High 5SOS Meaning: The True Story Behind the Album & Song

Decoding “High”: The Heartbreak, Ego, and Vulnerability Behind the 5SOS Song

When 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) released their fourth studio album, CALM, in 2020, fans were treated to a mature, introspective evolution of the band. While the album featured high-energy tracks and dark pop anthems, it closed with a quiet, devastatingly honest track: “High.”

Serving as the emotional punctuation mark of the record, the song has since become a fan-favorite. But what is the actual meaning behind “High”? Beneath its gentle, Beatles-esque chords lies a complex web of ego, self-deprecation, insecurity, and lingering heartbreak.

1. The Clever Hook: Ego Meets Vulnerability

At the core of the track is one of the cleverest lyrical turns in the band’s discography, immortalized in the chorus:

“I hope you think of me high / I hope you think of me highly / When you’re with someone else.”

Lead singer Luke Hemmings has openly described the song as having an “almost narcissistic note to yourself”, wrapped in a surprisingly sweet and unassuming package.

On the surface, wishing that an ex thinks of you “high” (reminiscing about past recreational moments or euphoria together) alongside wanting them to think of you “highly” (with respect and fondness) sounds self-absorbed. You want to occupy space in an ex-partner’s head, even after you’ve broken up and they’ve moved on to someone new. However, this isn’t written from a place of arrogance; it’s born from deep insecurity. It’s the desperate internal monologue of someone terrified of being entirely forgotten.

2. Facing Up to Imposter Syndrome in Love

Another poignant layer of “High” deals with the painful chasm between how someone perceives us and who we actually are. Hemmings sings:

*”I know I’ll never meet your expectations / But the