In less than a day, the recently launched collaboration of BTS and Ed Sheeran, entitled Permission to Dance, garnered more than 59 million views and 6.2 million likes on YouTube.
Like their other hits Butter and Dynamite, the track also instantly makes your day a bit brighter and your smile a bit bigger—yet the single’s effect is unique. Aside from the chirpy lyrics and the happy melody, it brings nostalgia and hope.
Not long ago, dancing in the streets and being free to move about is something that is normal in our lives. It’s something that we took for granted. Then came the pandemic that forced us to calculate every move and plan every moment in order to prevent being contaminated by the dreaded Covid-19 virus–not that we have anything against safety protocols (Stay safe, guys!).
This song, whether intentionally or not, reminded us of how we used to live before life got so restricted. Seeing them dance so freely in the streets made us forget the crisis for a bit and just live in the moment, while the 4-minute song was playing. Let’s keep reminding ourselves that despite the pandemic, we’re still the same people. We still have the same passions. Let’s keep on living.
Just for clarification, this is a co-writing collaboration, so Ed Sheeran isn’t part of the vocals. The merging of the pop, feel-good style of BTS, and the song-writing genius of Ed Sheeran really works! Lyrics like “live like we’re golden” and “we don’t need permission to dance” are simple words, but it really moves you as a listener. Also, because the lyrics are so engaging and sentimental, it makes the song really easy to listen to.
When you combine these words with BTS’ signature dance beats and a really catchy melody, you have yourself a hit.
More than a hit, we feel that Permission to Dance has the makings of another BTS classic. 30 years from now, when we’ll be telling the story of how we survived a pandemic, this song will come to mind, and we’ll remember how, in a way, it made a-day-in-the-Covid-world lighter and brighter.
On the lookout for new music? Check out H.E.R.’s as well!
