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 Everett True

The return of Everett True | 163. Ed Sheeran

The return of Everett True | 163. Ed Sheeran
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Context context context.

You should see how wide my daughter’s eyes go when they hear the opening notes to this song.

You should see her bounce so happily from one foot to another, stopping a moment to twirl here, stopping a moment to twirl there.

You should see the happiness spread all over her body, from her eyes downward to her feet until it infects the whole room and the house, and everyone in it. (Not her brothers though. Not necessarily. “Why does Lauren like THIS song? ” asks Isaac grumpily, mirroring my speech of only a few week back.)

I should have known, even back then, that anyone Noel Gallagher slags off as “killing music” is well worth investigation, cannot be discarded aside so easily. Yes. I am well aware that I have been rubbishing Mr Sheeran’s sound for several weeks now but… you know what? Pop music. It’s pop music, and it makes me daughter vividly happy.It’s pop music and a love for pop music has never been about whether you like to dislike the songs but whether you like or dislike the context within which you experience the songs. And the context of ‘Shape Of You’ is that whenever I hear it I can see in my mind’s eye my daughter’s eyes vividly light up with happiness and damn, if that isn’t one of my favourite sights in the world right now. She hums the song to herself contentedly, abstract. She speaks upbeat. She is excited and enthusiastic and happy.

“Ah, so you do not like the song itself but the context so you cannot truly make this a Song of the Day,” I hear the disclaimers. No, no. Have you not been listening? Can you not read? Pop music has never been about the songs. It’s about the gut reaction, the instinct, the enjoyment, the ferocious escape from life. I love this fucking song right now, the way it bounces along, its lightness of touch (akin to a Timberlake or someone), it’s cheeky beat.

I do not believe in guilty pleasures. This song is great.

Have a listen.

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