Ed Sheeran - Small Bump Analysis

Ed Sheeran – Small Bump 

The audience for this video is likely to be primarily females, who might be able to relate to the tragedy of losing a child and who might be able to associate to the lyrics. Fans of the artist would be excited to hear this track by Ed if there are already his fans. He gives the opportunity for people to think about a deep meaningful matter which would be too sensitive to bring up in normal conversation but in the form of a song the subject can be discussed.

The narrative of this song is about his friend losing her child For the purpose of the song, Ed imagined that it was his child, allowing the track to become racked with tear-jerking lines and imagery. Ed is great at drawing on reality to create acoustic masterpieces like this. It’s relatively simple, backed by a slow beat, piano, acoustic guitar and it “tells you nothing but truth”. Ed’s vocals are pure with a touch of innocent maturity to his tone.

He’s still young but he appears to have seen and experienced a lot. Naturally, given the subject matter, the lyrics are incredibly profound and sad. As is typical in Ed Sheeran songs, the closing lines always leave the listener with a lasting impression that sums up the overall message. Small Bump ends with “You’re just a small bump unborn for four months, then torn from life. Maybe you were needed up there but we’re still unaware of why.” I think it rounds off the song well and encapsulates all the pain and anguish that he’s tried to create in the song. In the video there is injured people shown, this is to represents Ed’s pain.

Raised in Suffolk, he moved to London in 2008 to pursue a musical career. In early 2011, Sheeran released an independent extended play, No. 5 Collaborations Project, which caught the attention of both Elton John and Jamie Foxx. He then signed to Asylum Records. His debut album, containing the singles "The A Team" and "Lego House", was certified quintuple platinum in the United Kingdom. In 2012, he won two BRIT Awards for Best British Male and British Breakthrough. "The A Team" won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song musically and lyrically. In 2012 he won British Solo Male Artist and British Breakthrough Act.

The video is placed into the ‘acoustic rock’ genre but he is known as a singer-songwriter. Although the video is sad and depressing the acoustic guitar is the main part and is played throughout the song. The image of Ed Sheeran shows that he is in the ‘rock’ genre he is typically long haired and bearded.

The opening shots are a series of cuts showing different things you would find in an A+E area of a hospital, all of the shots are dark and out-standing showing the seriousness of the song. There is then a slow zoom towards Ed as he stares at the floor showing how deeply into thought he is about the prospecting prospect of losing a child. The camera then pans slowly back and forth Ed as he is sat there with a gloomy look upon his face. There is no action in this video yet is still very intense and the lyrics engage the audience into the horrific feelings that Ed is ‘feeling’, The acting of Ed in this video is outstanding.