Styles and songwriter/producer Kid Harpoon first worked together on Styles' self-titled debut album on two songs: "Carolina" and "Sweet Creature". He would also become later the music director of Styles' first world solo tour. While working on his sophomore album, Styles was seeing in the studio working on new music with Harpoon on 15 May 2019. While talking about Styles and the recording proccess of the album, Harpoon claimed: "He’s got this wise-beyond-his-years timelessness about him. That’s why he went on a whole emotional exploration with these songs. He went through this breakup that had a big impact on him." Harpoon then suggested Styles to write about his feelings towards it, saying:" He had a whole emotional journey about her, this whole relationship. But I kept saying, ‘The best way of dealing with it is to put it in these songs you’re writing.’" Regarding "Falling" in particular, he told: " Harry lives round the corner from me in LA and one day he wanted a lift somewhere, so I popped up there and he was getting out of the shower. I started playing piano while I was waiting for him, he was singing and in an hour we had written 'Falling'." The song was eventually released as the album's third single on 7 March 2020 to UK adult contemporary stations.
Composition
Written by Styles and its producer Kid Harpoon, "Falling" is a "hushed" soulpiano ballad, that runs for four minutes long. Lyrically, it is a harrowing account of a breakup’s aftermath, with Styles asking in part of the chorus, "What if I’m someone I don’t want around?." According to Laura Snapes from The Guardian, "the line, 'no one to blame but the drink and my wandering hands', from Falling, has prompted tabloid headlines." In another line, he sings: "I’m well aware I write too many songs about you." In fact, the song was said to be written about his breakup with ex-girlfriend Camille Rowe. Hannah Mylrea from NME also noted that "he alludes to the fact he cheated on his ex, admitting that 'there’s no one to blame but the drink and my wandering."
Critical reception
Most critics were positive with the song. Bryan Rolli from Consequence of Sound named it a "gorgeous piano ballad a readymade mid-set tearjerker if there ever was one." Alexandra Pollard from The Independent called it a "moody, Moog-y lamentation." Writing for Slant Magazine, Anna Richmond praised its introspectiveness and noted that "the line 'What am I now? What if I’m someone I don’t want around' is one of Fine Lines most moving moments." Jon Pareles of The New York Times described it as a "hymnlike, bitterly self-accusatory ." Susan Hansen of Clash praised it, saying that it "holds much appeal. It’s a song where piano and Moog bass form a relaxed base for introspection and sincerity." Rolling Stone's Rob Sheffield was less favorable, calling it a "forgettable ballad," although he praised Styles for the lyrical content, claiming: "If there's a nontoxic masculinity, Harry Styles just might've found it."
Chart performance
The song debuted at number 39 in the UK, giving Styles his fifth top 40 entry there. It later reached number 20 in March 2020 for 3 weeks, making it the third top 20 single and fourth top 20 song from Fine Line and Styles' fifth solo top 20 overall. It peaked at number 15 in April. The song certified Silver on April 2020, making it the album's 4th single to achieve Silver or higher. The song is certified Gold in the US, making it Styles's sixth single to be certified Gold or higher.
Music video
The music video, directed by Dave Meyers, was released on 28 February 2020. The video features Styles alone in an apartment with a piano. As he sings the ballad, the room slowly fills with water, until, in the end, he is fully submerged, drowning. In reference to the video, Styles said "That feeling of kind of being overwhelmed, you know you can feel like you're drowning sometimes...and the fact that it's coming from the piano, I guess it's like writing these songs are what helps but also they can hurt you sometimes."
