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.
Hardest of Hearts
Florence + the Machine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It pours from your eyes and spills from your skin
Tenderest touch leaves the darkest of marks
And the kindest of kisses break the hardest of hearts
The hardest of hearts
The hardest of hearts
The hardest of hearts
There is love in your body but you can't get it out
It gets stuck in your head, won't come out of your mouth
Sticks to your tongue and shows on your face
That the sweetest of words have the bitterest taste
Darling heart, I loved you from the start
But you'll never know what a fool I've been
Darling heart, I loved you from the start
But that's no excuse for the state I'm in
The hardest of hearts
The hardest of hearts
The hardest of hearts
There is love in our bodies and it holds us together
But pulls us apart when we're holding each other
We all want something to hold in the night
We don't care if it hurts or we're holding too tight
There is love in your body but you can't get it out
It gets stuck in your head, won't come out of your mouth
Sticks to your tongue and it shows on your face
That the sweetest of words have the bitterest taste
Darling heart, I loved you from the start
But you'll never know what a fool I've been
Darling heart, I loved you from the start
But that's no excuse for the state I'm in
The hardest of hearts
The hardest of hearts
The hardest of hearts
My heart swells like a water at work
Can't stop myself before it's too late
Hold on to your heart
'Cause I'm coming to take it
Hold on to your heart
'Cause I'm coming to break it
Hold on hold on hold on hold on hold on
Hold on hold on hold on hold on hold on
The hardest of hearts (hold on, hold on)
The hardest of hearts (hold on, hold on)
The hardest of hearts (hold on)
The song Hardest of Hearts by Florence + the Machine speaks about the complexity of love and how it can be both uplifting and destructive. The lyrics describe how love can overwhelm us in different ways - it can be felt in our body, but we can't express it properly, and it can hold us together, but also pull us apart. The line "Tenderest touch leaves the darkest of marks, and the kindest of kisses break the hardest of hearts" is a powerful metaphor for how love can hurt us despite its beauty. The chorus, emphasizing "the hardest of hearts," may refer to the idea that some people are more resistant to love and its effects, but it still affects us all in unique ways.
The song represents a reflection on the struggle of loving someone despite flaws and imperfections. The line "Darling heart, I loved you from the start, but you'll never know what a fool I've been" portrays a sense of regret and longing for the loved one, but also acknowledges that it takes two people to make a relationship work. The repetition of the phrase "hold on" towards the end of the song expresses a desperate plea to keep the love intact despite its difficulties, even if this means holding on as tight as possible, which can lead to its destruction.
Overall, Hardest of Hearts is a deeply emotional and relatable song that captures both the beauty and the pain of love, and reminds us that even when it is at its hardest, it is still worth fighting for.
Line by Line Meaning
There is love in your body but you can't hold it in
You feel love inside of you, but you struggle to express it.
It pours from your eyes and spills from your skin
You express your love through your emotions and physical actions.
Tenderest touch leaves the darkest of marks
Even the gentlest touch can lead to pain and heartache.
And the kindest of kisses break the hardest of hearts
Sometimes, even the purest expressions of love can cause the most damage.
Darling heart, I loved you from the start
I have loved you since the beginning.
But you'll never know what a fool I've been
You are unaware of how much I have sacrificed for you.
But that's no excuse for the state I'm in
I cannot blame you for my current emotional state.
There is love in our bodies and it holds us together
Our love keeps us connected.
But pulls us apart when we're holding each other
Sometimes, the intensity of our love can cause a rift between us.
We all want something to hold in the night
We yearn for physical intimacy and human connection.
We don't care if it hurts or we're holding too tight
We crave physical contact so deeply that we are willing to endure pain and discomfort.
My heart swells like a water at work
My emotions overwhelm me.
Can't stop myself before it's too late
I cannot control my feelings and actions when I am overcome by emotion.
Hold on to your heart
Be cautious with your emotions and guard yourself against heartbreak.
'Cause I'm coming to take it
I am going to pursue and try to capture your heart.
Hold on to your heart
Be mindful of your emotions.
'Cause I'm coming to break it
I may end up unintentionally hurting you and causing heartbreak.
The hardest of hearts
Some people have extremely guarded and resistant hearts that are difficult to penetrate.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MARK-ANTHONY TIEKU, FLORENCE LEONTINE MARY WELCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind