Oh Why Vs Shape Of You: Listen To Both Songs

Following the news that Ed Sheeran is currently embroiled in a court case after being accused of stealing a hook for his number one single Shape Of You, fans are wondering what the accusers' song sounds like.

The 31-year-old singer-songwriter appeared in court this week after being accused by Sam Chokri and Ross O’Donoghue, who have alleged that Sheeran stole parts of his 2017 hit from their own track called Oh Why.

So, without further ado, read on and listen to both Oh Why vs Shape Of You.

Ed Sheeran’s Shape Of You:

If you have never heard Ed Sheeran’s Shape Of You, you must have been living under a rock in 2017. 

The track was the best-selling song of the year five years ago and the second best-selling digital song in the world at the time, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. 

Sheeran’s single, which was taken from his album of the same year, Divide, was both praised and criticised widely by critics in equal measure. 

The New York Times said that of the song, Ed “emerges with a tepid but effective take on Caribbean pop that’s been de rigueur for the past two years”, while The Independent called it a “standout” track.

They wrote at the time: “Shape of You stands out so much on the record because it’s such a huge step away from Sheeran’s comfort zone: the insanely catchy, Marimba-fuelled percussion seems inspired by the time he spent in West Africa during his year’s hiatus, while the lyrics, although as simple as they are on his other songs, are more explicitly sexual than anything else on the album.”

However, Pitchfork said of the single in question: “The song generally fares fine until Sheeran, the seventh richest British musician under the age of 30, admits to his dating style” and proceeds to describe smuggling food out of an all-you-can-eat buffet in the lyrics. Go figure.

Sami Switch’s Oh Why:

Although Sami Switch’s Oh Why has recently resurfaced due to Chokri and O’Donoghue taking Sheeran to court, the song was actually released back in 2015. 

The song was released as a “statement for change and an important record to digest,” according to Sami Switch’s YouTube description.

“Highlighting the world’s struggles and hardships, Sami offers his views on the ills of our planet in a raw and artistic manner rarely found in the current landscape of music. 

“A message delivered through melody and spoken word that's far removed from the elements of ego and materialism so often associated with today's records,” the description continued.

At the time, Clash Magazine said the artist “takes things down low on recent cut Oh Why - at one point, he whispers ‘I've been to hell and back…’”

“He's not lying,” the review continued. “The London artist has faced more than his fair share of challenges, continuing fighting to make his voice heard.”

Meanwhile, We Plug Good Music said: “The pensive ‘Oh Why’ [puts] everyone in a trance again.”