While you have most likely been grooving to "Shape of You" since Ed Sheeran released it, you may have been wondering if his upcoming album, Divide, would still feature his super romantic side. Well, wonder no more since the lyrics for Sheeran's new song, "How Would You Feel (Paean)," have him in all of his swoon-worthy glory. Sure, "Shape of You" is a sexy look at dating, but the "How Would You Feel (Paean)" lyrics might just make it the most requested first dance song at weddings in 2017. That's right, "Thinking Out Loud" — "How Would You Feel (Paean)" is coming for you.
In honor of his 26th birthday on Feb. 17, Sheeran announced on Twitter he would be dropping a third track from his new album that's due out on March 3. He noted that "How Would You Feel (Paean)" isn't the next single, but it's one of his favorites (correction: "favzzzzz") off of Divide, so consider him releasing it as a birthday present to his fans. Yet, he told Ryan Seacrest in an interview how he had forgotten this song existed. Thankfully, Sheeran's girlfriend, Cherry Seaborn, reminded him about it and that's how "How Would You Feel (Paean)" ended up on the album. And once you hear the song, you'll completely get why it was so memorable to Seaborn.
As Oxford Dictionaries defines the word "paean" as "a song of praise or triumph," you can expect something heartfelt from the title alone and "How Would You Feel" is certainly praising love with its lyrics as it starts with:
"You are the one, girl
And you know that it's true
I'm feeling younger
Every time that I'm alone with you"
While Sheeran hasn't stated that this song is about Seaborn specifically, him stating in the first verse that the object of his affection is "the one" is some pretty serious stuff and he's pretty serious about his current girlfriend. Yet, the pre-chorus then discusses moments more often associated with the early stages of love:
"We were sitting in a parked car
Stealing kisses in a front yard
We got questions we should not ask"
Sitting in parked cars and kissing in front yards definitely represents early love that gives you butterflies in your stomach. It works though since Sheeran said he felt younger with her in the first verse.
Then, the chorus goes onto that big declaration of love:
"But how would you feel
If I told you I loved you
It's just something that I want to do
I'll be taking my time
Spending my life
Falling deeper in love with you
So tell me that you love me too"
Up until now, you may have been doubting my claim that this song will become a popular first dance song, but "I'll be taking my time/Spending my life/Falling deeper in love with you" makes "How Would You Feel" tailored for couples at their weddings — just like "Thinking Out Loud."
If somehow you weren't feeling romantic enough after the chorus, his second verse paints beautiful imagery:
"In the summer
As the lilacs bloom
Blood flows deeper than a river
Every moment that I spend with you"
Lilacs in the summer is the ideal scene you want to be in when someone tells you that he or she loves you. Sheeran then uses that pre-chorus to depict another moment of loveliness:
"We were sat upon our best friend's roof
I had both of my arms around you
Watching the sunrise replace the moon"
If lilacs aren't your thing, then perhaps being with the one you love until the sun comes up is. With these specific memories, it's hard not to think Sheeran might be referencing actual times with Seaborn. However, the lyrics for "How Would You Feel" are also just universally romantic. They are the stuff dream romances — and real-life romances — are made of.
So, when you're inevitably at a bunch of weddings this summer, expect to hear "How Would You Feel (Paean)" playing on the dance floor. Sheeran was already the king of the first dance and as "How Would You Feel" encapsulates those significant moments of first falling in love, it's bound to be a favorite among newlyweds.
