Way Home
Ed Sheeran Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well I once heard a story about a run-down home
Where a man and his thoughts lived all alone
He tried to live, no effort was shown
He’s slowly finding a way back home

He had a family with smiles and frowns
They never could solve his way to be down
Cos he’s one dog who don’t want a bone
He’s slowly finding a way back home

He had a nice house with windows and doors
He said to his wife what’s mine is yours
But the seeds of deception are soon to be sown
He’s slowly finding a way back home

His children have left but the rooms are still there
His misses the noise and the scents in their hair
But far from the nest the babies have flown
He’s slowly finding a way back home

His wife was an angel sent from above
He never returned her kisses or love
But soon he’d found that she’d overgrown
This man who’s finding a way back home

So the leaves are all dead in this broken man’s June
The rain will still fall on the sunny afternoon
He stares at the floor, no more to roam
He’s slowly finding a way back home

Well I once heard a story about a run-down home
Where a man with regrets lived all alone




He tried to live, no effort was shown
He’ll never find a way back home

Overall Meaning

In Ed Sheeran's song "Way Home," the lyrics outline the story of a man who has lost his way in life. He is living alone in a run-down home, isolated from the world around him. The lyrics suggest that he has struggled with depression and has not made any effort to improve his situation. However, the man is slowly finding his way back home.


The song continues to outline how the man had a family that was unable to help him overcome his struggles. He had a nice house and a loving wife, but deception took hold and ultimately led to their downfall. The children have moved out, leaving an empty home that he misses dearly. His wife was described as an angel who he failed to show love and affection to.


The man is depicted as broken and in despair. The leaves are dead, and even on sunny afternoons, the rain still falls. He stares at the floor, unable to move. The repetition of the line "He's slowly finding a way back home" emphasizes how difficult it is for him to find his way out of his current state, but the song ends on a somber note with the realization that the man will never find his way back home.


Line by Line Meaning

Well I once heard a story about a run-down home
I have heard a story about a dilapidated home


Where a man and his thoughts lived all alone
The man dwelled in the home, consumed by his thoughts with no other living presence around


He tried to live, no effort was shown
The man put forth no effort to live his life, despite attempting to do so


He’s slowly finding a way back home
The man is endeavoring to find his place of security and comfort


He had a family with smiles and frowns
He had a family regardless of their mixed emotions and expressions


They never could solve his way to be down
Despite their efforts, the family could not lift his solemn spirit


Cos he’s one dog who don’t want a bone
Despite having everything he needs, he still cannot find satisfaction


He’s slowly finding a way back home
Despite his struggles, he is persevering towards the return to his safe haven


He had a nice house with windows and doors
The man once had a charming abode with standard fixtures


He said to his wife what’s mine is yours
The man openly shared everything he owned with his wife


But the seeds of deception are soon to be sown
Dishonesty was about to gnaw his marriage, transcending to his overall mental state


He’s slowly finding a way back home
He is gradually navigating his path towards his dwelling; a peaceful sanctuary


His children have left but the rooms are still there
Although his offspring have departed from their family nest, their rooms remain unaltered


His misses the noise and the scents in their hair
He craves his children's voices and the fragrances that lingered in their hair


But far from the nest the babies have flown
The children have ventured a long way from their homeland


He’s slowly finding a way back home
Despite his solitude, his perseverance in tracing his destination is unwavering


His wife was an angel sent from above
His wife was the epitome of benevolence, a messenger from the divine


He never returned her kisses or love
He failed to reciprocate his wife's affection and love


But soon he’d found that she’d overgrown
He realized that his wife had moved on and matured beyond their relationship


This man who’s finding a way back home
The man who feels estranged, yet determined to go back to his safe house


So the leaves are all dead in this broken man’s June
His life, once vibrant and productive is now devoid of hopeful possibilities


The rain will still fall on the sunny afternoon
Troubles come unexpectedly, even on typical predictable days


He stares at the floor, no more to roam
Failing to find motivation, he listlessly stares at the ground with no direction


He’s slowly finding a way back home
He still searches for a way back to his once glorious home


Well I once heard a story about a run-down home
A story about a home that has fallen into disrepair


Where a man with regrets lived all alone
The man in the house has been left with nothing but regrets and lives in loneliness


He tried to live, no effort was shown
The man's commitment to living waned and never put forth any effort


He’ll never find a way back home
The man may never be able to find his way back to peace again




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@millyishimwe4958

Well I once heard a story about a run-down home
Where a man and his thoughts lived all alone
He tried to live, no effort was shown
He’s slowly finding a way back home

He had a family with smiles and frowns
They never could solve his way to be down
Cos he’s one dog who don’t want a bone
He’s slowly finding a way back home

He had a nice house with windows and doors
He said to his wife what’s mine is yours
But the seeds of deception are soon to be sown
He’s slowly finding a way back home

His children have left but the rooms are still there
His misses the noise and the scents in their hair
But far from the nest the babies have flown
He’s slowly finding a way back home

His wife was an angel sent from above
He never returned her kisses or love
But soon he’d found that she’d overgrown
This man who’s finding a way back home

So the leaves are all dead in this broken man’s June
The rain will still fall on the sunny afternoon
He stares at the floor, no more to roam
He’s slowly finding a way back home

Well I once heard a story about a run-down home
Where a man with regrets lived all alone
He tried to live, no effort was shown
He’ll never find a way back home



All comments from YouTube:

@05richlande

This is an astonishing song for someone so young to have written. Pure talent! -3 ed

@shesayshesays22

this sounds so much like Scarborough Fair. 

@penja66

HE WAS 14/15 FRIGIN YEARS OLD WHEN HE WROTE THIS? HOLY FUCK!

@teresasantos372

where is this Ed, now? just discovering his old songs makes me wonder about the future...This would fit perfectly on the - (minus) album!

@VinceIsDatBitch

lmfao no; this gon' be on the square root album

@lindseyp6032

The only thing I want for my birthday is a playlist of all (And I mean every. Single. One) his songs on my phone.

@samarac143

I miss this type of music he used to make its beautiful and he was only like 14 honestly though i still love him these types of songs in my opinion are better than what he makes now in 2014-2015

@anaruiz6597

How many songs does my teddy have because I have been like hours finding a lot of songs of him and... idk. DEAD.

@juiceboxhero8547

WHY ARE THER DISLIKES? THIS IS INCREDIBLE!

@LilJo94

Sounds very Celtic folk. I actually the melody sounds a lot like "Scarborough Fair" :D I absolutely love his version of "The Passing Glass"

More Comments

More Versions