What Makes You Beautiful

One Direction

You're insecure, don't know what for
You're turnin' heads when you walk through the door
Don't need make-up to cover up
Bein' the way that you are is enough

Everyone else in the room can see it
Everyone else but you

Baby, you light up my world like nobody else
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed
But when you smile at the ground, it ain't hard to tell
You don't know, oh-oh
You don't know you're beautiful
If only you saw what I can see
You'll understand why I want you so desperately
Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe
You don't know, oh-oh
You don't know you're beautiful, oh-oh
That's what makes you beautiful

So c-come on, you got it wrong
To prove I'm right, I put it in a song
I don't know why, you're being shy
And turn away when I look into your eyes

Everyone else in the room can see it
Everyone else but you

Baby, you light up my world like nobody else
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed
But when you smile at the ground, it ain't hard to tell
You don't know, oh-oh
You don't know you're beautiful
If only you saw what I can see
You'll understand why I want you so desperately
Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe
You don't know, oh-oh
You don't know you're beautiful, oh-oh
That's what makes you beautiful

Na, na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na
Na, na-na-na, na-na
Na, na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na
Na, na-na-na, na-na

Baby, you light up my world like nobody else
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed
But when you smile at the ground, it ain't hard to tell
(You don't know, oh-oh)
You don't know you're beautiful

Baby, you light up my world like nobody else
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed
But when you smile at the ground, it ain't hard to tell
You don't know, oh-oh
You don't know you're beautiful
If only you saw what I can see
You'll understand why I want you so desperately
Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe
You don't know, oh-oh
You don't know you're beautiful, oh-oh
You don't know you're beautiful, oh-oh
That's what makes you beautiful


Lyrics submitted by Kloome

What Makes You Beautiful Lyrics as written by Rami Yacoub Savan Harish Kotecha

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Tratore, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

What Makes You Beautiful song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

23 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +7
    My InterpretationThis song is pretty much telling young girls that being insecure and having a low self esteem is attractive. "You don't know you're beautiful, that's what makes you beautiful" I think the message is kind of sad. Real beauty comes from the inside and having confidence and self esteem is really important.
    gottalovethemusicon August 29, 2012   Link
  • +5
    General CommentBeauty is not just on the outside. While yes, she may be pretty on the outside, the fact that she's nice and modest on the inside is what makes her really stand out. That's also the reason why he's probably so attracted to her.

    Most people who think they're beautiful or pretty are pretty obnoxious and cocky about it. You know those girls who act better than everyone but are cruel and heartless on the inside. They may have great bodies and model faces, but no one wants to be with a bitch.

    Plus, when you like someone, truly like them, you see them in a way most people don't. So their beauty is unique to the person that loves them.
    BlacklightTranceon January 04, 2012   Link
  • +4
    General CommentPersonally I think this song is completely meaningless and the only point of it was for people to like it. It is just like all the other pop songs feigning meaning. But that sums up most pop music.
    JoshNMarkDon April 10, 2012   Link
  • +2
    General CommentOkay hold up. So if she is beautiful cause she doesnt know she is, what if through this shitty song she realizes how beautiful she is, is she not beautiful anymore? is she now an ugly piece of crap because she thinks shes beautiful? Y U NO MAKE SENSE!?!?!??!
    geco4everon December 09, 2011   Link
  • +2
    My OpinionLook i know there will be some teenage girls giving me death threats for saying this but do people honestly listen to this garbage? i mean the website is called song meanings but you cant give an interpretation for this song because there is no meaning. Its just teens swinging their arms on a beach. Im guessing they called it one direction because its directed to one group of people. pre- pubescent girls.BURN!
    so to sum it up not a good band, not a good song
    schrodinger the caton August 17, 2013   Link
  • +1
    TranslationThis song is talking about how he thinks she is beautiful. and her not believing that she is beautiful, turns him on. because I know some people that know they are beautiful and they are EXTREMELY cocky.
    jackeeashleyon December 24, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment"what make you beautiful" with happy melody makes me feel fresh and love this life. The lyrics is really simple and easy to understand but men who understand and sing it must have very deep souls to see what inside of a girl rather than outside. The strangest thing to mention about this song is that although the song has a happy melody, feel people may want to cry because of its sweetness. " You may be no one in this world but you can be the world to some one". You can be very important and incredible, you never know. So, love yourself and love the person that can see the beauty of you even you don't know.
    song222on August 16, 2012   Link
  • +1
    My InterpretationThis is an analogy of abusive relationships from an outsiders perspective. it shows the pain that can be inflicted both physically and mentally, it also more accurately shows the damage it has on self confidence. the fact that the girl doesn't know she's beautiful' shows innocence which is being lost in the process of accidental sexualisation and her use of make-up to cover up the bruises which she now feels naked without. In my opinion it is not a song of romance it is a song of sympathy, he is saying about how she is beautiful the way she is and doesn't need to change to gain the love of an abusive partner which she will never get, which is why this song is giving advice to the younger audience such as there will always be someone who finds you beautiful the way you are. however there will be those who seek to control you through psychological or physical means.
    chang96on January 24, 2013   Link
  • +1
    My OpinionTo be honest, I'm a One Direction fan. A /huge/ fan at that but I first listened to this when I was only.. 12? Yeah. My opinion on what this song conveys is that it's actually kinda sad, really. The fact that when a girl doesn't know she's beautiful makes her beautiful is really sad because it's like saying that boys would rather have a girl with a low self-esteem and a girl who trips on her low confidence than have a girl who's pretty much confident of her entire self. It's funny how almost 3 years can make a difference on a person knowing the /real/ message of a song.

    My eyes have been opened. Wow.
    painbyzainon October 25, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General CommentGrease opening song. But whatever, right?
    shann_swarton February 08, 2015   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top