Lyrics Part 4

Hey,

Welcome to the fourth and final installment of my series on lyrics. In the past weeks, I’ve highlighted the good, the bad, and the ugly, but I want to wrap all this up with a small spotlight on Ed Sheeran. Chances are, you’ve heard his song “A Team” or perhaps “Lego House.” Beyond the fact that he has a deliciously smooth yet raw set of vocals, he writes some of the most creative, deep, honestly, best lyrics. I’m willing to peg him as the best songwriter of our generation. I realize I throw out titles like that all too often, but take a few minutes and listen to his lyrics. They are mind-blowing. In a sense, they remind me of Jason Mraz’s old lyrics before he hopped on the hippie train and stopped pushing himself lyrically. Remember “I’m Yours”? Yes, it was kind of soapy ballad on the surface but there was a little something more to the lyrics, if you took the time to pick them apart. That’s kind of how Ed is, save for the fact that his syntax and diction alone win me over, no unpacking necessary. J

Let’s look at his song “U.N.I”

“I found your hairband on my bedroom floor
The only evidence that you've been here before
And I don't get waves of missing you anymore
They're more like tsunami tides in my eyes
Never getting dry so I get high smoke in the day then I sleep with the light on
Weeks pass in the blink of an eye
And I'm still drunk by the end of the night
I don't drink like everybody else
End up forgetting things about myself
I'm stubborn I'm forward head's just blocked
My head's still with you but my hearts just not

So am I close to you anymore if it's over
And there's no chance that we'll work it out
That's why you and I ended over U-N-I
And I said that's fine but you're the only one that knows I lied
You and I ended over U-N-I
And I said that's fine, but you're the only one that knows I lied

Everybody said that we'll be together forever but I know that
I never wanna settle down come around break up the love like Lego now
Never wanna turn into another like you
Sleep with my thoughts dance with my views
Everything's great but everything's short
But you live in your halls and I live in a tour bus
Now I'm in position to be another stalker
And everything I say seems to always sound awkward
Like our last kiss it was perfect but we were nervous
On the surface
And I'm always saying every day that it was worth it
Pain is only relevant if it still hurts
I forget like an elephant or we can use a sedative
And go back to the day we fell in love on first kiss

So am I close to you anymore if it's over
And there's no chance that we'll work it out
Oh you and I ended over U-N-I
And I said that's fine but you're the only one that knows I lied
You and I ended over U-N-I
And I said that's fine but you're the only one that knows I lied

Because if I was gonna go somewhere I'd be there by now
And maybe I can let myself down oh
And thinking I am unaware I keep my feet on the ground
Keep looking around to make sure I'm not the only one to feel low
Because if you want I'll take you in my arms
And keep you sheltered from all that I've done wrong
And I know you'll say that I'm the only one
But I know that god made another one of me
To love you better than I ever will

'Cause you and I ended over U-N-I
And I said that's fine but you're the only one that knows I lied
You and I ended over U-N-I
And I said that's fine but you're the only one that knows I lied.”

The title alone shows Ed’s forthright creativity. “UNI” is slang for university, hence the song takes place/is centered about a university and “U.N.I” can be read like “You and I.” The reason I chose this song is it’s more than just a relationship song. The two have broken up and he is devastated. Rather than taking the Taylor Swift route and calling someone “mean” or telling them they will “never ever be getting back together,” he simply details how is healing and dealing with the cessation of the relationship. He’s obviously unhappy about it and overcome with emotions as demonstrated with the line “I don’t get waves of missing you anymore/ they’re more like tsunami tides in my eyes,” yet, at the same time, he is trying to block the pain with drinking and the amazing line “pain is only relevant if it hurts,” a sad yet understandable maxim that seems to sum up the song quite nicely.

This city never sleeps
I hear the people walk by when it's late
Sirens bleed through my windowsill
I can't close my eyes
Can't control what I'm into
This tower is alive
The lights that blind keep me awake
With my hood up and lace untied
Sleep fills my mind
Can't control what I'm into

London calls me a stranger
A traveler
This is now my home, my home
I'm burning on the back street
Stuck here sitting in the backseat
I'm blazing on the street
What I do isn't up to you
And if the city never sleeps
Then that makes two

The pavement is my friend
And it will take me where I need to go
I find it trips me up
And puts me down
This is not what I'm used to
The shop across the road
Fulfills my needs and gives me company
When I need it
Voices speak through my walls
I don't think I'm gonna make it
Past tomorrow

London calls me a stranger
A traveler
This is now my home, my home
I'm burning on the back street
Stuck here sitting in the backseat
I'm blazing on the street
What I do isn't up to you
And if the city never sleeps
Then that makes two

And my lungs hurt
And my ears bled
With the sound of the city life
Echoed in my head
Do I need this to keep me alive?
The traffic stops and starts
But I need to move along

London calls me a stranger
This is not my home, home
I'm burning on the back street
Stuck here sitting in the backseat
I'm blazing on the street
What I do isn't up to you
And if the city never sleeps
Then that makes two”

The other song I would like to feature is “The City,” a heartfelt masterpiece. Instrumentally, this song leads in with a strong guitar riff, but that’s not really what I want to focus on. J I love how he personifies the city, and then proceeds to identify with it (if the city never sleeps/then that makes two), even though he and London seem to be at odds (London calls me a stranger). The song is about when he went to London as a teen to pursue music, but instead of just laying it flat out there, you have to deduce a little. J One of my favorite lines is “Sirens bleed through my windowsill.” It’s just so creative. It sounds so different, so remarkable, you kind of have to stop and let it seep in. You’re not just hearing sirens from outside your window; they’re bleeding in, which serves as a bold image, like the rest of the lyrics.

That’s it for this week. Next time, it’ll be back to reviewing for a bit and if anyone else enjoyed it, I may do something like this in the future.

Have any comments, questions, or thoughts be sure to comment, e-mail, or tweet at me because I love to talk to y’all and any feedback is appreciated. I know someone out there is reading this and I would love to connect somehow. J

Until then,

Bella