's a slob/He's got a shot though (No, not really)/Yeah, he's got a shot though (No, no, not really)
He left college because it felt like a "job," meaning that he wants more out of life. "Job" and "career" aren't necessarily synonymous anymore. Today, a job is just something you do to make money (for the man) whereas a career is a life dream fulfillment.
THIS! IS A FREELANCER'S! ANTHEM! :DWhen you've got bigger plans that no one else understands/You've got a shot though/(Oh my, that's a big plan you've got there)
(I freelance sometimes, so again, this song speaks to me on a personal level. lol)
So what exactly are these "bigger plans that no one else understands"? This probably means different things to different people.
Freelancing is when you work for yourself. Basically you're starting your own business but you're the only boss and employee, so everything is on you. You choose your own assignments, you work from home, and you determine your own hours, income, and insurance. This career choice is more prominent today among Generation Y and Z than it is for previous generations, so much so that sometimes it may be difficult for previous generations to totally comprehend it. But it's also a game of chance. Some freelancers are really successful at it while others (like myself) kind of find it frustrating. It's not for everyone.
This is where Michael's sarcastic jabs come in. Throughout this verse, Michael jumps in with remarks like "No, not really" and "My, that's a big plan you've got there" to mock this idea of being optimistic that not following the expected pathway to success will go well. It's one of my favorite parts of the song because it makes me laugh so much.
I'm at the point in my life that is very stagnant. I'm about to enter a new decade and I'm not exactly sure of what's next or where I'm going nor do I feel fully mentally prepared, so therefore I've been kind of labelling myself as a "loser" in the process. This song speaks to me on a personal level and is a great representation of embracing your inner "loser" but having faith that things will be okay. They're accepting negativity as a reality but are translating it into a future positive.They say we're losers and we're alright with that/We are the leaders of the not-coming-back's/But we're alright though (We're alright though)/Yeah we're alright though (We're alright though)/We are the kings and the queens of the new broken scene/Yeah we're alright though (We're gonna be okay)
I believe Ashton puts it best when he says:
Same, Ash. Same. I've never related to a song lyric more. LOLSometimes I'm feeling like I'm going insane
Instead of taking on their "bigger plans" (which is represented by them building a parade float and performing on it down a suburban block) like they did in the "She's Kinda Hot" music video, in the "Hey Everybody!" music video, the guys actually do have less than stellar jobs. Calum is a dog walker, Ashton entertains kids' birthday parties, Michael is a hot dog sign holder, and Luke is an office intern.
"Hey Everybody!" has the same message as "She's Kinda Hot" for the most part. But while "She's Kinda Hot" is more about having dreams and being okay with your current situation until a decent opportunity arises, "Hey Everybody!" is more determined about the getting paid side of it and like, "No! Let's create our own opportunities and make the money we deserve NOW!"
Once again, here we have the generational freelancers' mindset of hustling and achieving goals on your own.We can't afford to give up/We gotta make our own luck
While One Direction's "Live While We're Young" resembles some of the lyrics and theme (both songs say "get some" in their own context), they treat it more like living it up during a spring break while "Hey Everybody!" is less about escapism and more about increasing morale during down times.
There's a voiceover narrator in the "Hey Everybody!" video. Right before the song starts, he says, "They dreamed of a better life where they would never have to worry about money again."
If that one sentence doesn't resonate with everyone reading this, then I don't know what will.
The music video is the guys' fantasy about what a wealthy life would be like for them, so there are scenes of them all dressed up at a mansion where they ride scooters, get their portraits painted, run around a maze dressed in mascot costumes, and wrestle professional wrestlers.
...
Honestly, this video is kinda dumb, and here's why.
Director Isaac Rentz said this about the video's concept in the behind the scenes video for the shoot: "We were trying to imagine if the guys from 5 Seconds of Summer had an unlimited amount of money, what would they spend it on? And I felt like the guys from 5 Seconds of Summer would want to do something a little bit more ridiculous with it. I figured they'd probably pay some professional wrestlers to come to their mansion and wrestle them."
I feel like this idea would work better for younger teenage boys, like maybe ages 14 to 16. At this point in 5SOS's life, it would have been more appropriate to have scenes of them maybe buying their first cars, enrolling in college, or comfortably renting an apartment together. Whatever shows them "adulting" for the first time, I guess. The lyrics literally talk about not being able to afford gas, bus fare, and rent, but they decided that adult men would fantasize about being able to hire professional wrestlers? Why not respond to what the lyrics are saying, which are legitimate financial hardships that people endure every single day?
It's still a fun, watchable video, don't get me wrong, but they didn't necessarily have to go this childish of a route just because they were still in a youngish age range with a young demographic following. But I guess to make a more entertaining music video, this is the route you need to take.
Another thing I don't understand is how it ends. The narrator comes back and tells us that eventually all of the lads' dreams come true. Luke becomes the CEO of his own business, Michael starts a successful chain of hot dog food trucks, Ashton goes on to become the mascot for a Canadian basketball team, and Calum gets his own cable TV dog training show. So basically they all now have better versions of the jobs that they hated.
This literally makes no sense whatsoever. Why would this be a happy ending for any of them considering how miserable they were? Even the narrator sounds confused when he tells us about Ashton's outcome. Listen to how his voice hesitates.
What would have been more interesting is if each of the guys got each others' jobs. Like they all realized that they weren't where they were supposed to be and discovered that they belonged in another field all along. Like maybe Luke finds fulfillment running a hot dog truck, Calum becomes a business CEO, Ashton becomes a dog trainer, and Michael becomes a mascot. Something like that.
But then again, maybe this is their way of showing them starting at the bottom of their respected fields and working their way to the top, which is actually a very great lesson for their generations. Maybe Generations Y and Z assume that once we get a degree, our career will automatically take off from there, when in reality this is never the case. Of course, it would be very appropriate that 5SOS would demonstrate this given that they are all about realism.
Apparently "Hey Everybody!" flopped! I can't imagine why! I can relate to this song so well! lol
The only song that One Direction seems to do like this is "Midnight Memories." As opposed to their other "fun" songs, "Midnight Memories" doesn't mention a girl or love or anything like that. It basically just describes what nights, or midnights specifically, are like for them as One Direction.
The only song that One Direction seems to do like this is "Midnight Memories." As opposed to their other "fun" songs, "Midnight Memories" doesn't mention a girl or love or anything like that. It basically just describes what nights, or midnights specifically, are like for them as One Direction.
But what makes "Midnight Memories" different from the likes of "She's Kinda Hot" and "Hey Everybody!" is that it just talks about their experiences as a group whereas "She's Kinda Hot" and "Hey Everybody!" are more universal.
Let me set the scene for you. The "Midnight Memories" music video starts off with the guys at a boring house party, so they decide to ditch and then go off on their own crazy adventures by themselves. If this was a 5SOS song, which it very well could have been considering its sound, the guys would have never left the party. All of a sudden you would see a drum set and three guitars show up out of nowhere and they would've performed the song right there at the party, foregoing the awful DJ and therefore saving it. The other party attendees would have gotten into it and maybe other people would have shown up at the party after they heard what a concert 5SOS was performing.
5SOS's songs and music videos are treated more like a community gathering, like a "let's make this better for all of us" type of thing. In "She Looks So Perfect" the people are living their everyday lives and have a little dance break with each other, in "She's Kinda Hot" the people gather around 5SOS's handmade float to celebrate their collective loserdom, in "Hey Everybody!" they literally address "everybody" and encourage them to not accept less than what they want out of life, and in "Good Girls" the girls celebrate their newfound liberation together. The entirety of their "Jet Black Heart" music video stars some of their fans.
The only community moment (if you can consider it this) during the "Midnight Memories" video is when the guys go to the kebab place and they start randomly partying with fellow customers. But then again, it makes sense that One Direction would leave during the party and do their own thing in "Midnight Memories" because the meaning of the song doesn't necessarily call for community. It is about experiences only One Direction would know, portraying them as pretty isolated, which might be how they felt a majority of the time considering their status.
Let's just say this. I may not understand what it's like to be a superstar living it up during a night on the town, but I do understand what it's like to be behind on bills. 5SOS seems to as well, even though they too are stars in their own right.
There are plenty of other 5SOS songs that call for community and mutual understanding too. "Disconnected" is another song that really labels them as a Generation Y or Z band and will probably be considered dated in the future. It's the type of song that will educate future generations about what life was like in the early 2010s and even earlier than that. For example, it mentions words like "hashtag" and "dial tone," which may not mean anything years from now. Generation Z is the generation that was born right at the peak of the Technology Age and "Disconnected," though it is considered a love song as well, is a cute little song about disconnecting from technology and just living in the now. I think it actually might be one of their more innocent songs.
"No Shame," from their latest album, is about fakeness and wanting attention and using technology to obtain that. During the recent Black Lives Matter protests, I've seen people quote "Social Casualty," which is about standing up to authority. "Permanent Vacation" is about beating the system.
There's an evolved rendition of "She's Kinda Hot," "Hey Everybody!" and their other song "Money" on their Youngblood album called "Empty Wallets." Though this song has a deeper, darker meaning about spending unwisely (perhaps under the influence), I just find it interesting that they are still singing about being broke. Even though they are wealthier now, they still remember and have the mindset of what it's like to have middle class experiences and problems. I even get this from certain things that they have said in interviews about their upbringings. They haven't forgotten where they came from.
Let me set the scene for you. The "Midnight Memories" music video starts off with the guys at a boring house party, so they decide to ditch and then go off on their own crazy adventures by themselves. If this was a 5SOS song, which it very well could have been considering its sound, the guys would have never left the party. All of a sudden you would see a drum set and three guitars show up out of nowhere and they would've performed the song right there at the party, foregoing the awful DJ and therefore saving it. The other party attendees would have gotten into it and maybe other people would have shown up at the party after they heard what a concert 5SOS was performing.
5SOS's songs and music videos are treated more like a community gathering, like a "let's make this better for all of us" type of thing. In "She Looks So Perfect" the people are living their everyday lives and have a little dance break with each other, in "She's Kinda Hot" the people gather around 5SOS's handmade float to celebrate their collective loserdom, in "Hey Everybody!" they literally address "everybody" and encourage them to not accept less than what they want out of life, and in "Good Girls" the girls celebrate their newfound liberation together. The entirety of their "Jet Black Heart" music video stars some of their fans.
Let's just say this. I may not understand what it's like to be a superstar living it up during a night on the town, but I do understand what it's like to be behind on bills. 5SOS seems to as well, even though they too are stars in their own right.
There are plenty of other 5SOS songs that call for community and mutual understanding too. "Disconnected" is another song that really labels them as a Generation Y or Z band and will probably be considered dated in the future. It's the type of song that will educate future generations about what life was like in the early 2010s and even earlier than that. For example, it mentions words like "hashtag" and "dial tone," which may not mean anything years from now. Generation Z is the generation that was born right at the peak of the Technology Age and "Disconnected," though it is considered a love song as well, is a cute little song about disconnecting from technology and just living in the now. I think it actually might be one of their more innocent songs.
"No Shame," from their latest album, is about fakeness and wanting attention and using technology to obtain that. During the recent Black Lives Matter protests, I've seen people quote "Social Casualty," which is about standing up to authority. "Permanent Vacation" is about beating the system.
There's an evolved rendition of "She's Kinda Hot," "Hey Everybody!" and their other song "Money" on their Youngblood album called "Empty Wallets." Though this song has a deeper, darker meaning about spending unwisely (perhaps under the influence), I just find it interesting that they are still singing about being broke. Even though they are wealthier now, they still remember and have the mindset of what it's like to have middle class experiences and problems. I even get this from certain things that they have said in interviews about their upbringings. They haven't forgotten where they came from.
"Jet Black Heart," which I believe is considered one of their best songs, and "Invisible," which reminds me a bit of Harry's "Falling," are about dealing with mental insecurities. They even have a song called "Broken Home," which is from the perspective of a child whose parents are going through a divorce!
One Direction never touched anything like this at all! Where 5SOS wasn't afraid to push some boundaries, One Direction played it safe and kind of was on a one track level. However, One Direction's Harry and Louis did cross over to other subject matter in their solo careers when they dedicated songs to their deceased parental figures with their individual pieces "Ever Since New York" and "Two Of Us," respectively.
One Direction never touched anything like this at all! Where 5SOS wasn't afraid to push some boundaries, One Direction played it safe and kind of was on a one track level. However, One Direction's Harry and Louis did cross over to other subject matter in their solo careers when they dedicated songs to their deceased parental figures with their individual pieces "Ever Since New York" and "Two Of Us," respectively.
But songs don't always have to challenge your brain or cover heavy subjects. Songs that are simply nice to listen to are always much appreciated as well.
I need to refer you to this fantastic article written about 5SOS for Billboard back in 2015. It details plenty of the reasons why I like them, justifying my views of them. Also, I discovered that the cover shoot for it, which is one of my favorite 5SOS photoshoots, took place in Asbury Park, NJ!!! When I saw that, I couldn't stop fangirling about it! It made me so happy! lol :D
I need to refer you to this fantastic article written about 5SOS for Billboard back in 2015. It details plenty of the reasons why I like them, justifying my views of them. Also, I discovered that the cover shoot for it, which is one of my favorite 5SOS photoshoots, took place in Asbury Park, NJ!!! When I saw that, I couldn't stop fangirling about it! It made me so happy! lol :D
CHAPTER FOUR:
FAILED AND DIFFICULT RELATIONSHIPS
& A SPECIAL LOOK AT MUSIC VIDEO QUALITY
FAILED AND DIFFICULT RELATIONSHIPS
& A SPECIAL LOOK AT MUSIC VIDEO QUALITY
I've been talking a lot here about how One Direction is way tamer than 5 Seconds of Summer, but I will give them some credit here that MITAM is an album that provided some more slightly deeper songs. For example, some interpret their songs "Hey Angel" and "Walking in the Wind" to be about death or loss of some kind, which makes them similar to interpretations I've seen for 5SOS's "Ghost Of You." "Long Way Down" is suggested to be about building One Direction from the ground up and then dismantling it just like that by going on their hiatus.
But of course, most songs on this album are about love. But while previous albums focused more on the pursuit of love, MITAM and maybe even Four focuses on the loss of it. The same goes for Youngblood and CALM.
Weirdly enough, at first I couldn't think of any (verge of) breakup songs from One Direction besides "Perfect," but then I thought of "Love You Goodbye" and plenty more from Four, such as "Where Do Broken Hearts Go," "Clouds," "Spaces," "Once in a Lifetime," etc., and even more from their other albums, like "Gotta Be You" and "Half a Heart." 5SOS has ones like "Amnesia," "Heartbreak Girl," "Safety Pin," "Broken Pieces," and "Castaway," etc. Oooh! And "Babylon."
But for this particular section, I'm going to pay a special attention to their later songs and music videos, because by this point in both of their careers, their videos have evolved as well. "Perfect" just so happened to be the only One Direction song of this nature to get a video at this point.
So here in "Perfect" we have a black and white colored film of the guys hanging out in a hotel. This makes sense because it reflected their situation at that time as well as what they're singing about. Developing romance and trying to have a normal love life was hard for them because it was difficult to dodge the public eye, so therefore "having secret little rendezvous" in hotel rooms was their most feasible option. We've seen their other songs "Midnight Memories" and "Change Your Ticket" touch on this idea as well.
Okay. Cool. Very nice visuals. Simple and to the point. Well done. Now let's see what 5SOS's "Teeth" has in store for us.
Okay. Cool. Very nice visuals. Simple and to the point. Well done. Now let's see what 5SOS's "Teeth" has in store for us.
.....
YIKES!!!
OH MY GOD! I LOVE THIS VIDEO SO MUCH!!! :D
Okay so like the guys are all strapped in chairs in like a dentist setting, right?? They're seemingly subjects in a psychological experiment and are heavily sedated under anesthesia and then when they go under they're each trapped in their own "personal hellscape," according to the director Thibaut Duverneix. Luke is locked in a room rapidly filling with a suffocating smoke, Calum is chained to a block, Michael is climbing an infinite ladder, and Ashton has to overcome a wind tunnel. They must all escape these rooms before time runs out.
I want more!!! Why were THEY chosen for this experiment? Who are these "host" people, that they call them, each assigned to them? When the song ends, they're still eerily sedated, so like, NOW WHAT? This could be a whole freaking movie!!!
YIKES!!!
OH MY GOD! I LOVE THIS VIDEO SO MUCH!!! :D
Okay so like the guys are all strapped in chairs in like a dentist setting, right?? They're seemingly subjects in a psychological experiment and are heavily sedated under anesthesia and then when they go under they're each trapped in their own "personal hellscape," according to the director Thibaut Duverneix. Luke is locked in a room rapidly filling with a suffocating smoke, Calum is chained to a block, Michael is climbing an infinite ladder, and Ashton has to overcome a wind tunnel. They must all escape these rooms before time runs out.
I want more!!! Why were THEY chosen for this experiment? Who are these "host" people, that they call them, each assigned to them? When the song ends, they're still eerily sedated, so like, NOW WHAT? This could be a whole freaking movie!!!
Also, now as of November 25, SONG OF THE YEAR AT THE 2020 ARIA MUSIC AWARDS!!!!!! :D
...
Ahem. Anyway, um, back to the comparison at hand.
The titles themselves are total opposites. "Perfect" suggests purity whereas "teeth" suggests something a bit more sinister and dangerous.
I tend to like music videos that tell a story, so this is why "Teeth" has me hyped. "Perfect," though visually pleasing and one of my favorite videos by One Direction, is what it is.
("Teeth" is the first 5SOS song that I actually liked too. I first heard it playing at work, and though I liked listening to "Youngblood" too, my reaction to "Teeth" was more like, "Wow. This sounds cool." I also think that it might be the first music video of theirs that I have watched. At least one of the first.)
An interesting common denominator is that both songs and videos use entrapment as a theme. While "Perfect" focuses on being physically trapped in hotel rooms and by limitations that come with fame, "Teeth" is about feeling mentally trapped, alone with your intrusive thoughts, constantly wondering what other people are thinking. This could leave a person feeling helpless, as if they have to face their fears alone without any guidance or love from others. This is way more horrifying and the "Teeth" music video flawlessly captures this. They are all literally stuck in their own minds and suffering through their own obstacles by themselves throughout the video, and because we see them still sedated when the video concludes, this suggests that the problem has not yet been solved. Not only is it a cliffhanger with a very realistic, yet creepy tone, it also perfectly symbolizes mental struggles and maybe even mental illness. This YouTube comment dissects the video even more by surmising why each hellscape was chosen. Now there is a new YouTube comment with another set of cool interpretations.
Another significant variation between "Perfect" and "Teeth" is where the songs seem to place the blame. "Perfect" is very apologetic, with the guys sounding guilty about their circumstances and basically saying, "Hey, I'm sorry, but this is my life. If you're okay with it, let's see where this goes."
From "Gotta Be You:"
Anyway, back to "Teeth:"
I'm fascinated by the fact that Luke wrote "Teeth" about problems he had with his current girlfriend Sierra Deaton. He talks about it in this interview. They're in a better place now, but can you imagine your boyfriend telling you, "Hey, babe. I wrote a song about you. Yeah, it's about how your heart is made of teeth and you want me dead. You're gonna love it."
"Teeth" definitely came across about a former relationship when I first heard it. It sounds extremely toxic with the words it uses and the fact that it is called "Teeth" in the first place. I like that 5SOS acknowledges that even good relationships have their challenges.
"Perfect" is suggested to be about Harry's previous relationship with Taylor Swift, though I guess it's a little more general about all of their relationships as well. Harry never tells people specifically what the songs he writes are about because he likes leaving things up to interpretation and not ruining songs for people with the actual meanings. This again is evidence of just how more open 5SOS is than One Direction.
I like that both the titles for "Perfect" and "Teeth" have double meanings that reflect the double meaning messages of the songs. For "Perfect," the word "perfect" itself could mean inherently good, but at the same time perfection is unachievable, so therefore it is not necessarily a good thing to strive for. In the song, 1D expresses that they are perfect for their significant others, but only if the significant others can handle their demanding lifestyles. It's not like "Yeah, we're a perfect match because of how well our lives line up" but more so sarcastic in a way, saying that they are perfect for each other because their lives are so unpredictable. Teeth themselves can either be an expression of friendliness or an expression of aggression. Of course, this mirrors the story of "Teeth" well with Luke talking about how sometimes there is love in his relationship, but then other times there is hostility.
5SOS has more songs and videos just like the "Teeth" one. Maybe not as much storytelling, but they still provide symbolism. What they tend to do lately since the Youngblood era, but particularly way more prominently for the current CALM era, is use a lot of color coding representation for each specific atmosphere or member of the band. I don't know if this is intentional, but I've noticed that they are often shown in their own individual colors. Like Luke would be in a reddish tint or lighting whereas Ashton might be in a yellowish green, for example. This doesn't always happen and they're not always in the same color for every video when it does, but I feel like it's something that they might be going for.
Here are some videos for references.
Perhaps I've uncovered something. ;) It could mean nothing, but I feel like I might be onto something here! 5SOS's earlier videos were maybe a little odd but at least had normal coloring and (brighter) lighting compared to now. Maybe this is just a stylistic choice for them, perhaps to combat the dark tones of their current songs, but maybe each color does represent something for them. The interesting thing is, now that I think about it, the colors they choose for the most part are each associated with a member of One Direction: Harry-Green, Louis-Blue, Liam-Red, Zayn-Yellow, and Niall-the Irish flag (green, white, orange). Not that this is relevant, but it's an interesting connection.
Once again, the guys are trapped in some kind of compartment in every scenario. In "Easier" Luke is chained to the ceiling of a cave and there are moments of them all underwater, in "Want You Back" they're all isolated in separate square rotating rooms, and in "Lie To Me" Luke is in a car that (spoiler alert!) bursts into flames while the other guys look on helplessly. All of these songs are about wondering if you should stay in a relationship or, if the relationship is now broken, still being stuck on the other person. I also came across this YouTube comment that is worth noting, for it suggests that "Easier" could be about their relationship with the music industry itself. "No Shame" is more about basking in the life and attention from the fake image that you are projecting, therefore trapping you in that version of yourself, which is actually really strange coming from them now that I think about it. This message is seemingly very out of character for them considering how truthful and normal I regard them, but at the same time it is a very real situation that plenty of people undergo, so technically it is very honest.
I'm inspired to pick apart their music videos in another blog essay, so keep an eye out for that son of a gun.
...
Ahem. Anyway, um, back to the comparison at hand.
The titles themselves are total opposites. "Perfect" suggests purity whereas "teeth" suggests something a bit more sinister and dangerous.
I tend to like music videos that tell a story, so this is why "Teeth" has me hyped. "Perfect," though visually pleasing and one of my favorite videos by One Direction, is what it is.
("Teeth" is the first 5SOS song that I actually liked too. I first heard it playing at work, and though I liked listening to "Youngblood" too, my reaction to "Teeth" was more like, "Wow. This sounds cool." I also think that it might be the first music video of theirs that I have watched. At least one of the first.)
An interesting common denominator is that both songs and videos use entrapment as a theme. While "Perfect" focuses on being physically trapped in hotel rooms and by limitations that come with fame, "Teeth" is about feeling mentally trapped, alone with your intrusive thoughts, constantly wondering what other people are thinking. This could leave a person feeling helpless, as if they have to face their fears alone without any guidance or love from others. This is way more horrifying and the "Teeth" music video flawlessly captures this. They are all literally stuck in their own minds and suffering through their own obstacles by themselves throughout the video, and because we see them still sedated when the video concludes, this suggests that the problem has not yet been solved. Not only is it a cliffhanger with a very realistic, yet creepy tone, it also perfectly symbolizes mental struggles and maybe even mental illness. This YouTube comment dissects the video even more by surmising why each hellscape was chosen. Now there is a new YouTube comment with another set of cool interpretations.
Another significant variation between "Perfect" and "Teeth" is where the songs seem to place the blame. "Perfect" is very apologetic, with the guys sounding guilty about their circumstances and basically saying, "Hey, I'm sorry, but this is my life. If you're okay with it, let's see where this goes."
I might never be your knight in shining armour/I might never be the one you take home to mother/And I might never be the one who brings you flowers/But I can be the one, be the one tonight
When I first saw you/From across the room/I could tell that you were curious/Oh, yeah/Girl, I hope you're sure/What you're looking for/'Cause I'm not good at making promises
Harry delivers the following bridge, and as he sings it, you can hear the sadness in his voice.I might never be the hands you put your heart in/Or the arms that hold you any time you want them/But that don't mean that we can't live here in the moment/'Cause I can be the one you love from time to time
In fact, they've always been apologetic like this, such as with songs like "Gotta Be You" and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go."And if you like cameras flashing every time we go out Oh, yeah/And if you're looking for someone to write your break-up songs about/Baby, I'm perfect/Baby, we're perfect
From "Gotta Be You:"
From "Where Do Broken Hearts Go:"Girl I see it in your eyes you're disappointed/'Cause I'm the foolish one that you anointed with your heart/I tore it apartAnd girl what a mess I made upon your innocence/And no woman in the world deserves this/But here I am asking you for one more chance
"Teeth," on the other hand, seems to blame the girl, with Luke venting about the issues he has with her throughout the song.Counted all my mistakes and there's only one/Standing out from the list of the things I've doneAll the rest of my crimes don't come close/To the look on your face when I let you go
Sometimes you're a stranger in my bed/Don't know if you love me or you want me dead
Interestingly, this lyric reminds me of Harry's "She" when he says, "She sleeps in his bed." In that song, a particular person is on his mind as well: "She lives in daydreams with me."
Push me away, push me away/Then beg me to stay, beg me to stay, yeah
See? She's the one doing the apologizing here. This isn't the first time they did this either. Take 5SOS's song "Independence Day." The entire song is about how happy they are to be rid of the girl and even straight up tell her that she is the one to blame:Call me in the morning to apologize/Every little lie gives me butterflies/ Something in the way you're looking through my eyes/Don't know if I'm gonna make it out alive
Suddenly my picture's looking perfect/Since you're not in the frame/And deep down I never meant to hurt you/But you're the one to blame
The only time I can recall One Direction maybe somewhat doing this is in "Clouds:"
But we need to give 5SOS the benefit of the doubt too, because they take the blame in plenty of their songs. In songs like "Better Man," "Monster Among Men," "Lover Of Mine," "Best Years," and "High" for example, they portray themselves as people with pasts who have now learned from their errors and are rectifying their ways.You're gonna wish you never left me
Anyway, back to "Teeth:"
Then the bridge goes like this:Fight so dirty, but you love so sweet/Talk so pretty, but your heart got teeth/Late night devil, put your hands on me/And never, never, never ever let go
The entire thing is so well written with such hauntingly beautiful imagery!Blood on my shirt, rose in my hand/You're looking at me like you don't know who I am/Blood on my shirt, heart in my hand/Still beating.
I'm fascinated by the fact that Luke wrote "Teeth" about problems he had with his current girlfriend Sierra Deaton. He talks about it in this interview. They're in a better place now, but can you imagine your boyfriend telling you, "Hey, babe. I wrote a song about you. Yeah, it's about how your heart is made of teeth and you want me dead. You're gonna love it."
"Teeth" definitely came across about a former relationship when I first heard it. It sounds extremely toxic with the words it uses and the fact that it is called "Teeth" in the first place. I like that 5SOS acknowledges that even good relationships have their challenges.
"Perfect" is suggested to be about Harry's previous relationship with Taylor Swift, though I guess it's a little more general about all of their relationships as well. Harry never tells people specifically what the songs he writes are about because he likes leaving things up to interpretation and not ruining songs for people with the actual meanings. This again is evidence of just how more open 5SOS is than One Direction.
I like that both the titles for "Perfect" and "Teeth" have double meanings that reflect the double meaning messages of the songs. For "Perfect," the word "perfect" itself could mean inherently good, but at the same time perfection is unachievable, so therefore it is not necessarily a good thing to strive for. In the song, 1D expresses that they are perfect for their significant others, but only if the significant others can handle their demanding lifestyles. It's not like "Yeah, we're a perfect match because of how well our lives line up" but more so sarcastic in a way, saying that they are perfect for each other because their lives are so unpredictable. Teeth themselves can either be an expression of friendliness or an expression of aggression. Of course, this mirrors the story of "Teeth" well with Luke talking about how sometimes there is love in his relationship, but then other times there is hostility.
5SOS has more songs and videos just like the "Teeth" one. Maybe not as much storytelling, but they still provide symbolism. What they tend to do lately since the Youngblood era, but particularly way more prominently for the current CALM era, is use a lot of color coding representation for each specific atmosphere or member of the band. I don't know if this is intentional, but I've noticed that they are often shown in their own individual colors. Like Luke would be in a reddish tint or lighting whereas Ashton might be in a yellowish green, for example. This doesn't always happen and they're not always in the same color for every video when it does, but I feel like it's something that they might be going for.
Here are some videos for references.
Once again, the guys are trapped in some kind of compartment in every scenario. In "Easier" Luke is chained to the ceiling of a cave and there are moments of them all underwater, in "Want You Back" they're all isolated in separate square rotating rooms, and in "Lie To Me" Luke is in a car that (spoiler alert!) bursts into flames while the other guys look on helplessly. All of these songs are about wondering if you should stay in a relationship or, if the relationship is now broken, still being stuck on the other person. I also came across this YouTube comment that is worth noting, for it suggests that "Easier" could be about their relationship with the music industry itself. "No Shame" is more about basking in the life and attention from the fake image that you are projecting, therefore trapping you in that version of yourself, which is actually really strange coming from them now that I think about it. This message is seemingly very out of character for them considering how truthful and normal I regard them, but at the same time it is a very real situation that plenty of people undergo, so technically it is very honest.
I'm inspired to pick apart their music videos in another blog essay, so keep an eye out for that son of a gun.
5SOS's videos made me realize how unimaginative One Direction's are, but not just with color. I know I just compared a bunch of colorful 5SOS videos to one black and white 1D video, but in general 1D's music videos just seem somewhat dull and repetitive next to the creative substance that we get from 5SOS. They're still enjoyable, but we pretty much know what a One Direction music video would look like and entail even if we haven't seen it whereas a 5SOS music video is a mystery until viewing, with fans wondering how they're going to present it.
This could actually be because of genre. Each pop boy band music video tends to be more or less the same with the guys standing or bopping around singing passionately to the camera whereas rock bands might include an abstract quality to theirs. Boy band music videos are more like "Look at these cute boys singing and being cute" whereas maybe rock band music videos are more complex art pieces that are trying to make a statement. 5SOS's music video for "No Shame" is the one that stands out to me the most whenever I think about this.
Both styles are fine and get the job done. They're just different.
I mean, "Best Song Ever" and "Steal My Girl" may have some unique filmmaking setups, but in terms of special quality, I will say that One Direction's most creative music videos are "Night Changes," "You & I," and "Story Of My Life."
This could actually be because of genre. Each pop boy band music video tends to be more or less the same with the guys standing or bopping around singing passionately to the camera whereas rock bands might include an abstract quality to theirs. Boy band music videos are more like "Look at these cute boys singing and being cute" whereas maybe rock band music videos are more complex art pieces that are trying to make a statement. 5SOS's music video for "No Shame" is the one that stands out to me the most whenever I think about this.
Both styles are fine and get the job done. They're just different.
I mean, "Best Song Ever" and "Steal My Girl" may have some unique filmmaking setups, but in terms of special quality, I will say that One Direction's most creative music videos are "Night Changes," "You & I," and "Story Of My Life."
They are all great songs and videos, but while the videos themselves don't necessarily tell the story of the songs, they do give us some cool effects. "Night Changes" is a point of view video with the viewer on a date with each of the guys and in "You & I" the guys morph into each other. However, the "Story Of My Life" music video seems to have some meaning that works hand in hand with the "time is frozen" lyrics because the guys are developing photographs and there are scenes of their family members frozen in time.
From my understanding, "Night Changes" is about losing your virginity. At first listen this didn't dawn on me, but after seeing people say this and paying more attention to the lyrics, this does make sense. It isn't written as obvious as their other sexual songs, but it is still pretty clear, presenting the subject very beautifully and romantically. There is only so much you can do in a video for this type of a song though if you want keep it family friendly. The completely innocent music video warmed my heart when I first watched it, so I'm pleased with the result. It is my favorite music video of theirs, actually. :)
I don't think 5SOS really made any videos for a sexual song, if I recall correctly. Point towards One Direction for being a tiny bit daring!
If you want more interesting videos from One Direction now, I suggest looking at some of their solo work. I highly recommend the videos for Harry Styles's "Adore You," Zayn Malik's "Let Me," and Liam Payne's "Bedroom Floor." These all tell stories that keep you invested.
While I'm talking about 5SOS's music videos that color code the members, I might as well share their latest one for their single "Wildflower," which I believe is the happiest song that they have ever written. This video is intriguing to me because they filmed it separately while in quarantine, so therefore they were obviously limited with what they were able to do. It makes me wonder what they would've done without the quarantine limitations. (In fact, it seems that I've now gotten my answer. This new behind the scenes video details what was and what would have been.)
Looks like I spoke too soon. Ironically enough, this is actually a family friendly music video for a song about sex. XD (However, does "Don't Stop" also count?)
Hey, 5SOS can be whimsical too, you know! :P
Well, wait. It's not that family friendly because Ashton throws up middle fingers and Luke mouths the f-word. Even a video that looks like it belongs on PBS Kids they managed to make a little explicit. lol
I'll give both One Direction and 5 Seconds of Summer this: Neither group has rude or objectifying lyrics or music videos about sex and women. They are always very tasteful and focus on the artistic side of things, so I appreciate that.
What would have made the "Wildflower" video even better actually is if their ladies made an appearance, like how the Jonas Brothers' wives did in their "Sucker" music video, since I am assuming that they are the "wildflowers" that the guys are singing about. They even had a hand in filming the video, so why not? :) I guess a reason why is because Calum, the member who sings the entire song, is the one single member of the band. Another reason I would think is to maintain an ounce of privacy.
"Wildflower" actually has the same energy as Harry's "Watermelon Sugar" for me. Both songs are suggested to be about sex, but while "Watermelon Sugar" is written poetically with fruit symbolism and euphemisms, the word "wildflower" doesn't necessarily represent anything and is just treated as a term of endearment. Throughout the song they block out words in the chorus, letting us fill in the blanks. It actually reminds me of Harry's unreleased song "Medicine" in that way. But regarding using a flower as a term of endearment and song title, "Wildflower" is very much similar to Harry's "Sunflower, Vol. 6."
Also, much like in "Sunflower, Vol. 6" when Harry says that they "Kiss in the kitchen like it's a dance floor," 5SOS has their share of dancing in the house.
Dancing through our house with the ghost of you
Dance around the living room
Our house on fire/We're burning/We dance inside/You're hurting
It's such pretty imagery.Can I have another dance?
That song mentions cake. Enjoy my pun there. lol
CHAPTER FIVE:
INSPIRATIONAL AND SPIRITUAL SONGS OF HOPE
INSPIRATIONAL AND SPIRITUAL SONGS OF HOPE
That was a nice transition to get more positive here. :)
This is actually the perfect section for this time.
"Drag Me Down" was One Direction's first single off of MITAM and "Tomorrow Never Dies" is only a bonus track on the Target exclusive version of 5 Seconds of Summer. I know about "Tomorrow Never Dies" only because one night I just decided to look up Ashton's vocal solos. I wanted to hear what his singing voice sounds like because it's rare for him to sing being the drummer. His solo in this was in a YouTube video and I liked what I heard so I decided to check out the entire song.
A reason why I like both of these songs so much is that my boys Harry Styles and Ashton Irwin dominate the vocals well.
We all know how obsessed I am/was with "Drag Me Down." If you don't, now you do. ;)
"Drag Me Down" is what made me become a One Direction and Harry Styles fan, much like how certain memories I associate with "Teeth" got me more interested in paying attention to 5SOS more.
"Drag Me Down" and "Tomorrow Never Dies" are two of my favorite songs because neither one is necessarily a romantic love song. A strange thing is, I never liked love songs that much. I don't hate them, but I never was able to relate to them because I have never experienced love in that way. I tend to like songs that are more uplifting and powerful about self-confidence, self-reflection, and self-realization. "Drag Me Down" seems to be the only One Direction song like this. Harry's "Lights Up" is another one of my favorite songs for this reason.
Whenever I deal with anxiety and sadness, "Drag Me Down" is always there to remind me that I do indeed have a wonderful support system and that nobody (and nothing) can drag me down:
The "Drag Me Down" music video is also one of their most entertaining. The guys are all astronauts training for a mission at NASA. I take this literally as nobody is going to "drag them down" back to Earth, but also figuratively as nobody is going to keep them from "reaching the stars" and achieving their dreams. This was their first single and music video without Zayn, so therefore the future of One Direction was questioned. This was their way of telling their fans that they will still proceed with the band (at least through the rest of the year). Even though it does have some artistic meanings hidden in it, it is also very reminiscent of Backstreet Boys' "Larger Than Life" music video for me and has the guys do the traditional play up to the camera bit, so it is a decent mix of the pop boy band and rock band music video styles.All my life/You stood by me/When no one else was ever behind me/All these lights/They can't blind me/With your love, nobody can drag me down
I was listening to 5SOS songs wondering if they had a "Drag Me Down" equivalent, so when I heard "Tomorrow Never Dies," I felt like I had struck gold but was also surprised that I would be comparing a later One Direction song to one from their very first album.
These lyrics really emphasize on the self-reflection of the song:
Interestingly, what "Drag Me Down," "Tomorrow Never Dies," and "Lights Up" all seem to have in common is the mention of light, or a certain aspect of it. Though "Drag Me Down" seems to regard light as negative and the viewpoint we're supposed to have of the light in "Lights Up" is somewhat up for interpretation, the light involved in "Tomorrow Never Dies" is most definitely positive.It's hard to see the enemy/When you're looking at yourself/Maybe your reflection shows you/Screaming out for helpAnd you try your best to just keep up/And your feet they fall behind/But the beat you're marching to/You're keeping perfect time
The message is simple. Tomorrow is another day. There is always another chance to improve yourself and make changes, so relax.Oh the sun will rise/Like a flame ignitesWe're not done till we say it's over/We won't fade awayOh the sun will rise/Tomorrow never dies/(Tomorrow never dies)
"Drag Me Down" is one of One Direction's more rock sounding songs, so it's no wonder that I would connect it to an earlier 5SOS song when their original signature rock sound was most prominent. The percussion in both is enough to make you want to take on the world.
Though both songs can very well be interpreted as romantic love, we can also look at these as songs about family love, friend love, self love, or even divine love, and they would still make sense in context.
Other 5SOS songs that do this well and are very uplifting are "Red Desert" and "Safety Pin."
"Red Desert" is one of my favorite songs from CALM and one of the first tracks I listened to from that album, so therefore it's partially to thank for me becoming a fan. I never was able to relate to it as much until I heard that meaning behind it, so I am very grateful. Once again, this is a song of theirs with a universal message, one that I can get behind. It made me love the song even more.
I've sprinkled mentions of "Safety Pin" throughout this essay, but I only saw it as a relationship song, particularly one about breakup probabilities. However, I have also noticed, as opposed to other songs like that, this one also has some light at the end of the tunnel:
Oh, yeah, this time, maybe this time/Two wrongs make it right
We'll safety-pin the pieces of our broken hearts back together/Patching up all the holes until we both feel much better
However, I have now started seeing it a new way since reading this Fuse article. Music producer Matt Pauling said this about the song: "I think it's a really good song for fans to relate to. It's a sad song, but it has a really positive message. It's about knowing that, whatever happens in life, you can put the pieces back together and end up on top." (I'm sorry! It looks like the article isn't available anymore now! I'm disappointed too! :()No more waiting. We can save us from falling
I never really thought about the song like this, but according to Pauling's statement, "Safety Pin" can be applied to any life experience, not just romance. The "safety pin" became the symbol and theme of Sounds Good Feels Good, which is mentioned in the behind the scenes video for the "Hey Everybody!" music video. This actually is very appropriate because that album covers plenty of areas.
Another 5SOS song that surprises me in this way is "Best Years." "Best Years" is another favorite of mine from CALM and I see it as a love song. But actually, to me it's not as much as 5SOS song as it is a Luke Hemmings song, for he is the only 5SOS member with writing credits on this track and you hear his vocals the most. It's basically his message to his significant other. I picture him by himself in the studio just pouring his heart out. It's a calming visual.
He doesn't paint the prettiest picture here. Basically, what's happening is that she's drunk and vomiting. While most love songs are filled with kisses and embraces, 5SOS opted to include this. What he's saying here is that even during unpleasant moments like these, he will still be there for her. Only 5SOS could make an image like this one beautiful with their lyricism. It's a realistic portrayal of a relationship.I wanna hold your hair when you drink too much/Carry you home when you cannot stand up
Now, this section was pretty much reserved for non-love songs, but I really wanted to talk about "Best Years" and felt that this was where my thoughts fit the most. But this is actually where my comparisons to "Safety Pin" come into play. Much like how I initially perceived "Safety Pin" solely as a love song and nothing more and now see how it can be interpreted to be about any type of relationship, I now also see this with "Best Years."
5SOS performed "Best Years" for this year's Red Nose Day. Given my feelings about the song, I didn't really understand at first why this was their choice, but then I realized that I couldn't envision them singing any other song from CALM for this event.
Now I'm going to take this all even further. 5SOS's "She's Kinda Hot" conveys the same message as Harry's "Fine Line." Yes, the song.
You wouldn't think that these two songs would connect, but here I go.
"She's Kinda Hot" and "Fine Line" are both self-deprecating in certain ways but leave you with a twinge of hopefulness at the end. At one point towards the end of "She's Kinda Hot" there is a vocal that goes "We're gonna be okay!" "Fine Line" has the lyric "We'll be alright." This is a prime example of how such totally different songs can deliver the same concept but do it on total opposite sides of the spectrum. Even though "She's Kinda Hot" is kinda corny and goofy, this in itself could prove how much far advanced 5SOS is compared to 1D. Harry Styles had to exit 1D to finally produce the same type of message for his second, not first, second album!
A 5SOS song that conveys the same message as well as has a similar musical style as "Fine Line" is "Carry On."
Like "Fine Line" for Fine Line, "Carry On" concludes 5SOS's second album. Both tracks are also over 6 minutes long. Well actually, "Carry On" is the shorter second part of 5SOS's track, following "Outer Space." Both songs were probably included in the same track because they were created during the same beach vacation (I'll explain later). Even "Still," the final song from Niall's second album Heartbreak Weather (2020), has a similar vibe. I do wish though that they were separate tracks because sometimes I just want to listen to "Carry On" without having to wait for it during "Outer Space."
"Outer Space" is more of love gone wrong song and "Carry On" is more like an "everything will be okay" song, which is actually similar to the structure of "Fine Line." Much like "Fine Line," "Carry On" is a very beautiful, heartwrenching song with a somber, echo tone but a positive message at the end. "Carry On" is extremely well written to really showcase the struggles that they were enduring at the time, but yet it includes repetitive lines like "Carry on," "Let the good times roll," and "You know it's gonna get better" to insist that they will be okay, much like how "Fine Line" concludes with repetitions of "We'll be a fine line. We'll be alright."
They use ocean sounds for the transition between the songs and then we get lyrics like these. It's a short one, so I'm going to put the entire thing:
"Fine Line" is a song that wraps up a journey of an album and "Carry On" has this same aura. Both have a cliffhanger feel to them too, like everything is going to be okay, but yet the future is uncertain. But while "Fine Line" sounds more satisfactory that Harry knows he will be okay and is beginning to feel that way, "Carry On" sounds more like they are still waiting for things to get better yet. They have hope that it will, but they don't know when. For now, they are just trying to remain positive until the turmoil that they are currently experiencing finally passes.
"Outer Space/Carry On" actually has the most interesting background story too. From my understanding, according to what I read on Genius once again, at this point in 5SOS's history the guys were arguing with both their record label and management company about the future of the band, so their producer John Feldmann took them on a beach trip for a couple of days to help clear their heads. It was during this trip that both songs were written and recorded, "Outer Space" in their hotel parking lot and "Carry On" on the beach itself. "Carry On" is so low key because Luke was sick and couldn't hit the high notes. Here is another source that talks about this. (I'm trying to find the original quote from the original article, because I didn't really read this said in the Fuse article either. I'm not entirely certain how accurate this story is because I can't really find a trusted news outlet that directly says this at the moment. It's very fascinating if true, though. Judging by what Ashton alludes to in this tweet, it is.)
Now I don't know what exactly happened when they returned from this brief retreat (I believe this was when they went on their hiatus), but let's just say this: the maturity, brand new sound, and success of Youngblood was born right after, so they did something right.
I can always praise the greatness of both Youngblood and CALM, but Sounds Good Feels Good is a darn good album too! They may be evolving and maturing now with their latest records, but 5 Seconds of Summer even had this staple of ingenuity with only their second album at a young age. While 5 Seconds of Summer was their typical, juvenile debut release, Sounds Good Feels Good is what really kicked off this emphasis of how transparent these guys really are.
And of course, 5SOS's song "Best Friend" is, of course, just a simple song about friendship. Ashton seriously needs more solos. :)
"Outer Space" is more of love gone wrong song and "Carry On" is more like an "everything will be okay" song, which is actually similar to the structure of "Fine Line." Much like "Fine Line," "Carry On" is a very beautiful, heartwrenching song with a somber, echo tone but a positive message at the end. "Carry On" is extremely well written to really showcase the struggles that they were enduring at the time, but yet it includes repetitive lines like "Carry on," "Let the good times roll," and "You know it's gonna get better" to insist that they will be okay, much like how "Fine Line" concludes with repetitions of "We'll be a fine line. We'll be alright."
They use ocean sounds for the transition between the songs and then we get lyrics like these. It's a short one, so I'm going to put the entire thing:
This is their most beautiful song. Their voices are the most succinct in this, they sound like a harmonious choir instead of a rock band, and there's very little instrumentals. You know what? It could actually pass as a One Direction song too due to its softer melodies if I didn't know any better.Carry on, let the good times roll/Sail along, let your path unfold/It won't be long, won't be long, won't be long/You know it's gonna get better,/You know it's gonna get betterSay a prayer for the broken bones/'Cause who cares? We're all going home/And it won't be long, won't be long, won't be long/You know it's gonna get better,/You know it's gonna get betterI got one foot in the golden life,/One foot in the gutter/So close to the other side,/So far from the wonder/I got one foot in the golden life,/One foot in the gutter/So sick of the tug of war,/That keeps pulling me underLet the good times roll/Let the good times rollCarry on,/Outlast the ignorance/Moving on,/Survive the innocence/Won't be long, won't be long, won't be long/You know it's gonna get better
"Fine Line" is a song that wraps up a journey of an album and "Carry On" has this same aura. Both have a cliffhanger feel to them too, like everything is going to be okay, but yet the future is uncertain. But while "Fine Line" sounds more satisfactory that Harry knows he will be okay and is beginning to feel that way, "Carry On" sounds more like they are still waiting for things to get better yet. They have hope that it will, but they don't know when. For now, they are just trying to remain positive until the turmoil that they are currently experiencing finally passes.
"Outer Space/Carry On" actually has the most interesting background story too. From my understanding, according to what I read on Genius once again, at this point in 5SOS's history the guys were arguing with both their record label and management company about the future of the band, so their producer John Feldmann took them on a beach trip for a couple of days to help clear their heads. It was during this trip that both songs were written and recorded, "Outer Space" in their hotel parking lot and "Carry On" on the beach itself. "Carry On" is so low key because Luke was sick and couldn't hit the high notes. Here is another source that talks about this. (I'm trying to find the original quote from the original article, because I didn't really read this said in the Fuse article either. I'm not entirely certain how accurate this story is because I can't really find a trusted news outlet that directly says this at the moment. It's very fascinating if true, though. Judging by what Ashton alludes to in this tweet, it is.)
Now I don't know what exactly happened when they returned from this brief retreat (I believe this was when they went on their hiatus), but let's just say this: the maturity, brand new sound, and success of Youngblood was born right after, so they did something right.
I can always praise the greatness of both Youngblood and CALM, but Sounds Good Feels Good is a darn good album too! They may be evolving and maturing now with their latest records, but 5 Seconds of Summer even had this staple of ingenuity with only their second album at a young age. While 5 Seconds of Summer was their typical, juvenile debut release, Sounds Good Feels Good is what really kicked off this emphasis of how transparent these guys really are.
And of course, 5SOS's song "Best Friend" is, of course, just a simple song about friendship. Ashton seriously needs more solos. :)
...
As of September 23, 2020: OH, THE IRONY! LOL
CHAPTER SIX:
THE SELF-REFLECTION DOWN MEMORY LANE:
ONE DIRECTION'S "HISTORY" & 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER'S "OLD ME"
THE SELF-REFLECTION DOWN MEMORY LANE:
ONE DIRECTION'S "HISTORY" & 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER'S "OLD ME"
This one is the obvious comparison. "Old Me" is obviously 5SOS's version of 1D's "History." Both are fantastic songs about reflecting on past experiences and how they helped develop them into the men that they are today. Again, what we have here aren't love songs but rather self-discovery songs, something I can relate to and like better.
Both songs address a "you." In "Old Me" they are addressing their younger selves whereas it is speculated that "History" addresses Zayn Malik. But of course, this is just speculation. They could just be addressing each other and their fans.
There isn't really much to say about either song and music video because they are literally the same. The lyrics discuss their memories and the video shows a compilation of their flashbacks. But what makes "Old Me" a bit more special are the scenes of the guys on the train in the middle of a red desert (a nice homage to "Red Desert") and the scenes with the kids playing 5SOS's childhood selves. The same scenes would shift back and forth between the guys and the kids to illustrate how things haven't changed between them.
From what I gather, the train ride represents their journey as 5 Seconds of Summer. They each board the train in the order of when they joined the band and other passengers come and go to represent people coming and going into their lives.
These guys are an example of that:
Hey, wait a minute! They look familiar! ;)
I love how 5SOS used "Old Me" as a chance to shout out their brotherhood with One Direction. This scene is a nice touch to link the two bands. :) My only issue with it though is that I wish they hired kids to play One Direction like they did for their miniature selves. Looking at their outfits, One Direction here is clearly representing their "What Makes You Beautiful" video, which came out when they were teens, so it's a little awkward for me to see guys who are clearly older portraying them. But that's just me.
There's also this other guy that is randomly set on fire, but strangely enough I don't really know how to interpret that. (Evidently it's partially a Pink Floyd reference. Ashton explained this scene a bit on Twitter.)
One lovely moment in the video is when the 5SOS guys are watching their mini-mes run down the aisle of the train, and then after the kids exit the train, Luke faces the camera again and smiles to himself. This is the only time that the guys and their mini-mes are in the same scene together. It's like he's fondly looking back at what was, but now that the past is gone, he's satisfied with the present as well.
I also love the behind the scenes footage for this music video. It shows clips of the guys bonding with their mini-mes and teaching them how to play their instruments and stuff. It's cute. :) They nailed the casting for these kids too, even down to 5SOS's original hairstyles when they first started out.
To complete the video, the guys exit the train together and walk onstage to perform for Fight Fire Australia, so it all comes full circle for them and they go back home. The opening seconds here is the ending of the "Old Me" video from a different angle:
Isn't that cool??
For "History," in true One Direction fashion, the guys play up to the camera, dance with each other...and that's it.
Once again 5 Seconds of Summer does something with an extra edge.
But the most poignant aspect of both music videos is how they end. Watch how they end.
I'm almost afraid to say this because I don't want to jinx it, but a part of the reason why I wanted to start listening to 5SOS is because they are still together and my thought process was, "Better get into them now before they split up too." I didn't want to regret not getting into them while they were still a thing because I kinda regret not doing so with One Direction.
But after getting to know them as I do, I really don't foresee this happening with 5 Seconds of Summer.
CONCLUSION
CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'VE MADE IT TO THE END! LOL XD
I feel like this entire time I seemed to have been siding with 5SOS. Like the structure of this whole analysis has been "Here's what One Direction did, but here's how 5 Seconds of Summer did it better."
Well...maybe? I mean, can you blame me with the examples that I provided?
One Direction is great, but I feel like 5 Seconds of Summer has slightly more to offer. I just really love how refreshingly honest 5SOS is, even perhaps brutally so. I could be wrong and giving them too much credit here, but they don't seem to be hiding anything. What you see is what you get from them and they don't really sugarcoat things but rather push their flaws and shortcomings into the foreground. They say things that other artists may think but be afraid to say. I don't think that they keep anything to themselves for fear of upsetting fans, unlike One Direction. For example, in interviews One Direction may have beat around the bush and been repetitive with their answers a little bit as to not reveal certain things whereas 5 Seconds of Summer doesn't really keep any secrets and, like I said before, maybe straight up make fun of themselves or their songs. If we were to ask One Direction which songs of theirs they hate, they'd mumble and stutter and do their best to be careful and say that they love all of them whereas 5SOS would be like, "Well, shit. There's so many of them. 'Don't Stop,' 'Amnesia,' 'Heartbreak Girl.' We hate them all, really."
In fact, sometimes you can't really tell when either group is telling the truth. The way One Direction sugarcoats things, 5SOS is sarcastic. Once again, this goes back to their humor.
Well, this is just the impression I get from them anyway.
I'll argue too though that 5SOS's enthusiasm for their work is still high whereas One Direction seemed to have been going through the motions at the end.
However, based on tour videos I have seen, One Direction puts on a more interactive show than 5SOS does. One Direction, particularly Harry of course, did well with developing unique relationships with their audiences. They had full blown conversations with each other and certain audience members to the point where it would turn into an improvisational comedy bit. They would sing Happy Birthday, read signs, congratulate on anniversaries and pregnancies, and just start conversing with audience members based on observations they made of them, such as what they're wearing, how they're dancing, etc.
I was looking for audience interactions like this from 5SOS concert videos, and so far I haven't really found much of it. This was a little disappointing for me to discover at first, but it's okay. The only gags that they seem to do is play each others' instruments, like Ashton would let the other guys play his drums between songs. At some shows they bring people up onstage with them and at one show Ashton did a "shoey," which is an Australian custom of drinking a beverage from a shoe. They've taken photos with their audiences and there are shows where Ashton would perform "Pizza." Things like that. lol
Ashton and Harry have the same energy. I'm the most impressed by them and the stamina that they have. They are extremely passionate about what they do and totally immerse themselves in their music and also know exactly how to hype up an audience and joke around with them. They're both very fantastic performers like that and have the best stage presence and overall talent of their respected groups, in my opinion. If the other members possibly aren't as into a show or whatever gag they are doing, these two are the ones to carry it out. Sometimes even their vocals, music tastes, and looks to an extent resemble each other. They also seem to be the most professional and grateful for their bands. And the best part about all of this is that they're friends. :)
However, while Harry would more often pinpoint specific people to talk to, Ashton just seems to focus on the crowd as a whole. 5SOS centers on playing their music for the most part, and that's fine. This isn't to say that they don't put on a good show. Music artists don't necessarily have to do bits like One Direction did, but this is just an area that One Direction and Harry Styles excel in more than any other artists I have ever seen. This is where THEY go the extra level.
But I will note that whenever something goes wrong at a show, BOTH groups know exactly how to handle it well. They acknowledge the issue and make sure to entertain the crowd while the problem gets solved.
I guess a question I can ask myself is, which band do I prefer?
When I first started listening to 5 Seconds of Summer, I always felt that I still preferred One Direction more because they have more sound variety. They have loud hype songs, but sometimes they also have quieter, more sit back and enjoy ones, so I appreciate the assortment of options. 5SOS is loud at all times to me, save for a select few quiet ones, so I felt like maybe there was so much I could take of them. There was also a point where I felt like I liked all of One Direction's songs but maybe not all of 5SOS's, but then that gradually changed as I eventually began to favor 5 Seconds of Summer more. Because they are so similar but yet so different, they're somewhat on a balanced playing field. But at the same time, they aren't, because One Direction is a done deal and was nice while it lasted from what we see right now whereas we're currently living through 5 Seconds of Summer's journey at work.
I'm also looking at their overall personalities. One Direction seemed to be (or at least portrayed themselves as) happy all of the time and consistently warm, approachable, and welcoming without question, which is nice. 5SOS, though of course down to earth as well, on the other hand seem to have more visible naturally fluctuating moods and maybe more mistakes from their pasts that people seem to be aware of, but yet I respect them more for this because this makes them normal, growing human beings. Once again, 5SOS in general is more REAL and tough to me, so therefore more likeable in that regard, while One Direction was more of a facade of potential perfection, but yet I like the cheery disposition and innocence associated with them.
As both people and entertainers, 5SOS has more authenticity while One Direction was more manufactured. One Direction gave people a break from reality whereas 5 Seconds of Summer makes satirical art exactly about reality. One Direction maybe had to maintain a squeaky clean image and be "on" all of the time while 5 Seconds of Summer does not appear to have this pressure but instead has more liberty to be human.
It's interesting how I initially claimed that One Direction emits freedom, but yet all I keep describing is how 5SOS represents this better.
To enhance this point even further, 5SOS are mental health advocates whereas One Direction is just now touching on mental health advocacy in their solo lives, such as talking more about mental health in interviews. There are so many theories about why exactly Zayn left One Direction prematurely, his mental health being one of them, and now the others are sharing more about their past mental struggles. I don't want to discredit 1D entirely here because maybe they did talk about this topic once or twice, but One Direction seemed to have swept these kind of things under the rug whereas 5SOS laid it all on the table and was open about it from the beginning. Some people even interpret "Carry On" to be about depression and anxiety and having to keep your chin up at all times during those trials.
Again, we could bring this back to difference in genre and just how they're presented once again. The rock genre and those involved with it might be more susceptible to expressing themselves in this way than pop.
I have been listening to a lot of Harry Styles lately, going back and forth between his self-titled debut album and Fine Line. I am also listening to the other One Direction guys' solo projects as well, particularly Niall's Heartbreak Weather. These are all new albums released within the last few months, with CALM being among them, so I got excited about new music from everyone. The new sound I heard from 5SOS offset the rest and they have been my constant soundtrack lately.
Discovering my appreciation for 5 Seconds of Summer gave me something new to pay attention to, especially during a down time of uncertainty with this pandemic. Catching up with the 5SOS experience has been keeping me busy and my mind off of the scariness that is happening in the real world. Anytime I get upset, I turn to them and instantly feel better, so I can understand how their lifetime fans feel about them. Some of my favorite memories now are of me going for walks or picking up takeout while listening to 5SOS on my Spotify during the lockdown. In fact, writing this essay is the most I have written and researched in months, all thanks to 5SOS.
I don't know what I would do without them, especially Ashton. He is very well-spoken and wise. He often addresses how he deals with his mental health and self-improvement, making me really consider how I approach my own. Between that, his talents and skills, his sense of humor and comedic timing, and just how he takes care of everything and looks after the other guys, he is just such an incredible and valuable member of this band.
(I'm an Ashton Girl. Can't you tell? LOL)
(Actually, I'm in Ashton's Lane. That's what the fans are saying now. If I want to be cool, I have to use the correct terminology. :P)
Say it with me, fellow Ashton fans: WE WON! :D
On September 23, 2020, Ashton Irwin announced that he will be releasing his debut solo album Superbloom on October 23! This came as a surprise to everyone, and let me tell you, I fangirled! I’m so excited for many reasons, particularly because I, like many Ashton fans, want him to sing more solos and songs of his own for 5SOS (just "Best Friend" and "Pizza" aren't going to cut it for me) and I’ve been wondering what it would be like for him to go solo, given that I follow Harry Styles’s solo career. However, of course his announcement has caused some unrest among 5SOS fans, making them wonder if 5SOS is going to disband now just like One Direction did. But Ashton said that he appreciates being in a band that gives him the freedom to have this creative outlet, so I don’t think there is anything to worry about. Remember, as I’ve said, 5SOS has a totally different relationship with each other than One Direction does. If this solo venture of his does lead to something more down the road, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
In fact, during his interview for "The Green Room with Neil Griffiths" podcast, Ashton immediately denounced the idea of them breaking up due to solo stuff, citing it as destroying that "awful construct based on ego" and saying that the band has "extra, extra to go." I trust anything Ashton says like this because to me he's straightforward and not a bullshitter.
Ashton described Superbloom as a collection of works that has helped him to express himself about his life’s philosophies thus far, so I’m looking forward to seeing what he is going to deliver. I have a feeling that I am going to like it because not only is it an album solely and fully under Ashton's control of his sound and style, I appreciate that his work will be reflecting different and deeper aspects of the human condition. I keep gushing about how well 5SOS makes music about stuff like this and now we're getting a whole ALBUM of it from ASHTON and ASHTON ONLY. His singles "Skinny Skinny," "Have U Found What Ur Looking For?" and "Scar" are already excellent.
I need this album in my life, especially now.
This is a dream come true. I feel like I've been waiting for this for years now that it's finally happening and I've only been a fan of the guy for like 6 months LOL. I have actually been working on a review of Superbloom for my next blog post. :)
Update: I have since listened to the entire album in one sitting as soon as he dropped it in full and now here is the review! :D (I have published this, but sometimes I decide to keep it in drafts the more I revise it for now. It should hopefully be live again soon.)
One Direction was there for me when I needed them, so I will always appreciate them and their music. I listen to One Direction to feel happy and comforted and I listen to 5 Seconds of Summer to feel happy but also to laugh at the absurdities of life. They both put me in good moods for various reasons.
Although I sometimes like the art that they make, I've never really been that fond of celebrities to a great extent and am usually indifferent towards them all. They've never been that important or spectacular to me and I always feel a disconnect from them. However, even though they are celebrities too, 5 Seconds of Summer just come across as regular blokes that I can relate to better, average joes that could very well be living down the block from me. They're celebrities, but yet they're not to me. While other celebrities in my opinion try to pretend like they have it all together (okay, I know that some of them are honest and real about their struggles too) and give this air that they're better than everyone else (let's be honest, we all feel this way about them sometimes), 5SOS does not put up a front like this and is more like "We're just like you." They're not fake ass kissers but instead are unapologetically themselves. I 100% respect them for this.
I feel seen. I feel like they speak for the everyman (and woman) and on behalf of people who don't have a voice. They even created Friends of Friends to support charitable organizations.
From what I gather, 5 Seconds of Summer and the One Direction guys love their fans and don't look down on regular people or really act like typical A-List celebrities, so therefore I'm willing to make a small exception for them at least. I believe that they are all good men and am grateful that all nine of them exist.
5 Seconds of Summer got (and is getting) me through this COVID-19 pandemic. I will say this until the day I die. It's fun anticipating them releasing new music and making live appearances when things get better now that I'm a fan. It already is for me looking forward to and actually seeing them do things even during lockdown and distancing. :)
Now I just feel the need to address something before I officially close out.
Often on Twitter I see toxic fans constantly at each other's throats about which artist/fandom is better, which artist is the better activist, which artist is the most problematic (as if there is a single person in this world who ISN'T problematic in some shape or form), this and that, and causing so much drama and cancel culture. I even see fans try to control what the artists themselves do, such as demanding apologies and accountability from them or telling them what to do with their social media accounts. It's extremely exhausting and anxiety-inducing and illuminates how entitled and holier than thou people have become. It makes me nostalgic for the simpler days when we would just enjoy things without controversies and I don't understand why social media had to change that just because technology today has granted us an easier digital access to others. You don't get brownie points for criticizing or defending these celebrities, because these celebrities aren't noticing. They're too busy working and making money, which is what they should be doing. They're not fighting about us, so why should we fight about them?
We may be their fans and they may legitimately care about their fans, but we're also customers to them too. Remember that. People need to stop going overboard for them.
Who cares who's more successful? Who cares about what they do or don't do? They're entertainers. That's all they are there for. They don't necessarily have any other obligation. The only thing that they "owe us," if anything, is the stuff that we've purchased from them. They are not our responsibility and we are not theirs. Getting our emotions in a bind over celebrities of all people is not worth our time. We put them all on a pedestal way too much and for some reason then hold them to a higher standard that they didn't ask for. It's not their fault that we decided to put them there.
They are flawed HUMANS just like the rest of us. None of them are the precious angels fans think they are or the perfect idols fans want them to be, so fans should stop expecting so much from them.
I always try to of course be sensitive and empathetic to other people's feelings about things, and people definitely are entitled to how they feel and to express it, but this is all getting a little out of hand now.
Being a fan of someone is supposed to be fun. Just like them for the people that they are and the art that they produce. You have the right to like and not like who and what you want, but there's absolutely no need for so much nonsense and bullying if people don't agree with you. Sometimes all you have to do is go on your way.
At the end of the day, it's about OUR relationship with THEM and their music, not their fandoms. That's exactly how I prefer it.
Just be happy, you guys. Life is too short.
Stream 5 Seconds of Summer's CALM and Happy 10 Year Anniversary to One Direction.
Lyrics from AZLyrics and Genius.
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