F64

Album: single release only (2023)
Charted: 50
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • British music entrepreneur and founder of the online R&B/Hip-Hop platform SB.TV, Jamal Edwards died of a drug overdose on February 20, 2022, aged 31. Jamal was influential in Ed Sheeran's rise and the two became close friends.

    Over piano chords and understated electronic beats, Sheeran delivers 64 raw and emotive bars that express his grief at Edwards' passing.
  • "F64" is a freestyle track where Ed Sheeran writes a letter to his fallen friend 11 months after losing him.

    Yo, Jam, this is a letter to you
    It's been a while, but it's been hard for me to get in the booth


    He expresses his sadness at Jamal never meeting his daughter Jupiter, who was born in May 2022. Jamal would have been her godfather.

    You would've loved loving my little girls
    If not for them, I'd be done with the world


    Sheeran relates staying at Jamal's family house for a week, comforting his mother, Loose Woman panelist Brenda Edwards.

    Was at your mum's, there all week, tryna make sense but I can't
    And although it's been a year, still feel the pain in my heart


    The two were so close, some thought they were in a gay relationship.

    The day we met, yeah, I moved in and we were never apart
    People assumed that we were lovers, but we're brothers in arms
  • The song's title doesn't appear in the lyrics. It refers to the length of Sheeran's freestyle, which lasts for 64 bars.
  • Sheeran co-wrote "F64" with Godwin Vata Sonzi and the song's producer, Fred again. Dan Benson, JAE5 and Dave also get credited because "F64" interpolates JAE5's 2022 track "Propeller."
  • Sheeran filmed the video at Stamford Bridge, the home stadium of Chelsea FC. Jamal Edwards was a lifelong fan of the team.
  • "F64" is the second tribute song to a departed friend that Sheeran has recorded. On August 19, 2021, he released "Visiting Hours" in honor of the late Australian music impresario Michael Gudinski, whom he considered a father figure.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Philip Cody

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?Song Writing

Katy Perry mentions McDonald's, Beyoncé calls out Red Lobster, and Supertramp shouts out Taco Bell - we found the 10 restaurants most often mentioned in songs.

Name the Character in the Song

Name the Character in the SongMusic Quiz

With a few clues (Works at a diner, dreams of running away), can you name the character in the song?

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside Story

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside StorySong Writing

The in-depth discussion about the making of Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neeley, who played Jesus in the 1973 film.

Little Richard

Little RichardFact or Fiction

Was Long Tall Sally a cross-dresser? Did he really set his piano on fire? See if you know the real stories about one of rock's greatest innovators.