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.
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.
Ye Olde Hope
Florence + the Machine Lyrics
Old hope got stuck in your throat,
Wound it's way round your neck caused you to choke.
Old hope made of rope, that held you tight when the chair legs broke.
When they found you hangin in the woods,
you said atleast now I don't have to kind nor good.
I'll be cruel and I'll obscene tear out my tongue cause I've been redeemed.
When they found you hangin in the woods,
you said atleast now I don't have to kind nor good.
I'll be cruel and I'll obscene tear out my tongue
Cause I've been redeemed.
Take my(don't know what she says) or the grave,
no shy glance, no coy restiants, and I wont hang my head,
and I wont repent, wont face the wall and (don't know that one either)
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10...
Well they tore you down and they tore out your tongue
and they made you kneel for all the things that you'd done.
but you wouldn't cry, you wouldn't beg,
you just screamed and tore out your teeth instead.
And when they found you hangin in the woods,
you said atleast now I don't have to kind nor good.
I'll be cruel and I'll obscene tear out my tongue cause I've been redeemed.
Wound it's way round your neck caused you to choke.
Old hope made of rope, that held you tight when the chair legs broke.
When they found you hangin in the woods,
you said atleast now I don't have to kind nor good.
I'll be cruel and I'll obscene tear out my tongue cause I've been redeemed.
When they found you hangin in the woods,
you said atleast now I don't have to kind nor good.
I'll be cruel and I'll obscene tear out my tongue
Take my(don't know what she says) or the grave,
no shy glance, no coy restiants, and I wont hang my head,
and I wont repent, wont face the wall and (don't know that one either)
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10...
Well they tore you down and they tore out your tongue
and they made you kneel for all the things that you'd done.
but you wouldn't cry, you wouldn't beg,
you just screamed and tore out your teeth instead.
And when they found you hangin in the woods,
you said atleast now I don't have to kind nor good.
I'll be cruel and I'll obscene tear out my tongue cause I've been redeemed.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Mic Ku
Soooo wonderfully dark. This, Bird Song, Falling, Swimming, My Boy Builds Coffins, Blinding, Girl with One Eye, or even Kiss With a Fist were such awesome tunes with every one of them having this dark-but-casual vibe that kinda puts High As Hope in shadows for me. I guess I preferred Flo in a more Renaissance, Fairytalish kind of a scenery...
Amelia R.
this is amazing. her voice is the most gorgeous thing i've ever heard, and this song is so wonderful. thank you for posting this- it's magical
Tim Springer
This and moderation make me wanna crawl into the rafters! Going feral jams!
Jesse Colton
@rareflorence I would be so happy if Tear Out My Tongue and Bricks ever make their way back onto an album somewhere. Florence is always amazing, but these early songs have such magic to them!
Gustavo Luna
It's just so perfect to have this song playing as louder as possible and let yourself go out XD
SilveredBlue
May I please have the MP3? Thank you so much for uploading all these rare songs, I LOVE Florence+ the Machine. :)
Calluna V
I love this version of the song! And, not to mention, this song! I hope she ends up releasing it on a CD or something, it's great!
Caitlin Church
amazing!!
Robin Austin
I love this, would it be too greedy to ask you to send me both versions? :) You are a saint for posting all these
WeasleyIsOurKing123
This is awesome :) Will it be on the new album???