Lead singer, Florence Welch, was an art-college drop-out, from Camberwell (London), who was discovered singing Motown covers in a nightclub toilet, drunk. ”The Machine” name originated with an in-joke between Welch and Summers. Musically, Florence + The Machine's sound is sometimes referred to as soul-inspired indie rock. Welch grew up listening to The White Stripes and Kate Bush and says she writes metaphorical songs that are "stories with consequences and weird morality issues."
2008
Florence + The Machine's music has received praise across the British music media, especially from the BBC, who played a large part in their rise to prominence, by bringing them into the spotlight as part of "BBC Introducing" (a program to support unsigned artists) - firstly at South By South West (SXSW) in Austin, Texas in March 2008 and later that year (Sept 2008) the band recorded a full session for the BBC at their Maida Vale studios.
2009 - 2010 - first awards and first studio album - "Lungs"
At the Brit Awards 2009, Florence + The Machine received the Critics' Choice Award at the Brits in the UK. The award was introduced in 2008 (when it was awarded to Adele) and focuses on new and emerging British talent, voted for by a panel of music industry experts.
The band's début album was "Lungs" (Jul 2009, Universal), preceded by third single Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) (Jun 2009, Moshi Moshi). "Lungs" went on to become number one in the UK album charts in January 2010, and won the MasterCard British Album award at the 2010 Brits, where they performed a hugely popular collaboration, You've Got the Dirtee Love (live at The Brit Awards 2010) with Dizzee Rascal - a mix of You've Got the Love, the Candi Staton cover from "Dog Days Are Over" (Nov 2008, IAmSound), and Dizzee’s Dirtee Cash (Sept 2009, Dirtee Stank).
2011 - second studio album - "Ceremonials"
The second album "Ceremonials" (31 Oct 2011, Island) - with which Welch was inspired for the title and some themes from a '70s Super 8 film of an art installation, she recalls: "... this big procession of kind of coquette-style hippies and all these different coloured robes and masks, and it was all to do with colour, really saturated, brightly coloured pastas and balloons. I saw it a couple years ago, and it was called 'Ceremonials' and then, like, Roman numerals after it. And the word sort of stuck with me, and I think the whole idea of performance ...". The album is also influenced by hymns, poems and church bells.
2012 - MTV Unplugged album - "MTV Unplugged"
In 2012, the band released a live album - "MTV Unplugged" (Apr 2012, Universal) - as part of the MTV Unplugged series. It was filmed in December 2011 in New York’s oldest synagogue building, Angel Orensanz Center, with the band being backed by a ten-person choir.
2015 - third studio album - "How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful"
The band's long awaited third studio album is called "How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful". It was released on May 29, 2015 on Island Records.
2018 - fourth studio album - "High As Hope"
The band's fourth studio album is called "High As Hope". It was released on June 29, 2018 on Republic Records.
Leave My Body
Florence %2B the Machine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I don't care whether I live or die
And I'm losing blood, I'm gonna leave my bones
And I don't want your heart it leaves me cold
I don't want your future
I don't need your past
One bright moment
I'm gonna leave my body (Moving up to higher ground)
I'm gonna lose my mind (My history keeps pulling me down)
Said I'm gonna leave my body (Moving up to higher ground)
I'm gonna lose my mind (My history keeps pulling me, pulling me down)
I don't need a husband, don't need no wife
And I don't need the day, I don't need the night
And I don't need the birds, let them fly away
And I don't want the clouds, they never seem to stay
I don't want no future (Want your future)
I don't need no past (Need no past)
One bright moment (One bright moment)
Is all I ask (All I ask)
I don't want your future (Want no future)
I don't need your past (Need your past)
One bright moment (One bright moment)
Is all I ask (What will lead you there?)
I'm gonna leave my body (Moving up to higher ground)
I'm gonna lose my mind (My history keeps pulling me down)
Said I'm gonna leave my body (Moving up to higher ground)
I'm gonna lose my mind (My history keeps pulling me, pulling me down)
Oh
(Pulling me down)
Pulling me down (And it's pulling me down)
Pulling me down (And it's pulling me down)
Pulling me down (And it's pulling me, pulling me down)
Pulling me, pulling me down
I'm gonna leave my body (Moving up to higher ground)
I'm gonna lose my mind (My history keeps pulling me down)
Said I'm gonna leave my body (Moving up to higher ground)
I'm gonna lose my mind (My history keeps pulling me, pulling me down)
Yeah, said I'm gonna leave my body (Moving up to higher ground)
I'm gonna lose my mind (My history keeps pulling me down)
(Moving up to higher ground)
And it could...
(My history keeps pulling me, pulling me down)
Oh, Lord
Oh-oh, oh-oh
In "Leave My Body," Florence + The Machine sing about the desire to break free from the constraints of one's physical existence and past. The song begins with the singer declaring their willingness to die, suggesting perhaps that they have little left to lose. As the song progresses, however, it becomes clear that this sentiment is more about the need to break free from the burdens of the past than a truly suicidal impulse. The singer rejects the idea of love and tradition ("I don't need no husband, don't need no wife/And I don't need the day, I don't need the night"), wanting instead to move beyond their own history and live in the present moment.
As the song reaches its climax, the singer declares their intention to leave their body and mind behind, "moving up to higher ground" and escaping the "pull" of the past that has held them down. The repeated refrain suggests a sense of determination despite the difficulties involved in making such a profound change.
Overall, the lyrics to "Leave My Body" speak to the human desire to escape pain and suffering by shedding one's old self and embracing new possibilities. The emphasis on the importance of living in the present moment and the rejection of the past as an anchor is a reminder that we can only move forward by letting go of what has come before.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gonna be released from behind these lines
I want to break free from my current situation, to see what's beyond the boundaries that keep me confined
And I don't care whether I live or die
It doesn't matter to me what happens to my physical body, my focus is on releasing myself from my current state of being
And I'm losing blood, I'm gonna leave my bones
I am willing to sacrifice physically to achieve my goal of freeing myself
And I don't want your heart it leaves me cold
I don't need someone else's love or affection, it doesn't fulfill me or help me on my journey
I don't want your future
I am not interested in other people's plans or expectations for me
I don't need your past
I am not held back or defined by other people's experiences or history
One bright moment
I am searching for a brief moment of clarity or enlightenment amidst the chaos
Is all I ask
All I want is a moment of clarity to help me on my way
I'm gonna leave my body (Moving up to higher ground)
I want to transcend my physical existence and move towards a higher state of being
I'm gonna lose my mind (My history keeps pulling me down)
I need to let go of my old way of thinking and being, because it is weighing me down and keeping me stuck
I don't need a husband, don't need no wife
I don't require anyone else's companionship or partnership, as it doesn't benefit my journey
And I don't need the day, I don't need the night
I am not bound by time, as it doesn't serve my ultimate goal
And I don't need the birds, let them fly away
I don't require any distractions, even the beauty of nature, to reach my objective
And I don't want the clouds, they never seem to stay
I don't need things that aren't reliable or constant on my path
What will lead you there?
All I need is one moment of clarity or guidance to point me in the right direction
It's pulling me down
My old ways of thinking and being are taking a toll on me and preventing me from reaching my goal
I'm gonna lose my mind (My history keeps pulling me, pulling me down)
My past experiences and ways of thinking constantly hold me back and hinder my progress
I'm gonna leave my body (Moving up to higher ground)
I want to reach a higher state of consciousness and transcend my physical being to achieve my objective
Yeah, said I'm gonna leave my body (Moving up to higher ground)
I am determined to transcend my physical existence and reach a higher plane of being
And it could...(My history keeps pulling me, pulling me down)
Although it is difficult, I am willing to leave behind my old self and step into the unknown to reach my goal
Oh, Lord
A cry for divine guidance and support on this difficult journey
Oh-oh, oh-oh
An expression of struggle and determination to push through the challenges to achieve my objective
Contributed by Anthony Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.