The song is about a love story gone-bad: in the first verses,
in fact, the main character thinks about the break-up with a girl whom really
loved.
In the hook, the story changes: the boy, who can’t have the
true love of her life (because she broke up with him), just passes from one
girl to another, trying to convince them and himself that he does love them,
but he realizes the he can’t forget the love of her life, who is the one that
he can’t have, as well.
[Verse 1: Harry & Liam]
[Harry]
Written in these walls are the stories that I can't explain
“This line could mean that he figuratively built a wall that
has retention of feelings that are too difficult to clarify. Also, he might be
talking about a room/place specifically. The memories made there are so
intimate and deep that they can’t be explained with words.”
I leave my heart open but it stays right here empty for days
“He’s trying to move on, thus “leaving his heart open” —
being open to new love, but no one can fill his heart the way she has.”
[Liam]
She told me in the morning she don't feel the same about us
in her bones
“The feeling of not wanting to be together anymore was so
strong and so deep, that she could feel it in her bones.”
It seems to me that when I die these words will be written on
my stone
“By stone, he is referring to his tombstone, saying that her
words will be his epitaph. He feels that he will carry the pain for the rest of
his life because of the emotional devastation.”
[Pre-Chorus: Zayn]
And I'll be gone gone tonight
The ground beneath my feet is open wide
“Zayn will be gone tonight as she tells him that she doesn’t
feel the same about their relationship. When he leaves he is so broken that it
seems like the ground opened up and he can’t stop falling.”
The way that I've been holding on too tight
With nothing in between
“This line refers to the way he has been fighting for their
love, how he has been ‘holding on’ to what they have in a metaphorical way,
when in fact there was no durable nor sustainable love within them. He feels
his effort was worthless because, in the end, he loses her anyway, but he can’t
let her go.”
[Chorus: Harry]
The story of my life, I take her home
I drive all night to keep her warm and time is frozen
(The story of, the story of)
The story of my life I give her hope
I spend her love until she's broke inside
The story of my life (the story of, the story of)
“The love he finally receives from her is spent (possibly on
another girl?) and now she feels abused because the boy had given her hope for
a real relationship, and that’s been the story of his life, always creating a
sustainable connection then tearing it down. He has become a guy who gets close
and never keeps the connection alive, taking a toll on those who want to love
him and those he wants to love.”
[Verse 2: Niall]
Written on these walls are the colors that I can't change
“Whether the room is a real physical place or not, the
stories and the emotions associated with this place are permanent. They can’t
be changed.”
Leave my heart open but it stays right here in its cage
“Now that he has suffered this heartbreak when he opens his
heart to love again he can’t do it. This line is saying that his heart is
scared to love again.”
I know that in the morning now I'll see us in the light upon
the hill
“He’s saying that he’ll see her everywhere. When he gets up
in the morning he’ll see her and be thinking of her even though she is not
there. He’s remembering their relationship even though it’s no longer there.”
Although I am broken, my heart is untamed still
“Although Niall is heart-broken from their break up, he will
eventually love again because nobody’s heart is tamable.’
[Bridge: Zayn]
And I been waiting for this time to come around
But baby running after you is like chasing the clouds
“Catching a cloud is physically impossible and Zayn uses it
as a metaphor for trying to get with this girl — no matter how much he tries to
run and seize the moment, he’ll never reach her.”
[Middle 8: Niall]
The story of my life, I take her home
I drive all night to keep her warm and time is frozen
“Not driving her home in a literal sense. He’s saying that he
would do whatever it takes to keep her happy and to keep them together but it’s
not enough. Those moments where he made her happy are frozen in time for him.”
