You & I (song)

*For the perfume by the same name, see You & I (fragrance)*

## *Midnight Memories (album)* Chronology

**You & I** is a song recorded by English-Irish boy-band One Direction, taken from their third studio album *Midnight Memories* (2013).

"You & I" was released as the album's fourth and final single, first impacting US contemporary hit radio on April 15, 2014 by Columbia Records and later being released in Europe on May 23, 2014.

Lyrically, it is a declaration of defiance where the band sings, "You and I, we don't want to be like them. We can make it to the end. Nothing can come between you and I. Not even the gods above can separate the two of us".

## Background

It was written by Julian Bunetta, John Ryan and Jamie Scott, with production being handled by Bunetta and Ryan.

After the success of the singles, "Best Song Ever" and "Story of My Life", the band released the album's title track, "Midnight Memories", as its third single. However, the song did not reach the same success of the previous singles.

On April 11, 2014, the band announced that "**You & I**" was to be the fourth single, with band member Harry Styles claiming, "This one is for you, so we hope you like." The single was released on May 25, accompanied by an EP, which includes a remix by band member Liam Payne called the 'Big Payno' mix, as well as a piano and duet version of the song.

"You & I" was a top 20 single in the UK and a top 10 single in Ireland. The song has been performed on the *Where We Are Tour* and the *On The Road Again Tour*. The song is widely considered to feature Zayn Malik's standout vocal performance.

## Lyrics

**[Niall]**

I figured it out

I figured it out from black and white

Seconds and hours

Maybe they had to take some time

**[Liam]**

I know how it goes

I know how it goes from wrong and right

Silence and sound

Did they ever hold each other tight like us?

Did they ever fight like us?

**[Harry]**

You and I

We don't wanna be like them

We can make it till the end

Nothing can come between you and I

Not even the Gods above

Can separate the two of us

No nothing can come between you and I

Oh, you and I

**[Zayn]**

I figured it out

Saw the mistakes of up and down

Meet in the middle

There's always room for common ground

**[Louis]**

I see what it's like

I see what it's like for day and night

Never together

Cause they see things in a different light like us

Did they ever try like us?

**[Harry]**

You and I

We don't wanna be like them

We can make it till the end

Nothing can come between you and I

Not even the Gods above

Can separate the two of us

[Instrumental]

**[Zayn]**

'Cause You and I

**[All]**

We don't wanna be like them

We can make it till the end

Nothing can come between you and I

Not even the Gods above

Can separate the two of us

No nothing can come between you and I

Oh, you and I

You and I

We could make it if we try

You and I, you and I

## Music Video

 **Length**
 **Director**
 **Location**
 **VEVO views**

### Background

The music video was shot on Clevedon Pier and directed by longtime collaborator Ben Winston and was released on April 18, 2014. The video was not actually recorded in one shot, but rather was edited together to appear as if it was. The video sees the band members morphing into each other while walking along the Clevedon Pier in Somerset as they trade lead vocals. As the music video proceeds, they continue walking down the pier and collect stop motion images of themselves.

One Direction was honored with a brass plaque from the pier, commemorating their music video shoot. In February 2015, the video won the "British Video" award at the 2015 Brit Awards.

## Reception

Carl Williot of Idolator thought that "It's a cool idea, giving the illusion that it's a single-take visual, while obviously bringing to mind the iconic closing scene in Michael Jackson's 'Black or White'." Louis Virtel of HitFix called it "weird and scary."

## Controversy

The video garnered controversy as it appears to plagiarise Australian band Clubfeet's video for "Everything You Wanted". Australian production company OhYeahWow declared in a statement on its blog: "It seems that the chaps of One Direction have taken it upon themselves to regurgitate our original concept. Don't get us wrong, we here at Oh Yeah Wow are big One Direction fans and are envious of their ability to maintain flawless hairdos."

## References

1. ↑ One Direction suffers growing pains on spotty ‘Midnight Memories’: Album review
2. ↑ One Direction announce new single 'You & I' - listen