Ed Sheeran got emotional as he paid tribute to the late Michael Gudinski at a memorial service on Wednesday.
The event was held at Australia’s Rod Laver Arena, with Sheeran performing a brand new song, titled “Visiting Hours”, he’d written about his friend, who passed away at age 68 on March 2.
Sheeran self-isolated for two weeks in order to perform.
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“In lockdown I was able to have a guitar for quarantine and I always find the best way to process stuff is to write songs, be it good news, bad news or whatever and here is a song I finished last week,” he shared.
The musician then sang, referencing his baby daughter Lyra, “I wish that heaven/ Had visiting hours/ So I just could show up/ And bring good news/ That she’s getting older/ And I wish that you’d met her/ The things that she’ll learn from me/ I got them all from you,” as photos of the pair flashed up on a screen behind him.
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“Can we just talk a while and we’ll put all the world to rights?” he continued. “The little ones will grow and I’ll still drink your favourite wine/ And soon, they’re going to close, but I’ll see you another day/ So much has changed since you’ve been away.”
Ed Sheeran performs a new song he wrote while in quarantine in Australia .. coming to sing at Michael Gudinski's Memorial Service in Melbourne. Live-streamed on YouTube now. pic.twitter.com/OMzZ08LecX
— Joe O'Brien (@JoeABCNews) March 24, 2021
The lyrics included, “Well, I wish that heaven had visiting hours/ So I could just swing by/ And ask your advice/ What would you do in my situation?/ I haven’t a clue how I’d even raise them/ What would you do?/ ‘Cause you always knew what’s right.
“Can we just talk a while until my worries disappear?/ I’d tell you that I’m scared of turning out a failure/ He’d say, ‘Remember that the answer’s in the love that we create’/ So much has changed since you’ve been away,” Sheeran added, while getting emotional.
Once he finished the song, Sheeran, who also performed “Castle on the Hill” and “The A Team”, walked off stage wiping away tears.
Sheeran also performed “All The Lovers” with Kylie Minogue.
Stars like Taylor Swift, Dave Grohl, Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Adams, Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme, Sam Smith, Elton John and Billy Joe recorded tribute messages for the event.
