"Don't" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Ed Sheeran | ||||
from the album × | ||||
Released | 24 August 2014 | |||
Format | ||||
Recorded | 2013–14 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:39 | |||
Label | ||||
Writer(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | ||||
Ed Sheeran singles chronology | ||||
|
"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. 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.
The song developed from a riff, which Sheeran had on his phone for a year. Sheeran first recorded the track with producer, Benny Blanco, 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 with a "blue-eyed soul hymn".
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." A lyrical screed, it alludes to events attendant to the short-lived relationship Sheeran had with another singer. He sings: "For me and her, we make money the same way/ Four cities, two planes in the same day." Sheeran scorned the former girl for having sex with another guy, and expressed an expletive such as in the line "Don't f**k with my love". 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." The song was therapeutic because writing it made him feel better afterwards.