Spectrum
Florence The Machine [Maya Jane Coles Remix Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We were cold and we were clear
With no colors on our skin
We were light and paper-thin
And when we first came here
We were cold and we were clear
With no colors on our skin
Say my name
And every color illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again
Say my name
And every color illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again
Say my name
And every color illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again
And when we come for you
We dressed up all in blue
With the ocean in our arms
Kissing eyes and kissing palms
When it's time to pray
We dressed up all in gray
With metal on our tongues
And silver in our lungs
Say my name
And every color illuminates
We are shining
And we'll never be afraid again
Say my name
And every color illuminates
We are shining
And we'll never be afraid again
Say my name
And every color illuminates
We are shining
And we'll never be afraid again
And when we come back we'll be dressed in black
And you'll scream our names aloud
And we won't eat and we won't sleep
We'll drag bodies from their graves
So say my name
And every color illuminates
And we are shining
And we'll never be afraid again
Say my name
As every color illuminates
Say my name
And every color illuminates
We are shining
And we'll never be afraid again
Say my name
And every color illuminates
We are shining
And we'll never be afraid again
Say my name
We are shining
Say my name
Say my name
And we will never be afraid again
The lyrics of Florence & The Machine's "Spectrum" explore the idea of transformation and freedom. The first verse sets up the imagery of the singer's former state as being "cold and clear" with "no colors on our skin," indicating a lack of emotional connection and depth. But the second half of the verse introduces the idea that a change is possible with the introduction of "the spectrum," or the range of emotions, possibilities, and experiences available to us. When "you" let the spectrum in, the singer and those they speak for are transformed.
The chorus builds on this idea, emphasizing the power of naming and identification to bring illumination and transformation. The repetition of the phrase "Say my name" echoes the biblical story of God calling out to Moses ("I am who I am"), as well as the need of individual humans to be recognized and validated in their fullness. The repetition of the idea that "every color illuminates" suggests that all experiences and emotions, no matter how dark or painful, can be transformed and celebrated.
The second half of the song takes a darker turn, with a shift in tone and imagery. The singer describes dressing up in blue, then gray, referencing specific rituals or moments in time. The line "With metal on our tongues / And silver in our lungs" suggests a militaristic or violent mindset, or perhaps a sense of being controlled. When the singer talks about "when we come back we'll be dressed in black," the imagery takes on a more supernatural quality, with a suggestion of undead or zombie-like bodies rising from their graves.
Overall, "Spectrum" seems to be a song about finding freedom and empowerment through recognizing the full range of experiences, emotions, and identities that make us who we are. The repetition of "Say my name" and "we will never be afraid again" suggests that through naming and claiming our whole selves, we can find a sense of belonging, confidence, and strength.
Line by Line Meaning
When we first came here
At the start of our journey here
We were cold and we were clear
We were emotionless and transparent
With no colors on our skin
Without any shades or expressions
We were light and paper-thin
We were weightless and delicate
And when we first came here
At the beginning of our journey
We were cold and we were clear
We had no emotions and were transparent
With no colors on our skin
Without depths or expressions
'Till you let the spectrum in
Until you made us feel and see beyond what we were
Say my name
Call me out
And every color illuminates
And all the emotions become vibrant
We are shining
We are glowing with emotions
And we will never be afraid again
And we will not have any fears again
And when we come for you
And when we approach you
We dressed up all in blue
We are dressed in blue shades
With the ocean in our arms
With the immense power in our control
Kissing eyes and kissing palms
Displaying our feelings through touch
When it's time to pray
During our spiritual practices
We dressed up all in gray
We wear neutral shades
With metal on our tongues
With our thoughts and words as strong as metal
And silver in our lungs
With our breaths as pure as silver
And when we come back we'll be dressed in black
When we return, we'll be in mournful clothing
And you'll scream our names aloud
And your voice will echo and remember us
And we won't eat and we won't sleep
And we won't rest until our purpose is completed
We'll drag bodies from their graves
We'll bring change, even if it's unsettling
Say my name
Call me out
And every color illuminates
And every emotion weaves together
We are shining
We glow with purpose and determination
And we'll never be afraid again
And we will not be scared to face anything again
Say my name
Say my name
We are shining
We glow with purpose and determination
Say my name
Say my name
And we will never be afraid again
And we will not be scared to face anything again
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL EPWORTH, FLORENCE WELCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dademurphy8852
SO! I just figured out the meaning of this song, and it's about Recovery & Jesus. This is without a doubt the most powerful & meaningful song i've ever heard. Maya Jane Coles does an absolutely breathtaking job on the remix as per usual & Florence+The Machine's voice resonates sending chills down my spine. Check it out--
(Verse 1)
"When we first came here
We were cold and we were clear
With no colors in our skin
We were light and paper thin
And when we first came here
we were cold and we were clear
With no colors in our skin
'Til we let the spectrum in"
*Interpretation: Addiction will make you look & feel transparent, "clear", fragile, and weak / "cold". "We were clear" means see-through, or (again) transparent, and does not represent clarity. Colors here represent life or lack thereof as they normally do throughout music and religion. Once we as addicts began to understand that were existing, and not living, did we begin to “let the spectrum in”*
(Chorus)
Say my name
As every color illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again
*Interpretation: This ties it all together. When you have finally had your fill, you will call upon the Lord and your "moment of clarity" will be discovered. Those of us who have "seen the light" behind the guise of Addiction know this is real, and we will never be afraid again, of anything, for any reason. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13) *
(Verse 2)
And when we come for you
We'll be dressed up all in blue
With the ocean in our arms
Kiss your eyes and kiss your palms
And when it's time to pray
We'll be dressed up all in grey
With metal on our tongues
And silver in our lungs
*Interpretation: The most important verse of the song. The first 2 lines detail how the Light of God will initially present itself to you when you are ready for Recovery. In Roman Catholicism, the color Blue symbolizes the sky or heaven, where heralds proclaimed Jesus' birth. In Roman Catholic tradition, it symbolizes Mary, who is known as "the Queen of Heaven." It also symbolizes the waters of Genesis 1, the beginning of a new creation. It is increasingly used for Advent in Protestant churches to distinguish this season from Lent. This is important because Advent is symbolized as the spiritual journey of individuals and a congregation, as they affirm that Christ has come, that He is present in the world today, and that He will come again in power. “He” can be substituted for oneself in this sense. The next two lines, “With the oceans in our arms, kiss your eyes and kiss your palms” is deeply symbolic of the newfound freedom that comes with your moment of clarity. Oceans, vast and blue, are commonly associated and symbolic of the meaning of freedom. Whereas before an addict, you were constantly at the behest of an overwhelming power, seemingly unbreakable. Kiss your eyes and kiss your palms means that your vision of the world will be cleansed & sanctified; The palm is a symbol of victory, triumph, peace and eternal life. “When it’s time to pray, we’ll be dressed up all in gray” Gray is the color of ashes, and therefore a biblical symbol of mourning and repentance. We mourn because we have laid to rest our demons and that part of us has finally died, a new person will be resurrected, and we repent for the sins we have committed during our addiction. “With metal on our tongues and silver in our lungs”- Metal and Silver and White are used interchangeably in Catholicism. They are meant to symbolize purity, holiness, and virtue, as well as respect and reverence. Therefore, “metal on our tongue” would mean we now are able to purely speak as we were initially before our addiction; our real self has broken through. And Silver in our lungs would mean we have finally made the last stride and allowed the light of god to shine into our soul allowing for all of this to happen..*
** FOR WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED(Romans 10:13) **
@brendawilliams2773
I'm always afraid of someone taking down this awesome song and forever lose it!
@felixg3
just let me know and I'll send you the file then ;)
@takatrip7560
@felixg3 nice. you a chill pill
@takatrip7560
shining
@AnthonyWoodrichPMP
I own it...I too can send it to you. It is the Best!
@calmadventuresmeaningfulmu1534
YouTube to mp3 downloader for free ;)))
@AnthonyWoodrichPMP
This is by far the Best of all the "Say my name" Remixes, and the original.....Maya Jane Coles....I need to meet you!
@creativeexpression3376
Brilliant remix, very powerful,no need for drugs, just use music 🎶
@Lucass84
That's how Bean Remix moves like a portal to another world, if you can listen to the depth of sounds. ... stimulants are good, but they don't like to listen at home on specific diving equipment 🔈 Regards 👋👋👋🎶🎶 👌 Masterpiece. 🙏🎶🍷🔮
@discordiaVI
Sasha’s sample on the background gives this remix an organic and sweet texture on it. That and the amazing work on the vocals is what makes it an absolute banger! Maya you did it again…