Nearly a month after its release and Ed Sheeran’s latest album "Divide" is still topping the charts. There’s just something addictive about his music; it never gets old. There's something about each and every song that makes you want to listen to it on repeat for weeks on end. One of my favorite things about music in general is how a song can evoke a certain feeling or how the lyrics can create a mental image or scenario in your mind. This is one of those albums where every single song, if listen to it enough and really appreciate it, can transport you to that specific place and engender that unique feeling. If you don’t believe me then you leave me no other choice but to describe, track by track, the perfect scenario for every song off of Sheeran’s new "Divide".
Eraser
This is for when you’re feeling tough. You don’t need anybody’s help no matter how big the mess you made yourself. You may be stressed and on edge, but somehow this song reminds you that you’re stronger than everything you’ve gotten yourself into. You feel powerful, and maybe even unstoppable. You’re living for the danger of life’s unpredictability and you wouldn’t trade it for anything. This song makes you want to take a shot of something strong and then conquer the world.
Castle on the Hill
If a song was ever made for nostalgia, this is it. You’re on your way back to your hometown after being away for a while and suddenly everything comes flooding back. Even if you never grew up watching a sunset over a castle on a hill somewhere, you most likely have happy memories from when you were six, or fifteen, or however old. This song takes you back and makes you grateful for the times you shared over the years with your friends and family.
Dive
Raise your hand if you’ve ever put waaaaay more into a new relationship than the other person and now you’re stuck looking like an idiot because they’ve probably been lying to you this whole time and you were too infatuated to see that…*raises hand*. It’s okay, no shame. We’ve all been there. But anyway, this song is basically reminding you what it’s like to be skeptical in relationships and question every move you make. Of course, use this song’s secret advice sparingly, or else you may accidentally push away a good one.
Shape of You
That intense feeling of attraction you share with someone across the club that ends up turning from dancing close and screaming over loud music into a legit thing where you’re on a date with them and you’re like “I have no idea how this happened but I’m 100% okay with it”. That’s this song. When you listen to this song alone you probably practice the exact dance moves you hope you’ll do the night that the aforementioned scenario happens. Disclaimer: this very well may not actually happen, but if it ever does, you’re all set with the dance moves.
Perfect
If you don’t picture yourself dancing at your wedding when you hear this song, you’re doing it wrong. It has you longing for that pure and meaningful love, practicing that waltz around your bedroom and imagining what it’s going to feel like when you find that person who’s your equal, your best friend, your biggest fan and more all wrapped up in one. For those of you who have already found that person, know that this has very good potential to be “your song”.
Galway Girl
Although similar to "Shape of You", this song gives off a more one-night-stand-like vibe. But it's not the kind of one-night stand where one of you ends up sneaking out the window before the other wakes up, which I’m pretty sure only happens in rom-coms, but whatever. This is more like the beginning of "Shape of You" paired with an ending that leaves you satisfied despite probably never seeing the other person again. It also makes you want to book a red-eye ticket to Ireland tonight just so you can attempt to live out this scenario. Another disclaimer: probably won’t happen unless you know how to play the fiddle.
Happier
9 out of 10 times you’re probably either a) listening to this song staring wistfully out of a window—bonus points if it’s raining or b) sobbing in your pajamas stuffing your face with ice cream. In any case, this song really hits you in the feels if you’ve experienced a break up recently, especially if you feel in any way responsible for said break-up or they’ve recently moved on. It’s the kind of song that can make you regret every move you’ve ever made and generally just feel pretty shitty. But no worries, the next song on the album will help get you out of whatever funk this one put you in.
New Man
Aside from, in my opinion, being the funniest song on the album, this song is also a great confidence booster. This is when you end up on the other side of the break up from "Happier" and you can look back on the relationship and realize you’re actually a pretty awesome person in comparison to whoever they move on with. You can just sit around all smug and whatnot and have a drink knowing that your ex totally downgraded from when they were with you.
Hearts Don’t Break Around Here
You know that cliché love scene where there’s a couple spinning around in a field of flowers and the camera keeps switching back and forth between both characters’ faces? That’s what I imagine when I hear this song. It just gives you that warm and cozy, loving feeling similar to when you are head over heels in love with someone. You just want to memorize every part of them, from the shape of their fingers to their deepest secrets and favorite memories. It’s the kind of song you could drift off to sleep to (in the nicest way).
What Do I Know?
This song would be the background music of you walking down the street feeling all sorts of happy, maybe even dancing in public, smiling at people you don’t even know. It’s empowering in a delightful way and makes you feel like you can accomplish something great and have an impact on the world, or in your community in the very least. Overall it just makes you want to spread joy to everyone you know, and those you don’t too.
How Would You Feel (Paean)
Winner for the song with the best slow dance, rocking motion potential, this song is the equivalent to the butterflies felt on a first date, during a first kiss, the first time you tell someone you love them, etc. etc. Or the equivalent of time standing still when you hug someone tight and long, or slow dance with them to no music. Take your pick.
Supermarket Flowers
As sad as this song may be (I have yet to be able to listen to it without crying since the album’s release), it’s actually extremely beautiful. It’s a relatable way to cope with the recent or ever not-so-recent loss of a loved one. It can get you reminiscing and reminds you about all the wonderful things you loved about them. It’s also comforting to think about how they are now at peace and you can remember them by the impact they had on you and everyone else that they touched.
Barcelona
The second this song starts you’re flown far away, picturing yourself as a lost tourist in some cool city with the hopes of meeting a foreign lover to show you around and go on an adventure with; something very Lizzie Mcguire in Rome-esque. The sun is shining, you’re drinking something fruity, frolicking around to songs with lyrics you can’t understand. It’s perfect…until you snap out of it and realize you’re actually just doing a very terrible salsa dance impression in your room with your friends
Bibia Be Ye Ye
Despite most people not actually knowing what the hell the title means, it never fails to put you in a good mood. Fun fact: it’s an expression in Ghana meaning “all is well”. This track is the perfect one to listen to after you’ve had a rough day, one of those nothing- seemed-to-go-your-way kinda days. It’ll immediately transport your mood from “meh” to happy go lucky. Ed said it best when he sings, at multiple points in the song, “Tomorrow’s a brand new day”.
Nancy Mulligan
This song is the ultimate success story of forbidden love. It’s a lyrical way of romanticizing the idea of growing old with someone and fighting for love and overcoming odds and obstacles as a couple and all that other good stuff that movies make look so easy. Listening to this song makes you hope that your final love story is at least as half as adorable as Sheeran’s grandmother’s was.
Save Myself
This is the kind of track you listen to when you need that extra encouragement to cut the toxic people out of your life. It gets you remembering all the times you did something for them and got nothing in return or when they were just plain cruel to you. Although slow tempo-ed, it can actually come across as a motivational song if you listen to the words the right way. Though I wouldn’t recommend using this song to get yourself pumped up to exercise or anything.
Now depending on your own personal experiences, some tracks may have different effects on you that the ones I just described, but the point is, Sheeran’s new music is the kind that makes you feel, dream, wish, wonder and more, not just sing along, even though you probably do that too.
