Following the band's hiatus in 2016, Horan signed a recording deal as a solo artist with Capitol Records and has since released three albums: Flicker (2017), Heartbreak Weather (2020) and The Show (2023) Flicker debuted at number one in Ireland and the US, and reached the top three in Australia and the UK. The album's first two singles, " This Town " and "Slow Hands", reached the top twenty in several countries. Heartbreak Weather was released in March 2020, and debuted at number one in the UK, Ireland and Mexico, and at number four in the US.
Horan's music style has been categorized as soft rock, pop, and pop rock, while also having elements of country and folk. His tenor voice has been described as "sweet, high, [and] slightly grainy." Horan grew up listening to rock bands like the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac, and crooners including Rat Pack members Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. He is also inspired by singer-songwriters such as Damien Rice, Taylor Swift, and Bruce Springsteen.
Paper Houses
Niall Horan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In this house of broken hearts
We made our love out of stacks of cards
And, yes, we tried, to hold on tight
'Cause we knew our love was hard to find
And our paper houses reach the stars'Til we break and scatter worlds apart
Yeah, I paid the price and own the scars
Why did we climb and fall so far?
We held our cards, built them high
But way too close to the light
So turn your head, and let us go
I'll learn to breathe on my own
And our paper houses reach the stars
'Til we break and scatter worlds apart
Yeah, I paid the price and own the scars
Why did we climb and fall so far?
Yeah, our paper houses reach the stars
'Til we break and scatter worlds apart
I don't wanna lose your touch
I don't wanna hurt this much
I can feel you slipping away
Yeah, I paid the price and own the scars
Why do we climb and fall so far?
Why do we climb to fall so far?
The song "Paper Houses" by Niall Horan is a poignant reflection of a broken relationship that was built on a fragile foundation of cards. The lyrics express the pain and regret of a love that wasn't strong enough to withstand the challenges that life throws our way. In the first stanza, Niall paints a picture of a beautiful but short-lived love that was built on a flimsy foundation. He acknowledges that they both knew that their love was hard to find, yet they still tried to hold on tight.
In the chorus, Niall compares their once steadfast relationship to a paper house that had reached the stars but fell apart when they broke. The imagery of the paper houses reaching the stars and eventually falling apart represents the fragility of love and how easily it can crumble. He acknowledges the sacrifices that he made for the love they shared and "paid the price and own the scars." In the second verse, Niall acknowledges that they both held on to their relationship, built it high, but too close to the light, which is a metaphor for the attention and scrutiny of the public eye. He then decides to let go and learns to breathe on his own since their relationship has reached its breaking point.
Overall, the song "Paper Houses" is a beautiful reflection of the pain and heartbreak that comes with a broken relationship. The lyrics beautifully capture the fragility of love and how difficult it is to keep it alive.
Line by Line Meaning
In this house of broken hearts
The relationship took place in a damaged and vulnerable environment
We made our love out of stacks of cards
Their love was fragile, built on risky and uncertain grounds
And, yes, we tried, to hold on tight
Despite the challenges, they held onto each other as best as they could
'Cause we knew our love was hard to find
They valued the love they had, recognizing it as something rare and precious
And our paper houses reach the stars
Their relationship seemed to have no limits or boundaries, reaching great heights
'Til we break and scatter worlds apart
However, when things fell apart, it was disastrous and everything was damaged
Yeah, I paid the price and own the scars
One person takes responsibility for their part in the failed relationship
Why did we climb and fall so far?
They question why they went so far in the relationship only for it to end in failure
We held our cards, built them high
They put a lot of effort into their relationship, trying their best to make it work
But way too close to the light
However, they got carried away and made reckless decisions
So turn your head, and let us go
It's time to let go of what was and move on
I'll learn to breathe on my own
They will learn to live without each other
I don't wanna lose your touch
One person expresses fear of losing the other completely
I don't wanna hurt this much
They don't want to experience the pain of heartbreak again
I can feel you slipping away
They sense that the relationship is ending and the other person distancing themselves
Why do we climb to fall so far?
The question is repeated, highlighting the confusion and frustration they feel about the failed relationship
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Iain Denis Archer, Niall James Horan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind