Black And White Niall Horan - Tumblr Posts

Black And White Analysis

DISCLAIMER: these are just my thoughts and I’m not claiming any of it is definitively true.

It’s also worth noting that Niall said some of these songs were written from the outside looking in, so they may not be about him in particular. I’m not implying anything. I just want it to be out there.

This is what Niall said about the song:  

That’s it, I’ve seen it in the movies it looks exactly like this. So I just thought black and white would be like the black suit and white dress and it would become a bit of a wedding song

He mentioned in his track-by-track that it has to do with falling in love fast even if it’s for the worse.

Verse 1: 

That first night, we were standin’ at your door Fumblin’ for your keys, then I kissed you Ask me if I wanna come inside ‘Cause we didn’t wanna end the night Then you took my hand and I followed you

This represents the idea of love at first sight and the beginning of a lifetime story.

Chorus:

Yeah, I see us in black and white Crystal clear on a starlit night In all your gorgeous colours I promise that I’ll love you for the rest of my life

Black and white could either mean in a tux and dress like he said in the track-by-track or in a metaphorical sense, exactly as they are, maybe both. I have to point out the obvious line “in all your gorgeous colours” (definitely not rainbow) as well.

See you standing in your dress Swear in front of all our friends There’ll never be another I promise that I’ll love you for the rest of my life

This is the wedding scene he envisions, proclaiming his ever-lasting love.

Verse 2:

Now we’re sittin’ here in your livin’ room Tellin’ stories while we share a drink or two And there’s a vision I’ve been holdin’ in my mind We’re sixty-five and you ask When did I first know, I always knew

He’s essentially replaying memories. Once again, I have to point out the line “When did I first know, I always knew”.

Bridge:

And I want the world to witness when we finally say “I do” It’s the way you love, I gotta give it back to you I can’t promise picket fences or sunny afternoons But at night, when I close my eyes

He wants to shout how he feels from the rooftops, even in his vision of future life. He can’t promise normalcy, but he can promise forever.

Summary: 

This song is about falling in love quickly, even if it doesn’t end with the best result. He envisions a future and the possibilities of what they could be. He wants the whole world to see what he has and how he feels even if it’s not perfect.

Anyway sorry this one’s not quite as deep as the last one, but I tried to mention all the hidden metaphors I noticed. This is one of the songs that I think could be from the outside looking in, but I don’t think sharing those opinions would be productive for a raw lyrical analysis.