Her debut EP Lights was released in July 2008 and achieved commercial success which enabled the release of her first full-length album, The Listening, on September 22, 2009. Her second album, Siberia, was released on October 4, 2011. Both albums have been certified gold in Canada. Lights released her third studio album, Little Machines, on September 19, 2014, which debuted on the Canadian Albums Chart at number five. Her fourth album, Skin&Earth, which featured "Giants", was released in September 2017, accompanied by a graphic novel of the same name. Her albums won the Juno Award for Pop Album of the Year in 2015 and 2018.
Lights has collaborated with artists including Bring Me the Horizon, Silverstein, Deadmau5, Felix Cartal, i_o, Owl City and Sleepy Tom. Lights signed with Fueled by Ramen in 2019 and released Skin&Earth Acoustic, which included three new songs.
Flux and Flow
Lights Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The mountains have come down
I won't go where they go
Oh I'll be back around
The hits above the trees
And we stole our leaves
Come all the tides and tows
Highs and lows
They're pits and lines
On the ground that you stand
Flux and flow
Flux and flow
Then we taste the bitter end
And hunger life again
We take another turn
With our bare hand
Highs and low
They are pits and lines
On the ground that you stand
Flux and flow
And you fix your plans
Then you straighten your hand
Flux and flow
Flux and flow
Flux and flow
Flux and flow
Rat race, ready, set go
My heavy step's slow
But I'm first at the finish line
Simply 'cause I never left home
I'm a rock, man-megadeath
That's key-treble clef lead
Better yet just be
Let 'em see how your get your fresh
How you get free, how you shake 'em
Epilepsy with that Etch-A-Sketch scenes
Then remake 'em
Show 'em how you blend without breaking
Flux and flow
Flux and flow
Flux and flow
Flux and flow
Flux, and fix your plans
On the ground that you stand
And you fix your plans
Then trade in your hand
The lyrics of "Flux and Flow" by Lights describe the cyclical nature of life with its highs, lows, trials, and opportunities for renewal. The opening lines, "Well I guess I lost this round, the mountains have come down," suggest that the singer has suffered a setback or defeat, but doesn't plan to stay down for long. "I won't go where they go, oh I'll be back around" implies that she won't follow the crowd or be swayed by the challenges ahead, but instead will persevere and return.
The song enters its chorus, "Highs and lows, they're pits and lines, on the ground that you stand, flux and flow, flux and flow," which reinforces the message that life is full of peaks and valleys and that they are part of the foundation upon which our lives are built. There's a sense of acceptance and recognition of reality that is refreshing, and it highlights the idea that we shouldn't strive to get rid of the lows, but rather appreciate them as part of the process. The singer then goes on to describe the bitter end, which is the lowest of the lows, but something she believes can be overcome. She takes another turn with her bare hand, showing the strength and resilience of the human spirit.
The final verse has an interesting juxtaposition between the reflective and the energetic. There's a moment of introspection where the singer compares herself to "a rock, man-megadeath" before transitioning to the upbeat chorus. She talks about "show 'em how you blend without breaking," which is a beautiful way to express the idea that we can all find ways to navigate the tumultuous waters of life without losing our sense of identity or purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I guess I lost this round
I accept that I've been defeated
The mountains have come down
Something big has happened and everything has changed
I won't go where they go
I won't follow others blindly and will make my own path
Oh I'll be back around
I'll come back stronger and better
The hits above the trees
Challenges or obstacles are high and above us
And we stole our leaves
We took what we had for granted and lost it
Come all the tides and tows
I'll face whatever comes, whether good or bad
Will stand above the sea
I will triumph over difficulties
Highs and lows
Life is full of ups and downs
They're pits and lines
Challenges can be seen as obstacles or opportunities
On the ground that you stand
In the midst of all this, stand strong on your beliefs
Flux and flow
Change is constant and we should embrace it
And you fix your plans
Set your goals and focus on them
Then you straighten your hand
Put in the hard work and effort to achieve your goals
Then we taste the bitter end
We experience failure or disappointment
And hunger life again
We are still eager to live and move on
We take another turn
We try again and make another attempt
With our bare hand
We do it on our own without any assistance
Rat race, ready, set go
We're always competing and trying to get ahead
My heavy step's slow
We may not be fast but we will get there eventually
But I'm first at the finish line
We may take our time, but we'll succeed in the end
Simply 'cause I never left home
We don't need to go far to succeed; everything we need is within us
I'm a rock, man-megadeath
We are strong and unbreakable
That's key-treble clef lead
We have a unique and special purpose
Better yet just be
Instead of trying to be something else, just be yourself
Let 'em see how your get your fresh
Show others how you stay inspired and motivated
How you get free, how you shake 'em
Show others how you break free from obstacles and keep moving forward
Epilepsy with that Etch-A-Sketch scenes
We have the power to create our own destiny like an Etch-A-Sketch artist
Then remake 'em
We can always start over and try again
Show 'em how you blend without breaking
Show others how you balance everything without falling apart
Flux, and fix your plans
Embrace change but don't lose sight of your goals
Then trade in your hand
Put in more effort and hard work to achieve success
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVID THOMSON, JASON LEE PARSONS, LIGHTS VALERIE POXLEITNER, THOMAS SALTER, VALERIE POXLEITNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cmsimon5130
Aside from the obvious hits, this was her best song. I can't believe I forgot about it!
@chjames18
2021?
@zeldagamerxoxo7543
Saw this performance live in Toronto. Couldn't get it out of my head for the rest of the night... and I was there for Paramore, lol. This chick is amazing.
@youngprophet7802
PARAMORE AND LIGHTS IN ONE NIGHT... DAMN.. sounds fun
@thepaystation
I was there too xD
@zeldagamerxoxo7543
Was the sickest concert
@anndavis8750
This song is perfect. Shad definitely adds something to it.
@JORDIIMusic
Love this song! Unlike some people, I think Shad's verse adds something more to this song.
@leemcmonagle
It's a shame how little Shad gets to do on this song. Shad's song Remember to Remember has Lights on it doing the hook and it's great, I hope they collaborate more in the future :)
@buhmoney
I cannot believe that so many people on this video hate Shad....best rapper alive, show some respect.