All about Ed Sheeran’s ÷
There was no way that Ed Sheeran’s third album would not be titled
÷ or to read that symbol, as Divide. After starting out with + or Plus, then following up with x, or Multiply, he just had to follow up with, what else but ÷ or Divide. Come to think of it though, Ed bypassed – or Minus, probably because the – is a negative sign and nobody wants negative vibes on anything. On the other hand though, I am sure an artist could have come up with something positive and decidedly interesting behind the symbol –.
But back to ÷, which is Ed’s third release in six years. It is one of the most awaited albums of the year and shows a singer, who is now confident about his success and in possession of that most desirable quality in a pop star: The ability to combine artistic chops with fan pleasing sentiments. Because of Ed is clever enough to know how to make use of this, his album ÷ is the sparkling answer to the prayers of music sellers, concert promoters, radio and TV network or any place or anybody who makes a living with music.
It will be recalled that Ed with his red hair and shy smile, was introduced as an “awshucks” kind of nice guy. Throw in a guitar and you have a boy-next-door troubadour that everybody finds very appealing. Of course, it also helped that Ed is also one fantastic songwriter. He made his early marks with songs like
Photograph and Thinking Out Loud. Now he is back with more of the same, plus some interesting varieties. It is no wonder that ÷ is now selling big everywhere.
÷ by Ed includes Eraser, Castle On The Hill, Dive, Shape Of You, Perfect, Galway Girl, Happier, New Man, Hearts Don’t Break Around Here, What Do I Know?, How Would
You Feel (Paean) and Supermarket Flowers. If what you have is the De Luxe copy, then you also have the songs
Barcelona, Bibia Be Ye Ye, Nancy Mulligan and Save Myself. The carefully-calculated release of singles got ÷ off to an excellent start. First was the super trendy No. 1 seller Shape of You. Love the electropop setting against a Caribbean loop of this tune. No way this single would tank. The nostalgic Castle On The Hill, a big, arena rocker did not do so bad either charting in the Top 10. Then came the killer love song, How Would
You Feel (Paean) featuring John Mayer on solo guitar. By that time a month ago, Ed’s was already occupying several slots in the hit charts.
With album now safely enthroned in the No. 1 rung everywhere, Ed found time to indulge his personal likes with the next single. This was Galway Girl, which gives an Irish touch to the album. I do not know how much of an Irishman Ed is but it is a nice diversion that could be explored further. Fans need not worry though that their idol is now big enough to let go of his early style. ÷ still has the romantic ballad Perfect, which I am sure, will keep Ed selling big until the fourth album.
Now I wonder, what mathematical symbol will Ed use to call that one? R ÷÷÷÷÷÷ . ng on. charts of the U.S. of A. or of the whole world says. He chooses his songs himself and these are the ones they enjoy listening to. And that is where Versace On The Floor by Bruno Mars comes in.
The song is one of the cuts in Mars latest 24K Magic album and is heard in almost every radio station nowadays. You can include some TV shows, too, and on
Spotify where the song is No. 1 in the Philippine chart. And I am sure many of you have also experienced this several times these past weeks. Once or twice or more during a day you can count on meeting somebody or hearing somebody close by singing “Versace on the
floor….” unconsciously or not. Versace, as a popular term refers to Gianni Versace, the Italian designer and head of a famous house of clothes, accessories, home furnishings, etc. It is the one with that Medusa logo. He was the brother of Donatella Versace. He was murdered by the 27-year-old, partFilipino serial killer Andrew Cunanan on July 15, 1997 right near the gate to the opulent Versace mansion in Miami Beach Florida. Cunanan, who had previously killed four other men in various parts of the U.S. of A., shot himself and died a few days after.
Bruno’s Versace On The Floor has nothing to do with Gianni. It is a song about seduction. It refers to a dress which could be labeled Versace or not. It goes: “I unzip the back to watch it fall/ while I kiss your neck and shoulders/ No, don’t be afraid to show it off/ I’ll be right here ready to hold you/ Girl you know you’re perfect/ from your head down to your heels/ don’t be confused by my smile/ cause I ain’t ever been more for real/ for real… so just turn down the lights and close the door/ oooh I love that dress/ but you won’t need it anymore/ Let’s just kiss ‘til we’re naked, baby….” And so the Versace dress landed on the floor.
Versace On The Floor was one of the promo singles released from Mars’ new album 24K Magic. Touted as the LP’s big ballad, it is a brilliant piece of pop songwriting, simple but with an irresistible hook. So is the arrangement which has nothing superfluous that can detract from the earworm, “I can listen to this all day,” appeal of the melody. It is sleek with a sweet soul vibe that harks back to the traditional R&B of The Miracles or Boyz II Men. And with that image of a discarded Versace outfit on the floor, the song is also very sexy.
24 K Magic has already given Mars three big hits. Aside from Versace On The Floor, there are also the title track and That’s What I Like. The album also includes Chunky, Perm, Straight Up And Down, Calling All My Lovelies, Finesse and It’s Good To Say Goodbye. 24 K Magic is Mars’ third album. It comes after the also very successful Doo-Wop and Hooligans and Unorthodox Jukebox. Here now are the tunes that Pinoys are listening to these days. It is a mix of Sheeran, Bruno Mars, the Chainsmokers and songs from the soundtrack of Beauty and the Beast. It is an odd mix but these tunes, whether pop or EDM, are mostly love songs on the mellow side, which is really what we like the most. Shape Of You by Sheeran; That’s What I Like also by Bruno; Versace On The Floor by Bruno; Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay; Say You Won’t Let Go by James Arthur; I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker) by ZAYN and Taylor Swift; How Far I’ll Go by Alessia Cara; Beauty and the Beast by Ariana Grande and John Legend; Paris by The Chainsmokers; Something There by Emma Watson, Dan Stevens and the cast of Beauty and the Beast. Evermore by Dan also from Beauty and the Beast; It Ain’t Me by Kygo and Selena Gomez; Stay by Zedd with Alessia Cara; Starving by Hailee Stansfeld, Grey and Zedd; Closer also by The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey; Castle On The Hill also by Ed; Scared To Be Lonely by Martin Garrix and Dua Lipa; Perfect Strangers by Jonas Blue and JP Cooper; Don’t Wanna Know by Maroon 5 and Kendrick Lamar; and Evermore by Josh Groban again from the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack.