Song Analysis - Night Changes by One Direction

Lyrics copied verbatim from Genius.

General

• Medium pace, Time Signature: 4/4
• Chords: I vi IV V from the Major Scale throughout the song
• Key change in the last section to add more emphasis
• Structure: Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Chorus
• Arpeggiated intro which is repeated for the entirety of the song
• tonight in Verse, night in Chorus. Ref: Why does the chorus end with Tonight?

Verse 1

Goin’ out tonight, changes into somethin’ red Her mother doesn’t like that kind of dress Everything she never had, she’s showin’ off
Drivin’ too fast, moon is breakin’ through her hair
She’s headin’ for somethin’ that she won’t forget
Havin’ no regrets is all that she really wants

• Minimal harmonies
• Vocals start at 1 (first beat). Small jumps in melody almost like talking
• Single chord strums at 1 of every bar
• Internal rhymes (somethin, drivin, headin, breakin)
• Weak rhymes (too, moon, wont forget, red, dress, all, wants)
• Verse 2 word painting: heart is beatin' loud and there’s a pulse like rhythm throughout the section
• Scene setting - red dress, moon, driving fast

Chorus 1

(Ooh) We’re only gettin’ older, baby
(Ooh) And I’ve been thinkin’ about it lately
(Ooh) Does it ever drive you crazy
(Ah-ah-ah) Just how fast the night changes?
(Ooh) Everything that you’ve ever dreamed of
(Ooh) Disappearin’ when you wake up
(Ooh) But there’s nothin’ to be afraid of
(Ah-ah-ah) Even when the night changes
(Ooh) It will never change me and you

• Vocals start closer to the 2nd beat
• Backing harmonies (ooh). Rhythm, persistent guitar strums, arpeggios all in place
• Clearly a lot more intense than the verse
• clubbing of words (ba by, la tely, cra zy)
• Clubbing again (dreamed of, wake up, afraid of)
• Me and you for punch and intimacy
• Song name features and emphasis on the same