Medicine (song)

## Medicine

**Medicine** is an unreleased song performed by Harry Styles. He performed the song live on the second leg of his live tour during 2018. This was one of the first songs he wrote for his album, however he later decided to scrap it.

## Background

Harry Styles and Thomas Hull wrote “Medicine” together with the songs on his self-titled debut album, although “Medicine” did not end up on the album itself.

The song was first heard by the general public in Switzerland, during the first show of Harry’s first world tour. Later in that same show, the unreleased “Oh Anna” was also performed for the first time. “Medicine” was registered on ASCAP databases in April 2019. Styles played "Medicine" at his second night of Harryween Fancy Dress Party on 31 October 2021. He also played "Medicine" at his second night headlining Coachella. Styles performed "Medicine" on select nights during his Love on Tour 2022 residency shows in New York, Austin, and Chicago.

On 20 April 2022, The Studio Version of the song got leaked along with “Oh Anna” and a few unreleased songs by Styles. On August 30, 2023 a snippet of the song’s demo containing alternative lyrics leaked online.

## Music and composition

Performing in Basel, Switzerland on 11 March 2018, Harry Styles talked about the support he received for his solo work, adding:

> “We wrote a lot of songs for that album and we chose ten that I loved, and, uh, we wrote–we’ve never played this before, it’s a new one, it’s called “Medicine”.”
>
>

Following performances of “Medicine”, Harry stated again that “Medicine” was one of “a couple of songs that didn’t end up on the album.”

## Critical reception

Reviews of "Medicine" have been favourable. Rob Sheffield of *Rolling Stone* described "Medicine" as "a depraved, sex-crazed Stones-y rock & roll strut", "a song that fans light candles and pray for", and ranked it number 10 on his list of every Harry Styles song ever written. Lilly Pace of *Billboard* described the song as an "LGBTQ anthem", "a crowd favorite" and, prior to the release of *Fine Line*, said it was on her "wish list" for his second album. Melissa Ruggieri for *The Atlanta Journal-Constitution* said it was "a meaty rocker". David Lindquist from *The Indianapolis Star* called it "a raw-power ode to giving in to pleasure".

## Lyrics

[Verse 1]

Here to take my medicine, take my medicine

Treat you like a gentleman

Give me that adrenaline, that adrenaline

I think I'm gonna stick with it

Here to take my medicine, take my medicine

Rest it on your fingertips

Up to your mouth, feeling it out

Feeling it out

[Pre-Chorus]

I had a few, got drunk on you and now I'm wasted

And when I sleep I'm gonna dream of how you tasted

[Chorus]

If you go out tonight, I'm going out 'cause I know you're persuasive

You got that something, I got me an appetite; now I can taste it

We're getting dizzy, oh, we're getting dizzy, oh

La la la la la

We’re getting me dizzy, oh, we’re getting me dizzy, oh

La la la la la

[Verse 2]

Tingle running through my bones, fingers to my toes

Tingle running through my bones

The boys and the girls are in

I mess around with him

And I'm okay with it

[Pre-Chorus]

I'm coming down, I figured out I kinda like it

When I’m all out, I think about the way you

[Chorus]

If you go out tonight, I'm going out 'cause I know you're persuasive

You got that something, I got me an appetite; now I can taste it

We're getting dizzy, oh, we're getting dizzy, oh

La la la la la

We’re getting me dizzy, oh, we’re getting me dizzy, oh

La la la la la

[Pre-Chorus]

I had a few, got drunk on you and now I'm wasted

[Chorus]

If you go out tonight, I'm going out 'cause I know you're persuasive

You got that something, I got me an appetite; now I can taste it

We're getting dizzy, oh, we're getting dizzy, oh

La la la la la

We’re getting me dizzy, oh, we’re getting me dizzy, oh

## Videos

Harry Styles, Medicine, Basel, March 11 2018
## References

1. ↑ https://www.nme.com/news/music/watch-harry-styles-cover-britney-spears-toxic-at-second-halloween-show-3084531
2. ↑ https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/harry-styles-harryween-madison-square-garden-1251686/
3. ↑ https://www.pe.com/2022/04/23/coachella-2022-harry-styles-brings-lizzo-on-stage-to-join-him-on-weekend-2
4. ↑ https://www.desertsun.com/story/life/entertainment/music/coachella/2022/04/22/coachella-2022-harry-styles-weekend-2-review/7406696001/
5. ↑ https://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/harry-styles-23d294a7.html?songid=33f5fc89
6. ↑ https://youtu.be/On2Hvm\_yTHM
7. ↑ https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/every-harry-styles-song-ranked-1323913/
8. ↑ https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/harry-styles-fine-line-album-wish-list-8542525/
9. ↑ https://www.ajc.com/blog/music/concert-review-and-photos-harry-styles-enchants-atlanta-show/3Ny8NEsYrrkxBXcCer9T4H/
10. ↑ https://www.indystar.com/story/entertainment/music/2018/06/28/5-ways-one-direction-harry-styles-charted-his-own-live-tour-course-indianapolis/732395002/