Ed Sheeran Performs Special Rendition Of 'Galway Girl' In A Live Street Concert

Mar 24, 2020 by apost team

With a talent like Ed Sheeran’s and so many hits to choose from, how do you pick one for him to perform live in New York? 

It wasn’t easy, but fans overwhelmingly selected “Galway Girl” for the honors, and Ed cheerfully obliged.

The stage setup was simple: In 2017, Ed Sheeran, guitar over his shoulder, a microphone, a low stage setup on a New York street. Fans packed the area in a crowd reminiscent of Times Square on New Year’s Eve.

Ed began with quietly setting the tempo by tapping the side of his guitar, the hollow raspy sound alerting the crowd that the best was about to come. A few chords, and then the famous riff at the start of the song. It was the riff that Ed initially heard when collaborating with an Irish folk band called Beoga, he said in an interview with Zane Lowe.

He liked the riff so much that he asked if they could use it somehow in their work together. Adding it to the start of “Galway Girl” was an inspired musical choice.

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The song pays homage to traditional Irish folk music in its lyrics (“She played the fiddle in an Irish band/And fell in love with an Englishman”), but the overall effect is completely fresh and modern. Indeed, a few times Ed almost sounds like he’s rapping. Other times soft melancholy chords escape under the primary tune, mixing the old and new.

Ed and Beoga managed to pull off the almost impossible feat of seamlessly blending folk and modern music in a varied and surprising way. Audiences around the world have responded, even in many areas where Sheeran isn’t such a famous performer.

In 31 countries the song made it to the charts in short order, according to Lyrics.com. It sped to the number one spot in Ireland (no surprise there!), Scotland, Slovenia, Iceland, and Slovakia. It raced to number two in the U.K., Australia, Poland, Belgium, and Denmark. In many countries, it went Platinum or multi-Platinum.

Perhaps Ed was surprised by the audience’s choice for his New York performance because this wasn’t his biggest hit in the U.S. But he has never disappointed his fans, and this rendition was no exception.

Fans sang along and took videos as he channeled his Irish roots and all his amazing talent to give them a memory they will carry forever. Check out his amazing mini-concert and tell us what you think of it.