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TRACK BY TRACK: Ed Sheeran
Written by Natalya Gioiella. Published: March 10 2017
Ed Sheeran continues to dominate the music industry today. He’s previously owned his own label, from which he released nine EPs and has since made 20 music videos, released 24 singles, and 3 albums. Whew!
His third album Divide just came out via Asylum Records and Atlantic Records and we think it's his best yet! The album is jammed full of emotional, folksy, upbeat pop songs with the occasional bit of rap mixed in. With every song he sings, a personal narrative is told, most of which are about a breakup he went through, past mistakes he's made (like drinking and smoking too much), and the feeling he had when he fell in love. He hopes that by painting his fans these personal pictures, he can send a message to them, and that is to follow your dreams, to try and make mistakes you won’t regret, and to find someone who truly cares about you.
Most of us Sheeran fans have probably heard the top hits off
his new album, and many of us probably can’t stop singing them, but
ready those vocal chords once again as we break down Divide track
by track!
1. "Eraser"
The first song off the album is his strongest, and that is why
it’s the perfect song to open the album with. It sets the tone for
the rest of the album, speaking about personal experiences he’s had
to deal with as he became acquainted with the industry. This song
in particular is about the difficulties associated in any industry,
warning fans to be aware of mistakes that will inevitably be made.
The song has a heavily populated upbeat tone to it and it is
infused with guitar and rap to further relay the message to fans to
be careful what you wish for and to really be aware of mistakes
that will end up being made, like not doing drugs or smoking when
things get too stressful but to have an amazing support system that
can get you through the rough times!
Favorite lyrics: “I wish my private life would have never
gone public / I will find comfort in my pain...”
2. "Castle on The Hill"
This song is one of our favorites off the album. We loved it
before it was even on the album itself, as this was one of the few
singles he released when promoting the album. The tune is just so
catchy that most of us couldn’t turn off the radio. Lyrics
practically became engrained in our brain and we just loved the
dramatic, upbeat tone it had to it. It sort of helped personify the
song as a sort of speech or anthem, if you will, about not doing
drugs, smoking, or getting so drunk that you miss out on all the
good times. Because of all of our adoring fans out there, we really
appreciate the message he is trying to convey. We hope that all are
fans are listening too!
Favorite lyrics: “I missed the way you make me feel / Had my
first kiss on Friday night, I don’t reckon I did it right...”
3. "Dive"
This song sparks revolution amongst Sheeran’s previous two
songs. For one thing, the song is more emotional, the beats slower,
and you can distinctly hear the one sole feature the song offers,
and that’s him playing guitar. Sheeran really wants to let whomever
he’s singing about know how much they hurt him. We can distinctly
understand that, in the song, he’s singing about a girl he once
loved who had only pretended to love him back. So, just a tip to
anyone who thinks they’re falling in love: make sure they are on
the same page before you commit. It’s no fun being hurt. In fact,
make sure the person you fall for is someone you explicitly
trust.
Favorite Lyrics: “You’re a mystery, I have traveled the
world / I could fall or I could fly...”
4. "Shape of You"
This song is another favorite of ours that was first released
as a single back in January, and it’s a hit on radio stations
today. In fact, it’s very popular amongst friends in my age group;
I haven’t heard them stop singing along, It’s just so catchy! The
song returns Sheeran back to his upbeat pop tune roots but it also
features a marimba rhythm that makes people want to dance. Perhaps
it’s even a good song for couples, as it is about a romance that is
just starting to take shape. Quite a different tune from
"Dive"...
Favorite Lyrics: “I’m in love with shape of you / I want
your love...”
5. "Perfect"
Buddha Have Mercy! Another love song? Seriously, Sheeran? Ah,
just kidding. We love love songs. This song, although written for
his own love, is also the perfect song for couples, as it talks
about finding happiness with your loved one and the great feeling
it brings. The song features the strongest vocals we’ve heard from
Sheeran yet, the sounds of his guitar, and a more emotional but
happy vibe in a slower tune. Sheeran really wants his fans to feel
how he felt when he first found love.
Favorite lyrics: “I found a woman stronger than anyone I
know / I hope that someday I will share her
home...”
6. "Galway Girl"
Ed, it’s hard to keep up with your ever-changing tempos. This
song now returns to how the first song played out in the beginning.
It features an upbeat tempo infused with rap. He’s singing about an
Irish girl he fell in love with who played the fiddle, and he’s
reminiscing about all the good times he had, which, now looking
back, he’s telling his fans to have fun but not so much fun that
you’re drunk and smoking as its bad for your health. The dramatics
of the song is even more indicative that what he did with this girl
was a mistake...
Favorite Lyrics: She played the fiddle in an Irish band /
She fell in love with an English man...”
7. "Happier"
Don't let the title fool you, as it is a song about breaking
up with someone, and therefore it hits a more emotional chord.
Sheeran, armed with his guitar, sings about his ex being happier
with another man, which is rare for a man to do because most won’t
admit that it was all their fault when something goes wrong in the
relationship. So, girls, don’t expect a man to do this all the
time. Sheeran just happens to be a nice guy, or he’s doing this to
help himself get over the pain.
Favorite Lyrics: “Sat on the corner of the room everything’s
reminding me of you / Ain’t nobody hurt you like I hurt
you...”
8. "New Man"
This is the third song in the album to use an upbeat pop tempo
infused with rap, this time with a little bit of a disco beat added
in. But it’s the perfect kind of vibe for what he’s singing about,
which is mocking his ex’s new man and her for deciding to date the
first guy who gave her attention. Maybe this was his way of coping
and getting over her; perhaps it gave him closure. Sometimes it
helps to find things out about the new man and your old flame and
mock them. You want to feel good again, right?
Favorite Lyrics: ”I don’t wanna know about your new man /
I know you’re missing all this kind of love...”
9. "Hearts Don’t Break Around Here"
This song is another one perfect as Sheeran is describing all
the things that he loves about his woman. His vocals are
beautifully backed with the sounds of an acoustic guitar and a
semi-slow-paced tune. You can once again feel the love that he
feels for this woman just by how dramatic and loud he’s
singing!
Favorite Lyrics: “She is the sweetest thing that I know /
Shakes my soul like a pot hole...”
10. "What Do I Know"
This song is another one of Sheeran’s greats. Instead of the
typical pop that we heard in the previous songs, this song leans
more to the folk side. It’s slower paced, features his deep mellow
voice and a guitar, but he wants to indicate the feeling of falling
in love with that perfect someone and preserve the memory.
Favorite lyrics: “We could change this whole world with
a piano, add a bass, some guitar, and grab a beat / I’m just
a boy with a one-man show...”
11. "How Would You Feel (Paean)"
This song begins with the distinct sounds of a piano and a
guitar, which are soon accompanied by Sheeran’s vocals. His voice
in this song is seemingly more emotional than in any of his other
songs, but it is the good kind of emotional, representative of a
time when he was happy.
Favorite lyrics: ”You are the one girl / Stealing kisses
in the front yard...”
12. "Supermarket Flowers"
This song features only Sheeran’s vocals and a piano to give
it that melancholy feel of a breakup song. Simple but elegant and
powerful.
Favorite lyrics: “Took the get-well-soon cards and stuffed
animals / Poured the ginger beer down the sink...”
13. "Barcelona"
An interesting take from Sheeran. We must commend him for
combining a Spanish beat of sorts with a more upbeat pop sound.
It’s a song perfect for a party as he’s talking about having fun
with a former flame of his, getting drunk, and partying. It just
makes you wanna dance and have fun. This one might be for a more
mature audience...
Favorite lyrics: “You and I we’re flying on an aeroplane
tonight / I’ve got two left feet and a bottle of
wine...”
14. "Bibia Be Ye Ye"
This song is a song about being honest with your significant
other, and the tone features a surprisingly upbeat pop tune for
someone who is condemning a former loved one of not being honest.
We expected this song to be like his others where he ends up
rapping and listing off all the things that went wrong in the
relationship. We think it helps too that it’s a venting mechanism
and a way to find closure with the person you ended the
relationship with, but perhaps he had a different ulterior motive
in mind and we just don’t know it.
Favorite lyrics: “Someone told me 'always say what’s on your
mind'...”
15. "Nancy Mulligan"
Featuring strings, drums, vocals, and a guitar to express the
way he used to feel about a woman he fell in love with, the
fast-paced tone seems representative of how his heart was feeling
at the time that he went out with this girl, but it’s also
indicative of the way men and women, or any couple, are
really supposed to feel about each other.
Favorite lyrics: "She and I went on the run / I’m gonna
marry the woman I love...”
16. "Save Myself"
Quite a way to end the album. Normally you wouldn’t think of
ending on such a sad note, talking about a girl who doesn’t love
you back, but it’s important to warn your fans that it's not always
a happy ending, so I guess you did the right thing, Ed. I mean, we
know how some men can be about commitment and we get that sometimes
us girls can be a little emotional...
Favorite lyrics: “Life can get you down, so I just numb
the way it feels / I gave you all my energy and I took away your
pain...”
We hope we’ve inspired you to listen to his new album. All of
his songs are very personal, each talking about times in his life
he probably wishes he could do over. But he’s sharing these songs
with his fans as a guide to be prudent of mistakes that you might
make, and to follow your dreams so you never have to live with
regret.
(Image via Dan Jackman/WENN)
- Natalya Gioiella, YH Contributing Writer