Back on July 9, Harry Styles confessed to a packed house in Sacramento, CA that he fell in love to the song, "What Makes You Beautiful," a relatable tune about the sheer joy of being overwhelmed by that certain someone who turns heads and lights up your world in every way.
See: Last Night Was Wild: Harry Styles Live at the Golden 1
Thanks to Savan Kotecha, one of the songwriters of WMYB, we have known for some time that the official version of how the song came about was that the lyrics had been inspired by his wife who he eventually married in 2009, after dating for many years while working in Sweden. To support this attribution, Kotecha went on the record in several interviews to spood-feed the details of the songwriting process, yet somehow ended up providing the least romantic description of how the "inspiration" for the lyrics came about:
"Well we’re eating, but I’m just going to say it anyway, I
was literally taking a shit at the Royal Garden hotel in London. My wife was on
the other side of the wall and she was having one of those ‘I feel so ugly’ days.
I shouted ‘you’re not’ and in my mind I was thinking ‘wow, that’s one of the
great things about you is that you don’t know how beautiful you are and that’s
what makes you beautiful’."
Taking a shit? That was Kotecha's explanation for the passionate, confessional lyrics of "What's Makes You Beautiful"? Really?
How touching of Kotecha to share the graphic details of that "tender" moment with everyone. Of course, one might rationalize his oddly articulated too-much-information recollection by pointing to the fact that he was nearly 33 years old when the song was actually penned. Perhaps a man long grown out of the first bloom of starry-eyed love. Another possibility may be that bowel movements are what actually stirs the imagination of a thirty-something professional songwriter. Particularly, a long-time minion of Simon Cowell. In any event, the Number 2 impulse certainly does give new meaning to the descriptive declaration, "You light up my world like nobody else."
All snark aside, it is hard to ignore that there is an obvious emotional disconnect from the official version of WMYB's story of origin, and the romantic feelings typically associated with the pristine and tender memories of being overwhelmed by someone. Moreover, taking into account Simon Cowell's vast affinity to dissemble and dissimulate, one has to wonder how much of this background story is true and how much is drivel intentionally designed for public consumption. After all, who was Kotecha constantly exposed to during his X-Factor role as a vocal producer for the show throughout the critical time period of July 2010 to May 2011? That's right. Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles.
Love songs can be animated by many things, but more often than not by that which is new and unsullied by real world considerations. Given the sheer exuberance and joy expressed in the message behind "What Makes You Beautiful" one might ask the question about whether Kotecha had been inspired not so much by the mainstream response of his wife who he had been with for many years before supposedly suddenly penning this can't-get-enough-of-you tune. But, perhaps he was encouraged/captivated by a certain 16 and 18-year old pair of youngsters who couldn't keep their eyes or hands off of one another and who everyone (including Kotecha) saw falling in love in real time on Live TV, beginning in the autumn of 2010? Louis and Harry were a pretty powerful force of nature, after all. The kind of experience that almost writes itself.
In summary, Kotecha had been tasked with writing a debut hit record for a boyband who were already known for two members with a mutual crush on one another. Two same sex inseparables who stood out as a couple from the very beginning and who collectively named themselves, and were quickly being referred to in the media with the catchy moniker, Larry Stylinson. Theirs was a young love in its fullest bloom, growing stronger with each passing day for all to see. Both youngsters full of passion and joy, not only about their future career prospects, but the romantic dream of sharing a life together. One would have to be blind (or maybe constipated like Kotecha) to miss the immutable force of these two boyfriends who couldn't keep their hands off one another, and who routinely turned heads when they walked through the door." The perfect inspiration for a songwriter tasked with writing One Direction's debut song.
How touching of Kotecha to share the graphic details of that "tender" moment with everyone. Of course, one might rationalize his oddly articulated too-much-information recollection by pointing to the fact that he was nearly 33 years old when the song was actually penned. Perhaps a man long grown out of the first bloom of starry-eyed love. Another possibility may be that bowel movements are what actually stirs the imagination of a thirty-something professional songwriter. Particularly, a long-time minion of Simon Cowell. In any event, the Number 2 impulse certainly does give new meaning to the descriptive declaration, "You light up my world like nobody else."
Kotecha with One Direction and Cher Lloyd in Los Angeles, January 26, 2011
All snark aside, it is hard to ignore that there is an obvious emotional disconnect from the official version of WMYB's story of origin, and the romantic feelings typically associated with the pristine and tender memories of being overwhelmed by someone. Moreover, taking into account Simon Cowell's vast affinity to dissemble and dissimulate, one has to wonder how much of this background story is true and how much is drivel intentionally designed for public consumption. After all, who was Kotecha constantly exposed to during his X-Factor role as a vocal producer for the show throughout the critical time period of July 2010 to May 2011? That's right. Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles.
Love songs can be animated by many things, but more often than not by that which is new and unsullied by real world considerations. Given the sheer exuberance and joy expressed in the message behind "What Makes You Beautiful" one might ask the question about whether Kotecha had been inspired not so much by the mainstream response of his wife who he had been with for many years before supposedly suddenly penning this can't-get-enough-of-you tune. But, perhaps he was encouraged/captivated by a certain 16 and 18-year old pair of youngsters who couldn't keep their eyes or hands off of one another and who everyone (including Kotecha) saw falling in love in real time on Live TV, beginning in the autumn of 2010? Louis and Harry were a pretty powerful force of nature, after all. The kind of experience that almost writes itself.
No way did Kotecha miss what was really going on between
Louis and Harry,
and this sort of early banter makes you wonder about Kotecha's own preferences as well
and this sort of early banter makes you wonder about Kotecha's own preferences as well
In summary, Kotecha had been tasked with writing a debut hit record for a boyband who were already known for two members with a mutual crush on one another. Two same sex inseparables who stood out as a couple from the very beginning and who collectively named themselves, and were quickly being referred to in the media with the catchy moniker, Larry Stylinson. Theirs was a young love in its fullest bloom, growing stronger with each passing day for all to see. Both youngsters full of passion and joy, not only about their future career prospects, but the romantic dream of sharing a life together. One would have to be blind (or maybe constipated like Kotecha) to miss the immutable force of these two boyfriends who couldn't keep their hands off one another, and who routinely turned heads when they walked through the door." The perfect inspiration for a songwriter tasked with writing One Direction's debut song.
If only you saw what I can see,
You'll understand why I want you so
desperately,
— Louis Tomlinson (@Louis_Tomlinson) November 5, 2011
@Louis_Tomlinson have fun sweet cheeks...see you at home later .x— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) November 5, 2011
Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe
You don't know you're beautiful
Louis and Harry Live Show X-Factor October 16, 2010
This cuddly twosomeness occurred right before Louis and Harry's April 2011
ski holiday in Courchevel, France
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed
Louis and Harry making early connections with each other for all to see - X-Factor, 2010
Being the way that you are is enough
If only you saw what I can see
You'll understand why I want you so desperately
You'll understand why I want you so desperately
And turn away when I look into your eye eye eyes
But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell
You don't know you're beautiful
Inspiration personified, don't you think?
pic sources: Tumblr, X-Factor Tour, Splash
our playlist: A Thousand Years - Christina Perri
Love Is All Around - The Troggs
I Can't Help Falling in Love with You - UB40
Grenade - Bruno Mars
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