Florence and The Machine: Rabbit Heart Lyrics

Ever listen to a song about 50 times and then finally after singing loudly in your vehicle to lyrics (that you thought were the words that whole time) happen to NOT be in fact be the words? Well, that’s what happened to me on Saturday during our drive to Toronto, while listening to “Rabbit Heart” by Florence and The Machine. :)

Driving on long trips throughout my life have usually consisted of me singing along with the radio or tunes while unconsciously or purposely replacing words and phrases with sounds and nonsense just to sing along. I have always done this, since the beginning of time (or since I’ve had a car). It could be laziness on my part OR just lack of interest to find out back stories or meanings to songs when they aren’t easily diagnosed. This is one of those really annoying idiosyncratic things I do, because I have the need to hum along. In all honesty, humming and singing makes me feel happier and relieves stress.

Bobby, on the other hand, has a tendency to get really irritated with this trait, because he has spent his life (while in cars) doing this opposite: multiple rewinds through rap, rock, and hip hop albums, in order to learn all the words, pauses, and breaks. He gets a big kick out of discussing scenarios of what may have been the theme or under lying meaning of a song or album. I find this incredibly endearing and interesting, yet at this moment, on this particular Saturday…I just wanted to sing and hum. ;)

So, all wants and needs aside…I got to sing a little bit and Bobby brought to my attention some really cool points about this song which in turn made for a cool afternoon car ride together.  First of all, I hadn’t heard the story of King Midas – the king that was too greedy for his own good.  When he gets granted one wish, that everything he touches must be turned to gold – the results are far from what the he expected. As his treasure chests, his dinner and finally his only daughter are turned into gold, he realizes you’ve got to be careful what you wish for, gold and wealth are not the answers to human happiness.

It felt like an unveiling as we rewound and rewound the song to find the interesting bits of the story and depth of the song.  I can think of about 10 different scenerios of what this song must mean to Florence Welch and/or the writers of the song.  I put some links at the bottom of this post in case you want to go watch the video and see what you think.  This band’s sound is truly amazing…something between rock and soul is how I would describe it.  It’s a great band to listen to on random trips to Toronto – you should try it some time. Enjoy!

————————————–

The looking glass, so shiny and new
How quickly the glamour 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 wind
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, 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

————————————–

http://www.myspace.com/florenceandthemachine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nxO-yPQesA
http://florenceandthemachine.net/

What does the song mean to you?