interpretation of why sign of the times is about closeting and the lgbtq+ community: a very long thread

i’ve been hesitant to share this thread for months, but coacoac has opened the conversation and i hope people are more open to different interpretations because only the artist will know the true meaning and this is all just my speculation

harry initially did not share the meaning behind the song, and it wasn’t until later that he shared the story of the mother/child and dozens of articles were written about it (also worth noting how he says he is commenting on what is going on in the world)

harry is known for keeping the meanings behind his songs a secret/up to interpretation and the only songs that he has been pretty open about have been his stunt songs, making sott a unique exception (and a story no one has really questioned)

in the song he uses “you, we, they, and me” and the perspectives are completely up to interpretation, but for the sake of this thread, i think the song is about his and louis’ experiences, but can apply to anyone who identifies with the song

like some people have come to realize, i think that sott is about being part of the lgbtq+ community and more specifically about their experiences being closeted, especially while in the band

for background, i want to note how this single was announced on the 30th anniversary of prince’s album sign o’ the times and how his song addresses world issues/events- i think this choice was purposeful, showing how it could be a source of inspiration for harry’s own version

i think the 1st verse is describing the split of 1D and how both of them are moving on into their solo careers and that this change is a part of their lives they might not be ready for, but have to face (which louis has expressed a lot in the past)

i think he is using “can’t bribe the door on your way to the sky” as a double meaning- there is the idea of sky=heaven and the history of gay people being told they are going to hell for their sexuality, hence they can’t bribe their way in because they can’t change who they are

this is seen in harry’s tattoos- he used to have “things i can’t” tattooed which got covered with the bible, and also “i can’t change” which got covered by the anchor which is tied to louis (who also can’t change)

another idea is the use of the metaphor of “heaven as a nightclub” and this could refer back to when 1D performed WMYB and had the infamous cake incident at G-A-Y nightclub, which is also less-known as Heaven

looking good, but not feeling good expresses the dichotomy between their public images and how they truly feel- it humanizes them and how they have issues in their lives that they can’t share with us

the possible connection to the nightclub incident is especially telling because that is when louis was flown out, given a new image, and a beard after being too flamboyant on stage (kind of the start of their closeting)

the pre-chorus refers to how over the years they have been through the same bullshit and nothing ever changes (a theme in coacoac)- the original lyrics were “fucking running”, but he changed it to “stuck and running” showing a contradiction in their abilities to control things

the bullets can have many meanings, and some that come to mind are all the obstacles they have had to face, the media, management, etc, but there is also a more literal explanation

tw/ mass shooting
he mentioned that sott comments on things in the world and in reference to the bullets, i think he can also be acknowledging the orlando club shooting as he posted a rainbow on IG the same day (also one of his last posts before )

the chorus brings in the “they” who are possibly management and the idea that they are under contract- there is also the notion of escaping and how they need to one day get away from the toxic music industry and live the life they want to free from it all (far away)

verse 2 again refers to coming out of the 1D bubble and how they have a newfound freedom and the prospect of things changing for them for the better, and this reminds me of the theory that they wanted to come out in 2015, but couldn’t, and how one day they will be openly together

the bridge is so important because it reflects the continuous communication issues that are echoed in his other songs, he expresses how they need to be more open with each other, and possibly how the longer they go on with stunts, the harder it will be to undo everything

the mv just gives me iicf vibes (quite literally as he flies around), but also in the lyrics about how he’d give up everything to be with louis- there is a sense of loneliness and also freedom- this also connects to his “things i can” tattoo being covered by an eagle

a small detail that tends to be overlooked is a rippling rainbow that runs across the water, which i think was his subtle way of hinting what the song is about

anyways, i tried to express all my thoughts in this thread best i could and you don’t have to agree with me since it’s all up to interpretation, but there is another huge reason why i think the way i do about sott which will be shared another time :)