After a chance meeting with an aspiring singer/songwriter, she managed to secure some studio time in Elton John's Rocket Studios, and, after hearing what she could do, she was subsequently picked up by Elton's management company Rocket Music. Anne-Marie released a demo in 2013 entitled Summer Girl, which drew some attention to the singer, most notably garnering a fan in Ed Sheeran. Despite the encouraging start to her solo career, things were put on hold to give her more time to develop as an artist.
Having guested on tracks by dubstep supergroup Magnetic Man, London-based garage duo Gorgon City, and progressive house trio Raized by Wolves, Anne-Marie caught the attention of Brit and MOBO award winners Rudimental. She was featured alongside Dizzee Rascal and Will Heard on two tracks from their second album, 2015's We the Generation, and spent two years touring with the band, playing some of the world's biggest stages and best-known festivals.
The summer of that year also saw the release of Anne-Marie's debut EP on Rudimental's then-new record label, Major Tom's. The aptly titled Karate EP featured three tracks and a Chloe Martini remix, and producers Josh Record and Two Inch Punch worked with her on the record. Both the lead single "Karate," a slick fusion of electro-grime and R&B, and the follow-up "Gemini," garnered some very positive reviews and led Anne-Marie to gigging as a solo artist. In early 2016, the single "Do It Right" reached the U.K. charts, and several months later "Alarm" hit the Top 40 in several charts around the world.
In 2017, Anne-Marie scored a hit single when she featured on Clean Bandit's multi-platinum "Rockabye" with Sean Paul. The song topped the charts across Europe and in Australia, breaking into the Top Ten in Canada and the U.S. She followed with the solo singles "Ciao Adios" and "Heavy," which both charted in the U.K. and Ireland. Both tracks appeared on her debut full-length, Speak Your Mind, which saw release in April 2018. The record also featured the track "Friends," written and recorded with American dance producer Marshmello.
Machine
Anne-Marie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But if only I'd have no bones
I know the air isn't breathable
And it's no good for my lungs
I feel an anger inside of me
Burns like the sun in my chest
I got no patience or self-control
If I was a machine
I'd never have to worry
I know that I could always press delete
If I was a machine
I wouldn't be affected
By violence on the television screen
Wouldn't have a heart
So you couldn't break it
No such thing as time
So you couldn't waste it
That would be the dream
The world could never bother me
If I was a ma' if I was a machine
If I was a machine
If I was a ma' (if I was ma')
I don't do well under pressure
But if I was made out of steel
I would be so damn invincible
Nothing could undo my will
I wouldn't make bad decisions
No promises or regret
And everything that makes me miserable
Is a consequence of my flesh
If I was a machine
I'd never have to worry
I know that I could always press delete
If I was a machine
I wouldn't be affected
By violence on the television screen
Wouldn't have a heart
So you couldn't break it
No such thing as time
So you couldn't waste it
That would be the dream
The world could never bother me
If I was a ma' if I was a machine
If I was a machine
If I was a ma' (if I was ma')
Drunk and high every night
Numb the pain oh
Flush it all down the drain
If I could find a way out of this hole
I could do anything
Every night a different guy
Numb the pain oh
Flush it all down the drain
If I could find a way out of this hole
I could do anything
If I was a machine
I'd never have to worry
I know that I could always press delete
If I was a machine
I wouldn't be affected
By violence on the television screen
Wouldn't have a heart
So you couldn't break it
No such thing as time
So you couldn't waste it
That would be the dream
The world could never bother me
If I was a ma' if I was a machine
If I was a machine
If I was a ma' (if I was ma')
The song "Machine" by Anne-Marie talks about how the singer feels like being a machine would be a more desirable state to be in than having human emotions and feelings. She starts by describing the physical and emotional pain she feels, wishing she had no bones in her body and a heart that couldn't be broken. She then moves on to talk about how being a machine would free her from worry, guilt, and emotional trauma. She would not be affected by the violence or negativity that surrounds us every day, as she would have no heart to feel the hurt, nor any concept of time which we often feel pressurised by. Drinking and drugs are a way to escape this pain and hurt, but Anne-Marie believes that if she was a machine, she would not need to do that because she would be numb to it all.
Overall, the song is about the struggle of dealing with human emotions and the desire for an escape to a state of being where problems cannot harm you. It highlights the problems with escapism and how different forms of it, such as drugs and alcohol, can make us feel like we are momentarily a ‘machine', disconnecting us from our human emotions, but it is not a long term solution.
Line by Line Meaning
I feel an ache in my body
The singer is experiencing physical pain or discomfort.
But if only I'd have no bones
The singer wishes to be rid of the cause of her physical pain, i.e., her bones.
I know the air isn't breathable
The singer is aware that the air quality is not good and could harm her health.
And it's no good for my lungs
The singer is concerned about the effect of the air quality on her respiratory system.
I feel an anger inside of me
The singer is experiencing anger or frustration.
Burns like the sun in my chest
The singer's anger is intense, like a burning sensation in her chest.
I got no patience or self-control
The singer lacks patience and self-discipline.
God knows I'm trying my best
The singer is aware of her shortcomings and is making an effort to improve.
If I was a machine
The singer is contemplating the benefits of being a machine or robot.
I'd never have to worry
As a machine, the singer would not experience human emotions such as worry or anxiety.
I know that I could always press delete
The singer could easily erase any negative or unwanted experiences as a machine.
I wouldn't be affected
As a machine, the singer would not be emotionally impacted by things like violence on TV.
By violence on the television screen
The singer is referring to the negative effects that media can have on human emotions.
Wouldn't have a heart
As a machine, the singer would not have a human heart and therefore could not experience heartbreak or emotional pain.
So you couldn't break it
The singer's heart as a machine could not be broken because it would not be human in nature.
No such thing as time
As a machine, the singer would not experience time in the same way that humans do.
So you couldn't waste it
The singer would not be able to waste time as a machine because time would not be a factor for her.
That would be the dream
The singer views being a machine as a desirable scenario.
The world could never bother me
As a machine, the singer would not experience negative emotions or be impacted by the world around her.
Drunk and high every night
The singer is admitting to using alcohol and drugs to cope with her emotions.
Numb the pain oh
The singer uses substances to numb herself and avoid feeling emotional pain.
Flush it all down the drain
The singer wants to get rid of the negative emotions and experiences she has been dealing with.
If I could find a way out of this hole
The singer expresses a desire to escape her current situation or emotional state.
I could do anything
The singer believes that overcoming her emotional pain would allow her to achieve greatness.
Every night a different guy
The singer admits to engaging in casual sexual behavior.
If I was a ma' if I was a machine
The singer references being a machine again, implying that it is a desirable alternative to her current emotional state.
If I was a machine
Repetition of earlier line.
If I was a ma' (if I was ma')
Repetition of earlier line with abbreviated language (shortened form of 'machine').
I don't do well under pressure
The singer admits to struggling with stress or pressure.
But if I was made out of steel
The singer again references the idea of being a machine, implying that she would be better able to handle pressure if she were one.
I would be so damn invincible
The singer believes that, as a machine, she would be immune to the weakness or vulnerability that comes with being human.
Nothing could undo my will
The singer believes that her will or determination would be unbreakable if she were a machine.
I wouldn't make bad decisions
As a machine, the singer would not be inclined to make human errors such as bad decisions.
No promises or regret
The singer would not be able to make promises, as a machine would not have human emotions or desires. Therefore, she would not feel regret for failing to keep promises.
And everything that makes me miserable
The singer associates her unhappiness with her human emotions and frailties.
Is a consequence of my flesh
The singer believes that her negative emotions and experiences are caused by her being human.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ilsey Juber, Teddy Geiger, Anne-Marie Nicholson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind