Upon the reveal of the track’s title on December 29, 2019 via multiple social media posts, fans quickly connected the title to former beau Niall Horan, who made his music debut in boyband One Direction before he pursued a solo career in 2016. The pair dated for around a year before splitting in December 2018, a full year before “Wrong Direction” was released. Hailee is yet to confirm or deny the connection.
The track was first previewed by ultrasubversive, a frequent source of pop music information on Twitter, on December 27, 2019. The source revealed the song’s title, release date, and a snippet the track’s chorus.
A music video for the track was premiered on January 8, 2020.
"'I’ve learned how easy it is to fall in love with the idea of falling in love, and more importantly, how hard it can be to accept the reality of losing yourself in someone else’s version of the word. I wrote this song at a low point in my life, when I realized I had spent over a year falling in a direction so far from who I was.'"
–Hailee Steinfeld via Apple Music
"'I love this song so much because I feel like I actually wrote the song that sounds like how I felt. It was as easy to write as it was difficult. I knew what I wanted to say, but saying it felt weird and it was hard. It was a very strange session. I found myself pacing around a lot and having to leave the room and come back. And again, I think it was me not wanting to accept the reality of my truth. But I was in a room with amazing people who I love—and who by that point I had spent a lot of time with—and they kept me on track and brought out the best of me in that moment. It’s crazy—I put this song out on New Year’s and didn’t perform it until months later on a late-night show. You’d think enough time had gone by that I wouldn’t be as affected, but performing it, I felt like the wind got knocked out of me. I’d never had a moment like that before. Singing it there, for the first time, it felt like my whole heart was in the middle of the room.'"
– Hailee Steinfeld via Apple Music
Wrong Direction
Hailee Steinfeld Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No, I couldn't if I wanted to
I just hate all the hurt that you put me through
And that I blame myself for letting you
Did you know I already knew?
Couldn't even see you through the smoke
Lookin' back, I probably should have known
But I just wanted to believe that you were out sleepin' alone
Loved me with your worst intentions
Didn't even stop to question
Every time you burned me down
Don't know how, for a moment it felt like heaven
Loved me with your worst intentions
Painted us a happy ending
Every time you burned me down
Don't know how, for a moment it felt like heaven
And it's so gut-wrenchin'
Fallin' in the wrong direction
On my tip-toes
But I still couldn't reach your ego
Guess I was crazy to give you my body, my mind
Don't know what I was thinkin' 'til now
Everyone thinks that you're somebody else
You even convinced yourself
Couldn't even see you through the smoke
Lookin' back, I probably should have known
But I just wanted to believe that you were out sleepin' alone
Loved me with your worst intentions
Didn't even stop to question
Every time you burned me down
Don't know how, for a moment it felt like heaven
Loved me with your worst intentions
Painted us a happy ending
Every time you burned me down
Don't know how, for a moment it felt like heaven
And it's so gut-wrenchin' (ooh, ooh)
Fallin' in the wrong direction (ooh, ooh)
How did you sweep me right off my feet?
Baby, I can't keep falling in the wrong direction
How did you sweep me right off my feet?
Right off my feet
Couldn't even see you through the smoke
Lookin' back, I probably should have known
But I just wanted to believe that you were out sleepin' alone
Loved me with your worst intentions
Didn't even stop to question (oh, no)
Every time you burned me down
Don't know how, for a moment it felt like heaven
Loved me with your worst intentions
Painted us a happy ending (ooh)
Every time you burned me down (me down)
Don't know how, for a moment, it felt like heaven
And it's so gut-wrenchin'
Fallin' in the wrong direction
The song "Wrong Direction" by Hailee Steinfeld is about coming to terms with the pain caused by a past relationship. The lyrics describe how the singer couldn't hate the person who hurt her, but instead has to live with the pain and self-blame that comes with a broken heart. She reflects on how she should have seen the signs that the relationship was doomed to fail, and regrets the naivete she had in hoping that everything would work out.
The chorus reflects the conflicting emotions the singer is experiencing, as she describes how the person who hurt her loved her with their worst intentions. Despite the pain, there were moments in the relationship that felt like heaven, which makes her decision to move on even more difficult. She ends the song by acknowledging the pain of falling in the wrong direction and the difficulty of recovering from heartbreak.
Overall, the song is a powerful reflection on the complexities of love and the pain that comes with its loss. It highlights the emotional struggle of dealing with a breakup and the difficulty of moving on.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't hate you
I don't have any negative feelings towards you
No, I couldn't if I wanted to
It's impossible for me to hate you even if I try
I just hate all the hurt that you put me through
I hate the pain that you caused me
And that I blame myself for letting you
I hold myself responsible for allowing you to hurt me
Did you know I already knew?
I was aware of your dishonesty
Couldn't even see you through the smoke
I couldn't see the truth behind your lies
Lookin' back, I probably should have known
If I reflect on the past, I should have realized your betrayal
But I just wanted to believe that you were out sleepin' alone
I wanted to trust that you were faithful and not cheating on me
Love me with your worst intentions
You pretended to love me while planning to hurt me all along
Didn't even stop to question
You never stopped to consider the consequences of your actions
Every time you burned me down
Every time you hurt me emotionally
Don't know how, for a moment it felt like heaven
Despite the pain, there were brief moments where I felt happy
Painted us a happy ending
You had a false and misleading vision of a positive outcome for us
And it's so gut-wrenchin'
It's extremely painful and distressing
Fallin' in the wrong direction
Being in a toxic and harmful relationship
On my tip-toes
I gave so much to the relationship and tried to make it work
But I still couldn't reach your ego
I couldn't meet your self-centered and narcissistic needs
Guess I was crazy to give you my body, my mind
I realize now that I was foolish to trust you with my physical and emotional well-being
Don't know what I was thinkin' 'til now
I wasn't thinking clearly until I got out of the relationship
Everyone thinks that your somebody else
Other people believe that you are a different person than who I thought you were
You even convinced yourself
You are in denial about your true character and actions
How did you sweep me right off my feet?
How did you charm me and make me fall for your deceitful ways?
Baby, I can't keep falling in the wrong direction
I cannot continue to be in a destructive relationship
Love me with your worst intentions
You pretended to love me while planning to hurt me all along
Didn't even stop to question (oh, no)
You never stopped to consider the consequences of your actions
Painted us a happy ending (ooh)
You had a false and misleading vision of a positive outcome for us
Every time you burned me down (me down)
Every time you hurt me emotionally
Don't know how, for a moment, it felt like heaven
Despite the pain, there were brief moments where I felt happy
And it's so gut-wrenchin'
It's extremely painful and distressing
Fallin' in the wrong direction
Being in a toxic and harmful relationship
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Elizabeth Boland, Hailee Steinfeld, Skyler Stonestreet, Stephen Kozmeniuk
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@adelegill
The poem I wrote while listening to this song..
We feel broken.
Yes, life threw the bombs.
We feel broken.
You and me. We were only kids.
Why do we feel we deserve it?
Nobody knew what we were going through.
They just pointed and laughed and judged.
Who knew how life would turn out?
All the things that came after.
We seem broken.
Every single time he would hit her,
We felt the pain.
It ripped us apart.
And when he left this world,
we didn't know what to do.
What to do with our scars.
So we created our own.
We reek of brokenness.
Somehow the pain ripped us apart.
We became different people.
Too different.
We were a puzzle, but didn't know how
to put the broken pieces together.
So we gave up.
Not willing to give in or to bend.
So much memories we missed out on.
We held each other so tight to protect from getting hurt.
But now.
We throw the blows.
I feel broken.
I keep throwing bombs.
I am grown now.
I still feel I deserve it.
We all know what we've been through.
We are not yet broken
@luke3912
Yeah. I lost my two friends I made last year. I'm not gonna be giving names but there were these two girls. One of them was a new girl that I later found out was going to stay at the school for a year because the school she was going to was full or somethin'. The other girl was in my class last year, but I didn't know much about her.
So I quickly become friends with them because 1. all of my friends were in separate classes and the only times I got to see them were when I got lucky at lunch and recess and 2. I was kinda interested in talking with them. The year goes on until one day in mid-November 2020 on a Wednesday that the girl that was in my class last year comes to tell me that they didn't want to be friends with me anymore. Before this, the new girl asks if she could talk to the other girl for a bit, and I'm like "Okay, sure.". I had been kinda suspicious about them since they were kinda distant at this time.
So then I ask "Why?", and the other girl says because "Well, I don't really know how to explain it, but we just each want only 1 friend so yeah.". She then proceeds to walk away. I start deeply thinking and eventually sorta start crying. Then we all go to lunch and I'm just left with that. The whole year goes by with also my depression, anxiety, and my hardest time with suicidal thoughts.
They both said that they were going to go to a different school, but only the new girl did. Now it's really awkward with the other girl when we pass by each other. No harsh feelings and at least we're not in the same class.
I hope they are both in a better place now and the thing is, I don't even know if they're still friends. Friendship breakups or whatever you wanna call them are hard af too. Now I have my best friend in my class this year and things are better.
Bless you, all to whoever reads all of this, and thank you. Anyways, I'm on a family member's account, and yeah.
@Sarah_and_Finny
“Every time you burned me down, don’t know how, for a moment it felt like heaven.”
You may relate to this because you felt you needed that person to feel important or loved.
But you may relate to this because you loved that person and wanted to give your all to and for them despite how much it was hurting you.
And what may really hurt after this way of living is the way these lyrics below reflect the aftermath.
“I don’t hate you. I couldn’t if I wanted to. I just hate all the pain that you put me through…”
“ And that I blame myself for letting you. “
@ketlynsilveira4536
I don't hate you
No, I couldn't if I wanted to
I just hate all the hurt that you put me through
And that I blame myself for letting you
Did you know I already knew?
…
Couldn't even see you through the smoke
Looking back I probably should have known
But I just wanted to believe that you were out sleepin’ alone
…
Loved me with your worst intentions
Didn't even start to question
Every time you burn me down
Don't know how, for a moment, it felt like heaven
Loved me with your worst intentions
Painted us a happy ending
Every time you burn me down
Don't know how, for a moment, it felt like heaven
…
And it's so gut-wrenchin’
Fallin’ in the wrong direction
…
On my tip-toes
But I still couldn't reach your ego
Guess I was crazy to give you my body, my mind
Don't know what I was thinkin’ ‘til now
Everyone thinks that your somebody else
You even convinced yourself
…
Couldn't even see you through the smoke
Lookin’ back I probably should have known
But I just wanted to believe that you were out sleepin' alone
…
Loved me with your worst intentions
Didn't even start to question
Every time you burn me down
Don't know how, for a moment, it felt like heaven
Loved me with your worst intentions
Painted us a happy ending
Every time you burn me down
Don't know how, for a moment, it felt like heaven
…
And it's so gut-wrenchin’ (ooh, ooh)
Fallin' in the wrong direction (ooh, ooh)
How did you sweep me right off my feet, baby, I can't heal
Falling in the wrong direction
How did you sweep me right off my feet, right off my feet
…
Couldn't even see you through the smoke
Lookin' back I probably should have known
But I just wanted to believe that you were out sleepin' alone
…
Loved me with your worst intentions
Didn't even start to question (oh no)
Every time you burn me down
Don't know how, for a moment, it felt like heaven
Loved me with your worst intentions
Painted us a happy ending (ooh)
Every time you burn me down (me down)
Don't know how, for a moment, it felt like heaven
…
And it's so gut-wrenchin’
Fallin’ in the wrong direction
@didikhan603
"I dont hate you"
"I just hate what you put me through"
This is deep
@BreakingDawn2471
I was still in love with him when I made the decision to leave because I hate what he put me through. Even with being engaged he told me to get rid of the ring and on his grandma's grave he'd never love or see me again. Hope all will be alright in the end.
@sitwatkhan8903
I hope x😢😢❤
@BadActingWYIM
Rolls eyes
@carlastewart8421
@@BreakingDawn2471 when I was 9 months pregnant my ex-husband told me he wasn't ready to be a father he cheated on me while I was pregnant I thought it was my fault I thought I wasn't enough but the thing is he wasn't enough I'm now very happily married he treat me like a princess
@elliefp955
Carla Stewart you and your baby deserve all the happiness in the world girl, never let anyone make you feel otherwise 💕
@deepankijain
"on my tip-toes but I still couldn't reach your ego"
touched my heart....
@kilpacad
Deepanki Jain this was my favorite line. It’s amazing.
@shivaaanimane6750
Mine too
@adriennenewman9676
Dude like legit that line hit hardcore🤦🏼♀️