"
The A Team" is the debut single by English singer-songwriter
Ed Sheeran. It was released as a
digital download in the United Kingdom on 12 June 2011, serving as the
lead single from his debut album,
+ (2011). "The A Team" is a
folk ballad with lyrics that speak of a
prostitute addicted to
crack cocaine, a Class A drug. It was written after Sheeran visited a homeless shelter and heard some of the stories of the lives people had been living. Making the song upbeat and using the line "Class A Team" was his way of masking the heavy subject matter. He wrote the song following a last-minute performance at an event for the homeless. The chorus of "The A Team" was also used by Sheeran in the track "Little Lady", which features Mikill Pane. "Little Lady" is available on the
EP No. 5 Collaborations Project.