Music video
A 10-minute double-feature music video for "Queen of Peace" and "Long & Lost", another track from How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, was directed by Vincent Haycock and premiered on 27 July 2015. Shot on the Scottish island of Easdale, the short film is a part of a larger series of music videos centered on Welch and the storyline it creates known as The Odyssey.
Queen of Peace
Florence %2B The Machine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Within his suffering,
Called out for relief.
Someone cure him of his grief.
His only son, cut down,
But the battle won,
Oh, what is it worth when all that’s left is hurt?
Like the stars chase the sun,
Over the glowing hill, I will conquer.
Blood is running deep,
Some things never sleep.
Suddenly, I’m overcome,
Dissolving like the setting sun,
Like a boat into oblivion,
‘Cause you’re driving me away.
Now, you have me on the run,
The damage is already done,
Come on, is this what you want?
‘Cause you’re driving me away.
Oh, the queen of peace,
Always does her best to please,
Is it any use?
Somebody's gotta lose.
Like a long scream,
Out there, always echoing,
Oh, what is it worth?
All that's left is hurt.
Like the stars chase the sun,
Over the glowing hill, I will conquer.
Blood is running deep,
Some things never sleep.
Suddenly, I’m overcome,
Dissolving like the setting sun,
Like a bomb into oblivion,
‘Cause you’re driving me away.
Now, you have me on the run,
The damage is already done,
Come on, is this what you want?
‘Cause you’re driving me away.
And my love is no good,
Against the fortress that it made of you,
Blood is running deep,
Sorrow that you keep.
Suddenly, I’m overcome,
Dissolving like the setting sun,
Like a bomb into oblivion,
‘Cause you’re driving me away.
And, now, you have me on the run,
The damage is already done,
Come on, is this what you want?
‘Cause you’re driving me away.
The lyrics of "Queen of Peace" by Florence + The Machine speak about a king who has lost his mind and is suffering from grief, looking for a cure for his pain. His only son was killed in battle, causing great pain and leaving him with nothing but hurt. Meanwhile, the queen of peace tries her best to please, but someone has to lose, and it seems like it might be her. The singer of the song speaks of overcoming obstacles and conquering, even as blood runs deep and sorrow is kept. The chorus repeats the lines about chasing the sun and the fact that some things never sleep, which could be references to the idea of trying to find peace amidst ongoing turmoil.
In the second half of the song, the tone changes as the singer speaks directly to someone who seems to be driving them away. They state, "my love is no good, against the fortress that it made of you," suggesting their attempts to love and connect are not able to penetrate the walls the other person has built up. The singer is left feeling overcome and on the run, with damage already done. The song ends on this melancholic note, with the question posed whether this is really what the other person wants, to drive the singer away.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, the king, gone mad,
The king is suffering and in despair.
Within his suffering,
The king is experiencing deep emotional pain.
Called out for relief.
He pleads for help.
Someone cure him of his grief.
He wants to be healed and consoled.
His only son, cut down,
The king has also experienced the tragic loss of his heir.
But the battle won,
Despite this loss, the king has won a war.
Oh, what is it worth when all that’s left is hurt?
The celebration of victory loses meaning when someone has suffered a great loss.
Like the stars chase the sun,
The artist will pursue her goals relentlessly.
Over the glowing hill, I will conquer.
She will overcome obstacles with determination.
Blood is running deep,
There is a sense of history and family legacy.
Some things never sleep.
Certain issues and problems are ever-present.
Suddenly, I’m overcome,
The artist is overwhelmed with emotion.
Dissolving like the setting sun,
She feels like she's disappearing.
Like a boat into oblivion,
Her sense of self is disappearing.
‘Cause you’re driving me away.
Her emotional state is caused by someone's actions.
Now, you have me on the run,
She feels like she's being pursued.
The damage is already done,
She's already been hurt.
Come on, is this what you want?
She asks the other person if causing her pain is their goal.
Oh, the queen of peace,
The singer turns to a figure of peace and goodness.
Always does her best to please,
The queen is kind and gentle.
Is it any use?
The singer wonders if this goodness matters.
Somebody's gotta lose.
In any conflict, someone will come out on the losing end.
Like a long scream,
The pain and anguish feels never-ending.
Out there, always echoing,
The pain is ever-present.
Sorrow that you keep.
The other person holds onto their pain.
And my love is no good,
Despite her love, she cannot change the other person's behavior.
Against the fortress that it made of you,
The other person has built up walls and defenses against her.
And, now, you have me on the run,
The other person is pursuing her.
Come on, is this what you want?
She questions the other person's motives and intentions.
‘Cause you’re driving me away.
Their actions are pushing her away.
Contributed by Jordan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.