Howl
- Florence the Machine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I held it in but now it seems you've set it running free
Screaming in the dark, I howl when we're apart
Drag my teeth across your chest to taste your beating heart
My fingers claw your skin, try to tear my way in
You are the moon that breaks the night for which I have to howl
My fingers claw your skin, try to tear my way in
Howl, howl
Howl, howl
Now there's no holding back, I'm making an attack
My blood is singing with your voice, I want to pour it out
The saints can't help me now, the ropes have been unbound
I hunt for you with bloodied feet across the hallow'ed ground
Like some child possessed, the beast howls in my veins
I want to find you, tear out all of your tenderness
And howl, howl
Howl, howl
Be careful of the curse that falls on young lovers
Starts so soft and sweet and turns them to hunters
Hunters, hunters, hunters
Hunters, hunters, hunters
The fabric of your flesh, pure as a wedding dress
Until I wrap myself inside your arms I cannot rest
The saints can't help me now, the ropes have been unbound
I hunt for you with bloodied feet across the hallowed ground
And howl
Be careful of the curse that falls on young lovers
Starts so soft and sweet and turns them to hunters
A man who's pure of heart and says his prayers by night
May still become a wolf when the autumn moon is bright
If you could only see the beast you've made of me
I held it in but now it seems you've set it running free
The saints can't help me now, the ropes have been unbound
I hunt for you with bloodied feet across the hallow'ed ground
The lyrics of “Howl” by Florence + The Machine suggest a deep longing for someone that is not currently present or accessible, and the animalistic desire that this absence creates. The song describes a beast within the singer that has been unleashed by the person they long for. The lyrics include: “If you could only see the beast you've made of me, I held it in, but now it seems you've set it running free,” which shows that the person’s absence has caused the singer to become more feral and wild.
The lyrics also suggest that the singer’s desire for this person is all-consuming, and that they would do anything to be with them. The line “My fingers claw your skin, try to tear my way in” portrays a sense of desperation to be close to the person. The lyrics "The fabric of your flesh, pure as a wedding dress, until I wrap myself inside your arms I cannot rest" further show this sense of desperate longing.
The song ends with a reference to the curse that falls on young lovers, turning them into hunters. This suggests that the intense desire expressed in the song can be dangerous, as it can turn a person into someone completely different from who they were before. Overall, the lyrics of “Howl” reveal a sense of raw, unbridled passion that can be both alluring and terrifying.
Line by Line Meaning
If you could only see the beast you've made of me
The singer is expressing how their love for their partner has unleashed a wild and passionate side of them that they have tried to suppress.
I held it in but now it seems you've set it running free
The singer is acknowledging that they have tried to contain this wildness that has been unleashed by their love, but their partner has ignited it and they can no longer control it.
Screaming in the dark, I howl when we're apart
The singer expresses that they feel a deep connection with their partner but when they are apart from them, they feel lost and alone.
Drag my teeth across your chest to taste your beating heart
The artist is using vivid imagery to describe their intense desire to be close to their partner, to feel their heartbeat and to be completely consumed by their love.
You are the moon that breaks the night for which I have to howl
The artist is comparing their partner to the moon, describing how their presence illuminates their life and fills them with longing and desire.
My fingers claw your skin, try to tear my way in
The singer is expressing their desire to be physically close to their partner - to be connected in the most intimate way possible.
Now there's no holding back, I'm making an attack
The singer is acknowledging that they can no longer restrain their feelings for their partner and are willing to do whatever it takes to be with them.
The saints can't help me now, the ropes have been unbound
The artist feels as though they have been freed from the constraints that were holding them back, and they are now pursuing their love with relentless passion.
I hunt for you with bloodied feet across the hallowed ground
The artist is expressing how their love for their partner is driving them forward, even when they are physically exhausted and emotionally drained.
Be careful of the curse that falls on young lovers
The artist is warning others that love can be dangerous and all-consuming if it is not handled with care.
The fabric of your flesh, pure as a wedding dress
The singer is describing their partner as someone who is pure and innocent, and they want to be close to them and share in their love.
And howl
The artist is expressing their passion and devotion to their partner through their raw and emotional howling.
A man who's pure of heart and says his prayers by night
May still become a wolf when the autumn moon is bright
The singer is using a metaphor to describe how even someone who appears innocent and pure can become wild and passionate when love consumes them completely.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PAUL EPWORTH, FLORENCE WELCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind