What Do The '“INTERMISSION flower” Lyrics Mean?

If you’re anything like me, you spent the first few hours after Zayn Malik’s Mind of Mine was released on Friday going over every single lyric with a fine toothcomb. I do this for two reasons: 1.) to help me memorize every single lyric so I can sing them in the shower ASAP, and 2.) to help dig for meaning behind the lyrics, because, hi, there is a lot of meaning in this amazing album. But, like most of you, I came to a bit of a halt when I got to the song “INTERMISSION flower.” Mainly because I don’t speak Urdu, which is the language that the lyrics are in. Still, I love a good song from the heart, so I took to the Internet to figure out just what the lyrics in “INTERMISSION flower” mean.

And can I just say: Thank the sweet heavens for the Internet, because the geniuses over at Genius.com already have the lyrics written out in three forms. There is the original Urdu, the phonetic Urdu, and the English translation. If, like me, you don’t speak Urdu, you’re going to want to take a look at the phonetic Urdu first. You know, to maximize your shower singing. Memorize these words, so that you can make sure you have it all down to sing at the top of your lungs and with absolute confidence.

Jab tak is mohabbat ka phool na khilay Tab tak is dill ko sukoon na mileyDil day mujhe, Dil day mujhe, Dil day mujhe

Then, when you have that down, you’ll want to know what you’re singing so that you can put the right emotions into it. What the song means in English is actually incredibly touching. The short intermission is a song about Malik’s own heart and his love.

Until the flower of this love has blossomed / This heart won’t be at peace / Give me your heart / Give me your heart / Give me your heart

See what I mean? Singing about love in such a deep way is obviously something incredibly personal and private to Malik, which is why it makes sense that he would choose to sing these lyrics in Urdu, the language that is his father’s native tongue. According to producer and co-writer, Malay Ho, "His relationship with his dad and his whole family is super important — especially his dad... 'Flower' was inspired by his father’s culture.... [He] just picked up the mic and tracked that whole thing basically live, in one take... Afterward, he told me he was in a super spiritual place, and that the saying is something one of his family members had told him that had always stuck to him."

It makes sense to me, then, why he would since such a personal song in Urdu, a language that he speaks and knows well. And the fact that he would share it with the fans, something so close and personal to his heart, just makes Mind of Mine even more beautiful.