Shape of You

Song meaning of Shape Of You by Ed Sheeran

"Shape of You" is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was released in 2017 as one of the double lead singles from his third studio album along with "Castle on the Hill".

The dancehall and R&B-infused pop song was written by Ed Sheeran, Steve Mac and Johnny McDaid.

Due to its interpolation of "No Scrubs" by TLC, Kandi Burruss, Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, and Kevin Briggs are also credited as writers. The song was produced by Sheeran and Mac.

"Shape of You" peaked at number one on the singles charts of 34 countries, including the US Billboard Hot 100 and becoming the best performing song of 2017, as well as the UK, Australian and Canadian singles charts. It was the best-selling song of 2017 and the decade in the UK.

"Shape of You" was nominated for British Single of the Year and British Video of the Year at the 2018 Brit Awards. The song won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards. In 2021, Billboard ranked "Shape of You" as the tenth most successful song of all-time.

The song was the last song written for Sheeran's third album. As he had recently written all the songs he wanted for the album, the song was therefore not intended to be included in the album.

 It was conceived as a duet between Rihanna and Rudimental, but the head of the record label convinced him to keep the song for himself. He said:

"['Shape of You'] is actually a really random one because I went in to write songs for other people with a guy called Steve Mac and Johnny McDaid, and we were writing this song and I was like 'this would really work for Rihanna,'" he explained.

"And then I started singing lyrics like 'putting Van the Man on the jukebox' and I was like 'well she's not really going to sing that, is she?' And then we sort of decided halfway through that we were just going to make it for me."

According to Sheeran, Steve Mac started the songwriting session by playing the opening notes of the song on the keyboard.

Sheeran then joined in, adding percussion by tapping on the guitar, layering it onto the track.

On the writing of the song, he said that he tried to keep the music "more stripped" instead of something more elaborate: "I'm an acoustic artist, first and foremost. And when I play live, I can't replicate these things, I haven't got all the other musicians."

Sheeran said he wanted an R&B feel to the song, therefore he adjusted the original tune, adding an interpolation of "No Scrubs" onto part of the melody.

He also revealed that the original lyrics did not end with the words "the shape of you" in the chorus, but during the writing of the song, McDaid thought that the lyrics "I'm in love with your body" sounded objectifying, and the lyrics was therefore adjusted.

In a March 2023 interview with Rolling Stone, Sheeran revealed that he had attempted to get a Jay-Z guest verse; however, the American rapper declined, stating that he "doesn't think the song needs a rap verse".

According to NT News, the song "tells the story of loved (or lusted) up Sheeran meeting a girl in a bar where he and his mates are doing shots.

The song's lyrical rhythm drew some comparisons to the TLC song "No Scrubs", particularly in the pre-chorus line, "Boy, let's not talk too much/ Grab on my waist and put that body on me".

Kandi Burruss had told Bravo’s Andy Cohen that the negotiations had started before the song's release for its interpolation but weren't finalized until afterwards. As a result, the composers of "No Scrubs", Kandi Burruss, Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, and Kevin Briggs, received co-writing credits on "Shape of You".

Shape Of You lyrics by Ed Sheeran

The club isn't the best place to find a lover

So the bar is where I go (mmmm)

Me and my friends at the table doing shots

Drinking fast and then we talk slow (mmmm)

And you come over and start up a conversation with just me

And trust me I'll give it a chance now (mmmm)

Take my hand, stop, put Van The Man on the jukebox

And then we start to dance

And now I'm singing like

Girl, you know I want your love

Your love was handmade for somebody like me

Come on now, follow my lead

I may be crazy, don't mind me

Say, boy, let's not talk too much

Grab on my waist and put that body on me

Come on now, follow my lead

Come, come on now, follow my lead (mmmm)

I'm in love with the shape of you

We push and pull like a magnet do

Although my heart is falling too

I'm in love with your body

Last night you were in my room

And now my bedsheets smell like you

Every day discovering something brand new

I'm in love with your body

Oh I oh I oh I oh I

I'm in love with your body

Oh I oh I oh I oh I

I'm in love with your body

Oh I oh I oh I oh I

I'm in love with your body

Every day discovering something brand new

I'm in love with the shape of you

One week in we let the story begin

We're going out on our first date (mmmm)

You and me are thrifty, so go all you can eat

Fill up your bag and I fill up a plate (mmmm)

We talk for hours and hours about the sweet and the sour

And how your family is doing okay (mmmm)

And leave and get in a taxi, then kiss in the backseat

Tell the driver make the radio play

And I'm singing like

Girl, you know I want your love

Your love was handmade for somebody like me

Come on now, follow my lead

I may be crazy, don't mind me

Say, boy, let's not talk too much

Grab on my waist and put that body on me

Come on now, follow my lead

Come, come on now, follow my lead (mmmm)

I'm in love with the shape of you

We push and pull like a magnet do

Although my heart is falling too

I'm in love with your body

Last night you were in my room

And now my bedsheets smell like you

Every day discovering something brand new

I'm in love with your body

Oh I oh I oh I oh I

I'm in love with your body

Oh I oh I oh I oh I

I'm in love with your body

Oh I oh I oh I oh I

I'm in love with your body

Every day discovering something brand new

I'm in love with the shape of you

Come on, be my baby, come on

Come on, be my baby, come on

Come on, be my baby, come on

Come on, be my baby, come on

Come on, be my baby, come on

Come on, be my baby, come on

Come on, be my baby, come on

Come on, be my baby, come on

I'm in love with the shape of you

We push and pull like a magnet do

Although my heart is falling too

I'm in love with your body

Last night you were in my room

And now my bedsheets smell like you

Every day discovering something brand new

I'm in love with your body

Come on, be my baby, come on

Come on, be my baby, come on

I'm in love with your body

Come on, be my baby, come on

Come on, be my baby, come on

I'm in love with your body

Come on, be my baby, come on

Come on, be my baby, come on

I'm in love with your body

Every day discovering something brand new

I'm in love with the shape of you