Welch, who grew up listening to The White Stripes and Kate Bush, says she writes metaphorical songs that are "stories with consequences and weird morality issues." She gets her material from a variety of sources and experiences. Florence And The Machine's music has received praise across the British music media, especially from the BBC who have played a large part in their rise to prominence by bringing them into the spotlight as part of BBC Introducing. At the Brit Awards 2009 Florence picked up the Critics Choice Award; a category introduced in 2008 focusing on new talent, voted for by a panel of music industry experts.
The current line-up of the band consists of Robert Ackroyd (guitar), Christopher Lloyd Hayden (drums), Isabella Summers (keyboards) and Tom Monger (harp). Debut album, 'Lungs', was released in July 2009, preceded by third single, 'Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)'.
Rabbit Heart
Florence and The Machine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How quickly the glamor fades
I start spinning slipping out of time
Was that the wrong pill to take (Raise it up)
You made a deal and now it seems you have to offer up
But will it ever be enough
(Raise it up raise it up)
It's not enough
Here I am a rabbit hearted girl
Frozen in the headlights
It seems I've made the final sacrifice
We raise it up, this offering
We raise it up
This is a gift it comes with a price
Who is the lamb and who is the knife
Midas is king and he holds me so tight
And turns me to gold in the sunlight
I look around but I can't find you
(Raise it up)
If only I could see your face
(Raise it up)
Instead of rushing towards the skyline
(Raise it up)
I wish that I could just be brave
I must become a lion hearted girl
Ready for a fight
Before I make the final sacrifice
We raise it up, this offering
We raise it up
This is a gift it comes with a price
Who is the lamb and who is the knife
Midas is king and he holds me so tight
And turns me to gold in the sunlight
Raise it up raise it up
Raise it up raise it up
And in the spring I shed my skin
And it blows away with the changing winds
The waters turn from blue to red
As towards the sky I offer it
This is a gift it comes with a price
Who is the lamb and who is the knife
Midas is king and he holds me so tight
And turns me to gold in the sunlight
This is a gift it comes with a price
Who is the lamb and who is the knife
Midas is king and he holds me so tight
And turns me to gold in the sunlight
This is a gift
The song "Raise it Up" by Florence + the Machine is a reflection of the price one has to pay for success and achievement. The opening lines speak of the illusion of glamour and how quickly it fades away. The singer describes feeling lost and out of place with the world spinning around her, wondering if she made a mistake in her choices. The repeated phrase "raise it up" serves both as a call to action and a plea for assistance.
The second verse sees the singer questioning the cost of her gifts and talents, wondering who will be the sacrifice for her success. She references the myth of King Midas, who turned everything he touched into gold, but ultimately lost his own daughter to his greed. The singer searches for someone to help her navigate this treacherous path, to give her the courage to face the future as a "lion hearted girl".
The final verse speaks of transformation and change, of shedding old skin to become something new. The waters turn red and the gifts are offered to the sky, as if in some ritual sacrifice. The final chorus repeats the idea that success is both a gift and a curse, and that the singer fears being consumed by the need for more.
Overall, "Raise it Up" is a powerful meditation on the cost of success. It speaks to the pressure and sacrifice that come with achieving one's dreams, and the importance of finding the courage to face those challenges head on.
Line by Line Meaning
The looking glass so shiny and new
The mirror looks so brand new and shiny
How quickly the glamor fades
The attractiveness of appearances fades away quickly
I start spinning slipping out of time
I feel like I'm losing control and running out of time
Was that the wrong pill to take (Raise it up)
I question whether the choices I made were the right ones
You made a deal and now it seems you have to offer up
You made an agreement and now it seems you have to give something in return
But will it ever be enough
But will what you offer ever be sufficient
(Raise it up raise it up)
Raise your offering higher
It's not enough
What you offer is not sufficient
Here I am a rabbit hearted girl
Here I am a timid, fearful girl
Frozen in the headlights
Paralyzed by fear, like a rabbit in headlights
It seems I've made the final sacrifice
It seems like I've given my all and made the ultimate sacrifice
We raise it up, this offering
We present our offering, raising it high
This is a gift it comes with a price
This offering is a present, but it involves a cost
Who is the lamb and who is the knife
Who is the one being sacrificed, and who is the one doing the sacrificing
Midas is king and he holds me so tight
I feel like I'm in the embrace of a powerful ruler, like Midas
And turns me to gold in the sunlight
And transforms me into something precious and valuable, like gold in the sunlight
I look around but I can't find you
I search for you, but I can't find you
(Raise it up)
Raise your offering higher
If only I could see your face
If only I could see your face, I would be reassured
Instead of rushing towards the skyline (Raise it up)
Instead of moving forward towards my goals, I should focus on raising my offering higher
I wish that I could just be brave
I wish I had the courage to face my fears
I must become a lion hearted girl
I must become a brave and courageous girl, like a lion
Ready for a fight
Ready to face any challenges that come my way
Before I make the final sacrifice
Before I give my all and make the ultimate sacrifice
And in the spring I shed my skin
And in the springtime, I let go of my old self
And it blows away with the changing winds
And it disappears like dust in the wind
The waters turn from blue to red
The environment around me changes from calm to chaotic
As towards the sky I offer it
As I present my offering towards the sky
(Raise it up raise it up)
Raise your offering higher
This is a gift it comes with a price
This offering is a present, but it involves a cost
Who is the lamb and who is the knife
Who is the one being sacrificed, and who is the one doing the sacrificing
Midas is king and he holds me so tight
I feel like I'm in the embrace of a powerful ruler, like Midas
And turns me to gold in the sunlight
And transforms me into something precious and valuable, like gold in the sunlight
Raise it up raise it up
Raise your offering higher
Raise it up raise it up
Raise your offering higher
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, WARP MUSIC LIMITED
Written by: ELIZABETH BOUGATSOS, BRIAN DEGRAW, JOSHUA DEUTSCH, TIMOTHY DEWIT, PAUL EPWORTH, FLORENCE WELCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gamergirlxoxox
The looking glass so shiny and new
How quickly the glamor fades
I start spinning slipping out of time
Was that the wrong pill to take (Raise it up)
You made a deal and now it seems you have to offer up
But will it ever be enough
(Raise it up raise it up)
It's not enough
(Raise it up raise it up)
Here I am a rabbit hearted girl
Frozen in the headlights
It seems I've made the final sacrifice
We raise it up, this offering
We raise it up
This is a gift it comes with a price
Who is the lamb and who is the knife
Midas is king and he holds me so tight
And turns me to gold in the sunlight
I look around but I can't find you
(Raise it up)
If only I could see your face
(Raise it up)
Instead of rushing towards the skyline
(Raise it up)
I wish that I could just be brave
I must become a lion hearted girl
Ready for a fight
Before I make the final sacrifice
We raise it up, this offering
We raise it up
This is a gift it comes with a price
Who is the lamb and who is the knife
Midas is king and he holds me so tight
And turns me to gold in the sunlight
Raise it up raise it up
Raise it up raise it up
And in the spring I shed my skin
And it blows away with the changing winds
The waters turn from blue to red
As towards the sky I offer it
This is a gift it comes with a price
Who is the lamb and who is the knife
Midas is king and he holds me so tight
And turns me to gold in the sunlight
This is a gift it comes with a price
Who is the lamb and who is the knife
Midas is king and he holds me so tight
And turns me to gold in the sunlight
This is a gift
@florenceandthemachine4470
"This is a gift."
yes, yes it is.
@gemstar7286
This song represents the poisonous chalice of fame .
@amelia_n1828
Definitely.
@thesovgc
#MakeItAQuote
@inzichte
Live is a gift. Even when it does feel like it.๐
@MusicLover-ti6zo
Florence is a goddess sent from a different age to reveal things to us.
@elenareed2103
indeed, I will gladly worship at her altar - bow down and raise it up.ย :>)
@targetdummy2247
Don't forget to shake it out too
@kellibee61
Stop stalking her! LOL. ;)
@TheWhitehorseman1
She is a true Goddess, Florence is us reminding us of who we were, and thus still are in many ways, very pagan, she sacrificed herself for Midas's gold, yet holds some control over her path, the dagger, hence, she is both the sacrifice and the dagger.