When English singer-songwriter Harry Styles initially rose to prominence in 2010 as a contestant on the British talent show TV series, The X-Factor, he stood out like an elephant in a turkey factory. He obviously had “It,” whatever “It” means. Although he didn’t win the contest, he went on to become a member of the boy band, One Direction. They went on to be very successful before he went solo in 2017.
To date, Harry Styles’ biggest hit is “Watermelon Sugar.” However, the meaning behind “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles is not often talked about. What does it even mean? What’s “Watermelon Sugar” all about? Why did Harry write it in the first place? And is it about someone specifically? These are all questions I needed answers to, so here it goes.
Watermelon Sugar – The Basics
First things first, Harry Styles wrote the lyrics for the song with Mitch Rowland, not by himself. One thing I do know is that the first time I heard Watermelon Sugar, I was immediately taken aback by its warmth and soulfulness.
Its feel-good vibes were undeniable, and it quickly became a summertime jam. Blending Soul, Funk, and Pop into a single style really worked for Styles, excuse the pun.
When was it released?
“Watermelon Sugar” was released in November 2019 as the second single from Harry Styles’ second studio album, Fine Line. But, because it was such a summer jam, it was re-released in May 2020 to get everyone through the summer amidst the lockdowns, which was a God send for some.
To say “Watermelon Sugar” was a mega-global hit is an understatement. It reached #1 on the US Hot 100 Billboard Charts and the Top 10 in more than 20 countries across the world. You couldn’t turn on a radio in 2020 without these sweet guitar-driven grooves blasting out and cheering everyone up.
How many units did Watermelon Sugar sell?
It was easily one of the biggest hit songs from 2019 and 2020. “Watermelon Sugar” has sold more than five million units worldwide, with more than 936,000 of those coming from the UK alone. It spent 64 weeks on the Official Big Top-40 charts in the UK, making it the second-longest charting song in the UK ever.
Award-Winning Single
Before I delve into the meaning behind “Watermelon Sugar,” let’s talk about the plethora of accolades and awards it scooped. The song earned Harry a 2021 Grammy Award in the Best Pop Solo Performance category. It also won Song of the Year at the Brits Awards, which is massive for bands and artists from the UK.
The Story Behind “Watermelon Sugar”
The meaning behind “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles is not that complicated when you think about it. The chorus for the song was inspired by the book “In Watermelon Sugar” by Richard Brautigan, which Rowland and Styles happened to have in their possession.
Some people also believe that other influences for the song “Watermelon Sugar” came from Harry’s ex-girlfriend, Camille Rowe, who was supposedly a massive fan of the book. But that still doesn’t explain why the lyrics were written and what they meant. So, let’s take a look at some of the lyrics to “Watermelon Sugar” and decipher their meaning.
Selected lyrics to discuss…
It’s not uncommon to believe the song has strong sexuality and is about love. Let’s take a look at the lyrics to one of the verses below:
“Breathe me in, breathe me out / I don’t know if I could ever go without / I’m just thinking out loud / I don’t know if I could ever go without / Watermelon sugar high.”
I interpreted these lyrics to be about inhaling and exhaling the beautiful things in life and not wanting to live in a world without such beautiful things. On the surface, it also seems that it could be about enjoying and savoring in-season fruits that are juicy and delicious, which could also be a euphemism for beautiful women and making love. They are sensual lyrics, and you just can’t get around that.
What did Harry Styles say the song’s about?
The real meaning behind Harry Styles’ “Watermelon Sugar” from the man himself sheds a different light on what it’s all about. He told the story in the fall of 2021 during his ‘Love on Tour’ concert on stage in Nashville, Tennessee. Harry briefly talked about the lyrics to his fans just before singing the song on stage. He was quoted as saying:
“This song is about… well, it doesn’t really matter what it’s about.” And, as the crowd cheered some more, he finished off by saying. “It’s about the sweetness of life. Sing it for me!”
After Harry said that to his fans, he began singing the song. When he reached the middle part of the first verse, he shouted out to his fans, “It’s all about the female orgasm. But that’s totally different, not really relevant, so that settles that.”
So, it was a euphemism after all, just like I suggested…
And, if you read more lyrics below from the song, it now makes perfect sense:
“Strawberries on a summer evenin’ / Baby, you’re the end of June / I want your belly and that summer feelin’/ Getting washed away in you.”
I’m glad I had already eaten before reading out that last bit, or I might have gotten sick on the spot. But there it is folks, directly from the proverbial horse’s mouth, so to speak. No wonder I always felt it had a sexy summer vibe. You could almost feel the sexuality oozing out of the speakers every time it gets played.
Official Music Video
The first time I heard “Watermelon Sugar” was when watching the official music video. Sometimes, video producers and directors get too artsy when it comes to making videos instead of trying to tap into the vibe of the song.
The video wasn’t even released until May 2020, so I was late to the party. But, I have to say, it caught my imagination from the get-go. That’s because how the summer vibes in the video perfectly replicated those in the song.
The music video was filmed on a beach in Malibu, California, and was directed by Bradly & Pablo. The style of the filming was inspired by some of Paul McCartney’s 1960s-style home videos. And it even used a 35mm and 16mm Arri SR3 camera for some of the scenes. This style of filming gave the video a vintage sheen that’s pretty much unforgettable to anyone who has seen it.
Understanding the video message…
As mentioned, this song was released just before the COVID-19 pandemic. The video was released right in the middle of the lockdowns when touching each other was limited and frowned upon by certain quarters of the dullard masses. And this is the explanation for the video message at the beginning of the official video, which says, “This video is dedicated to touching.”
The good vibes and happiness in the video really do warm your cockles. It perfectly captured what the song was all about. Now, when I see the part in the video where Harry runs his fingers along a slice of watermelon on his plate, it takes on an entirely new meaning to me. It’s fun, sexy, sensual, happy, and basking in summertime soulfulness.
What is Harry Styles Net Worth
Harry Styles has been doing very well for himself over the past several years. And he has plenty of cash to show for his hard work and dedication. No one can ever accuse the singer-songwriter of being lazy. Since his solo career began in 2017, he has made three studio albums.
These albums are Harry Styles (2017), Fine Line (2019), and Harry’s House (2022). All three have been massive commercial successes. In terms of total album sales from his solo career, Harry Styles sold over 5.5m albums at the time of this writing. Almost 3.3m of those sales are from the US, while he’s also sold around 600,000 albums in his native UK.
Harry Styles net worth in 2024 is $120m, making him one of the richest Pop stars in the world over the past few years.
Want More Insight into the Meaning of Other Famous Songs?
If so, check out our thoughts on The Meaning Behind “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley, the Meaning Of “Pumped Up Kicks” Song Lyrics, The Meaning Behind “Waterfalls” by TLC, the Meaning Behind “In The Air Tonight” by Phil Collins, and The Meaning Behind Kate Bush’s 1985 Classic “Running Up That Hill” for more information, interpretations, and song selections.
Also, you need to hear them. So, have a look at our reviews of the Best Sound Quality Earbuds, the Best True Wireless Earbuds, the Best Bass Earbuds, the Best Headphones for Music, the Most Comfortable Headphones, and the Best Headphones Under $200 you can buy in 2024.
The Meaning Behind “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles – Final Thoughts
It now seems obvious that the meaning of “Watermelon Sugar” was about sex after all. Of course, it was. Everything is always about sex or money, or both. The truth is that the song is super-powerful and super-soulful in a way we don’t often see these days. The way that Harry has evolved since The X-Factor and One Direction days is pretty much astounding. Dress-wearing aside.
With three solo albums in the bag and still only 29 years old, he has the world at his feet. There’s no reason why he shouldn’t release a few more albums over the next few years. And, if he makes any single that even gets close to the vibes and popularity of “Watermelon Sugar,” it will be a gargantuan hit.
Until next time, happy listening.
