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.
WHAT THE WATER GAVE ME
Florence + the Machine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To where the water was
That's what the water gave me
And time goes quicker
Between the two of us
But oh my love, don't forsake me
Take what the water gave me
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
Pockets full of stones
Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
And oh, poor Atlas
The world's a beast of a burden
You've been holding on a long time
And all this longing
And the ships are left to rust
That's what the water gave us
So lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
Pockets full of stones
Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
'Cause they took your loved ones
But returned them in exchange for you
But would you have it any other way?
Would you have it any other way?
You couldn't have it any other way
'Cause she's a cruel mistress
And a bargain must be made
But oh, my love, don't forget me
When I let the water take me
So lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the over flow
Pockets full of stones
Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
Pockets full of stones
Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
Florence + the Machine's song "What the Water Gave Me" is a hauntingly beautiful piece with deeply symbolic lyrics. In the first verse, the singer reflects on time and how the water has brought them to where they are now. The water here represents the ups and downs of life, its ebbs and flows, and it has brought the singer to their current state. The line "take what the water gave me" suggests that the singer is willing to accept whatever comes their way, whether good or bad, and make the best of it.
The second verse delves deeper into the singer's acceptance of the water's power. The image of laying down with pockets full of stones evokes a sense of surrender, as if the singer is willing to sink beneath the water and let it carry them away. The repetition of "let the only sound be the overflow" emphasizes the power of the water, which is an overflow of emotions, thoughts, and experiences. The singer seems to be saying that they want to be consumed by the water and become a part of it.
The third verse shifts focus to Atlas, the mythological figure who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. The world is a "beast of a burden", and the ships that sail on its waters rust and decay. This image suggests that everything eventually withers away, even the strongest and most durable things. Yet the water remains, powerful and unrelenting. The singer again asks to be laid down with pockets full of stones, perhaps acknowledging the inevitability of their own decay and death.
Overall, "What the Water Gave Me" is a poignant reflection on the power of life and its eventual end. The water represents both a force of destruction and a force of renewal, as it brings things to their end but also washes them clean and prepares them for something new.
Line by Line Meaning
Time it took us
The amount of time we spent getting to the water
To where the water was
The location we were headed towards and ultimately reached
That's what the water gave me
The journey to the water gave me something valuable
And time goes quicker
The time seems to pass by faster
Between the two of us
When we're together
But oh my love, don't forsake me
Don't abandon me
Take what the water gave me
Accept the gift that the journey gave us
Lay me down
Put me to rest
Let the only sound
Allow the only thing heard
Be the overflow
Be the sound of the water rising above us
Pockets full of stones
Weighted down with things that hold us back
And oh, poor Atlas
Sympathy for the burdened one
The world's a beast of a burden
The world is a heavy weight to carry
You've been holding on a long time
The burden has been carried for a long time
And all this longing
Despite the pain and difficulty, there is still yearning
And the ships are left to rust
The ships that once sailed the water are now abandoned and deteriorating
That's what the water gave us
The water reminds us of the decay and ruin in the world
They took your loved ones
Your loved ones were taken from you
But returned them in exchange for you
They were given back to you in exchange for you being taken instead
But would you have it any other way?
Would you prefer a different outcome?
Would you have it any other way?
Would you prefer a different outcome?
You couldn't have it any other way
There was no other option
'Cause she's a cruel mistress
The water can be unforgiving and harsh
And a bargain must be made
A tradeoff is necessary
But oh, my love, don't forget me
Even though we make sacrifices, don't forget me
When I let the water take me
When I am consumed by the water
So lay me down
Put me to rest
Let the only sound
Allow the only thing heard
Be the overflow
Be the sound of the water rising above us
Pockets full of stones
Weighted down with things that hold us back
Lay me down
Put me to rest
Let the only sound
Allow the only thing heard
Be the overflow
Be the sound of the water rising above us
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Francis Eg White, Florence Welch
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mateocivello1222
The Lyrics:
Time it took us
To where the water was
That’s what the water gave me
And time goes quicker
Between the two of us
Oh, my love, don’t forsake me
Take what the water gave me
Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
Pockets full of stones
Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
And oh, poor Atlas
The world’s a beast of a burden
You’ve been holding up a long time
And all this longing
And the ships are left to rust
That’s what the water gave us
So lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
Pockets full of stones
Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
‘Cause they took your loved ones
But returned them in exchange for you
But would you have it any other way?
Would you have it any other way?
You couldn't have it any other way
‘Cause she’s a cruel mistress
And a bargain must be made
But oh, my love, don’t forget me
When I let the water take me
So lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the over flow
Pockets full of stones
Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
So lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
Pockets full of stones
Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
@ryan_machine
She once said that as a child, she dove to the bottom of a swimming pool and, for a moment, felt like she could breathe, and she's been trying to recreate the feeling ever since.
@diana002563
***** I didnt know that, but she said reciently that this song is inspired in a Frida Kahlo painting called Lo que el agua me dio Or what the water gave me in english :D
@ellebelly4118
You're are right, she said that about the water thing at her concert
@itsrollintime
+Ryan Clarke i thought that this song is about virginia woolf's death,am i wrong?
@CandKrocknroll
+Açelya Dalgıç no i think it was inspired by both of them
@itsrollintime
CandKrocknroll it sounds true,thank you
@rups9518
For anyone who may not know, this song is inspired by the English writer Virginia Woolf. She suffered from Bipolar Disorder throughout most of her life and eventually succumbed to it. She committed suicide by drowning with "pockets full of stones." This song beautifully depicts her struggle. One of Florence's best songs!
@blakcnagisa01
rups9518 Wrong, is for the oil painting of Frida Kahlo Lo que el agua me dió (What the Water Gave Me)
@cheyenneShel
That painting is artistic but it's disgusting to ne
@--7984
VII The Magician "Welch decided to name the song "What the Water Gave Me" after seeing a Frida Kahlo painting. During an interview, she confirmed that the song was inspired by Virginia Woolf, an English writer." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_the_Water_Gave_Me_%28song%29