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.
Landscape
Florence + the Machine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's all painted in her grief
All of her history etched out at her feet
Now all of the landscape, it's just an empty place
Acres of longing, mountains of tenderness
'Cause she's just like the weather, can't hold her together
'Cause it's burning through the bloodline
It's cutting down the family tree
Growing in the landscape, darling, in between you and me
She wants the silence but fears the solitude
She wants to be alone and together with you
So she ran to the lighthouse, hoped that it would help her see
She saw that the lighthouse had been washed out to sea
'Cause she's just like the weather, can't hold her together
Born from dark water, daughter of the rain and snow
'Cause it's burning through the bloodline
It's cutting down the family tree
Growing in the landscape, darling, in between you and me
I wanna give you back the open sky
Give you back the open sea
Open up the ages, darling, for you to see
You put the gun into your mouth to bite the bullet and spit out
Cause it's running in the family
Oh the rich and
'Cause she's just like the weather, can't hold her together
Born from dark water, daughter of the rain and snow
'Cause it's burning through the bloodline
It's cutting down the family tree
Growing in the landscape, darling, in between you and me
The lyrics of Florence + the Machine's song Landscape describe a woman who is consumed by grief so much that she is unable to see the beauty of the landscape around her anymore. Her history haunts her and takes up every inch of her mind, leaving no room for joy or solace. The landscape that serves as a symbol of life and beauty is now just an empty space, filled with longing and tenderness. The woman is compared to the weather- unpredictable and unable to hold herself together, just like dark water and born from the rain and snow. The pain she feels is too deep-rooted and is slowly cutting down her family tree.
The woman seeks solitude but is afraid of it. She wants to be alone but also together with her lover. She runs to the lighthouse, hoping that it would help her see, but even the lighthouse has been washed out to sea, symbolizing the futility of her search for meaning and hope. The song talks about the burden of family history and how it can destroy a person's identity, but also about the possibility of breaking free from it and seeing the world in a new light.
Line by Line Meaning
She can't see the landscape anymore
Her sorrow has blinded her to the beauty of the world around her.
It's all painted in her grief
The pain she feels has seeped into every corner of her life.
All of her history etched out at her feet
The past is always with her, shaping her present and future.
Now all of the landscape, it's just an empty place
All that once gave her joy or comfort now seems bleak and meaningless.
Acres of longing, mountains of tenderness
Every inch of the world seems to hold a memory or feeling that she can't escape.
'Cause she's just like the weather, can't hold her together
Just as the weather can be unpredictable and wild, so too is she unable to control her own emotions and feelings.
Born from dark water, daughter of the rain and snow
Her tumultuous nature is a part of her identity, shaped by the forces of nature and circumstance.
'Cause it's burning through the bloodline
The struggle within her is not unique to her alone but is inherited from those who came before her.
It's cutting down the family tree
The pain and instability is passed through the generations and affects all who come after her.
Growing in the landscape, darling, in between you and me
The pain created by the struggle within her is a barrier that separates her from those she loves.
She wants the silence but fears the solitude
She seeks peace and quiet but worries that in isolation, her thoughts and feelings will overwhelm her.
She wants to be alone and together with you
She desires both solitude and companionship, unable to reconcile these opposing forces within her.
So she ran to the lighthouse, hoped that it would help her see
She seeks guidance and direction, hoping to find clarity and meaning in an uncertain world.
She saw that the lighthouse had been washed out to sea
Even the beacon of hope and guidance has been lost to the ravages of time and nature.
I wanna give you back the open sky
She longs to share the beauty of the world with others and help them see the beauty that she has lost sight of.
Give you back the open sea
She seeks to restore a sense of freedom and possibility to those whose lives have been weighed down by sorrow.
Open up the ages, darling, for you to see
She hopes to help others explore the past and present with new eyes, uncovering hidden meaning and beauty.
You put the gun into your mouth to bite the bullet and spit out
Cause it's running in the family
Oh the rich and
The pain and struggle she feels is shared by her family and others, constituting a larger societal issue that needs to be addressed.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMES ELLIS FORD, FLORENCE LEONTINE MARY WELCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@GoodOleCybertron
I hear completely different lyrics for many lines (marked with asterisks):
She can’t see the landscape anymore
It’s all painted in her grief
All of her history
Etched out at her feet
Now all of the landscape
It’s just an empty place
*Acres of longing
Mountains of tenderness
‘Cause she’s just like the weather
Can’t hold her together
Born from dark water
Daughter of the rain and snow
‘Cause it’s burning through the bloodline
*It’s cutting down the family tree
*Growing in the landscape darling [Could be “Rolling,” but it doesn’t sound like she closes to “l”]
In between you and me
She wants the silence
But fears the solitude
She wants to be alone
And together with you
So she ran to the lighthouse
Hoped that it would help her see
*She saw the lighthouse
*Had been washed out to sea
‘Cause she’s just like the weather
Can’t hold her together
Born from dark water
Daughter of the rain and snow
‘Cause it’s burning through the bloodline
*It’s cutting down the family tree
*Growing in the landscape darling
In between you and me
I wanna give you back the open sky
Give you back the open sea
Open up the ages, darling
For you to see
*You put the gun into your mouth to bite the bullet
*Then spit it out
‘Cause it’s running in the family
*Oh the ritual between you and me
She’s just like the weather
Can’t hold her together
Born from dark water
Daughter of the rain and snow
*‘Cause it’s burning in the bloodline
*It’s cutting down the family tree
*Growing in the landscape darling
In between you and me
@LeDiskoLove99
What I love about listening to their music is if I'm in the worst mood ever, this can make it so much better, just like someone giving you a huge hug, granted some of the lyrics are a bit dark but it still makes me feel so much better. So essentially for me their music is just a giant hug that I can get whenever I need it. A little cliche-ish but absolutely true!
@LeighPhillips78
It makes me cry in a way where I feel all the heaviness lifted from my body and I can finally see light and joy again. It's a deeply personal thing and I've only experienced it with this music, with Flo & Machine.
@geminilinarh4483
'she wants the silence but fears the solitude
she wants to be alone and together with you'
@Daelyah
I used those lines on a guy, once...
...worked for a little while, but we never became more than friends with occasional benefits. He had his daughter to consider, and I didn't want to get in the way of that (the mom had custody, and he decided to get back with the mom).
Honestly...I'm glad it didn't work out. I cared about the guy, but...after he left my life, another man I had been pining after for years (who also became one of my roommies) heard me out after one of our Halloween parties...my roommie took a couple months to deliberate, than kissed me and asked me out in early December...it's been over two years, and even though he's ace and I want further intimacy, I still love this latest partner dearly.
My boyfriend may not understand half of the things I enjoy (i.e., he'll sooner listen to Lilly Allen over Florence, but whatevz)...but we have enough in common, he and my family get along, and he even supports my being polyamorous and pansexual (I'm just really picky in the weirdest ways).
@GoodOleCybertron
I hear completely different lyrics for many lines (marked with asterisks):
She can’t see the landscape anymore
It’s all painted in her grief
All of her history
Etched out at her feet
Now all of the landscape
It’s just an empty place
*Acres of longing
Mountains of tenderness
‘Cause she’s just like the weather
Can’t hold her together
Born from dark water
Daughter of the rain and snow
‘Cause it’s burning through the bloodline
*It’s cutting down the family tree
*Growing in the landscape darling [Could be “Rolling,” but it doesn’t sound like she closes to “l”]
In between you and me
She wants the silence
But fears the solitude
She wants to be alone
And together with you
So she ran to the lighthouse
Hoped that it would help her see
*She saw the lighthouse
*Had been washed out to sea
‘Cause she’s just like the weather
Can’t hold her together
Born from dark water
Daughter of the rain and snow
‘Cause it’s burning through the bloodline
*It’s cutting down the family tree
*Growing in the landscape darling
In between you and me
I wanna give you back the open sky
Give you back the open sea
Open up the ages, darling
For you to see
*You put the gun into your mouth to bite the bullet
*Then spit it out
‘Cause it’s running in the family
*Oh the ritual between you and me
She’s just like the weather
Can’t hold her together
Born from dark water
Daughter of the rain and snow
*‘Cause it’s burning in the bloodline
*It’s cutting down the family tree
*Growing in the landscape darling
In between you and me
@ByrningCreations
Zimmydoom99 Yeah, that's what I heard as well. AZ lyrics says the lyrics you listed are right.
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/florencethemachine/landscapedemo.html
See?
@dennysm7912
Exactly what I hear!
@IvanIvanov-sk9zg
She's sober at the lighthouse ?! :D :D Who's sober at a lighthouse... it's the perfect place to be not sober :D
@reimundschild-kirer2177
@Ivan Ivanov My man got a point
@simranvirdi8027
I hear the same lyrics