• March 13, 1998
• In high school, his brand was white and nerdy. He wore glasses, dressed shabbily, and wrote a lot of self-deprecating rhymes. A lot of this was to avoid posturing; a middle-class white kid, he didn't want to act like he had a more hardscrabble upbringing.
• When he was young, Harlow lived in Shelbyville, Kentucky, but moved to Louisville with his family when he was in third grade. Many of his songs reference places and events in and around Louisville.
• He doesn't have any tattoos because he considers himself an "evolutionary person."
  
  "Doing something permanently intimidates me," he told Rolling Stone. "I like the thought of being an actor and having no limitations in that."
• He signed his first record deal, to the Atlantic subsidiary Generation Now, in 2018 when he was 20. Years earlier, when his self-distributed mixtapes started getting attention locally, he got some nibbles from agents and record labels, but nothing worked out. Looking back, Harlow is glad he didn't sign a deal as a teenager, as it would have robbed him of the normal life events he got to experience as a non-celebrity.
• He doesn't like to farm out his talents for guest verses, but made exceptions for Lil Nas X (on "Industry Baby") and Eminem (on a remix of "Killer").
• He popularized a trend of releasing bits of songs on TikTok before their official debuts. In 2022, he did it with "First Class," which got users talking about the track and using it in videos before it was issued.

Comments

More Songfacts:

Fortunate SonCreedence Clearwater Revival

The Creedence Clearwater Revival song "Fortunate Son" is about how the Vietnam war was being fought by soldiers without the privilege or connections to get out of it. "It's the old saying about rich men making war and poor men having to fight them," John Fogerty said.

Tomorrow PeopleZiggy Marley & the Melody Makers

"Tomorrow People" by Ziggy Marley is the first song by a Marley to crack the US Top 40; the highest Bob got was #51 with "Roots, Rock, Reggae."

YellowColdplay

"Yellow" by Coldplay is a deep, meaningful song, but the title has a rather prosaic origin: it came from the phone directory, known as "the yellow pages."

1901Phoenix

The Phoenix song "1901" is about Paris. Their lead singer Thomas Mars said: "Paris in 1901 was better than it is now. So the song is a fantasy about Paris."

Take Me HomePhil Collins

Phil Collins' "Take Me Home" is about a patient in a mental institution and was inspired by the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Rock And RollLed Zeppelin

According to Jason Bonham, who has filled in for his father on Led Zeppelin reunions, "Rock And Roll" is the hardest Led Zep song to play on drums.

Editor's Picks

David Paich of TotoSongwriter Interviews

Toto's keyboard player explains the true meaning of "Africa" and talks about working on the Thriller album.

Rick SpringfieldSongwriter Interviews

Rick has a surprising dark side, a strong feminine side and, in a certain TV show, a naked backside. But he still hasn't found Jessie's Girl.

Bob Dylan Lyric QuizMusic Quiz

Think you know your Bob Dylan lyrics? Take this quiz to find out.

Gavin Rossdale of BushSongwriter Interviews

On the "schizoid element" of his lyrics, and a famous line from "Everything Zen."

MetallicaFact or Fiction

Beef with Bon Jovi? An unfortunate Spandex period? See if you can spot the true stories in this Metallica version of Fact or Fiction.

Cy Curnin of The FixxSongwriter Interviews

The man who brought us "Red Skies" and "Saved By Zero" is now an organic farmer in France.