Florence + the Machine is a London, UK, art pop band led by singer-songwrit… Read Full Bio ↴Florence + the Machine is a London, UK, art pop band led by singer-songwriter Florence Welch and formed in 2007. The band consists of: Florence Welch (vocals), Robert Ackroyd (guitar), Isabella Summers (aka Isa Machine - keyboards), Tom Monger (harp), Mark Saunders (bass, percussion), Christopher Lloyd Hayden (drums, backing vocals), Rusty Bradshaw (keyboard, backing vocals) and Sam White (backing vocals).

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.

Make Up Your Mind
Florence + the Machine Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I never thought I'd be a killer
'Cause there's so much to lose
But if I can't drink the water
What else can I do
And although the axe is heavy
It just sits in my hands
While you're changing like the current
Not a shore on land

Every time I try to bring it down
You always turn my head around

Make up your mind
Let me leave or let me love you
While you've been saving your neck
I've been breaking mine for you
The power is on, the guillotine hums
My back's to the wall, go on, let it fall
Make up your mind
Before I make it up for you

I never thought that I'd be facing
A sea that's bluer than the tide
Now my knees are shaking
And I can't look in your eyes

But if you're gonna make me do it
How'd you want it done
Is it best to sip it slowly
Or drink it down in one

Every time I try to bring it down
You always turn my head around, oh

Make up your mind
Let me leave or let me love you
While you've been saving your neck
I've been breaking mine for you
The power is on, the guillotine hums
My back's to the wall, go on, let it fall
Make up your mind
Before I make it up for you

The executioner's within me
And he comes blindfold ready
Sword in hand
And arms so steady

Every time I try to bring it down
You always turn my head around
But every time I try to bring it down
You always turn my head around

Make up your mind
Let me leave or let me love you
While you've been saving your neck
I've been breaking mine for you
The power is on, the guillotine hums
My back's to the wall, go on, let it fall
Make up your mind
Before I make it up for you

Make up your mind
Let me leave or let me love you
While you've been saving your neck
I've been breaking mine for you
The power is on, the guillotine hums
My back's to the wall, go on, let it fall

Make up your mind
Before I make it up for you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Make up Your Mind" by Florence + the Machine suggest a brewing conflict within the singer, as she contemplates being driven to kill due to the pressure and torment of an ambivalent romantic partner. She is invested in the relationship, having "been breaking [her] neck" for this person, but the strain is clear in her voice as she refers to the "heavy axe" in her hands and the "guillotine" at the ready, implying that she feels capable of violence or even murder. Despite this, she seems to want to be saved from herself, asking her partner to "make up [their] mind" and to "let [her] leave or let [her] love [them]." She refers to her partner as this sea that is "bluer than the tide" and cannot look them in the eyes, perhaps suggesting that the love or passion she once felt is now mixed with fear or uncertainty.

The line "Every time I try to bring it down, you always turn my head around" suggests that this is not the first conflict that this couple has faced. They may have gone through periods of wanting to leave or stay in the past, but now the stakes appear higher, with the possibility of death and violence. The singer seems to be giving the partner a choice, but in reality, she is already on the precipice of making a choice herself, even if it is not the one she wants. The repetition of "Make up your mind" throughout the song emphasizes the urgency of the situation and the need for a definitive decision from the partner before it is too late.

Some potential interpretations of this song suggest a connection with the French Revolution, as the guillotine was a key symbol of the Reign of Terror. The sense of conflict and ambivalence within the relationship could be seen as mirroring the political turmoil of the time period. Another possible interpretation is that the song is about addiction and the difficulties of navigating a relationship with someone who struggles with substance abuse. At its core, however, the song is a powerful exploration of the tumultuous and often painful nature of love.

Line by Line Meaning

I never thought I'd be a killer
I never thought I'd do something drastic

'Cause there's so much to lose
Because there are consequences for my actions

But if I can't drink the water
If I can't handle the situation

What else can I do
What other options are available?

And although the axe is heavy
Although the situation is difficult

It just sits in my hands
I am in control of the situation

While you're changing like the current
While you are unpredictable

Not a shore on land
Without a stable foundation

Every time I try to bring it down
Every time I try to solve the problem

You always turn my head around
You always confuse me

Make up your mind
Decide what you want