British pop sensation Ed Sheeran has had a number of major hits over the past five years which have received critical acclaim, but the singer/songwriter has come in for a bit of a lashing for his latest hit which waxes lyrical about all things Irish and his roots to our great nation.
Sheeran who has had number one hits which include ‘The A-Team’ and ‘Sing’, has received a rather large batch of criticism for his latest hit ‘Galway Girl’.
Although the song which is part of his latest album ÷, it has been highly praised by many of his adoring fans both here and abroad, but it seems the popular star has angered some of those in the media and music business with his latest choice of lyrics which describes his quest around the Emerald Isle in search for the perfect Irish girl.
The song which currently sits on top of the Irish singles charts has seemingly angered those who are both fanatics of music and Ireland itself with many labeling it a cultural theft and a blatant stereotype of the Irish people.
Even though the chart topping hit has not received any disgruntled response here, it has seemingly become too much for one critic in New Zealand who wrote a scathing opinion piece about it and the singer himself.
The man who is making the headlines Stuff Magazines very own columnist Alan Perrott, has called out the singer for writing the song which is ‘not at all ok’.
In the rather detailed piece which has spread across social media in recent days, the angry columnist writes the following: “It’s now a fact that Sheeran’s cupboard of ideas isn’t so much bare as smashed up and tossed on the fire. Because, and let’s be clear on this, Sheeran has resorted to that hoary of English trope of cultural theft.”
“For starters he’s appropriated an entire Irish folk tradition. And not only musically: his lyrics are essentially a grab bag of Irish stereotypes that stops a “to be sure” short of “diddly-dee potatoes.”
Perrott doesn’t stop there however as he continues to berate the singer by saying: “Why Well, obviously science proves everyone loves a bit Irish with all that craic, Mrs Brown and other random Irish stuff. Which means it’s guaranteed to be played in all those ghastly faux-Irish pubs that infest cities everywhere where punters deep in their cups will sing along and think it the best song since ‘What Does the Fox Say?’
“Would he nick Scots tradition like that and then play it in Glasgow? Not unless he has a death wish.”
What do you think are you a fan of Sheeran’s latest track or do you think it is cultural theft and a stereotype of the Irish people in general?