The A Team by Ed Sheeran for me was an ear worm as soon as I heard it, loved it from the beginning, the funny thing is that if you do want to have a hack and play it most of the tab and guitar chords around are very badly written, not sure why, anyway below is the chords, what key, the structure and lyrics for The A Team for you and I have worked on these.
This song was released as a digital download firstly as the first single off Ed’s + album, recorded in 2010 and released in 2011, the lyrics are about a drug addicted prostitute that were written after a visit to a homeless shelter and the stories he heard.
The A Team hit the Top 10 in many countries and I’m sure after you play it and sing through it a few times you’ll understand why, heartfelt, soothing yet upbeat at the same time whilst masking a dark underlay in the lyrics.
So enjoy this song as I have playing it and working on the chords below.
I have also included the Youtube video at the bottom for you to play along with so you don’t have to leave this page.
Play The A Team by Ed Sheeran on Guitar
Intro
G G Em C G
Verse
G
White lips, pale face
Em
Breathing in snowflakes
C G
Burnt lungs, sour taste
G
Light’s gone, day’s end
Em
Struggling to pay rent
C G
Long nights, strange men
Pre Chorus
Am
And they say
C
She’s in the Class A Team
G
Stuck in her daydream
D
Been this way since 18 but lately
Am
Her face seems
C
Slowly sinking, wasting
G
Crumbling like pastries, they scream
D
The worst things in life come free to us
Chorus
Em C
Cos we’re just under the upperhand
G
Go mad for a couple grams
Em C G
And she don’t want to go outside tonight
Em C
And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland
G
Sells love to another man
Em C G
It’s too cold outside
D
For angels to
Em C G G
fly Angels to
Em C G G
fly
Verse
G
Ripped gloves, raincoat
Em
Tried to swim stay afloat
C G
Dry house, wet clothes
G
Loose change, bank notes
Em
Weary eyed, dry throat
C G
Call girl, no phone
Pre Chorus
Am
And they say
C
She’s in the Class A Team
G
Stuck in her daydream
D
Been this way since 18 but lately
Am
Her face seems
C
Slowly sinking, wasting
G
Crumbling like pastries, they scream
D
The worst things in life come free to us
Chorus
Em C
Cos we’re just under the upperhand
G
Go mad for a couple grams
Em C G
And she don’t want to go outside tonight
Em C
And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland
G
Sells love to another man
Em C G
It’s too cold outside
D Am
For angels to fly
C
An angel will die
Em
Covered in white
G
Closed eye and hoping for a better life
Am C
This time, we’ll fade out tonight
Em C G
Straight down the line
Em C G
Pre Chorus
Am
And they say
C
She’s in the Class A Team
G
Stuck in her daydream
D
Been this way since 18 but lately
Am
Her face seems
C
Slowly sinking, wasting
G
Crumbling like pastries, they scream
D
The worst things in life come free to us
Chorus
Em C
Cos we’re just under the upperhand
G
Go mad for a couple grams
Em C G
And she don’t want to go outside tonight
Em C
And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland
G
Sells love to another man
Em C G
It’s too cold outside
For angels to
Em C G G
fly Angels to
Em C G G
Fly To
Em C G G
Fly, fly Angels to
Em C G
Fly
D G
Angels to die
Notes on playing A Team
Here is the Youtube video of A Team for you to play along with, just click the play icon, scroll up a bit, and play along..
Play A Team with a Capo on your second 2nd fret.
There are few tricky changes here and there but I found, like with any song, the more times I went through it the easier it became, slow down and feel the song and live and breath the lyrics and you’ll be ok.
Here is the structure of the song for you if you need it.
Intro
Verse
Pre chorus
Chorus
Verse
Pre chorus
Chorus
Solo
Pre chorus
Chorus
Well this brings me to the end of what has been another enjoyable song to re-learn and play.
More to come soon, or you can look here for more songs to learn to play on guitar.