Sweet Creature Explained

Sweet Creature
Type:promo
Artist:Harry Styles
Album:Harry Styles
Studio:
  • Harpoon's Barn (Los Angeles)
  • The Village (Los Angeles)
Genre:Folk rock
Length:3:45
Label:
Producer:

"Sweet Creature" is a song by English singer Harry Styles from his self-titled debut studio album (2017). It was written by Styles and Kid Harpoon, while production was handled by the latter alongside Jeff Bhasker, Alex Salibian and Tyler Johnson. It was released for digital download and streaming as a promotional single on 2 May 2017, by Columbia Records. Musically, the song is an acoustic folk ballad that relies on a guitar-driven production. The lyrics tell of two young people, separated by circumstance but with a common bond, home.

Critics praised Styles's earnest vocal performance, and commented on the track's sound. Some felt that the song showcased Styles's strengths and signaled a maturity in his musical direction. The track received widespread comparisons to the Beatles' 1968 song, "Blackbird". "Sweet Creature" peaked at number 46 on the UK Singles Chart and entered the top 40 in record charts in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, and Spain. It received platinum certifications in Australia, Brazil, Canada, and the United States. Styles performed the song on The One Show, and included it on the setlist of .

Background

Harry Styles's music career began in 2010 as a member of the boy band One Direction.[1] [2] Rumours about Styles embarking on a solo career sparked in 2015 after four new songs written and recorded by him were registered on the ASCAP online database, that were believed to be for his potential debut solo album.[3] Following One Direction's indefinite hiatus in 2016,[4] he signed a recording contract with Columbia Records as a solo artist.[5] [6] In February 2017, Rob Stringer, the CEO of Columbia Records, revealed that Styles's debut album was close to being completed.[7] Styles released his debut single "Sign of the Times" in April 2017, and announced that his eponymous debut studio album would be released the following month.[8] [9] For the album, he took inspiration from the music of Pink Floyd, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Fleetwood Mac to recreate a 1970s-influenced rock record.[10] [11] Styles enlisted producers Jeff Bhasker, Alex Salibian, Tyler Johnson, and Kid Harpoon.

Styles wrote "Sweet Creature" with Harpoon.[12] It was the first song that the duo wrote for the album.[13] Production was handled by Harpoon, Bhasker, Salibian, and Johnson.[14] The recording took place in Harpoon's Barn and The Village in Los Angeles. Harpoon played bass, guitar, and güiro, as well as provided background vocals. Bhasker played the piano and served as the executive producer. Harpoon and Ryan Nasci engineered the song with Matt Dyson and Michael Freeman. The song was mixed by Mark "Spike" Stent at EastWest Studios, Los Angeles, and mastered by Chris Gehringer at Sterling Sound in Edgewater, New Jersey.[12]

Music and lyrics

"Sweet Creature" is an acoustic folk ballad,[14] [15] with a length of three minutes and 45 seconds.[16] Bernard Zuel of The Sydney Morning Herald characterised its sound as country-pop.[17] The song employs fingerstyle guitar picking, bass, simple harmonies, and background runs.[14] [18] On the track, Styles croons the song's title over and over, accompanied by guitar riffs.[15] [19] [20] Sasha Geffen of MTV News noted that backing instruments and vocals get added later to the song's guitar-driven production. Geffen said that the track lowered the magnitude from Styles's sonorous debut single, "Sign of the Times", to "an intimate, acoustic level".[21] According to Digital Spy's Justin Harp, the song, although not very different from the ballads of One Direction, marked a departure from the energetic pop sound of the band.[22]

Several critics compared the track's acoustic guitar arrangement to that of the Beatles's 1968 song, "Blackbird". Reviewers such as, Rick Pearson of Evening Standard and Jeremy Gordon of Spin said that it sounded like the works of the pop singer Ed Sheeran, and Pearson compared it specifically to his 2017 album ÷.[19] [23] Varietys Eve Barlow noted that the song attempted to emulate the guitar sound of the Beatles' "Norwegian Wood", Plain White T's' "Hey There Delilah", and Fleetwood Mac's "Never Going Back Again".

In an interview with radio host Zach Sang in May 2017, Styles revealed that "Sweet Creature" was written about a specific person.[24] He said that the song was "more so than one story, it's very much a piece of me that I haven't shared or talked about before".[25] Sung in the form of a lullaby, according to Entertainment Weeklys Leah Greenblatt,[26] the track's lyrics discuss the confusion and potency of young love.[14] In the song, Styles sings of an imaginative animal, who's not named.[19] A guitar strum opens the track, over which Styles sings: "Sweet creature, had another talk about where it's going wrong".[15] It leads to the chorus, which has been described by Idolators Mike Wass as "loved-up" and "starry-eyed": "Sweet creature, sweet creature/ When I run out of rope, you bring me home."[15] Harp interpreted the refrain's lyrics as a declaration that "love alone is sometimes enough to bridge the divide in a rocky relationship".[22] Annie Zaleski of The A.V. Club described it as "a simple but effective song praising the strength of a bond that endures despite turbulence".[27]

Critical reception

Critics complimented Styles's vocal performance, often singling out his singing as "earnest" and "honest",[19] [28] including Mikael Woo of the Los Angeles Times, who described Styles's vocals as "honeyed croon".[29] Gordon said that as with Sheeran's best songs, "Sweet Creature" trades in fanciful words for sincere pining that awaits to captivate the listener with earnestness.[19] Reviewers such as Billboards Da'Shan Smith and Rolling Stones Jon Blistein felt the song showcased Styles's vocal range that allowed him to perform "some pretty spectacular power notes".[14] [30] Bridgett Henwood of Vox and Jon Caramanica of The New York Times deemed "Sweet Creature" as one of the album's highlights, with the latter praising Styles's singing.[31] BBC News writer Mark Savage labelled it as the album's "most effective, direct song".[32] Greenblatt regarded the song as "delicate sketches, wistful and pretty", alongside the track "Two Ghosts".[26] Writing for the Windsor Star, Chris Lackner viewed it as "a tear-jerking, lighter charged live concert closer".[33]

Reviewers felt that the song showcased Styles's strengths and signaled a maturity in his musical direction.[22] Harp felt that the song displayed Styles's musical maturity and singled out the lyrics on the refrain to explain his viewpoint.[22] Similarly, Jessica Hopper of MTV News noted that it signaled a musical maturity for Styles, by "sound[ing] like someone wanting the intimacy and quiet sensuality of Jeff Buckley's Grace and Ryan Adams's Heartbreaker".[34] David Sackllah of Consequence asserted that the track finds Styles relaxed and that he is able to "find his strengths".[35] In a similar vein, Daniel Tovar from Pretty Much Amazing commented that the song demonstrated Styles's skill as a balladeer.[36]

The track's sound, described by The Straits Times as a "modern-day take" on "Blackbird",[37] and noted approvingly by Exclaim!, was criticised by Drowned in Sound as "the latest futile attempt at a 'Blackbird' reworking". Leonie Coope, writing for NME, felt the song rendered a "country-indebted Laurel Canyon sound" that "could have as easily have been written about Joni Mitchell as much as his ex Taylor Swift".[38] In a less enthusiastic review, music critic Greg Kot dismissed the song as trivial, although he discerned that Styles's vocals and the guitar arrangement made him "appear older than his years".[39]

Release and commercial performance

Harry Styles premiered "Sweet Creature" on Zane Lowe's radio show on Apple Music 1, on 2 May 2017.[30] [40] Columbia Records simultaneously released the song for digital download and streaming as a promotional single from Harry Styles. Upon its release, the song reached the top of the Billboard Twitter Real-Time chart.[41]

The song debuted at number 74 on the UK Singles Chart dated 12 May 2017.[42] The following week, it reached number 46, which became its peak. The song received a platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), which denotes track-equivalent sales of 600,000 units. The single peaked within the top 40 at number 21 in Spain, number 37 in Ireland and Scotland, and number 39 in Australia and New Zealand. Elsewhere, it reached number 52 in France, number 55 in Slovakia, number 57 in Czech Republic and Portugal, number 69 in Canada, number 78 in Netherlands, number 85 in Italy, number 93 in the United States, and number 95 in Sweden. The single also received gold certifications in Denmark and Italy, platinum certifications in Brazil, Canada, and the United States and double platinum in Australia.

On 12 May 2017, Styles first performed "Sweet Creature" on The One Show.[43] [44] The following day, he sang it on his one-night concert at the Garage, London to promote the release of Harry Styles.[44] Styles included it on the setlist for, which ran from September 2017 to July 2018.[45] While reviewing his concert at the Forum on 14 July 2018, August Brown of Los Angeles Times said that Styles's performance of "Sweet Creature" showcased his "big range and comfort in the most intimate of arrangements".[46]

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Harry Styles.[12]

Charts

Chart (2017)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Italy (FIMI)[47] 85
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[48] 55

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Boy Bands Are Back, Wholesome or Sexy. Mckinley Jr.. James C.. The New York Times. 23 March 2012. 18 January 2021. limited. https://web.archive.org/web/20130227235103/https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/24/arts/music/one-direction-and-the-wanted-boy-bands-return.html?_r=2. 27 February 2013. live.
  2. Harry Styles' New Direction. Crowe. Cameron. Rolling Stone. 18 April 2017. 18 January 2021. limited. https://web.archive.org/web/20200810230312/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/harry-styles-new-direction-119432/. 10 August 2020. live.
  3. Stutz. Colin. Harry Styles' 4 New Solo Song Titles: What to Make of His Copyright Registrations. 14 April 2017. Billboard. 30 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160101065449/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/6828209/harry-styles-4-solo-song-new-copyright-registrations-titles. 1 January 2016. live.
  4. 10 Years of One Direction: The Story of the World's Biggest Boy Band, Told With the Fans Who Made It Happen. Paul. Larisha. Billboard. 16 July 2020. 15 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210208192627/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9419436/one-direction-ten-year-anniversary-fan-interviews. 8 February 2021. live.
  5. Harry Styles Splits With One Direction's Management, Joins Azoff. Schneider. Marc. Billboard. 1 February 2017. 18 January 2021. subscription. https://web.archive.org/web/20201114170959/http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6859541/harry-styles-management-jeffrey-azoff-modest. 14 November 2020. live.
  6. Harry Styles Signs Recording Contract With Columbia: Exclusive. Halperin. Shirley. Billboard. 23 June 2016. 16 October 2017. subscription. https://web.archive.org/web/20171019111119/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7416429/harry-styles-solo-record-deal-one-direction. 19 October 2017. live.
  7. Halperin. Shirley. Incoming Sony Music Head Rob Stringer on Harry Styles' 'Authentic' Solo Debut: 'We're Close'. 15 April 2017. Billboard. 9 February 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170209151706/http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7685155/no-5-rob-stringer-power-100-2017. 9 February 2017. live.
  8. Harry Styles Self-Titled Debut Due May 12, Check Out Tracklist. Kaufman. Gil. Billboard. 13 April 2017. 13 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170623084612/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7760233/harry-styles-self-titled-debut-may-12-tracklist. 23 June 2017. live.
  9. Harry Styles Debuts Cover Art for First Solo Single, 'Sign of the Times'. Tom. Lauren. Billboard. 31 March 2017. 3 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170403070610/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7744377/harry-styles-solo-single-cover-art-sign-of-the-times. 3 April 2017. live.
  10. Web site: Coscarelli . Joe . Harry styles Opens Up, Slightly, About Going Solo With a Rock Edge . . 16 August 2021 . 11 May 2017 . limited. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170512031939/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/11/arts/music/harry-styles-solo-album-interview.html?_r=0. 12 May 2017.
  11. Web site: Petridis . Alexis . Harry Styles: Harry Styles review – ticking every box on the Take Me Seriously checklist . . 16 August 2021 . 12 May 2017 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170512014432/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/may/12/harry-styles-debut-review-homages-one-direction. 12 May 2017.
  12. Harry Styles. Harry Styles. 2017. CD liner notes. Columbia Records. 88985436772. 2.
  13. Harry Styles Says 'Sweet Creature' Is About Someone, But Won't Say Who. Stutz. Colin. Billboard. 4 May 2017. 16 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210502164645/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7784812/harry-styles-sweet-creature-about-someone. 2 May 2021. live.
  14. Hear Harry Styles' Sweeping New Folk Song 'Sweet Creature'. Blistein. Jon. Rolling Stone. 2 May 2017. 16 August 2021. limited. https://web.archive.org/web/20210502164645/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7784812/harry-styles-sweet-creature-about-someone. 2 May 2021. live.
  15. Web site: Wass . Mike . Harry Styles Charms With Acoustic Ballad 'Sweet Creature' . . 16 August 2021 . 2 May 2017 . live. https://archive.today/20210816152452/https://www.idolator.com/7662247/harry-styles-ballad-sweet-creature?chrome=1. 16 August 2021.
  16. Web site: Sweet Creature. Tidal. 12 October 2019. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210816152346/https://listen.tidal.com/album/73489549/track/73489550. 16 August 2021.
  17. Web site: Zuel . Bernard . Harry Styles solo album finds more than one direction . . 18 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170513054333/https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/harry-styles-solo-album-finds-more-than-one-direction-20170512-gw3h0v.html . 13 May 2017 . 12 May 2017 . live.
  18. Web site: Fusilli . Jim . 'Harry Styles' Review: Going Off in a New Direction . . 19 August 2021 . subscription . https://web.archive.org/web/20170517093858/https://www.wsj.com/articles/harry-styles-review-going-off-in-a-new-direction-1494969016 . 17 May 2017 . 16 May 2017 . live.
  19. Web site: Gordon . Jeremy . If You Didn't Already Think Harry Styles Is Serious, His New Song 'Sweet Creature' Might Sway You . . 16 August 2021 . 2 May 2017 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170502233358/https://www.spin.com/2017/05/harry-styles-sweet-creature-review/. 2 May 2017.
  20. Web site: Every single Harry Styles song, ranked . . 16 August 2021 . 1 February 2021 . live. https://archive.today/20210816152814/https://www.insider.com/harry-styles-songs-ranked. 16 August 2021.
  21. Web site: Geffen . Sasha . Harry Styles gets in his feelings on new song 'Sweet Creature' . . 18 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170502214113/http://www.mtv.com/news/3008468/harry-styles-sweet-creature/ . 2 May 2017 . 2 May 2017 . dead.
  22. Web site: Harp . Justin . Harry Styles's romantic ballad 'Sweet Creature' is going to make you swoon . . 16 August 2021 . 2 May 2017 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201027011725/https://www.digitalspy.com/music/a827341/harry-styles-new-song-sweet-creature-debuts-listen-now/. 27 October 2020.
  23. Web site: Pearson. Rick. Harry Styles album review: 'A self-consciously serious and grown-up effort'. Evening Standard. 12 May 2017 . 12 May 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170515222639/https://www.standard.co.uk/stayingin/music/harry-styles-album-review-a-selfconsciously-serious-and-grownup-effort-a3537171.html. 15 May 2017.
  24. Stutz . Colin . Harry Styles Says 'Sweet Creature' Is About Someone, But Won't Say Who . . 17 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170505024850/https://billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7784812/harry-styles-sweet-creature-about-someone . 5 May 2017 . 5 May 2017 . live.
  25. Web site: Britton . Luke Morgan . Harry Styles discusses new single 'Sweet Creature' . . 16 August 2021 . 4 May 2017 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170504233251/https://www.nme.com/news/music/harry-styles-discusses-new-single-sweet-creature-2066057. 4 May 2017.
  26. Harry Styles pays tribute to his musical heroes on solo debut: EW review . Greenblatt . Leah . 12 May 2017 . . 12 May 2017 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170512061435/https://ew.com/music/2017/05/12/harry-styles-review/. 12 May 2017.
  27. Web site: Zaleski . Annie . Harry Styles takes a bold step forward by leaning on the past in his solo debut . . 16 August 2021 . 15 May 2017 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170908162823/https://www.avclub.com/harry-styles-takes-a-bold-step-forward-by-leaning-on-th-1798191350. 8 September 2017.
  28. Web site: Harry Styles' Solo Album: A Track-by-Track Breakdown . Barlow . Eve . 12 May 2017 . . 7 July 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170512102857/https://variety.com/2017/music/news/harry-styles-solo-album-track-breakdown-1202424544/. 12 May 2017.
  29. Web site: Review: Harry Styles is a young classic rocker on his dad-baiting solo debut. Wood. Mikael. Los Angeles Times. 12 May 2017. 13 May 2017. limited. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170512202919/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-harry-styles-review-20170512-story.html. 12 May 2017.
  30. Harry Styles Debuts New Song 'Sweet Creature' . Smith . Da'Shan . 2 May 2017 . . 9 July 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170503025351/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7777148/harry-styles-sweet-creature-new-song-listen. 3 May 2017.
  31. Web site: Harry Styles Fights the Spotlight on His Debut Solo Album . Caramanica . Jon . Jon Caramanica. 17 May 2017 . . 8 July 2017. limited. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170517221959/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/17/arts/music/harry-styles-self-titled-album-review.html. 17 May 2017.
  32. Web site: Is Harry Styles' album worth the wait? . Savage . Mark . 12 May 2017 . BBC News. 21 May 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170512064405/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-39883061. 12 May 2017.
  33. News: Pop Forecast – Music. Lackner. Chris. Windsor Star. 4. 9 May 2017. 24 April 2021. Newspapers.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20210818110836/https://www.newspapers.com/image/505959317/. 18 August 2021. live.
  34. Web site: Harry Styles, The Album: An MTV News Reaction Roundtable . . 18 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170517033758/http://www.mtv.com/news/3013371/harry-styles-album-critics-roundtable/ . 17 May 2017 . 16 May 2017 . dead.
  35. Web site: Album Review: Harry Styles – Harry Styles . Sackllah . David . 18 May 2017 . . 9 July 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210517052347/https://consequence.net/2017/05/album-review-harry-styles-harry-styles/. 17 May 2021.
  36. Web site: Tovar . Daniel . Review: Harry Styles, Harry Styles . Pretty Much Amazing . 17 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170531154432/http://prettymuchamazing.com/reviews/harry-styles-harry-styles/ . 31 May 2017 . 16 May 2017 . live.
  37. Web site: Soft rock with an edge . 17 May 2017 . . Anjali . Raguraman . 25 June 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170530173543/http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/soft-rock-with-an-edge. 30 May 2017.
  38. Web site: Cooper. Leonie. Harry Styles – Harry Styles review. NME. 11 May 2017 . 12 May 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170512060619/https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/harry-styles-harry-styles-album-review-nme. 12 May 2017.
  39. Web site: Harry's solo style derivative, lacking One Direction hook power . Kot . Greg . Greg Kot. 14 May 2017 . . 8 July 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170515043556/https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-music-harry-styles-one-direction-ent-0515-20170512-column.html. 15 May 2017.
  40. Web site: Britton . Luke Morgan . Listen to Harry Styles' new single 'Sweet Creature' . . 16 August 2021 . 2 May 2017 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170502181633/https://www.nme.com/news/music/harry-styles-new-single-sweet-creature-2064218. 2 May 2017.
  41. Zellner . Xander . Harry Styles' New Song 'Sweet Creature' Tops Billboard + Twitter Trending 140 Chart . . 16 August 2021 . 2 May 2017 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170502232531/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/7783462/harry-styles-sweet-creature-billboard-twitter-trending-chart. 2 May 2017.
  42. Web site: Official Singles Chart Top 100 (12 May 2017 – 18 May 2017) . . 16 August 2021 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170525180637/https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/20170512/7501/. 25 May 2017.
  43. Web site: Hegarty . Tasha . Harry Styles sends fans into meltdown with his performance on The One Show . . 16 August 2021 . 12 May 2017 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210816150106/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a828203/harry-styles-fans-meltdown-after-a-performance-on-the-one-show/. 16 August 2021.
  44. Web site: Pike . Naomi . Harry Styles's Big Week: A Timeline . . 16 August 2021 . 19 May 2021 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170519022923/https://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/harry-styles-album-may-12. 19 May 2017.
  45. Spanos. Brittany. Brittany Spanos . Harry Styles Bridges Past and Present at Stirring Tour Kickoff Show. Rolling Stone. 20 September 2017. 21 September 2017. limited. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20190522010953/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-live-reviews/harry-styles-bridges-past-and-present-at-stirring-tour-kickoff-show-197766/. 22 May 2019.
  46. Web site: Ending a year-long classic arena tour, Harry Styles proves he is the future of rock 'n' roll. Brown. August. Los Angeles Times. 15 July 2018. 11 October 2019. limited. https://web.archive.org/web/20180717155111/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-harry-styles-kacey-musgraves-20180713-story.html. 17 July 2018. live.
  47. Web site: Classifica settimanale WK 18. Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Italian. 24 April 2022.
  48. Web site: SK – Singles Digital – Top 100. IFPI Czech Republic. Slovak. 18 August 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180818182141/http://www.ifpicr.cz/hitparada/index.php?a=titul&hitparada=43&titul=157238&sec=64e87a591f7bc0b8e019623235b551b6. 18 August 2018.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Sweet Creature".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.