The A Team Lyrics

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  • Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus
  • Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
  • Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
  • Use italics (<i>lyric</i>) and bold (<b>lyric</b>) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
  • If you don’t understand a lyric, use [?]

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About

Genius Annotation

Sonically minimalistic and emotive, “The A Team” was Ed’s debut single, which catapulted his career to new heights.

The song focuses on a girl that Ed spoke to “when [he] did a gig at a homeless shelter.” The girl’s name was Angel, so that’s what inspired the “for angels to fly” lyric.

Ed, who was homeless for some of his early career, continues to bring attention to homelessness, and raise money for One25 (a charity that helps vulnerable women) and poverty-related charities like Comic Relief.


This song’s chorus was previously used Ed’s “Little Lady”, which featured Mikill Pane performing 3 unique verses.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What's the story behind this song?
Genius Answer

What prompted Ed to write this song?
Genius Answer

“The A Team” came from an experience I had when I did a gig at a homeless shelter. I was 18 at the time and kind of quite naïve. So, I was a bit taken aback by some of the stories that I heard.

I got home that night and I just wrote a lot of the lyrics. I wanted to write it so it sounded kind of upbeat, so you wouldn’t really know what it’s about, because it’s quite a dark subject.

via Billboard

What did Ed Sheeran say about "The A Team"?
Genius Answer

“The A Team” was written about a woman that I met whilst doing some volunteering for Crisis.

via Crisis’s Youtube

Why is the song titled "The A Team"?
Is there an acoustic version?
Has this track received any certifications?
Credits
Produced By
Performance Rights
Copyright ©
Phonographic Copyright ℗
Co-Producer
Mastering Engineer
Programmer
Mixing Engineer
Recording Engineer
Acoustic Guitar
Electric Guitar
Release Date
June 12, 2011
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