In Billboard’s 13th spot is ‘Sing,’ a track by the hobbit-like Ed Sheeran.
This song is a significant departure for Sheeran, who was previously best-known for the sensitive acoustic ballad ‘The A-Team.’ ‘Sing’ sounds more like Maroon 5, with Sheeran himself handling the rap break.
The song, like half of past year’s hits, was co-written by Pharell Williams.
I like when artists cross genres, especially when it’s a move from earnest to fun like this one. I’m sure Sheeran has won the approval of pals Taylor Swift and Elton John, who have both dabbled in this sort of pop territory.
It’s late in the evening
Glass on the side
I’ve been sat with you
For most of the night
Ignorin’ everybody here
We wish they would disappear
So maybe we could get down now
I don’t wanna know
If you’re gettin’ ahead of the program
I want you to be mine, lady
To hold your body close
Take another step into the no-man’s land
Before the longest time lady
[Pre-Chorus]
I need you darling
Come on, set the tone
If you feel you’re fallin’
Won’t you let me know
If you love me
Come on, get involved
Feel it rushin’ through you
From your head to toe
[Chorus]
SING!
LOUDER!
SING!
[Verse 2]
This love is ablaze, I saw flames from the side of the stage
And the fire brigade comes in a couple of days
Until then, we got nothin’ to say and nothin’ to know
But somethin’ to drink and maybe somethin’ to smoke
Let it go until our roads are changed
Singin’ We Found Love in a local rave
No, I don’t really know what I’m supposed to say
But I can just figure it out and hope and pray
I told her my name, then said “It’s nice to meet you”
Then she handed me a bottle of water filled with tequila
I already know if she’s a keeper
Just from this one small act of kindness, I’m in
Deep shit if anybody finds out
I meant to drive home but I drunk all of it now
Not sober enough, we just sit on the couch
One thing led to another, now she’s kissin’ my mouth
[Pre-Chorus] + [Chorus]
[Bridge]
Can you feel it?
All the guys in here don’t even wanna know
Can you feel it?
All that I can hear is music from the back
But can you feel it?
Found you hidin’ here so won’t you take my hand, darlin’?
Before the beat kicks in again
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
[Pre-Chorus + Chorus (simultaneous)]
Meet Me In Montauk 
As Amy said in her comment to yesterday’s post, THIS is most likely going to be the song of the Summer of 2014. It earns that distinction not only because it is a hit on the rise at the perfect time (Summer officially beginning in a few days), but because it is sufficiently unique to separate itself from the pack, yet instantly and irretrievably catchy. I fell in love with this song when Ed performed it on SNL a few months ago, the chorus becoming immediately etched in my brain as the most effective hooks will do.
And, while Pharrel undoubtedly deserves credit for having his hand in another hit song, my daughter is quick to point out that Ed’s style is far more diverse than the mellow “A Team.” That diversity is on display to some extent on his last album, but, as more songs are released on the new album (the full album will be released any day now), the range of his songwriting talents becomes more evident.
This Hobbit will, I suspect, be providing great music for years to come.
Ditto everything Dana says above. We’ve been listening to Sheeran’s last album for quite some time now, and one song is better than the next. Everything I’ve heard off the new album has me equally excited. Couple his talent with the fact that he may just be the anti-Bieber, and you have one to to watch out for. I love this guy and doubt his much deserved success will change him a bit.
I like this song, and I’ll need to check out more by Sheeran, especially this new album. I’m not crazy about ‘The A-Team’ but that’s all I know of his other than ‘Sing.’
My vote for Song of the Summer still goes to Ariana Grande’s ‘Problem,’ at least based on what I’ve heard so far. ‘Sing’ is my runner-up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buAzVkcH4YI&feature=kp This is the song Maddie would likely share to demonstrate the Ed Sheeran she fell in love with long before all the current hoopla.
http://youtu.be/Npp7ZFOgpyM And this is probably the one I would choose to share – “Small Bump,” a song he wrote for a friend whose pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. Another fact I love – he lists his influences as Damien Rice and Eminem. 🙂
I don’t get why you don’t like “A Team.” That’s a fine song, and I appreciate it even more knowing that he has more in his wheelhouse than that kind of mellow vibe sound.
I don’t dislike it, I just don’t feel the need to hear it.
Ed Sheeran is one of my favorite artist and in my personal opinion I love that he changed it up a little bit with song, but oddly enough a lot of other Ed Sheeran fans dislike his song because it’s not his normal style. Ed Sheeran’s first album is really quite good and I would love to share it with you at some point. As Amy points out above Ed Sheeran is very talented not only in his writing of songs, but also in the way he does them. In Wayfaring Stranger he’s using a loop pedal (which he uses quite often) to double his voice.
A song that I particularly love of his that he also raps in is this:
If you have a little more time on your hands this is the longer version of the song in which he adds some more stuff:
The orange microphone is the loop pedal in the 11 minute video which he uses awesomely. 😛
He is VERY popular in our car 🙂
I like the more beat-heavy stuff better than the acoustic, but he’s definitely a talent.
Well, that’s quite the high standard. How many songs does one “need” to hear?:)
Quite a few!