Don't (Ed Sheeran song)

"Don't"
Single by Ed Sheeran
from the album ×
Released 24 August 2014 (2014-08-24)
Format
Recorded 2013–14
Genre
Length 3:39
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Ed Sheeran singles chronology
"Sing"
(2014)		 "Don't"
(2014)		 "Thinking Out Loud"
(2014)

"Sing"
(2014)		 "Don't"
(2014)		 "Thinking Out Loud"
(2014)

"Don't" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter, Ed Sheeran, for his second studio album, × (2014). Written by Sheeran and Benny Blanco and produced by Blanco and Rick Rubin, the song samples "Don't Mess with My Man" by Lucy Pearl.[1] It was initially planned as the album's lead single, but was passed over in favour of "Sing". It was instead released to iTunes on 13 June 2014 as the second "instant grat" promotional single from ×. "Don't" officially impacted US contemporary hit radio on 15 July 2014 and was released independently on 24 August 2014 as the album's second single.

"Don't" peaked at No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart. In the US, it became Sheeran's first top 10 single. It also made the top 10 in eight other countries.

Background and composition

The song developed from a riff, which Sheeran had on his phone for a year.[2] Sheeran first recorded the track with producer, Benny Blanco,[3] who was also credited as co-writer under his real name, Benjamin Levin. Sheeran recorded it again with Rick Rubin. The two producers coming together to produce the final cut. "Don't" is an R&B song[4][5] with a "blue-eyed soul hymn".[6]

The lyrics consist of three verses, which Sheeran elaborated: "The first verse is the setup, the second explains the situation, and the third is the outcome, with a chorus in between each."[7] A lyrical screed, it alludes to events attendant to the short-lived relationship Sheeran had with another singer.[8] He sings: "For me and her, we make money the same way/ Four cities, two planes in the same day."[9] Sheeran scorned the former girl for having sex with another guy, and expressed an expletive such as in the line "Don't fuc* with my love".[6] Sheeran revealed he wrote the song out of frustration, and, story-wise, the lyrics are self-explanatory. He recalled the events that inspired his writing: "[...] it was one of those situations where someone comes across as a very, very sweet, innocent person, and you take that for granted, then stuff unravels and you see a different side to them."[2] The song was therapeutic because writing it made him feel better afterwards.[9]

Tabloids linked singer, Ellie Goulding (pictured), to Sheeran

About his other songs, Sheeran has openly stated who inspired the lyrical content.[10] But since the release of "Don't", he had remained silent to whom the song is directed to.[11] In a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone, Sheeran articulated that he had dated a few singers, but friend, Taylor Swift, was not among them, and in fact, he played the track to her. Tabloids linked the singers, Selena Gomez and Ellie Goulding, to Sheeran.[8] On 31 October 2015, Fuse posted an interview in which Sheeran says, "'Don't' is just a song that’s close to the bone and definitely opened up a door that I probably shouldn't have opened up. [...] I just won't say who it's about because... I mean everyone, everyone fuc***g knows anyway. But like I just won't say who it's about cause it's quite a negative song."[10]

In 2015, Ellie Goulding released "On My Mind" for her third studio album, Delirium. The song was described by many critics as an answer song to "Don't", an allegation Goulding had denied.[12][13][14][15][16][17]

According to musicnotes.com, "Don't" is written in the key of F minor with a tempo of 92 beats per minute. [18]

Release and reception

Sheeran did not intend to release the song on the album, because the lyrics were therapeutic and personal.[9][11] He was however persuaded by those who had heard the song to release it, as it was "an alright song".[9] He revealed that "the more [he] listened back [he] thought this is an alright song".[11]

"Don't" was planned to be released as the first single from the album until March 2014, when "Sing" was chosen.[19] Billboard speculated that the provocative, "Don't fuc* with my love", chorus prompted the change.[3] Sheeran debuted a snippet of the song in a commercial for Beats by Dr. Dre in May 2014.[19]

On 13 June 2014, "Don't" was made available to customers, who pre-ordered ×, as the second "instant grat" promotional single,[20] following "One", and an official audio stream was released on Sheeran's YouTube page.[5] An extended play accompanied the release of the single, featuring a remix by Rick Ross, a live cover of Nina Simone's "Be My Husband", and a non-album song, "Everything You Are". Notably, Sheeran's lyrics aren't censored on the Rick Ross remix, but are on the album version. "Don't" officially impacted US contemporary hit radio on 15 July 2014.[21]

Jason Lipshutz of Billboard wrote: "[...] 'Don't' shows that Sheeran is not afraid to be dangerous, or even explicit, on his sophomore set."[6]

In the US, "Don't" reached No. 9 on the all-encompassing Billboard Hot 100 chart; it marked Sheeran's first single to reach the top 10 on that chart.[22] The single has, as of January 2015, sold 1,464,000 digital copies in the US.[23]

Music video

An accompanying music video was released on YouTube on 4 August 2014. The video was directed by Emil Nava and follows a dancer (Phillip Chbeeb from I.aM.mE) going from poverty to wealth.[24] Sheeran makes a brief drive-by cameo appearance. 4Music called it a "compelling watch".[25]

Live performances

On 12 April 2014, Sheeran performed "Don't" on Saturday Night Live.[26] On 17 September 2014, Sheeran sang it during the season 9 finale of America's Got Talent.[27] On 6 February 2015, Sheeran performed the song on The Late Late Show; he was accompanied by John Mayer on the guitar.[28]

Formats and track listings

Digital download
No.TitleLength
1."Don't"3:39
CD single
No.TitleLength
1."Don't"3:39
2."Friends"3:10
Digital download – extended play
No.TitleLength
1."Don't" (Rick Ross Remix)4:17
2."Be My Husband" (Live from Glastonbury)7:50
3."Everything You Are"3:58
4."Friends"3:10
Digital download – UK extended play
No.TitleLength
1."Don't" (Rick Ross Remix)4:17
2."Be My Husband" (Live from Glastonbury)7:50
3."Everything You Are"3:58

Charts

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[84] 2× Platinum 140,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[85] 3× Platinum 240,000^
Germany (BVMI)[86] Gold 200,000^
Italy (FIMI)[87] 2× Platinum 60,000double-dagger
New Zealand (RMNZ)[88] Platinum 15,000*
Sweden (GLF)[89] Platinum 40,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[90] Gold 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[91] Platinum 600,000double-dagger
United States (RIAA)[92] 2× Platinum 1,464,000[23]
Streaming
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[93] Platinum 2,600,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
double-daggersales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region Date Format
United Kingdom[94] 14 August 2014 Contemporary hit radio

References

  1. ↑ Asilo, Rito P. (5 July 2015). "Ed Sheeran slinks out of his comfort zone". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Inquirer Entertainment. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Ed Sheeran talks through new album". Music-News. 29 June 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  3. 1 2 Willman, Chris (7 April 2014). "Ed Sheeran Un-Zipped: On His Pharrell-Produced Single, Being a Sex Symbol and Turning Betrayal Into Song (Cover Story)". Billboard. p. 2. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  4. ↑ Lee, Ashley (30 May 2014). "Ed Sheeran Debuts Cheating Song 'Don't' in Beats by Dre Ad (Watch)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  5. 1 2 Menyes, Carolyn. "Ed Sheeran New Single 'Don't' Probably Touches on Ellie Goulding Cheating in the Most Grooving Way Possible". Music Times. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 Lipshutz, Jason. "Ed Sheeran, 'x': Track-By-Track Review". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  7. ↑ Graff, Gary (14 October 2014). "Ed Sheeran Talks New Album, Jamming With Usher & Skrillex and His 90s Hip-Hop Jam' 'Don't'". Billboard. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  8. 1 2 Doyle, Patrick (7 April 2014). "Ed Sheeran's Heartache and Wildest Nights: Behind His Raw LP 'X' | Music News". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Garibaldi, Christina (16 May 2014). "Don't Get Ed Sheeran Mad - He Might Write A Song About You". MTV. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  10. 1 2 "Revealed: Ed Sheeran Won't Say Who "Don't" Is About". Fuse. 31 October 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  11. 1 2 3 Kennedy, John (23 June 2014). "VIBE Summer 2014 Cover Story: Ed Sheeran". Vibe. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  12. ↑ Horton, Matthew (17 September 2015). "Ellie Goulding Takes Aim At Former Lover With Hyperactive R&B Single 'On My Mind' – Track Review". NME. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  13. ↑ Horowitz, Steven J. (24 September 2015). "Is Ellie Goulding's Max Martin-Produced 'On My Mind' Memorable? Plus More of the Week's Best and Worst Singles". Billboard. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  14. ↑ Daw, Robbie (17 September 2015). "Ellie Goulding’s "On My Mind" Vs. Ed Sheeran’s "Don’t": The 10 Best Disses From Each Song". Idolator. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  15. ↑ Corner, Lewis (17 September 2015). "6 ways Ellie Goulding's new single takes a swing at Ed Sheeran: A lyrical breakdown". Digital Spy. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  16. ↑ Hodgson, Claire (18 September 2015). "Is Ellie Goulding's new song On My Mind about Ed Sheeran?". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
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  19. 1 2 Carter, Caitlin. "Ed Sheeran Debuts New Song 'Don't' In Beats By Dre Commercial [WATCH]". Music Times. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
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  23. 1 2 Grein, Paul (7 January 2015). "Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars Jump to #1 on Hot 100". Retrieved 7 January 2015.
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  25. ↑ "This Week's Fresh Music Top 20". 10 August 2014. 4Music. Missing or empty |series= (help)
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  27. ↑ Chau, Thomas (17 September 2014). "Ed Sheeran Sings ‘Don’t’ on ‘America’s Got Talent’ Finale [VIDEO]". Popcrush. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
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  91. ↑ "British single certifications – Ed Sheeran – Don't". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 21 November 2014. Enter Don't in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
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