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.
No Light No Light
Florence + the Machine Lyrics
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You are the space in my bed
You are the silence in between
What I thought and what I said
You are the night-time fear
You are the morning when it's clear
When it's over you're the start
No light, no light in your bright blue eyes
I never knew daylight could be so violent
A revelation in the light of day
You can't choose what stays and what fades away
And I'd do anything to make you stay
No light, no light (no light)
Tell me what you want me to say
And through the crowd I was crying out and
In your place there were a thousand other faces
I was disappearing in plain sight
Heaven help me I need to make it right
You want a revelation
You want to get right
But it's a conversation
I just can't have tonight
You want a revelation
Some kind of resolution
You want a revelation
No light, no light in your bright blue eyes
I never knew daylight could be so violent
A revelation in the light of day
You can't choose what stays and what fades away
And I'd do anything to, to make you stay
No light, no light (no light)
Tell me what you want me to say
Would you leave me
If I told you what I've done?
And would you leave me
If I told you what I've become?
'Cause it's so easy
To sing it to a crowd
But it's so hard, my love
To say it to you out loud
No light, no light in your bright blue eyes
I never knew daylight could be so violent
A revelation in the light of day
You can't choose what stays and what fades away
And I'd do anything to make you stay
No light, no light (no light)
Tell me what you want me to say
You want a revelation
You want to get right
But it's a conversation
I just can't have tonight
You want a revelation
Some kind of resolution
You want a revelation
You want a revelation
You want to get right
But, it's a conversation
I just can't have tonight
You want a revelation
Some kind of resolution
Tell me what you want me to say
The lyrics to Florence + the Machine's song No Light No Light depict a tumultuous relationship with a person who holds a significant emotional presence in the singer's life. The opening lines "You are the hole in my head, you are the space in my bed" express the feeling of being incomplete without this person. They are also the silence in between what the singer thinks and what she says, symbolizing a lack of communication or understanding between the two individuals. Despite this, the person remains at the forefront of the singer's thoughts and emotions as "you're my head, you're my heart."
The chorus emphasizes the violent nature of daylight, which the singer did not expect to be so intense. The person's bright blue eyes, which would traditionally be seen as a symbol of happiness and positivity, now represent a sense of danger and unpredictability. The singer is willing to do anything to make this person stay but can't choose what stays or fades away in the relationship. The bridge mentions the desire for revelation and resolution, but the conversation is too difficult to have at the moment.
Overall, the song portrays an intense emotional struggle between two people, one that is full of fear, confusion, and unrest. The singer's raw vocals and the soaring instrumentals add to the sense of urgency and passion in the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
You are the hole in my head
You take up all of my thoughts, and it's driving me crazy.
You are the space in my bed
You are physically absent, but your presence lingers painfully.
You are the silence in between
You never communicate, leaving me with an unbearable silence.
What I thought and what I said
I can't express my thoughts or feelings, and it's killing me.
You are the night-time fear
You haunt me at night, causing fear and anxiety.
You are the morning when it's clear
Even in the morning when the night terrors have subsided, you still linger.
When it's over you're the start
You are the beginning and end of my misery.
You're my head, you're my heart
You have control over my thoughts and emotions entirely.
No light, no light in your bright blue eyes
You have a cold, impassive demeanor that chills me to the core.
I never knew daylight could be so violent
I am shocked by how cruel and harsh reality can be.
A revelation in the light of day
The truth has finally come to light and it's devastating.
You can't choose what stays and what fades away
I can't control what feelings linger and what feelings dissipate.
And I'd do anything to make you stay
I am willing to compromise everything to keep you in my life.
Tell me what you want me to say
I am desperate for any guidance or direction from you.
And through the crowd I was crying out
I am crying out for help and attention, but you are not there for me.
In your place there were a thousand other faces
I am surrounded by people but I feel completely alone without you.
I was disappearing in plain sight
I am slowly fading away into oblivion despite being right in front of you.
Heaven help me I need to make it right
I am praying for divine intervention to make things better.
You want a revelation
You want to know the truth and have everything out in the open.
You want to get right
You want to fix our broken relationship.
But it's a conversation I just can't have tonight
I am not emotionally ready or able to have this conversation right now.
Some kind of resolution
You want closure and a final decision on our relationship.
Would you leave me if I told you what I've done?
I am scared to reveal my mistakes in fear of losing you.
And would you leave me if I told you what I've become?
I am scared to reveal my self-destructive tendencies and changes I've undergone.
'Cause it's so easy to sing it to a crowd
It's easy to perform and make art out of my pain, but it's much harder to confront it in real life.
But it's so hard, my love to say it to you out loud
It's much harder to reveal my flaws and deepest secrets to you.
Tell me what you want me to say
I am putting my trust in you to direct the conversation and tell me what you need to hear.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Florence Leontine Mary Welch, Isabella Janet Florentina Summers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind