I’m a bit of a picky person when it comes to music. I don’t really like heavy metal, country, or classical. I hate songs that just sing about sex and have no deeper meaning to them. In my mind, a good song is one that’s a combination of meaningful, creative lyrics, easy to listen to, and has raw emotion behind it. Which brings me to Ed Sheeran’s latest album, Divide.
I wouldn’t consider myself a huge Ed Sheeran fan. I’ve listened to some of his older songs from a while ago, like “Lego House,” “A Team,” “Don’t,” “Photograph,” and “Thinking Out Loud.” I’ve thoroughly loved all of these but never took the time to listen to other songs off of his albums. However, when Divide was released on March 3rd, I bought it on iTunes as soon as I could and decided to wait until spring break started, so I’d have new music to listen to on my plane ride to San Diego.
Long story short, my single plane ride ended up turning into three. Since I found myself waiting around for so much time in airports, I spent it replaying Divide over and over again until I eventually fell asleep or my phone died. In other words, I had the songs learned pretty well by the end of my trip. Below are my thoughts on each song of the album, except for “Shape of You” and “Castle on the Hill” since those have been heard on the radio numerous times:
1. “Eraser”
Favorite Lyrics:
So blame it on the pain that blessed me with the life
Friends and family filled with envy, when they should be filled with pride
And when the world’s against me, is when I really come alive
And every day that Satan tempts me, I try to take it in my stride
Although this isn’t my favorite song from the album, I like the way it’s structured. In general I think rap music is hard to listen to because I never understand what the person is saying. However, Ed raps in a way that makes it easy for me to hear the words and understand his message. Furthermore, some rap songs don’t make much sense lyrically but “Eraser” tells a story about Ed and his journey from being a young boy to a popular singer. Not only is the structure of the song different, the message of it is unique and refreshing as well.
2. “Dive”
Favorite Lyrics:
I could live, I could die
Hanging on the words you say
I’ve been known to give my all
Sitting back, looking at
Every mess that I made
When I heard the opening of “Dive,” I immediately turned it up and paid extra attention to the song. I don’t know what it was about it, but the second it played I felt goosebumps on my arms and felt my heart break for Ed. The song is about him wanting to be with a girl, yet being wary of her faithfulness. He sings the song with so much passion and you can just tell from the sound of his voice how strongly he feels about the situation. I personally think the message is extremely relatable and he tells his emotions in a clear yet creative way. It’s by far one of my most played songs from the album.
3. “Perfect”
Favorite Lyrics:
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
I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a sucker for sappy, romantic songs. My sisters make fun of me all the time for liking romantic movies and songs but at the end of the day I’m glad I appreciate people who are openly showing romance. In terms of this song, I think it’s extremely sweet and open. Sheeran sings about how he’s so in love with a girl and, although she thinks she has flaws, he thinks she’s perfect. There’s nothing wrong with a guy admitting his love for his girlfriend; I think it’s awful how some people tease men who show their emotions. Overall, I think this song is one of the most heartwarming ones I’ve ever heard in my life.
4. “Galway Girl”
Favorite Lyrics:
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 sung so sweet
Acapella in the bar using her feet for a beat
Oh I could have that voice playing on repeat for a week
What I really love about Ed Sheeran’s lyrics is that he always finds such a fun way to express his feelings for the person he’s talking about. In this song, he talks about an Irish girl he falls in love with, and how her personality amazes him. Not only are the lyrics funny and whimsical, the tune of the song is different than most you hear on the radio. This song is very upbeat and will make you want to dance around in circles in the middle of the room!
5. “Happier”
Favorite Lyrics:
Ain’t nobody hurt you like I hurt you
But ain’t nobody need you like I do
I know that there’s others that deserve you
But my darling I am still in love with you
This song’s title is not only ironic, but incredibly misleading; after listening to this song I had tears in my eyes. Head’s up: this song is not about Ed being happier, nor will you feel happier after listening to it. Despite how depressing this song is, I found my heart breaking for Ed as he recalls the time he saw the girl he’s in love with fall in love with another man. Despite Ed seeing that she’s happier with the other man, Ed still wants her. The situation is relatable to many young people and the true emotions reflect beautifully through Ed’s voice and the words.
6. “Hearts Don’t Break Around Here”
Favorite Lyrics:
Took my heart upon a one way trip
Guess she went wandering off with it
Unlike most women I know
This one will bring it back whole
In my opinion, this song is about hope. Ed sings about his girlfriend, and how he feels completely safe around her. The lyrics are sweet, and Ed’s soft tone while singing really resonates his emotions about his girlfriend. The song almost sounds like a lullaby, and whenever I listen to it I feel like saying, “Awww, Ed.” It’s a long, slower, song but very calming and endearing. The positivity and contentedness contrasts greatly with some of his other songs, such as “Happier” and “New Man.”
7. “New Man”
Favorite Lyrics:
You were the type of girl that sat beside the water reading
Eating a packet of crisps but you will never find you cheating
Now you’re eating kale, hitting the gym, keeping up with Kylie & Kim
In the back of the club kissing a boy that ain’t him
In this song, Ed expresses his resentment towards his ex and her new boyfriend in a humorous way. He ties in a lot of modern references that many people can relate to such as Instagram, Kylie & Kim, kale, etc. He raps in this song, too, and the beat is extremely catchy. It’s the kind of song you can blast from your car speaker while belting along on a roadtrip. Ed manages to convey his romantic feelings towards his ex-girlfriend while simultaneously criticizing her — it reflects how many people feel towards someone they can’t stand yet want to be with anyway.
8. “What Do I Know?”
Favorite Lyrics:
I’ll paint the picture, let me set the scene
I know, I’m all for people following their dreams
Just re-remember life is more than fittin’ in your jeans
It’s love and understanding, positivity
I love this song because it spreads the message that the simple things in life like music, love, and happiness can make the world a better place. Ed tells a story in this song, about how he didn’t go to college, didn’t go into a high-paying job — yet he managed to find happiness through writing music and playing his guitar. I think this song has an extremely lesson to teach people, and Ed does a brilliant job at communicating the message through the lyrics.
9. “How Would You Feel (Paean)?”
Favorite Lyrics:
How would you feel, if I told you I loved you?
It’s just something that I want to do
I’ll be taking my time, spending my life
Falling deeper in love with you
So tell me that you love me too
I find this song bittersweet. On one hand, Ed sings about falling in love with a girl but being afraid of telling her in case she doesn’t return the feeling. Similar to his other songs, Ed sings passionately about his love for a girl in a series of creative ways in order to get across his emotions. In this song, Ed talks about his romantic relationship with this girl and how much he adores her — and his biggest worry is telling her he loves her. Again, I think a lot of people are able to relate to the feeling of being afraid of rejection from the person you’ve fallen for.
10. “Supermarket Flowers“
Favorite Lyrics:
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
I’m no musician, but I’m pretty sure the only instruments heard in this song are a piano and Ed’s voice. Not only does this make the song quieter, it focuses the listener’s attention on Ed’s words and emphasizes the message. Before I learned that this song is about Ed’s grandmother from his mother’s perspective, I thought he was singing about his own mother. But once I read in an interview with Ed Sheeran that he actually wrote it from the eyes of his mom who lost her mom, it made me feel even more upset than before. I think it takes a lot of talent to be able to write an entire song from the eyes of another person about such a heartbreaking topic. This song isn’t for someone looking for cheering up, but it is definitely worth listening to at some point, since most people have lost someone they loved dearly in their life.
11. “Barcelona” (from the Deluxe Edition)
Favorite Lyrics:
I fell in love with the sparkle in the moonlight
Reflected in your beautiful eyes, I guess that is destiny doing it right
And dance like they do in the Mediterranean
Spin you around me again and again and
You’re like something that God has sent me
I want you baby, solamente
The main reason I love this song is because Ed adds in some Spanish which I think is both funny and creative. Not only does he sing in Spanish, he makes it rhyme with the English lyrics, which is seriously impressive. This song talks about Ed wanting to dance the night away with a girl, not caring about anything else in the world. He showers her with compliments throughout the song and at the end I always have the largest smile on my face. Ed sings so excitedly, it’s hard not to feel emotionally attached.
12. Bibia Be Ye Ye (from the Deluxe Edition)
Favorite Lyrics:
I remember less and less, and mostly things that I regret
In my phone are several texts, from girls I’ve never met
And in the pocket of my jeans, are only coins and broken dreams
My heart is breaking at the seams
And I’m coming apart now
I’ll admit I didn’t entirely understand the song the first time I heard it, since Ed sings it so fast and the story is strange. However, after having it on repeat a few times I found myself tapping my fingers to the beat on my knees and smiling at the word choices. I’m not sure if Ed intended for the song to be whimsical and a bit silly, but nevertheless the song’s sound, lyrics, and message are very different from the rest of the album. I like this a lot because it adds variety to the album and therefore makes it more intriguing. According to a website called SongFacts, Ed “wrote this uplifting African-inspired song about hope with Fuse ODG in Ghana. The song’s title is in Twi, a language spoken in Ghana. It translates to ‘All will be well.’”
13. “Nancy Mulligan” (from the Deluxe Edition)
Favorite Lyrics:
From her snow white streak in her jet black hair
Over sixty years I’ve been loving her
Now we’re sat by the fire, in our old armchairs
You know Nancy I adore ya
In “Supermarket Flowers” Ed sings about his maternal grandparents. In “Nancy Mulligan”, Ed tells the love story of his paternal grandparents in a fun way that expresses the strong love between his grandparents with just a few words. The song is from Ed’s grandfather, William Sheeran’s, perspective. He talks about how he met his wife when they were in their twenties and how they ran way to get married against her father’s wishes. The love story is very intriguing and sweet, and really captures the unbreakable and everlasting love between his grandparents. The song is based on Irish folk music, which is typically not a popular genre of music but Ed makes it cheery.
14. “Save Myself” (from the Deluxe Edition)
Favorite Lyrics:
Oh I’m here again, between the devil and the danger
But I guess it’s just my nature
My dad was wrong, cause I’m not like my mum
Cause she’d just smile and I’m complaining in a song, but it helps
So before I save someone else, I’ve got to save myself
To end his album, Ed sings a heartbreaking song about how tiring it is to constantly put others before yourself. The saddest part, he notes, is that he can’t help his instinct to ‘save’ others — it’s in his nature. The opening line goes “I gave all my oxygen to people that could breathe/I gave away my money and now we don’t even speak.” Through this figurative language, Ed gets across the fact that he’s always helping out people who don’t return the kind favor. This is quite an emotional song, but also mind opening in the way that it makes you realize you’ve felt the same way before — and that you’re not alone in feeling like you’re always putting others’ happiness before your own.
Overall, Ed Sheeran is a seriously talented person. He’s written hundreds of songs over the years and all of them have unique lyrics that tell a story in a creative way. None of his songs ever sound the same, and his emotions are always reflected clearly in his voice. He plays the guitar, and tours the world as a solo artist — a job that can’t be easy. However, despite all of his success, he’s a very humble person with a strong soul. His caring personality shines through each word of every song he’s written and performed. Listening to his voice while on the plane, or while waiting in the airport over spring break definitely helped me keep calm. It’s also helped me relax a lot when I feel stressed out from midterm exams or an overwhelming amount of homework!
If you’re still not sure whether to give Divide a listen, I asked some of my high school friends who’ve been listening the album to share their thoughts on the songs as well!
“Every time I listen to the album, I think that each song is my favorite, but then I keep listening and keep changing my opinion — each song is better than the next! Honestly, it’s an emotional roller coaster, with an upbeat, dance song followed by a real tearjerker, but all of it is so beautiful.”-Jillian Shapiro (Cornell University)
“I definitely like Ed Sheeran’s music, but I feel like I have to be in a certain mood to enjoy some of his songs if that makes sense. Most of them are slow and I associate that with sadness, which I’m not a huge fan of. However, my favorite and probably the most well known song on the album is ‘Shape of You.’ It has an uplifting beat, which is what I focus on when I listen to songs. I don’t know musical terms but to put it in layman’s terms, the better the beat, the more I like the song.” -Olivia Osei-Kuffour (Westfield State University)
“Although Divide seems more formulaic than Multiply, it’s a better album. The songs have more emotion and the lyrics are better. My favorite songs are “Dive” and “What Do I Know?” “Dive” is an emotional power ballad that progressively builds with instrumentation and background vocals. It is simple, but incredibly powerful. “What Do I Know?” is a personal narrative with a feel-good, calm tone. The lyrics are witty and tell a story.”-Jeffrey Chan (University of Massachusetts, Amherst)
“I am in love with Ed Sheeran’s album. When I took a shower today, I played his album in the bathroom which I share with 45 other people and still sung at the top of my lungs. Divide is definitely one the best albums I have heard in my life. The tunes are very catchy, and I love how the songs deal with various themes such as love, pain, and family. Even though all of the songs are amazing, I have to admit that “Nancy Mulligan” is one of my favorite songs from the album. I think it was incredibly sweet of Ed to write a song about his grandparents, and I genuinely enjoyed the fusion of Irish folk tunes with modern pop.” -Shristi Varshney (Cornell University)
“I love everything about Divide. It is definitely my favorite album of his. I love how he incorporates all his styles of music. “Perfect” and “Galway Girl” are by far my favorites! I honestly think that I will use multiple songs from this album for my wedding music and first dance-hehe!”- Jessica Morgan (Framingham State University)
“I absolutely love Ed’s new album! I think it’s a lot more upbeat and happier than some of his older stuff which adds a whole new level of greatness to his music. The fact that he also raps and even sings in Spanish in one of the songs makes me have even more admiration for his musical abilities. My favorite song is “Barcelona” because it’s super catchy, upbeat, fun to sing along and dance to!” -Donata Liu (Simmons College)
“Ed Sheeran’s Divide is amazing. The way he organized the tracklist put my emotions on a roller coaster. Ed’s mature writing style is what I love about him. The songs really capture the emotions of the stories that are being told from the first track to the last. My personal favorite, “Supermarket Flowers,” shows a new side to Ed. His honesty and vulnerability are really shown in this song, which is why it’s my favorite.” -Michael Chan (University of Vermont)
So what are you waiting for? Go buy Divide on iTunes, download it on Spotify, or listen to it on YouTube! I promise you’ll find yourself falling in love with at least one of the songs!
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