☝️ Key Points
- The song 'Castle on the Hill' is a flashback to Ed Sheeran's childhood and youth in his hometown of Framlingham, Suffolk, England.
- The opening lines tell an anecdote from his childhood and symbolize the innocence and freedom of that time.
- The chorus evokes memories of driving on country roads and singing 'Tiny Dancer', highlighting the longing for the past and the joy of simple things.
- The second verse is about youthful carefreeness and not delving into the consequences of one's actions.
- The third verse shows the current state of his friends and emphasizes that these people raised him.
Interpretation
The song 'Castle on the Hill' by
Ed Sheeran is a nostalgic flashback to his childhood and youth in his hometown of Framlingham in Suffolk, England. The 'Castle on the Hill' is a real castle in Framlingham, situated on a hill and which he could see from his house.
The song begins with an anecdote from his childhood, when he broke his leg while running away 'from my brother and his friends'. These lines describe the innocence and freedom of his childhood.
In the chorus, he talks about driving 'at 90 on these country roads' and sings to 'Tiny Dancer'. These lines evoke a longing for the simplicity of the past and the joy of the little things in life.
In the second verse, he talks about his teenage years, from the first cigarette to the first kiss. The lines 'We found weekend jobs when we got paid / We'd buy cheap spirits and drink them straight' speak of carefree youth where one doesn't worry about the consequences.
The third verse speaks of his friends and how they are living now. Although everyone has gone their own way and faced many challenges in life, like one who 'is already on his second wife' and another who 'is just getting by', he emphasizes that 'these people raised me'.
Overall, 'Castle on the Hill' is an ode to his home and the people who have shaped him. He longs for the simplicity and innocence of his childhood and youth, and although he has grown up and changed a lot, he still can't wait to come home.