Strong

**Strong** is the seventh track from One Direction's third studio album, *Midnight Memories*.

The song is a fan favorite and has been performed on the *Where We Are Tour* and the *On The Road Again Tour*. It was removed from the *On The Road Again Tour* setlist during the North American leg.

Lyrically, the song describes a desire to openly love and need a person, without concern for outsider judgement.

## Background

"Strong" was written by Louis Tomlinson, John Ryan, Jamie Scott and Julian Bunetta. In an interview with *MTV News*, Bunetta said, "We got into this discussion about how when you tell someone like 'I need you, I love you and I need you 'cause you make me strong,' essentially you can scare someone off. It's pressure, so people just kind of run from it. So, that's what the lyric is," recalled Bunetta, who also helped produce songs on the album.

"It's saying 'I'm sorry if I say this, but fuck it. It was just sort of a thing that I think all guys feel, having to uphold a woman who I love 'I'm strong' philosophy , and kind of throwing that idea out the window."

On 18 November, "Strong" was one of three tracks, along with "Diana" and "Midnight Memories", to be released ahead of the album, which was released the following week.

## Lyrics

**[Zayn]**

My hands, your hands

Tied up like two ships

Drifting, weightless

Waves try to break it

I’d do anything to save it

Why is it so hard to say it

**[Liam]**

My heart, your heart

Sit tight like book ends

Pages between us

Written with no end

So many words we’re not saying

Don’t want to wait till its gone

You make me strong

**[All]**

I’m sorry if I say I need ya

But I don’t care I’m not scared of love

Cos when I’m not with you I’m weaker

Is that so wrong, is it so wrong

**[Harry]**

That you make me strong

**[Louis]**

Think of how much love thats been wasted

People always trying to escape it

Move on to stop their heart breaking

But theres nothing I’m running from

You make me strong

**[All]**

I’m sorry if I say I need ya

But I don’t care I’m not scared of love

Cos when I’m not with you I’m weaker

Is that so wrong, is it so wrong

**[Zayn]**

So baby hold on to my heart, oohh

Need you to keep me from falling apart

I’ll always hold on

Cos you make me strong

**[Niall]**

I’m sorry if I say I need ya

But I don’t care I’m not scared of love

Cos when I’m not with you I’m weaker

Is that so wrong, is it so wrong

**[All]**

I’m sorry if I say I need ya

But I don’t care I’m not scared of love

Cos when I’m not with you I’m weaker

Is that so wrong, is it so wrong

That you make me strong

I’m sorry if I say I need ya

But I don’t care I’m not scared of love

Cos when I’m not with you I’m weaker

Is that so wrong, is it so wrong

**[Harry]**

That you make me strong

## Chart Performance

The song reached number one on the Official New Zealand Music Chart, making it One Direction's third number one in New Zealand, after "Live While We're Young" (2012) and "Story of My Life". It also charted at number 48 on the UK Singles Chart, number 87 in the *Billboard* Hot 100 and number 44 on the Canadian Hot 100.

## Reception

Michael Cragg of the *Daily Mirror* gave "Strong" four out of five stars and wrote: ""My hands, your hands tied up like two ships" sings Zayn to open "Strong". I don't think it's about nautical bondage mind you, but more about love and feeling safe with someone that's your soulmate etc. etc. and so on. Again, it's upbeat but quite 'mature', and certainly less teenage than "What Makes You Beautiful". This isn't about a quick fumble, more a recently announced engagement. It's also ridiculously catchy."

Writing for *Billboard*, Chris Payne called the song "a love song in the earnest, mid-tempo vein of previous track "Don't Forget Where You Belong". It's the sort of song plenty of boy bands and well-meaning soft rockers have pulled off before....".

## References

1. ↑ Midnight Memories review
2. ↑ ONE DIRECTION'S *MIDNIGHT MEMORIES*: GO INSIDE THEIR LATE-NIGHT RECORDING SESSIONS