Don't (Ed Sheeran song)

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"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
Writer(s)
Producer(s)
Ed Sheeran singles chronology
"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" has R&B[4][5] and blue-eyed soul influences.[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 fuck 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 October 31, 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 fucking 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]

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.[18] Billboard speculated that the provocative, "Don't fuck 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.[18]

On 13 June 2014, "Don't" was made available to customers, who pre-ordered ×, as the second "instant grat" promotional single,[19] 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.[20]

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.[21] The single has, as of January 2015, sold 1,464,000 digital copies in the US.[22]

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 (Philiph Chbeeb from I.aM.mE) going from poverty to wealth.[23] Sheeran makes a brief drive-by cameo appearance. 4Music called it a "compelling watch".[24]

Live performances

On 12 April 2014, Sheeran performed "Don't" on Saturday Night Live.[25] On 17 September 2014, Sheeran sang it during the season 9 finale of America's Got Talent.[26] On 6 February 2015, Sheeran performed the song on The Late Late Show; he was accompanied by John Mayer on the guitar.[27]

Track listing

Digital download – single
No. Title Length
1. "Don't"   3:39
CD single
No. Title Length
1. "Don't"   3:39
2. "Friends"   3:10
Digital download – extended play
No. Title Length
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. Title Length
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

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[68] 2× Platinum 140,000
Canada (Music Canada)[69] 2× Platinum 160,000
Germany (BVMI)[70] Gold 200,000
Italy (FIMI)[71] Platinum 30,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)[72] Platinum 15,000
Sweden (GLF)[73] Platinum 40,000
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[74] Gold 15,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[75] Platinum 600,000
United States (RIAA)[76] Platinum 1,464,000[22]
Streaming
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[77] Platinum 2,600,000

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

Release history

Region Date Format
United Kingdom[78] 14 August 2014 Contemporary hit radio

References

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External links

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Ed Sheeran – Don't". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  29. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Ed Sheeran – Don't" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  30. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Ed Sheeran – Don't" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  31. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Ed Sheeran – Don't" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  32. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Ed Sheeran.
  33. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – Chart history" Billboard Canada AC for Ed Sheeran.
  34. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – Chart history" Billboard Canada CHR/Top 40 for Ed Sheeran.
  35. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – Chart history" Billboard Canada Hot AC for Ed Sheeran.
  36. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201427 into search. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  37. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Ed Sheeran – Don't". Tracklisten.
  38. ↑ "Ed Sheeran: Don't" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  39. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Ed Sheeran – Don't" (in French). Les classement single.
  40. ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Ed Sheeran – Don't". GfK Entertainment.
  41. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 1, 2015". Irish Singles Chart.
  42. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – Don't Media Forest". Israeli Airplay Chart. Media Forest. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  43. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Ed Sheeran – Don't" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  44. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Ed Sheeran – Don't". Top 40 Singles.
  45. ↑ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
  46. ↑ "Archive Chart: 5 July 2014". Scottish Singles Top 40. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  47. ↑ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201435 into search. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  48. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Ed Sheeran – Don't" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  49. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Ed Sheeran – Don't". Singles Top 60.
  50. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Ed Sheeran – Don't". Swiss Singles Chart.
  51. ↑ "August 2014/ Archive Chart: 30 August 2014" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  52. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Ed Sheeran.
  53. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – Chart history" Billboard Adult Contemporary for Ed Sheeran.
  54. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – Chart history" Billboard Adult Pop Songs for Ed Sheeran.
  55. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – Chart history" Billboard Country Airplay for Ed Sheeran.
  56. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – Chart history" Billboard Dance/Mix Show Airplay for Ed Sheeran. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  57. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Ed Sheeran.
  58. ↑ "Ed Sheeran – Chart history" Billboard Rhythmic Songs for Ed Sheeran.
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  71. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Select Online in the field Sezione. Enter Ed Sheeran in the field Filtra. Select 2014 in the field Anno. The certification will load automatically
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  75. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. 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
  76. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
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