The A Team Songfacts explains the song is a true story and was written by Sheeran after meeting a homeless prostitute called Angel, whilst volunteering at a Crisis homeless shelter. The song became the highest selling debut single on the UK singles charts in the first half of 2011.
The song is a story about a girl he met whilst volunteering at a homeless shelter – it soared into the top three on its release in June 2011.
The A Team
Ed Sheeran Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Breathing in the snowflakes
Burnt lungs, sour taste
Light's gone, days end
Struggling to pay rent
Long nights, strange men
And they say
Stuck in her daydream
Been this way since 18
But lately, her face seems
Slowly sinking, wasting
Crumbling like pastries
And they scream
The worst things in life come free to us
'Cause we're just under the upper hand
And go mad for a couple grams
And she don't wanna go outside tonight
And in a pipe she flies to the motherland
Or sells love to another man
It's too cold outside
For angels to fly
Angels to fly
Ripped gloves, raincoat
Tried to swim, stay afloat
Dry house, wet clothes
Loose change, bank notes
Weary-eyed, dry throat
Call girl, no phone
And they say
She's in the Class A Team
Stuck in her daydream
Been this way since 18
But lately, her face seems
Slowly sinking, wasting
Crumbling like pastries
And they scream
The worst things in life come free to us
'Cause we're just under the upper hand
And go mad for a couple grams
But she don't wanna go outside tonight
And in a pipe she flies to the motherland
Sells love to another man
It's too cold outside
For angels to fly
An angel will die
Covered in white
Closed eyes and hopin' for a better life
This time, we'll fade out tonight
Straight down the line
And they say
She's in the Class A Team
Stuck in her daydream
Been this way since 18
But lately, her face seems
Slowly sinking, wasting
Crumbling like pastries
They scream
The worst things in life come free to us
And we're all under the upper hand
And go mad for a couple grams
And we don't wanna go outside tonight
And in the pipe, fly to the motherland
Or sell love to another man
It's too cold outside
For angels to fly
Angels to fly
Fly, fly
For angels to fly, to fly, to fly
Angels to die
The lyrics of “The A Team” by Ed Sheeran have a melancholic tone and paint a vivid picture of the harsh reality of drug addiction and prostitution. The lyrics are focused on a young woman who is trapped in a cycle of addiction, selling herself for drugs to get through each day. The first verse details her physical state, with white lips, burnt lungs, and sour taste from breathing in the snowflakes. The second verse highlights her struggle to make enough money to pay the rent, as she spends long nights with strange men. The chorus repeats the description of her sinking and wasting away, craving drugs to escape the harsh reality of her life. The lyric “And in a pipe she flies to the motherland” references drug use, and how it transports the young woman to a place free from the pain and grief of her life.
The song is a haunting commentary on addiction, and how society forces individuals into a position where their only escape is drug use. The lyrics paint a picture of a society where individuals are forgotten or left behind, trapped in a world where the only way to survive is through drugs or prostitution. The song’s message is clear: addiction is not a choice, it’s a symptom of a larger societal issue. The haunting melody and stripped-down production add to the solemn tone, and make the lyrics all the more poignant.
Line by Line Meaning
White lips, pale face
The person being described has pale skin that contrasts against their lips, indicating that they are likely ill or struggling.
Breathing in the snowflakes
The person is breathing in the cold air, which is harsh and uncomfortable for them.
Burnt lungs, sour taste
The air they breathe in feels like it is burning their lungs and has a bitter taste. This could be due to pollution or drug use.
Light's gone, day's end
It is nighttime and the daylight has faded.
Struggling to pay rent
The person is having a hard time coming up with the money to pay their rent or bills.
Long nights, strange men
The person is staying up during the night and may be meeting strange or sketchy people. This could be indicative of drug use or a dangerous lifestyle.
And they say
Others have opinions or rumors about the person being described.
She's in the Class A Team
The reference to Class A drugs suggests that the person is involved in drug use or drug culture.
Stuck in her daydream
The person is stuck in a fantasy or delusion of some kind.
Been this way since 18
The person has been caught up in this lifestyle since they were 18 years old.
But lately, her face seems
The person's face is now showing signs of stress, sadness, or physical strain.
Slowly sinking, wasting
The person is deteriorating, physically and/or emotionally.
Crumbling like pastries
The person is disintegrating, much like a pastry would crumble and fall apart.
And they scream
Other people are very upset or concerned about the person's situation.
The worst things in life come free to us
The reference to 'worst things' and the fact that they come for free could refer to drugs, which can be obtained relatively easily and at low cost, but have severe negative consequences.
'Cause we're just under the upper hand
The person is in a vulnerable position and has little control over their circumstances.
And go mad for a couple grams
The person is desperate for drugs and will go to great lengths to get even a small amount of them.
And she don't wanna go outside tonight
The person is so afraid, anxious, or depressed that they do not want to leave the house.
And in a pipe she flies to the motherland
This line suggests drug use, with the person smoking something through a pipe and feeling the effects strongly enough to transport them to another mental state or realm ('motherland').
Or sells love to another man
This line could refer to prostitution or other illicit activities the person may engage in to earn money or obtain drugs.
It's too cold outside
The cold, harsh weather is a difficult barrier that the person must overcome, both physically and emotionally.
For angels to fly
The reference to angels implies that the person, or people like her, are deeply troubled and in desperate need of help or guidance.
Ripped gloves, raincoat
The person's clothing is worn, damaged, and not sufficient to protect them from the elements.
Tried to swim, stay afloat
The person is struggling against forces that are much stronger than them, much like trying to stay afloat in a strong current.
Dry house, wet clothes
The person has been caught in the rain and is now suffering the consequences of it. Their living conditions may also be inadequate.
Loose change, bank notes
The person has very little money, only a small amount in coins and a few bills in their possession.
Weary-eyed, dry throat
The person is sleep-deprived and may be suffering from thirst or dehydration.
Call girl, no phone
This line could be interpreted in several ways, but it implies that the person may be a sex worker or may not have access to a phone, which would make communication and access to resources difficult.
An angel will die
This line reinforces the idea of the person's desperate situation, as if they are angels who are at risk of dying if they are not rescued or helped somehow.
Covered in white
This line could refer to being covered in snow, but it could also be interpreted as death and the visual of a body being covered by a white sheet.
Closed eyes and hopin' for a better life
Even in death, the person is still holding on to the hope that there is something better out there for them.
This time, we'll fade out tonight
The repetition of 'we' implies that death is not an isolated event, but rather something that affects many people who are in the same situation as the person being described.
And we're all under the upper hand
The collective 'we' reinforces the idea of a group of people who are struggling and are in a vulnerable state.
And we don't wanna go outside tonight
The same idea is repeated, that the cold, dark, and harsh outside world is too much to bear.
Angels to fly
The repetition of the idea of angels implies once again that the people being described are still holding onto hope that they can be saved or redeemed.
Fly, fly
The repetition of 'fly' is another reference to this idea of redemption, escape, and salvation.
For angels to fly, to fly, to fly
The repetition of 'to fly' is a final statement of the hope that redemption and release are possible.
Angels to die
This final line reinforces the idea that many people, who are collectively angelic in their hope and vulnerability, are at risk of dying if they don't get help.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edward Christopher Sheeran
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Jasminejas22
White lips, pale face
Breathing in snowflakes
Burnt lungs, sour taste
Light's gone, day's end
Struggling to pay rent
Long nights, strange men
And they say
She's in the Class A Team
Stuck in her daydream
Been this way since eighteen
But lately her face seems
Slowly sinking, wasting
Crumbling like pastries
And they scream
The worst things in life come free to us
'Cause we're just under the upper hand
And go mad for a couple grams
And she don't want to go outside tonight
And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland
Or sells love to another man
It's too cold outside
For angels to fly
Angels to fly
Ripped gloves, raincoat
Tried to swim and stay afloat
Dry house, wet clothes
Loose change, bank notes
Weary-eyed, dry throat
Call girl, no phone
And they say
She's in the Class A Team
Stuck in her daydream
Been this way since eighteen
But lately her face seems
Slowly sinking, wasting
Crumbling like pastries
And they scream
The worst things in life come free to us
'Cause we're just under the upper hand
And go mad for a couple grams
And she don't want to go outside tonight
And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland
Or sells love to another man
It's too cold outside
For angels to fly
An angel will die
Covered in white
Closed eye
And hoping for a better life
This time, we'll fade out tonight
Straight down the line
And they say
She's in the Class A Team
Stuck in her daydream
Been this way since eighteen
But lately her face seems
Slowly sinking, wasting
Crumbling like pastries
They scream
The worst things in life come free to us
And we're all under the upper hand
Go mad for a couple grams
And we don't want to go outside tonight
And in a pipe we fly to the Motherland
Or sell love to another man
It's too cold outside
For angels to fly
Angels to fly
To fly, fly
For angels to fly, to fly, to fly
For angels to die
@mw_v
I'm leaving this comment here so after a month or a year when someone likes it, I get reminded of this song ❤
Edit : for every comment i will listen the song twice, thank y'all :)
7/11/2023 : Thank you everyone for the reminders by commenting, I didn't expect it but I do come here an awful lot to listen to this amazing song over and over again, all thanks to you!!
@hime2541
I remember how innocent this song was to me when i was maybe 10. But now... it makes me sad...
@ahmadkanaan8401
U must be 17 years old lol
@hime2541
@@ahmadkanaan8401 Nope i listened to this song in 2014 so i'm just 13 years old.
@gachazee7330
e i l i s h I was 4 when it was made but I only listened to it when I was 6 and I loved it sooo much, I knew she was like a drug addict but I never understood what it was. I never forgot the lyrics that’s how much I loved it
@libitina3202
@@gachazee7330 dude i was 6 when this was made and im just listening to it now that im 15 w e a w , nice edits btw on ur channel keep it up 👍
@julianklietz6558
Dude, kinda same, one of the dearest friends, that i will probably have ever had, listened to this song with me, when i wasn't even speaking english. I still really liked it tho. You can probably imsgine what kind of feelings I have for both this song and my friend right now.
@ryanniv1851
I can't believe this song is 10 years old. Time flies by.
@zifceaciaroslav5958
Same here.
@gretagutierrez-colomer954
Same
@jeanexz
SAME