HFK Analysis- "Lie"

just watched the interview, it was so insightful, never realized how many Shakespeare allusion there is! highly recommend!

Thank you so much! I will definitely check this out!

English Teacher KP

That actually makes a lot of sense. I like the idea of miscommunication being purposely used to develop the theme of the song!

English Teacher KP

Actually your analysis of the song title put some puzzle pieces together. I’m thinking Halsey uses Lie as in to be dishonest and Quaco uses it in the sleeping with context and so they’re approaching the song from different perspectives. Maybe that’s why it feels so disjointed? Because it’s about miscommunication through untruths but also misunderstanding?

Mary Kate Doyle

https://youtu.be/YKOXCoDWpIY I really recommend this interview where she talks about the album. About this part is about 40 minutes in, if you don't have time to watch the whole thing but it's really worth it!

Lisa S

So, no one has mentioned it here yet so I have to. Halsey has said that Quavo kind of serves as a third party narrator talking to her ex. Like telling him, to treat her (Halsey or the character she represents - Luna) right so she won't complain, like it's said in the song. He serves as a Benvolio. All the artist features serve as some sort of character. I don't know if that clears any confusion but that's something to think about.

Lisa S

Haha, I didn't even think about her being short in real life. That's actually pretty funny! Also, I agree that his verse seems so generic compared to hers!

English Teacher KP

Okay, I'm so glad you hit on the disconnect/ confusion of Verse 2. I LOVE this song, it's one of my favorites off the album and Halsey's verse is so incredible. I've always felt like where Halsey approached this song with the full narrative of the HFK Romeo/Juliet theme, Quavo's verse just feels generic. It doesn't feel (at least to me) like it was written in the same context. Just like he offered to do a verse, and while some lines relate, I think it could've worked a lot more without a feature. (also I think it's funny he says there's no need to lie, but in that same Verse says "She tall like the Eifel" when like...Halsey is notoriously short so if taken literally that's just an obvious lie

Camila Dejesus

Love that Halsey seems to routinely refer back to her own lyrics! Very cool!

English Teacher KP

Right, I was trying to figure that out, too. Lying definitely causes problems in Romeo and Juliet, but the two main characters don't really lie to each othe, so I'm not sure. I do think that maybe you're right about the confusing nature of the song being deliberate. It's like the listener is being told two different things, and we aren't sure what to believe. I like your use of the word "chaos" because I found this song very chaotic.

English Teacher KP

Makes sense why they say “oh your turnin red” 😂 I’d be blushing hard LOL

Nikki S

This song definitely isn't as straightforward as some of her other songs. You mention the point of this song may be to be confusing. I feel like that is what lying causes: confusion. I'm trying to tie it back into Shakespeare, but not sure how to. Maybe that R and J were lying to their families and it led to a lot of chaos?

Gabrielle Tecklenburg

I agree that just by listening to Quavo’s part was a bit confusing. I checked out Genius lyrics site where they often have insights to songs and they mentioned an interview I hadn’t seen where Halsey explained: “I felt what it was like to be in a relationship where you would literally die for the other person, or you felt like parts of you were dying for them […]. I wanted to see what would happen if, you know, the female in the story chose herself. What if, by the end of it, she was like: ‘I’m not gonna die for you, I’m gonna pick me! My love for myself is more important than my love for you.’?” Also I did like the little “hurricane” reference in the song that Quavo said. Halsey has a song called Hurricane on their first album, badlands and in the song she says “held him captive in my kiss” and tweeted that with a wink when someone quoted “your mouth make a Hurricane”. They have another song where they mention she calls herself a Hurricane too.

Nikki S

Omg! Can you imagine?! That would be so awkward 😭😭😭

English Teacher KP

And Yess you caught the bread reference hahah I knew you would! When answering a fan who asked what their fav lyrics on the album were Halsey said she loved when she said “I’m not something to butter up and taste when you get bored” in 100 letters and then tie it in with Lie by saying “watch you devour, mistake me for bread.” !! That and the chorus of the song Heaven in Hiding they were really proud of she said.

Nikki S

Yeah I didn't care for Quavo's part either. I didn't like the sound, but I also found it confusing 😭😭😭

English Teacher KP

Halsey said that this was one of the most difficult songs to make on the album because the person she’s talking about in the song was the one producing the song while they were in the booth recording it. And the emotions of saying those words they said.

Nikki S

Ahhh I’m halfway through and keep going “YESSS! YESSS!” 😂❤️I absolutely adore halsey’s part of this song and I listen to it all the time, but I always skip quevo’s part lol just not sonically my vibe.

Nikki S

Like I said in the video, I feel incredibly torn about this song. The inconsistency may be deliberate and meant to develop the theme; however, I had a really hard time deciphering much of the song. I've listened to it a few more times, and I do like how Halsey plays around with diction by using words with romantic, negative and sexual connotations in order to give us a better understanding of the relationship. I also like how even the overtly sexual parts of the song could have multiple meanings.

English Teacher KP