Many people believe that the song “Eyes Closed” is about the end of a romantic relationship. Songs mean different things to different people, so it certainly could be about that.  However, Ed Sheeran wrote the song to express his feelings about another kind of loss.

Caution: The lyrics mention stepping into a bar and having a few drinks, so this song may not be appropriate for your class.

Level 3/4: Low Intermediate / Intermediate

Best Friends 

When Ed Sheeran was a teenager, he didn’t look like a future popstar. He was short, had shaggy red hair, and wore glasses.“Nobody took me seriously,“ he says. “Everyone kind of saw me as a joke. Guys like me don’t become popstars. It’s unlikely, so you have to work harder. You have to wait for one person to say, ‘That’s great.’” 

For Ed Sheeran, that person was Jamal Edwards. Jamal was only in his early 20s, but he already had a reputation for discovering musical talent. When he found new musicians he liked, he posted their videos on his YouTube channel. The channel had hundreds of thousands of followers. 

One day Jamal came across a video of Ed Sheeran on social media and saw something in Ed that others did not. He posted the video on his channel. During the next year, Jamal helped Ed Sheeran make 20 more music videos, which he posted on his channel. 

“At that time,” Ed says, “Jamal’s channel was the coolest channel to be on. As soon as he put me on, everything started to fall into place. My manager found me, and a record label got in touch.” Many successes followed: a record album, concerts, hit songs like “Thinking Out Loud,” and a world tour that sold almost 9 million tickets. 

With success came many changes in Ed’s life. But one thing never changed: his friendship with Jamal Edwards. The first time they met, Ed told Jamal that he was new to London and had nowhere to live. Jamal invited him to live at his house, and Ed moved in. He later found his own  place to live, but Jamal remained his best friend.

On February 20, 2022, Jamal Edwards died suddenly. Later tests showed that he had died of an accidental drug overdose. He was 31 years old.

Ed was overcome with grief. Both he and Jamal lived in West London, and they used to see each another often. Everywhere Ed went, he thought of Jamal. A line kept running through Ed’s head: Everywhere I look, I still see you. That line was the origin of the song “Eyes Closed.”

Ed says the song is about sadness: “It follows you around, filling the rooms you’re in. You can feel and see it, but no one else around you can.” Sadness finally stopped following Ed around when he began writing songs about it. “Music,” he says,”helps heal.”

Story: © Sandra Heyer, All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
Photos: © Starstock | Dreamstime and © Jessica Girvan | Dreamstime. Reprinted with permission.

Eyes closed, story.pdf