Analyzing the lyrics: “Visiting hours”, by Ed Sheeran

Lyrics of Visiting hours – Ed Sheeran

“I wish that Heaven had visiting hours
So I could just show up and bring the news
That she’s gettin’ older and I wish that you’d met her
The things that she’ll learn from me
I got them all from you

Can I just stay a while and we’ll put all the world to rights?
The little ones will grow, and I’ll still drink your favorite wine
And soon they’re goin’ to close, but I’ll see you another day
So much has changed since you’ve been away

I wish that Heaven had visiting hours
So I could just swing by and ask your advice
What would you do in my situation?
I haven’t a clue how I’d even raise them
What would you do?
‘Cause you always do what’s right

Can we just talk a while until my worries disappear?
I’d tell you that I’m scared of turning out a failure
You’d say, “Remember that the answer’s in the love that we create”
So much has changed since you’ve been away

I wish that Heaven had visiting hours
And I would ask them if I could take you home
But I know what they’d say, that it’s for the best
So I will live life the way you taught me
And make it on my own

I will close the door, but I will open up my heart
And everyone I love will know exactly who you are
‘Cause this is not goodbye, it is just ’til we meet again
So much has changed since you’ve been away.”

The main topic of this song is also the loss of a loved one, but it goes around the concept of being able to visit the person that has passed away from time to time. This idea is powerful, ’cause it creates an utopian and parallel world, while giving the writer the opportunity to talk directly to the person:

• telling them what has changed since they’ve been gone (ex. “she’s getting older”)

• make reference to the past things they used to do together and now he’s missing (ex. “Can I just stay a while and we’ll put all the world to rights”

• talk about the footprint that the person has left in Ed’s life (“I’ll still drink your favourite wine”, “The things that she’ll learn from me, I got them all from you”)

• talk about the advice that Ed will need from them from now on (ex. “What would you do in my situation? ‘Cause you always do what’s right”)

Another aspect worth mentioning is that the only verses that are repeated throughout the song are “I wish that Heaven had visiting hours” and “So much has changed since you’ve been away”.

This is a wise decision for a song like this, a singer/songwriter acoustic ballad. This way, it stays far from pop structure when it comes to the lyrics: every chorus is formulated differently, adding new information and details of the story. In contraposition, it does follow the same melodic lines, which makes the song still memorable.

Another thing that’s really appreciated by the listeners is a songwriter who gives life advice. Ed is used to doing it, this time with the line “Remember that the answer’s in the love that we create”, and in Supermarket flowers, he wrote “A heart that’s broke is a heart that’s been loved”.