Oh! Darling
Florence the Machine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Please believe me
I'll never do you no harm
Believe me when I tell you
I'll never do you no harm
Oh, darling
If you leave me
Believe me when I beg you—ooh!
Don't ever leave me alone
When you told me
You didn't need me any more
Well, you know, I nearly
Broke down and cried
When you told me
You didn't need me any more
Well, you know, I nearly
Broke down and died
Oh, darling
If you leave me
I'll never make it alone
Believe me when I tell you
I'll never do you no harm
Spoken:
Believe me, darling
When you told me (whoo)
You didn't need me any more
Well, you know, I nearly
Broke down and cried
When you told me
You didn't need me any more
Well, you know, I nearly
Broke down and died
Oh, darling
Please believe me
I'll never let you down
(Spoken) Oh, believe me, darling
Believe me when I tell you—whoo!
I'll never do you no harm
Florence + the Machine's song "Oh! Darling" is a plea for love, a promise of commitment, and a song of heartbreak. The singer, in this case Florence, addresses the person she loves, telling them that she will never hurt them and that they can always count on her. She begs the person not to leave her alone and promises that she will never let them down. The repetition of "believe me" emphasizes her vulnerability and the importance of trust in a relationship.
The song also touches on the pain of rejection and the fear of abandonment. When the person tells Florence that they don't need her anymore, she feels like she's about to break down and even die. This fear of being alone is a recurring theme in the song, as Florence believes that she cannot make it alone without her loved one. The repetition of the chorus helps to reinforce her desperation and the depth of her feelings.
Interestingly, "Oh! Darling" is not an original Florence + the Machine song but rather a cover of The Beatles song of the same name. Florence reimagines the song as a haunting ballad, adding her own unique vocal stylings and stripping away the upbeat nature of the original. The Beatles' version was written by Paul McCartney and was a tribute to 1950s rock and roll. Florence's cover of the song transforms it into a more emotional and introspective piece that explores the complexities of love and relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, darling
Addressing the person she loves with a term of endearment
Please believe me
Asking for trust in what she is about to say
I'll never do you no harm
Promising to never cause any pain or hurt
Believe me when I tell you
Reiterating the need for trust and belief in what she is saying
If you leave me
Acknowledging her dependence on the person she loves
I'll never make it alone
Expressing her inability to cope without the person she loves
Believe me when I beg you—ooh!
Pleading for the person's love and attention
Don't ever leave me alone
Asking the person to never abandon her
When you told me
Recalling the past when the person expressed a lack of need for her
You didn't need me any more
Stating the reason she was hurt and emotional
Well, you know, I nearly
Emphasizing the emotional state she was in
Broke down and cried
Expressing the intensity of her emotional pain
Broke down and died
Exaggerating the previous line to emphasize the extreme hurt felt
I'll never let you down
Promising to never disappoint or betray the person she loves
Oh, believe me, darling
Stressing the importance of trusting her words
Believe me when I tell you—whoo!
Reiterating the need for trust in her promise to never cause harm
Contributed by Logan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.