Ed Sheeran's biggest songs and the meanings behind them

From 'Lego House' to 'Thinking Out Loud', Ed Sheeran has served some absolute TUNES since he arrived on the scene back in 2011 with his debut single 'The A Team'. Now, having achieved more than 200 million record sales globally over the last decade and a half, the singer from Suffolk is one of the world's best-selling music artists.

As well as having a pretty versatile voice, releasing everything from ballads to high tempo tracks, Ed writes his own songs too! But what do they all mean? We take a look...

'The A Team'

Considering the success of his first single in 2011, it was obvious that Ed would go on to achieve big things! 'The A Team', from Ed's debut album '+' (Plus) went to Number 3 in the UK and has since been certified 6x Platinum.

The song is written about a sex worker called Angel — and by the term 'A Team', Ed actually means somebody taking Class A drugs. He wrote the song following a gig he did for homeless people when he was 18. The lyrics go: 'White lips, pale face / Breathin' in the snowflakes / Burnt lungs, sour taste / Light's gone, days end / Struggling to pay rent / Long nights, strange men.

'And they say / She's in the Class A Team / Stuck in her daydream / Been this way since eighteen, but lately / Her face seems / Slowly sinking, wasting / Crumbling like pastries / And they scream / "The worst things in life come free to us".

'Cause we're just under the upper hand / And go mad for a couple grams / And she don't wanna go outside tonight / And in a pipe, she flies to the Motherland / Or sells love to another man / It's too cold outside / For angels to fly / Angels to fly.'

'Autumn Leaves'

Some say 2011 single 'Autumn Leaves' was written about a friend of Ed's who passed away, while others believe it to be about a love lost. Although there's no official confirmation, it was a popular song in Ed's early days, receiving Silver certification in the UK after being added as a bonus track to Ed's first album '+' (Plus).

In it, he sings: 'Another day, another life / Passes by, just like mine / It's not complicated (Oh) / Another mind, another soul / Another body to grow old / It's not complicated / And do you ever wonder if the stars shine out for you? / Float down like autumn leaves / Hush now, close your eyes before the sleep / And you're miles away / And yesterday, you were here with me.

'Oh, another tear, another cry / Another place for us to die / It's not complicated / Another life that's gone to waste / Another light lost from your face / It's complicated.'

'Lego House'

The song that really propelled Ed into the spotlight, 'Lego House' featured none other than Harry Potter legend Rupert Grint in the music video. In it, we see Ed's fellow ginger play a superfan, who attempts to impersonate the singer, before being tackled off the stage by security.

Ed told The Guardian it was a song about a realisation period. Ed said he tried to be really imaginative, using things like LEGO and Painting By Numbers, rather than just writing your average love song.

The lyrics to the song, which is also included on his first album 'Plus', include: 'I'm gonna pick up the pieces and build a LEGO house / If things go wrong, we can knock it down / My three words have two meanings, but there's one thing on my mind / It's all for you, mh.

'And it's dark in a cold December But I've got you to keep me warm / If you're broken, I will mend ya / And I'll keep you sheltered from the storm that's raging on now / I'm out of touch, I'm out of love / I'll pick you up when you're gettin' down / And out of all these things I've done / I think I love you better now / I'm out of sight, I'm out of mind / I'll do it all for you in time / And out of all these things I've done / I think I love you better now, now.'

'Small Bump'

Sadly, Ed's song 'Small Bump' was written about his friend's miscarriage at five months. He told Interview Magazine back in 2011: "It was quite a difficult subject to tackle. I wrote it from their perspective. It's quite a touchy subject, so I wrote it from the perspective of actually being the parent."

The emotional lyrics include: 'Ooh, you're just a small bump unknown / You'll grow into your skin / With a smile like hers / And a dimple beneath your chin / Fingernails the size of a half grain of rice / And eyelids closed to be soon opened wide / A small bump / In four months you'll open your eyes.

'And I'll hold you tightly / I'll tell you nothing but truth / If you're not inside me / I'll put my future in you / You are my one and only / And you can wrap your fingers 'round my thumb / And hold me tight / Oh, you are my one and only / You can wrap your fingers 'round my thumb / And hold me tight / And you'll be alright / And you can lie with me / With your tiny feet / When you're half asleep / I'll leave you be / Right in front of me / For a couple weeks / So I can keep you safe.

'Cause you were just a small bump unborn / For four months then torn from life / Maybe you were needed up there / But we're still unaware as why.'

The song, which was another from his first album 'Plus' has since been certified Platinum.

'I See Fire'

2013's 'I See Fire' was written for The Hobbit movie The Desolation of Smaug. As a fan of the J.R.R. Tolkien book series, Ed was no doubt thrilled to be asked by movie director Peter Jackson to contribute to the soundtrack.

The lyrics for the 2x Platinum track are as follows: 'Oh, misty eye of the mountain below / Keep careful watch of my brothers' souls / And should the sky be filled with fire and smoke / Keep watching over Durin's sons.

'If this is to end in fire, then we should all burn together / Watch the flames climb high into the night / Callin' out, Father, oh, stand by and we will / Watch the flames burn auburn on the mountainside (High)

'And if we should die tonight, then we should all die together / Raise a glass of wine for the last time / Callin' out, Father, oh, prepare as we will / Watch the flames burn auburn on the mountainside / Desolation comes upon the sky.

'Now I see fire inside the mountain / And I see fire burning the trees / And I see fire hollowin' souls / I see fire, blood in the breeze / And I hope that you remember me.

Ed recorded the folk ballad following an early screening of the movie — and with direction from Peter Jackson to reflect the final 10 minutes of the film. It's reported to be written from the perspective of one of the movie's dwarves — and although he hasn't confirmed which, the video leads us to believe it's written from Bilbo Baggins' standpoint. The Hobbit's themes of fire, mountains and brotherhood are all evident in the lyrics.

'Don’t'

If, like us, you've listened to the lyrics of 'Don't' from Ed's second album 'x' (Multiply) over and over, you're bound to have wondered who Ed is referring to when he sings 'But me and her, we make money the same way'. Written from the perspective of a man-scorned, the 2014 track is about a relationship that went sour when in Ed's words, the girl in the song takes someone else 'to bed'.

Of course, we've all heard the rumours that 'Don't' is about Ed's alleged romance with Ellie Goulding (which she denies) and her brief relationship with One Direction's Niall Horan.

While the lyrics are pretty brutal, all three have shown there's nothing but love between them, with Ed calling the writing of the song 'therapeutic'. You'll remember the lyrics include: 'I never intended to be next / But you didn't need to take him to bed, that's all / And I never saw him as a threat / Until you disappeared with him to have sex, of course.

'It's not like we were both on tour / We were staying on the same f------ hotel floor / And I wasn't looking for a promise or commitment / But it was never just fun, and I thought you were different / This is not the way you realised what you wanted / It's a bit too much, too late if I'm honest / And all this time, God knows I'm singing.

'Don't f--- with my love / That heart is so cold / All over my home / I don't wanna know that, babe / Don't f--- with my love / I told her she knows / Take aim and reload / I don't wanna know that, babe.'

'Don't' went to Number 8 in the UK and has since been certified 3x Platinum.

🚨WARNING: This song contains explicit language 🚨

'Thinking Out Loud'

Written with friend and songwriter, Amy Wadge, in 2014 while sat on the sofa, 'Thinking Out Loud' is one of Ed's most successful songs to date — and has no doubt been used as the first dance for scores of newly-married couples across the country. Going to Number 1 in many countries, including the UK, 'Thinking Out Loud' (also from Ed's second album 'Multiply') has been certified a whopping 7x Platinum here and 18x Platinum in the US.

Ed's previously revealed he wrote the song about everlasting love, while in a happy relationship — and also with his grandparents in mind. The sweet lyrics include: 'When your legs don't work like they used to before / And I can't sweep you off of your feet / Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love / Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks.

'And darling I will be loving you 'til we're 70 / And baby my heart could still fall as hard at 23 / And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways / Maybe just the touch of a hand / Oh me I fall in love with you every single day / And I just wanna tell you I am.

'So honey now / Take me into your loving arms / Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars / Place your head on my beating heart / I'm thinking out loud / Maybe we found love right where we are.'

'All of the Stars'

Ed Sheeran's 'All of the Stars' single was written for the movie 'The Fault In Our Stars', which was based on the 2012 book of the same name. The movie, released two years later in 2014, had huge commercial success, and won a number of awards, including two MTV Movie Awards. It's based on the story of a teenage cancer patient, who falls in love.

Ed wrote the emotional lyrics: 'It's just another night, and I'm staring at the moon / I saw a shooting star and thought of you / I sang a lullaby by the waterside and knew / If you were here, I'd sing to you / You're on the other side as the skyline splits in two / Miles away from seeing you / But I can see the stars from America / I wonder, do you see them too?

'So open your eyes and see / The way our horizons meet / And all of the lights will lead / Into the night with me / And I know these scars will bleed / But both of our hearts believe / All of these stars will guide us home.

'I can hear your heart on the radio beat /They're playing, "Chasing Cars", and I thought of us / Back to the time you were lying next to me / I looked across and fell in love / So I took your hand, back through lamp-lit streets I knew / Everything led back to you / So can you see the stars over Amsterdam? / You're the song my heart is beating to.'

Ed described the song as 'sad, yet euphoric'.

'Photograph'

Ed's 2015 love song 'Photograph' has been certified 5x Platinum here in the UK. Written with Snow Patrol's Johnny McDaid, the popular ballad is written about long-distance relationships, which is said to have been inspired by Ed's time away from his then-girlfriend, Nina Nesbitt, while on tour. It's the final single released from his second album 'Multiply'.

The lyrics, which talk of love being able to both hurt you and heal you, include: 'Lovin' can hurt / Lovin' can hurt sometimes / But it's the only thing that I know / And when it gets hard / You know it can get hard sometimes / It is the only thing that makes us feel alive.

'We keep this love in a photograph / We made these memories for ourselves / Where our eyes are never closin' / Hearts are never broken / And time's forever frozen still.

'So you can keep me / Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans / Holdin' me closer 'til our eyes meet / You won't ever be alone / Wait for me to come home.'

'Perfect'

Released from Ed's third studio album '÷' (Divide), 'Perfect' made it to Number 1 in many countries around the world — and became yet another top choice for weddings in the years that followed its release in 2017. It was even certified 10x Platinum in the UK!

The lyrics, which will tug on your heartstrings, include: 'I found a love for me / Oh, darling, just dive right in and follow my lead / Well, I found a girl, beautiful and sweet / Oh, I never knew you were the someone waitin' for me.

' 'Cause we were just kids when we fell in love, not knowin' what it was / I will not give you up this time / Oh, darling, just kiss me slow, your heart is all I own / And in your eyes, you're holding mine.

'Baby, I'm dancin' in the dark with you between my arms / Barefoot on the grass while listenin' to our favourite song / When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath / But you heard it, "Darling, you look perfect tonight".

'Well, I found a woman, stronger than anyone I know / She shares my dreams, I hope that someday, I'll share her home / I found a love to carry more than just my secrets . To carry love, to carry children of our own.'

The lyrics speak for themselves with this one, it's a good old fashioned love song — and is reported to have been written for Ed's childhood sweetheart, and now wife, Cherry Seaborn. Naww!

Shortly after its release, Ed teamed up with pop icon Beyoncé to release a duet version of the track. 'Perfect Duet' stormed the charts throughout December 2017, helping Ed to secure the enviable Christmas Number 1 that year! Ed called it "a dream come true".

'Castle on the Hill'

'Castle on the Hill' was a massive hit when it was released in 2017. Off his third studio album 'Divide', the catchy track went to Number 2 here and has been certified 6x Platinum!

Ed said it's a song that looks back on childhood and childhood friends — and is written about his home town of Suffolk. The castle he references is, in fact, Framlingham Castle, from Ed's old stomping ground. In an interview with radio.com, he said: "The kind of idea was to show the happiness and innocence of youth and then also show the darkness and reality of growing up."

Talking about the lads mentioned in the lyrics back in 2017, Ed said: "I'm in touch with most of them because they're still my mates. The same guy that works down by the coast, is the guy I was running from the law through the back fields with. And I spent New Year's Eve with him, so we had a bit of a laugh about that, remembering being naughty kids.

"I've learnt one of the most important things in life is family and friends and keeping your roots."

The lyrics begin: 'When I was six years old, I broke my leg / When I was running from my brother and his friends / And tasted the sweet perfume of the mountain grass I rolled down / Well, I was younger then, take me back to when / I found my heart and broke it here / Made friends and lost them through the years / And I've not seen the roaring fields in so long, I know I've grown / But I can't wait to go home.

'I'm on my way / Driving at 90 down those country lanes / Singing to "Tiny Dancer" / And I miss the way you make me feel, and it's real / And we watched the sunset over the castle on the hill.

'15 years old and smoking hand-rolled cigarettes / Running from the law through the backfields / And getting drunk with my friends / Had my first kiss on a Friday night / I don't reckon that I did it right / But I was younger then, take me back to when / We found weekend jobs, when we got paid / We'd buy cheap spirits and drink them straight / Me and my friends have not thrown up in so long, oh, how we've grown / But I can't wait to go home...

'One friend left to sell clothes, one works down by the coast / One had two kids but lives alone, one's brother overdosed / One's already on his second wife, one's just barely getting by / But these people raised me and I can't wait to go home.'

Ed revealed the song came about after listening, a lot, to Bruce Springsteen's 'The River'.

'Shape of You'

Interestingly Ed's Number 1 banger 'Shape of You' was originally written with the intention of giving it to either Little Mix or Rihanna. But the plan changed mid-way through, and Ed decided to record the track himself — and we're so glad he did!

Topping the charts in no less than 34 countries, the 2017 single from Ed's 'Divide' album did remarkably well, smashing many records on music streaming services. It was even certified 11x Platinum in the UK in June 2025!

The dance/R&B track is about physical attraction. The lyrics include: 'Me and my friends at the table doing shots / Drinking fast and then we talk slow / Come over and start up a conversation with just me / And trust me I'll give it a chance now / Take my hand, stop, put Van the Man on the jukebox / And then we start to dance, and now I'm singing like.

'Girl, you know I want your love / Your love was handmade for somebody like me / Come on now, follow my lead / I may be crazy, don't mind me / Say, boy, let's not talk too much / Grab on my waist and put that body on me / Come on now, follow my lead / Come, come on now, follow my lead.

'I'm in love with the shape of you / We push and pull like a magnet do / Although my heart is falling too / I'm in love with your body / And last night you were in my room / And now my bedsheets smell like you / Every day discovering something brand new / I'm in love with your body.'

'Galway Girl'

Written with Irish folk band, Beoga, 'Galway Girl' is often confused with Steve Earle's single of the same, but it's not a cover. Ed and Beoga wrote the song while sitting in the garden in Suffolk. Although it's not about anybody in particular, the opening line 'she played the fiddle in an Irish band' is reported to be about Beoga's Niamh Dunne.

In the music video, we see American-Irish actress Saoirse Ronan (best known for The Lovely Bones, Little Women and Atonement) on a night out with Ed in Galway, Ireland. The singer shot the video himself, with a body-cam. The catchy lyrics go:' She played the fiddle in an Irish band / But she fell in love with an English man / Kissed her on the neck and then I took her by the hand / Said, "Baby, I just want to dance".'

'I met her on Grafton street right outside of the bar / She shared a cigarette with me while her brother played the guitar / She asked me what does it mean, the Gaelic ink on your arm? Said it was one of my friend's songs, do you want to drink on?/ She took Jamie as a chaser, Jack for the fun / She got Arthur on the table with Johnny riding a shotgun / Chatted some more, one more drink at the bar / Then put Van on the jukebox, got up to dance.

'You know, she played the fiddle in an Irish band / But she fell in love with an English man / Kissed her on the neck and then I took her by the hand / Said, "Baby, I just want to dance" / With my pretty little Galway Girl / You're my pretty little Galway Girl.

'You know she beat me at darts and then she beat me at pool / And then she kissed me like there was nobody else in the room / As last orders were called was when she stood on the stool / After dancing to Cèilidh singing to trad tunes / I never heard Carrickfergus ever sang so sweet / A capella in the bar using her feet for a beat / Oh, I could have that voice playing on repeat for a week / And in this packed out room swear she was singing to me'.

'Galway Girl' was released in 2017 from Ed's third album 'Divide' and has been certified 5x Platinum.

'Dive'

This 2017 release from Ed's 'Divide' album really shows his vulnerable side — with lyrics like 'I could live, I could die, hanging on the words you say'. It went to Number 8 in the chart and has since been certified 2x Platinum.

Written with singer-songwriters Benny Blanco and Julia Michaels, the song is written from the perspective of a man worried about getting his heart broken.

The lyrics include: 'Oh, maybe I came on too strong / Maybe I waited too long / Maybe I played my cards wrong / Oh, just a little bit wrong / Baby I apologize for it.

'I could fall or I could fly / Here in your aeroplane / And I could live, I could die / Hanging on the words you say / And I've been known to give my all / And jumping in harder than / Ten thousand rocks on the lake.

'So don't call me baby / Unless you mean it / Don't tell me you need me / If you don't believe it / So let me know the truth / Before I dive right into you.'

'Supermarket Flowers'

Despite mentioning his 'mum' in the lyrics, 2017's 'Supermarket Flowers' from Ed's third album 'Divide' was actually written about Ed's gran. Clearing out her room after her sad death, Ed remembers taking the supermarket flowers down from the windowsill — and the emotion that evoked.

The ballad, which went to Number 8 and has since been certified 2x Platinum, includes the lyrics: 'I took the supermarket flowers from the windowsill / I threw the day-old tea from the cup / Packed up the photo album Matthew had made / Memories of a life that's been loved / Took the get well soon cards and stuffed animals / Poured the old ginger beer down the sink / Dad always told me, "Don't you cry when you're down" / But mum, there's a tear every time that I blink / Oh, I'm in pieces, it's tearing me up, but I know / A heart that's broke is a heart that's been loved.

'So, I'll sing Hallelujah / You were an angel in the shape of my mum / When I fell down, you'd be there holding me up / Spread your wings as you go / And when God takes you back / He'll say, "Hallelujah, you're home".

'I fluffed the pillows, made the beds, stacked the chairs up / Folded your nightgowns neatly in a case / John said he'd drive then put his hand on my cheek / And wiped a tear from the side of my face / And I hope that I see the world as you did, 'cause I know / A life with love is a life that's been lived.'

'Afterglow'

By 2019, when Ed wrote 'Afterglow', he was completely head over heels in love with his now-wife Cherry Seaborn, so it was no surprise he was dropping love songs like sweets. 'Afterglow' went to Number 2 in the UK chart and has been certified Platinum. Written in 2019 and released in 2020, the song has been described as 'beautiful', 'emotional' and about 'living in the moment'. The lyrics, which talk about a 'new dimension' and 'losing track of time', include:

'Stop the clocks, it's amazing / You should see the way the light dances off your head / A million colours of hazel, golden and red / Saturday morning is fading / The sun's reflected by the coffee in your hand / My eyes are caught in your gaze all over again.

'We were love drunk, waiting on a miracle / Tryna find ourselves in the winter snow / So alone in love like the world had disappeared / Oh, I won't be silent and I won't let go / I will hold on tighter 'til the afterglow / And we'll burn so bright 'til the darkness softly clears.

'Oh, I will hold on to the afterglow / Oh, I will hold on to the afterglow.

'The weather outside's changing / The leaves are buried under six inches of white / The radio is playing, Iron & Wine / This is a new dimension / This is a level where we're losing track of time / I'm holding nothing against it, except you and I.'

'Bad Habits'

Ed's Number 1 smash hit 'Bad Habits' is the lead single from his fifth studio album '=' (Equals) and has been certified 7 x Platinum here in the UK. Ed's previously revealed the song is about addiction. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Ed said: "If you sing that on a piano really slowly, it’s like a confessional song about addiction." Here's the lyrics:

'Every time you come around, you know I can't say no / Every time the sun goes down, I let you take control / I can feel the paradise before my world implodes / And tonight had something wonderful.

'My bad habits lead to late nights endin' alone / Conversations with a stranger I barely know / Swearin' this will be the last, but it probably won't / I got nothin' left to lose, or use, or do.

'My bad habits lead to wide eyes stare into space / And I know I lose control of the things that I say / Yeah, I was lookin' for a way out, now I can't escape / Nothin' happens after two, it's true, it's true, my bad habits lead to you.'

'Visiting Hours'

In a post uploaded to Instagram in August 2021, Ed introduced his 'Equals' album, giving an insight into the meaning behind his track 'Visiting Hours': 'I started writing and recording this album June 2017. Its been a long, long process. I’ve been through love, loss, new life, grief and everything in between during the whole period of writing it, and I feel like it’s really a coming of age record.

'I’ve never been more proud of a body of work, or more excited/nervous for you all to hear it. The next song off of it is called Visiting Hours, which I finished for my friend Michael who sadly passed away this year.' (sic)

The sad lyrics in the song are as follows: 'I wish that Heaven had visiting hours / So I could just show up and bring the news / That she's gettin' older, and I wish that you'd met her / The things that she'll learn from me, I got them all from you.

'Can I just stay a while, and we'll put all the world to rights? / The little ones will grow, and I'll still drink your favourite wine / And soon, they're going to close, but I'll see you another day / So much has changed since you've been away.

'I wish that Heaven had visiting hours / So I could just swing by and ask your advice / What would you do in my situation? / I haven't a clue how I'd even raise them / What would you do? 'Cause you always do what's right

'Can we just talk a while until my worries disappear? / I'd tell you that I'm scared of turnin' out a failure / You'd say, "Remember that the answer's in the love that we create"/ So much has changed since you've been away / I wish that Heaven had visiting hours / And I would ask them if I could take you home / But I know what they'd say, that it's for the best / So I will live life the way you taught me / And make it on my own.

'And I will close the door, but I will open up my heart / And everyone I love will know exactly who you are / 'Cause this is not goodbye, it is just 'til we meet again / So much has changed since you've been away.'

'Peru'

You'd be forgiven for thinking Ed's 2021 banger 'Peru' was about the country. Initially penned by Fireboy DML, the song was apparently written in reference to Nigerian singer, Peruzzi.

In an interview with Deezer before the release of the remix featuring Ed Sheeran, Fireboy revealed he'd written it after a few drinks while at a recording studio in America: "I was tipsy and I just got in the booth. He (producer Shizzi) played the beats and I was like mmm, that's a vibe. And thirty minutes I was literally just singing my story. It's just a young boy who's found himself in a new place and is willing to just try out new stuff.

"Ed Sheeran heard the song and loved it. He was so excited about the whole process, the whole vibe of making the song. He asked for the lyrics, what every word meant and all that, and in 30 minutes he was done with his own verse."

Ed's part includes the following lyrics: 'Pour out the bottle, I wanna level up / When I'm with you, I never get еnough / Slow whine, I'm not in a rush / I can hear music when you'rе here / Tonight we rolling, party 'til closing / Since I put the ring on her finger, it's still frozen / Love in slow motion / I wanna feel you over me, yeah.

'Somethin' magic in your eyes, yeah / Girl, I love the way you ride it / And it happens every time you arrive, that's right / Girl, I want you in my life, yeah / If there's a heaven, then it's right here / I will never leave your side, stay tonight.

'When you wan' see me, when you wan' see me? / I'm in West London this evening / Givin' me the feelings, no I'm not leavin' / Until I fly LA next weekend.

'Peru, nah, girl, I'd rather go find somewhere quiet / You'll glow, and I'll get lost here in your eyes / Omoge, no be so / Girl, you just capture my soul / Omoge, no be so / Make me wanna just take you home'.

'Peru' went to Number 2 in the singles chart and has been certified 2x Platinum.

'Celestial'

In 2022, Ed released 'Celestial' in collaboration with Pokemon! The song went to Number 6 in the UK and has been certified Gold here. As a huge Pokemon fan, it's clear this would have been a great thrill for Ed, who called the collaboration "an honour", after meeting "the people from Pokemon while travelling in Japan."

To celebrate the song's release, Ed joked he'd had a little Squirtle tattooed on his arm! Posting on Instagram back in September 2022, Ed wrote: 'I think it fits right in, yeah? ‘Celestial’ out 29th Sept!' alongside a video revealing the tiny Pokemon tattoo by his elbow. But the backing paper in the video gave away it was really just a temporary one.

The lyrics include: 'You see, tonight, it could go either way / Hearts balanced on a razor blade / We are designed to love and break / And to rinse and repeat it all again.

'I get stuck when the world's too loud / And things don't look up when you're goin' down / I know your arms are reachin' out / From somewhere beyond the clouds.

'You make me feel / Like my troubled heart is a million miles away / You make me feel / Like I'm drunk on stars and we're dancing out into space / Celestial.'

'Salt Water'

In May 2023, Ed released his 'Subtract' album, which included the emotional track 'Salt Water'. Ahead of its release, in a weekly series on Instagram each Sunday, Ed revealed a little about the meaning and inspiration behind the album's songs. The first song he featured was his single 'Eyes Closed', followed by 'Boat'.

As part of the series, Ed revealed the dark meaning behind his song 'Salt Water', and told his fans: 'Salt water was written about some of the darkest nights into mornings, and the ‘what ifs’ surrounding those thoughts. It was the second song me and Aaron finished for Subtract and I really feel this and Boat framed what the record was early on.'

The lyrics to Ed Sheeran's song 'Salt Water' start: 'I can taste salt water / And if I blink again / You'll be sinking in / So we'll learn to swim in the oceans you made / I'll hold ya and you'll think of him / And pretty soon you'll be floating away.

'And I'll hold on to the words you spoke of / Anchored down in the throat, love / And I'm captain of this sinking boat now / With just one armband to carry me home.

'When salted tears won't dry / I'll wipe my shirtsleeves / Under your eyes / These hearts will be flooded tonight / I'll wipe my shirtsleeves / Under your eyes / Your eyes, your eyes, your eyes, your eyes, your eyes'.

'Azizam'

'Azizam' was a hugely popular song for Ed when it came out in April 2025, as well as being the first single released from his eighth album, 'Play'. Many people questioned what 'Azizam' means, as it's not a regularly used word in the English language, but Ed confirmed it means "my dead" or "my beloved" in Persian.

Ed wrote the song with songwriter Ilya Salmanzadeh, who suggested using his own Persian background as inspiration. Ed said: 'It was like opening a door to a completely new and exciting world.

'I loved how a lot of rhythms, scales, melodies and instruments were different but similar to the Irish trad music I had grown up with. It was showing to me music connects us all, and really is a universal language.'

The lyrics see the protagonist singing to his beloved, describing an all-encompassing love and infatuation: 'I wanna be nowhere but here with you now / I wanna be one in this space / I wanna be tangled and wrapped in your cloud / I wanna be close to your face.'

'Old Phone'

Ed's single 'Old Phone' — released in 2025 as part of his eighth album, 'Play' — was written after the singer switched on his mobile after years shut away in a box. The telephone held many forgotten memories, which Ed decided to write into a song.

In a post on social media, Ed said of the track: 'The first message was from my friend Jamal Edwards, who had recently passed away. The second was from my ex girlfriend who I hadn’t been in contact with for years. The third was a family member I haven’t spoken to in a decade. And so on. It felt like a time capsule, a time of life that I was in, and living at that time in 2015.

'Turning it on really spun me out, I found myself scrolling messages and conversations with people who are no longer here. I found myself crying at messages to friends who are now dead, who I won’t get to speak to again.

'I found old photos of me with people I was so close to then, but we’ve lost touch since. The whole experience was such an emotional journey. I wrote the song Old Phone on my own at 2am whilst jet lagged in India finishing the album, and recorded it that morning.'

The lyrics begin: 'I found my old phone today / In a box that I had hidden away / Nostalgia tryin' to lead me astray / Maybe I'll unwrite some wrongs / I charged the battery again / Combinations 'cause my passcode had changed / Opened up and saw familiar names / Now I wonder where they've gone.

'Conversations with my dead friends / Messages from all my exes / I kinda think that this was best left / In the past where it belongs / I feel an overwhelming sadness / Of all the friends I do not have left / Seeing how my family has fracturеd / Growin' up and movin' on.

'I found my old phone today / Arguments that I tried to keep at bay / Thе ones who loved me, I just pushed them away / Couldn't tell the difference from the leeches / My closed hand still holds some mates / But if I'm open, it gets smaller day by day / I can't tell if it is pleasure or pain / Trying to keep within my remit.'

Alongside the song, Ed created the Old Phone Pub, a pop-up pub in Suffolk filled with nostalgia, which Ed performed inside. You can take a peek in the music video (below). The pub also made its way to Coachella in 2025.

Now check out Ed's career timeline so far:

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• ed sheeran