Heartlines
Florence + the Machine Lyrics

Oh the river, oh the river, it's running free
The river runs effortlessly and freely, without constraint or direction.

And oh the joy, oh the joy it brings to me
The singer finds great happiness in the river's movement and freedom.

But I know it'll have to drown me
The river's freedom and movement will eventually consume and overwhelm the singer.

Before it can breathe easy
The river must overcome its own challenges before reaching a state of calm and ease.

And I've seen it in the flights of birds
The artist sees the same sense of freedom and direction in the movement of birds.

I've seen it in you, in the entrails of the animals
The singer sees the same sense of freedom and direction in the behavior of the person they are singing to, and in the natural world around them.

The blood running through, but in order to get to the heart
The singer observes the blood flowing through the body, but recognizes that to truly understand someone, you must go deeper, to the heart of the matter.

I think sometimes you have to cut through (but you can)
To reach that deeper understanding, one must be willing to cut through the surface-level distractions and obstacles, but it is possible to do so.

You can, we can, we can
The singer encourages the listener to join them in this pursuit, recognizing that it is possible to cut through the distractions and reach a deeper understanding.

Just keep following
The key to understanding is simply to keep going, to keep pursuing the deeper meaning and truth.

The heartlines on your hand
The heartlines, the paths to understanding and truth, are visible and accessible to you right now.

Keep it up, I know you can
The artist encourages the listener to continue following these heartlines, recognizing their ability to do so.

Odyssey on odyssey and land over land
The journey to understanding is long and difficult, spanning vast distances and experiences.

Creeping and crawling like the sea over sand
The journey requires persistence and patience, much like the slow, steady movement of the ocean over sand.

Still I follow heartlines on your hand
Despite the challenges, the singer remains committed to following the heartlines they see in the person they are singing to.

This fantasy, this fallacy, this tumbling stone
The artist acknowledges the difficulty and temporality of their pursuit, recognizing that it may be more aspirational than practical.

Echoes of a city that's long overgrown
The pursuit is reminiscent of a distant, long-forgotten city, an artifact of the past.

Your heart is the only place that I call home
The singer finds comfort and belonging in the person they are singing to, recognizing the heart as the true center of a person's being.

Can I be returned? You can
The singer asks the person they are singing to if they can be returned to them, and affirms that it is possible to do so.

What a thing to do
The journey to understanding is a profound and worthwhile pursuit.

Ooh, what a thing to choose
The artist recognizes the audacity and bravery of undertaking such a pursuit.

But know, in some way, I'm there with you
The artist is present with the listener on this journey, and is offering support and encouragement.

Up against the wall on a Wednesday afternoon
The specifics of the journey are unimportant; it is the act of persisting, even in mundane or difficult circumstances, that matters.

'Cause I am
The artist reiterates their commitment to the listener, standing by them on this journey toward understanding.