Pillowtalk

## **Pillowtalk**Single by ZAYN

* Official
* The Living Room Session

"**Pillowtalk**" (stylized as both **PILLOWTALK** and **PiLlOwT4lK**), is a song by Zayn. It is the first single and the second track from his debut album, *Mind of Mine*. It was released on January 29, 2016.

The song was the first single from Zayn as a solo artist after leaving One Direction back in March 2015.

## Background

After leaving One Direction on March 25, 2015, Zayn began recording his first solo album. Originally, the album was to be executive produced by Naughty Boy, as the two had been writing together throughout 2014. However, the pair fell out in July 2015 and have since cut ties all together. Throughout the remainder of 2015, Zayn began working with a number of producers, including Malay and Make You Know Love, who ultimately produced "Pillowtalk".

Zayn has talked about the sexual nature of the song's lyrics, stating "Everybody has sex, and it’s something people wanna hear about. It’s part of everybody’s life, a very BIG part of life! And you don’t wanna sweep it under the carpet. It has to be talked about.”

An acoustic version of the track, "Pillowtalk", was released on 3 February 2016. On Snapchat, Zayn revealed a snippet of a "Pillowtalk" remix featuring American rapper Lil Wayne, which was later released as "Pillowtalk (Lil Wayne Remix)" for digital download on 25 February 2016; it is a hip hop remix with rapping by Lil Wayne along with rapping and rap-singing by Zayn. The original version of "Pillowtalk" has been included in the compilation album *Now That's What I Call Music! 93*.

## Lyrics

**[Verse 1]**

Climb on board

We'll go slow and high tempo

Light and dark

Hold me hard and mellow

**[Pre-Chorus]**

I'm seeing the pain, seeing the pleasure

Nobody but you, 'body but me, 'body but us

Bodies together

I'd love to hold you close, tonight and always

I'd love to wake up next to you

I'd love to hold you close, tonight and always

I'd love to wake up next to you

**[Chorus]**

So we'll piss off the neighbors

In the place that feels the tears

The place to lose your fears

Yeah, reckless behavior

A place that is so pure, so dirty and raw

Be in the bed all day, bed all day, bed all day

Fucking in, fighting on

It's our paradise and it's our war zone

It's our paradise and it's our war zone

**[Verse 2]**

Pillow talk

My enemy, my ally

Prisoners

Then we're free, it's a thin line

**[Pre-Chorus]**

I'm seeing the pain, seeing the pleasure

Nobody but you, 'body but me, 'body but us

Bodies together

I'd love to hold you close, tonight and always

I'd love to wake up next to you

**[Chorus]**

So we'll piss off the neighbors

In the place that feels the tears

The place to lose your fears

Yeah, reckless behavior

A place that is so pure, so dirty and raw

Be in the bed all day, bed all day, bed all day

Fucking in, fighting on

It's our paradise and it's our war zone

It's our paradise and it's our war zone

**[Bridge]**

Paradise, paradise, paradise, paradise

War zone, war zone, war zone, war zone

Paradise, paradise, paradise, paradise

War zone, war zone, war zone, war zone

**[Chorus]**

So we'll piss off the neighbors

In the place that feels the tears

The place to lose your fears

Yeah, reckless behavior

A place that is so pure, so dirty and raw

Be in the bed all day, bed all day, bed all day

Fucking in, fighting on

It's our paradise and it's our war zone

It's our paradise and it's our war zone

## Music Video

### Background

The music video was released on January 29, 2016. It was directed by Bouha Kazmi. It features Zayn's ex-girlfriend, Gigi Hadid, and actress Jodie Turner-Smith.

The music video topped the UK TV Airplay Chart, and reached number two on the Israel TV airplay chart. Online, the video received more than 25 million views in three days, and 247 million views after one month. As of June 2018, it has received more than 810 million views on YouTube.

### Synopsis

Directed by Bouha Kazmi, the accompanying music video for "Pillowtalk" premiered on YouTube on January 29, 2016. Gigi Hadid and Zayn appear in the clip, which features retro graphics, kaleidoscopic and shattered-mirror effects. The music video finds Zayn navigating a sexual fantasia, with a flower covering a mysterious woman's genitals and female silhouettes ogling each other, the former played by actress Jodie Turner-Smith. Hadid appears swirling around the singer, hypnotises him and eventually provokes technicolour tears. They navigate a kaleidoscopic dreamscape, where they make out, make up and cry blood tears as Zayn sings.

 **Length**
 **Director**
 **Location**

## General information

### Written by

Levi Lennox, Zayn Malik, Hannides, Anthony Hannides

### Produced by

Levi Lennox, Jaegen

**"Pillowtalk Remix"** (stylized as both **PILLOWTALK REMIX**) is a remix of "Pillowtalk" by Zayn and Lil Wayne that was released on February 25, 2016. The resulting product might’ve been inspired from a line in the first verse, because it goes slow—slower than the original. It also includes new rap verses from both Wayne & Zayn.

## Lyrics

**[Intro: Lil Wayne & ZAYN]**

Oh, yeah

Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, brr

It's our paradise (Oh), yeah (Oh)

And it's our war zone

**[Verse 1: ZAYN & Lil Wayne]**

Climb on board (Mula, baby)

We'll go slow and high tempo (Yeah)

Light and dark

Hold me hard and mellow

**[Bridge: ZAYN & Lil Wayne]**

I'm seeing the pain, seeing the pleasure

Nobody but you, 'body but me, 'body but us, bodies together (He the one, she the two)

I love to hold you close, tonight and always

I love to wake up next to you

**[Chorus: ZAYN & Lil Wayne]**

So we'll piss off the neighbors (Tunechi, baby)

In the place that feels the tears, the place to lose your fears

Yeah, reckless behavior (She come to the zoo)

A place that is so pure, so dirty and raw (Yeah)

In the bed all day, bed all day, bed all day

Fucking and fighting on

It's our paradise and it's our war zone (Pop, pop, pop, pop, brr, paradise and our war zone)

It's our paradise and it's our war zone

**[Verse 2: Lil Wayne & ZAYN]**

Pillow talk

Fuckin' and fightin', fuckin' and fightin', yeah, fuck it

If she love it, I like it, husband and wifey

We do what we do, we do how we do

But we makin' it through and the bedroom a zoo

We fuss for a few, then we fuck for a truce, yeah

She's somethin' to do when there's nothin' to do

We so ugly and cute, but the love is the proof

Never chucking the deuce, never comin' unloose, woo

Put my tongue in her noose, out my thumb in her 'boose

Make her jump through the roof, now she touchin' the moon

And she love when we spoon, she gon' cum and boo-hoo

When she cummin', it's through

**[Chorus: ZAYN & Lil Wayne]**

So we'll piss off the neighbours (Ayy)

In the place that feels the tears, the place to lose your fears (Tunechi)

Yeah, reckless behavior (Mula, baby)

A place that is so pure, so dirty and raw

In the bed all day, bed all day, bed all day

Fucking and fighting on (Yeah)

It's our paradise and it's our war zone (It's our paradise)

It's our paradise and it's our war zone (Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, brr)

**[Verse 3: ZAYN & Lil Wayne]**

If anybody knows that's just how the game goes

In a few weeks she'll be somebody's, yo

I got too many seeds, they all gotta grow

No, I didn't conceive, but I got one goal

And yes, I felt the seed, but I don't no more

Now I'll fuck her ten times 'cause I don't get bored (Yeah)

Standin' in halls where the great men shine

They were your dreams and the reason I mind

You woulda held me back and you wouldn't let me go

You woulda told me, "No," you would have told me, "Yes"

Woulda stayed the night, then we'd probably have sex

And we know it ain't right but there's stuff that comes next

**[Interlude: Lil Wayne]**

It's our paradise and our war zone

It's our paradise and our war zone

**[Chorus: ZAYN & Lil Wayne]**

So we'll piss off the neighbours

In the place that feels the tears, the place to lose your fears

Yeah, reckless behavior (Tunechi, baby)

A place that is so pure, so dirty and raw (Yeah)

In the bed all day, bed all day, bed all day

Fucking and fighting on

It's our paradise and it's our war zone (Pop, pop, pop, pop, paradise and our war zone, yeah)

It's our paradise and it's our war zone (Pop, pop, pop, pop, brr)

## Charts

Pillowtalk was a massive success for Zayn, debuting at #1 on the US Billboard 100, the UK Official Singles Chart and the Australian ARIA Charts. In the 24 hours after the song's release, Pillowtalk went to #1 on iTunes in 60 countries and reached #1 on the worldwide iTunes charts, making him the first artist of 2016 to debut at the top. The song received the most first day streams by a male artist on Spotify. The song trended at #1 on Billboard's Most Shared Songs and acquired 100K downloads in the United States. Within two days of release, the music video had garnered over 21 million views.

## Reception

Writing for *Forbes*, Hugh McIntyre commented the song "is decidedly grown up, complete with plenty of x-rated words and adult imagery and themes. This isn’t another simple tune about broken hearts; it’s about love being both a paradise and a warzone. The song may be about similar situations, but Zayn is feeling—or expressing—things differently now." Fuse's Jason Lipshutz described "Pillowtalk" as "a sexy, engrossing R&B track." Brennan Carley of *Spin* praised the lyrics and Zayn's vocals, stating he "demonstrates mastery on modern R&B within seconds. There’s passion in his voice, an instrument unencumbered and unshaven for the first time." For *The Guardian*'s Harriet Gibsone, it is a "slow, minimalist and lusty explosion of testosterone, a fountain of champagne and dodgy aftershave. It is a deliberate – and understandable – step into a more austere artistic guise." *The Guardian* chose "Pillowtalk" as their pick of the week, stating that "against all odds, Zayn Malik’s debut single is shockingly good." *The Irish Times* also chose it as their track of the week, describing it as "slick" and "nouveau R&B (like Miguel) with a blog wave backing."

For Stereogum, Tom Breihan called it a "sleek, immaculately constructed piece of moody." In Digital Spy, Lewis Corner gave the song four-out-of-five stars, writing "Zayn's clear vocal tone – at its very best on this – along with a big chorus and brain-niggling melody, keeps it sexy and fun without being sordid." He musically compared the "seductive R&B" track to The Weeknd's sounds and Justin Timberlake's early solo work, and concluded it isn't the "same old pop shit" but "the new British male superstar you hadn't realised you've been waiting for." Lucas Villa of *AXS* wrote that the song "might not be [Zayn's] Justin Timberlake 'Cry Me a River' breakthrough just yet but it's a sweet something that will surely satisfy his older fans in the meanwhile." Brittany Spanos in *Rolling Stone* called it a "smooth, sexy pop song." Joe Lynch of *Billboard* noted that the song drops "One Direction's MOR pop for the more critically respected PBR&B". Another *Billboard* review wrote that "Malik has left bubblegum pop behind" and from "here on, it's slick R&B."

Alex Abad-Santos of *Vox* found that the topic contains "shopworn clichés, making the song feel like it's marketed and packaged for young ears" but concluded "Zayn's billowy, swirling vocals sell it so well that 'Pillowtalk' becomes something better than it first set out to be." Christopher Weingarten in *Rolling Stone* wrote "there's nothing particularly special about his single" and found the lyrics "awkward" but concluded the song may be "important for R&B's future" as it "proves that the watery sound of alternative-leaning R&B has way more legs than the cult of personality built around the Weeknd." *Newsweek* said the "track has an epic crashing chorus that’s raunchy and romantic in equal measure, with jazzy electronic elements that don’t overpower the 23-year-old’s formidable vocal chops." AllMusic said the song features "his strong vocals over distinctly more adult-themed alt-R&B similar to The Weeknd and Miguel." Magdalen Jenne of *PopMatters* said "Pillowtalk" is "hands down the best pop single of 2016 so far." *Rolling Stone*n amed "Pillowtalk" one of the 30 best songs of the first half of 2016, writing "Like his AWOL boy band forefathers, Zayn Malik decided to use R&B and sex appeal to launch his post-One Direction. This Number One hit is a smooth, seductive lover's croon."

## Cover Versions

Cover versions of "Pillowtalk" have been uploaded to YouTube by SoMo, Conor Maynard, Tanner Patrick, The Vamps, Alex Aiono, Julio D, and Boyce Avenue. JoJo performed a live rendition at concerts in Cologne and London. Låpsley performed a cover version on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge. Shaun Reynolds and Kaycee da Silva uploaded a cover version of "Pillowtalk" on YouTube. The Gregory Brothers uploaded a tongue-in-cheek, uptempo cover to YouTube as part of their "Happy Sad Songs" series. It is re-envisioned as an alternative electro rock song, partially inspired by The Strokes. Two released a remix of "Pillowtalk" on SoundCloud. In season 10 of *The Voice*, contestant Bryan Bautista performed a rendition of "Pillowtalk". American rapper Tyler, The Creator released a remix of "Pillowtalk" in June 2016. It was danced by Terrell Owens and his partner on Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 25). The electronic French singer Liam cited "Pillowtalk" as an inspiration to his music video, "I feel".

## Other Media

The song is featured in "Homewrecker", an episode of *The Mindy Project.*

## References

* *Pillowtalk* on One Direction Wiki.

1. ↑ https://genius.com/Zayn-pillowtalk-remix-lyrics
2. ↑ Zayn #1 UK
3. ↑ ARIA Charts
4. ↑ Episode "Homewreckers"