More Than This

## Gallery

**More Than This** is a song by English-Irish boy band One Direction from their debut studio album, Up All Night. It was produced by Brian Rawling and Paul Meehan, and was composed by Jamie Scott. Primarily backed by synthesizers, the track is an acoustic pop ballad about an unrequited love. "More than This", the album's fourth and final single, was released digitally by Syco Music on 25 May 2012.

## Background

After being formed and finishing third in the seventh series of The X Factor in 2010, One Direction were signed to Syco Music. Recording for their debut studio album, Up All Night, began in January 2011. In February 2011, the boy band and other contestants from the series participated in the X Factor Live Tour. After the tour concluded in April 2011, the group continued working on Up All Night. "More than This", confirmed to be released as Up All Night's fourth single by Sony Music Australia in early May 2012, was released via digital download on 25 May 2012. The digital download contains the principal recording, and live versions of the number itself, "What Makes You Beautiful", "Gotta Be You", and "Up All Night".

## Reception

Robert Copsey of Digital Spy was surprised by the group's "ability to carry off a sizeable ballad," regarding it as one of the best boy band ballads in recent years. Writing in The Sun, Gordon Smart felt that the song "almost" is an indie song, praising the high notes. Cosmopolitan's Sophie Goddard deemed the song a laudable addition to the balladry pantheon. Billboard correspondent Jason Lipshutz classified it as "One Direction's own "All I Have To Give," and opined that its synthesizers add a dignified demeanour to the refrain. In contrast, PopMatters writer Zachary Houle criticised the song as jarring, and dismissed it as "a bit cloying," which he attributed to band's "‘90s ancestors."

## Lyrics

**[Liam]**

I'm broken, do you hear me?

I'm blinded, 'cause you are everything I see,

I'm dancin' alone, I'm praying,

That your heart will just turn around,

And as I walk up to your door,

My head turns to face the floor,

'Cause I can't look you in the eyes and say,

**[Harry]**

When he opens his arms and holds you close tonight,

It just won't feel right,

'Cause I can love you more than this, yeah,

When he lays you down,

I might just die inside,

It just don't feel right,

'Cause I can love you more than this,

Can love you more than this

**[Niall]**

If I'm louder, would you see me?

Would you lay down

In my arms and rescue me?

'Cause we are the same

You save me,

When you leave it's gone again,

**[Louis]**

And then I see you on the street,

In his arms, I get weak,

My body fails, I'm on my knees

Prayin',

**[All]**

When he opens his arms and holds you close tonight,

It just won't feel right,

'Cause I can love you more than this, yeah,

When he lays you down,

I might just die inside,

It just don't feel right,

'Cause I can love you more than this,

**[Zayn]**

Yeah, I've never had the words to say,

But now I'm askin' you to stay

For a little while inside my arms,

And as you close your eyes tonight,

I pray that you will see the light,

That's shining from the stars above,

**[Liam]**

(And I say)

When he opens his arms and holds you close tonight

It just won’t feel right

‘Cause I can love you more than this,

**[Zayn]**

‘Cause I can love you more than this, yeah

**[All]**

When he lays you down, I might just die inside

It just don’t feel right

‘Cause I can love you more than this, yeah

When he opens his arms and hold you close tonight

It just won’t feel right

‘Cause I can love you more than this

**[Zayn]**

‘Cause I can love you more than this, yeah

**[All]**

When he lays you down, I might just die inside

It just don’t feel right

‘Cause I can love you more than this

**[Liam]**

Can love you more than this

## References

1. ↑ wikipedia.org - Background & Reception