“Darling” is the seventh track on Halsey’s 2021 album ‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power.’ The song is a lullaby to Halsey’s son but can be for anyone who needs to find some peace in their mind.
Halsey released their fourth studio album ‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power’ on August 27, 2021. This is their follow-up project to their highly successful album ‘Manic’ released in 2020. About the new album, Halsey said “This album is a concept album about the joys and horrors of pregnancy and childbirth. It happened by accident. I wasn’t trying to make a political record, or a record that was drowning in its own profundity—I was just writing about how I feel. The reason that the album has sort of this horror theme is because this experience, in a way, has its horrors.”
In the song, Halsey bears their weakness on their shoulders and opens up a vulnerable side of them to us. However, she remains positive about seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for them and for their son. She seems to console their baby in these lyrics, as she does on the final track of the album “Ya’aburnee.”
Listen to “Darling” by Halsey
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Halsey “Darling” Lyrics Meaning and Song Review
In the first verse of the song, Halsey gets vulnerable about their dark times. She talks about the days she feels hopeless, powerless, and overrun with emotions. These days absolutely break them down. This could be due to many things going on in their life. ‘Doubleheader’ is a reference to suffering from bipolar disorder, which she admitted in the previous album.
When Halsey says to try the medication she bought ‘instead’ (of contemporary medicine), she could be referring to their music. Their music might be their own saviour as well. However, she follows up by saying that this medicine is working a little for them but she is running out of it at the same time. Is Halsey talking about retirement?
Darling, don’t you weep
There’s a place for me
Halsey addresses the person as ‘darling’ which is one of the most endearing terms to call someone. Is she really talking to their son, though? Halsey’s assurance is that there is a place for them in this darling’s life no matter where she ends up or even when she is gone from this world.
In the second verse of the song, Halsey draws parallels of their life with what’s in store for their son. Halsey recalls their broken home and how the little flowers growing in the graveyards gave them hope. This line contrasts between life and death.
Halsey sings that she is not sure where she is going to be buried once she leaves this world. No matter where that would be, she assures their son that everything will still be okay.
Halsey also sings that there have been many men who have tried to win their heart over the years. But only their son has truly been able to capture their heart forever.
Until it’s time to see the light
I’ll make my own with you each night
Let us hear what you think about this song in the comments below. Check out the complete lyrics on Genius.
I personally think that by telling her son not to weep she might be referring to her dying and this is a song that he should listen after she dies. This might just be me but I think she might be indirectly referring to suicide
Halsey doesn’t have a daughter – they have a son named Ender. Please respect this and the fact that Halsey identified as they/them.
Thank you. We’ve corrected it to son. Not sure where I found it to be a girl.
And for the pronouns, it is really difficult to make a meaning apparent when the pronouns break the English language. For example, when I say Halsey loves their son, it could mean anybody’s son.
She said her pronouns she/they. So I don’t know where the issue is?