"Afire Love" is a song made by English singer Ed Sheeran for his second album, ×, released in 2014. The song is about Sheeran's grandfather who had Alzheimer's disease. The song was produced by Johnny McDaid, a member of Snow Patrol. It uses parts of a song called "Remembering Jenny" written by Christophe Beck for the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

The song was released as an instant download on iTunes on June 16, 2014. It was the third of seven promotional singles from the album ×. Because many people listened to the songs online, all 12 tracks on the album, including "Afire Love," were listed on the UK music charts.

Background and composition

The song is about Ed Sheeran's late grandfather, who had Alzheimer's disease for 20 years. His grandfather passed away from the disease in December 2013, two weeks after Sheeran started writing about it. Sheeran completed the song at his grandfather's funeral. Before the album was released, Sheeran honored his grandfather at the 2014 Grammy Awards by wearing a necktie that belonged to his grandfather.

The lyrics describe Sheeran's feelings about his grandfather's illness from childhood until his funeral. In the verses before the first chorus, Sheeran shares details about his grandfather's condition. For example, he sings about the moment his grandfather could no longer recognize his grandson: "My father told me, son/ It's not his fault he doesn't know your face/ And you're not the only one." The chorus highlights the strong love between Sheeran's grandparents. It includes lines from his grandfather to his grandmother: "Put your open lips on mine and slowly let them shut/ For they're designed to be together/ With your body next to mine, our hearts will beat as one/ And we're set alight, we're afire in love." The song ends with Sheeran and his family singing "hallelujah" at the funeral.

Sheeran recorded "Afire Love" at Cocoloco Studio in Los Angeles and at Sphere and Metropolis Studios in London. The song was produced by Johnny McDaid, a member of Snow Patrol, and engineered by McDaid and Geoff Swan. The track includes parts of "Remembering Jenny," a song written by Christophe Beck for the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The song is piano-based and has a steady, rhythmic beat.

Release and reception

The song was released as an "instant grat" digital download on the iTunes Store on June 16, 2014. It was the third of seven promotional singles from his second studio album, × (2014). The song was available for digital download when people pre-ordered the album. It reached the top of the iTunes chart in the United States.

Because of high streaming numbers, "Afire Love" and the album's 12 tracks appeared on the charts in the United Kingdom. The song entered the UK Singles Chart at number 71 and later reached number 59.

Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph described "Afire Love" as an "anthemic singalong."