Florence and the Machine : Ceremonials

Pop Rock / United-Kingdom
(2011 - Island Records)
Learn more

Lyrics

1. ONLY IF FOR A NIGHT

And I had a dream
About my old school
And she was there all pink and gold and glittering
I threw my arms around her legs
Came to weeping
Came to weeping

And I heard your voice
As clear as day
And you told me I should concentrate
It was all so strange
And so surreal
That a ghost should be so practical

Only if for a night
And the only solution was to stand and fight
And my body was loose and I was set alight
But she came over me like some holy rite
And although I was burning, you're the only light
Only if for a night

And the grass was so green against my new clothes
And I did cartwheels in your honour
Dancing on tiptoes
My own secret ceremonials
Before the service began
In the graveyard doing handstands

And I heard your voice
As clear as day
And you told me I should concentrate
It was all so strange
And so surreal
That a ghost should be so practical

Only if for a night
And the only solution was to stand and fight
And my body was loose and I was set alight
But she came over me like some holy rite
And although I was burning, you're the only light
Only if for a night

My doll, my dear, my darling
Tell me what all this sayings about
Tell me what all this sayings about

And I heard your voice
As clear as day
And you told me I should concentrate
It was all so strange
And so surreal
That a ghost should be so practical
Only if for a night

Only if for a night


2. ALL THIS AND HEAVEN TOO

And the heart is hard to translate
It has a language of its own
It talks and turns and courts sighs and present proclamations
In the grand days of great men and the smallest of gestures
And short shallow gasps

But with all my education I can’t seem to command it
And the words are all skipping and coming back all damaged
And I will put them back in poetry if I only knew how
I can’t seem to understand it

And I would give all this and heaven too
I would give it all if only for a moment
That I could just understand the meaning of the word you see
‘Cause I’ve been scrawling it forever but it never makes sense to me at all

And it talks to me in tiptoes
And sings to me inside
It cries out in the darkest night and breaks in morning light

But with all my education I can’t seem to command it
And the words are all skipping and coming back all damaged
And I will put them back in poetry if I only knew how
I can’t seem to understand it

And I would give all this and heaven too
I would give it all if only for a moment
That I could just understand the meaning of the word you see
‘Cause I’ve been scrawling it forever but it never makes sense to me at all

And I would give all this and heaven too
I would give it all if only for a moment
That I could just understand the meaning of the word you see
‘Cause I’ve been scrawling it forever but it never makes sense to me at all

No, words are a language that doesn’t deserve such treatment
That all of my stumbling phrases never amounted to anything worth this feeling

All this heaven never could describe such a feeling as I’m here

Words were never so useful ‘til I was screaming out a language that I never knew existed before


3. SPECTRUM

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

Say my name
And every color illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again

Say my name
As every color illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again

Say my name
As every color illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again

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
Dressed up all in grey
With metal on our tongues
And silver in our lungs

Say my name
And every color illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again

Say my name
As every color illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again

Say my name
As every color illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again

And when we come back we'll be dressed in black
And you'll scream my name aloud
And we won't eat and we won't sleep
We'll drag bodies from a ground

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
As every color illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again

Say my name
As every color illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again

Say my name
We are shining
Say my name
Say my name
And we will never be afraid again


4. HEARTLINES

Oh the river, oh the river, it's running free
And all joy, all the joy it brings to me
But I know it'll have to drown me
Before it can breathe easy

And I've seen it in the flights of birds
I've seen it in you
The entrails of the animals
The blood running through

But in order to get to the heart,
I think sometimes you have to cut through
But you can
You can
You can

Just keep following the heartlines on your hand
Just keep following the heartlines on your hand
Keep it up, I know you can
Just keep following the heartlines on your hand
'Cause I am

Honestly, you're not a sea and land over land
Creepin' and a-crawlin' like the sea over sand
Still I follow heartlines on your hand
This fantasy, this fallacy, this tumbling storm
Echoes of a city that's long overgrown
Your heart is the only place that I call home
Can I be returned?
You can
You can
We can

Just keep following the heartlines on your hand
Just keep following the heartlines on your hand
Keep it up, I know you can
Just keep following the heartlines on your hand

What a thing to do
Oh whoa oh
What a thing to choose
But no, in some way I'm there with you
Up against the wall on a Wednesday afternoon

Just keep following the heartlines on your hand
Just keep following the heartlines on your hand
Keep it up, I know you can
Just keep following the heartlines on your hand
'Cause I am


5. SEVEN DEVILS

Holy water cannot help you now
A thousand armies couldn't keep me out
I don't want your money
I don't want your crown
See I have come to burn
Your kingdom down

Holy water cannot help you now
See I've had to burn your kingdom down
And no rivers and no lakes can put the fire out
I'm gonna raise the stakes, I'm gonna smoke you out

Seven devils all around me
Seven devils in my house
See they were there when I woke up this morning
I'll be dead before the day is done

Seven devils all around you
Seven devils in your house
See I was dead when I woke up this morning
I'll be dead before the day is done
Before the day is done

And now all your love will be exorcised
And we will find you saying it's to be?
And it's an even sum
It's a melody
It's a final cry
It's a symphony

Seven devils all around me
Seven devils in my house
See they were there when I woke up this morning
I'll be dead before the day is done

Seven devils all around you
Seven devils in your house
See I was dead when I woke up this morning
I'll be dead before the day is done
Before the day is done
Before the day is done
Before the day is done

They can keep me high
'Til I tear the walls
'Til I save your heart
And to take your soul
What have we done?
Can it be undone?
In the evil's heart
In the evil's soul

Seven devils all around you
Seven devils in your house
See I was dead when I woke up this morning
I'll be dead before the day is done
Before the day is done


6. NO LIGHT, NO LIGHT

You are the hole in my head, you are the space in my bed
You are the silence in between what I thought and what I said
You are the night time fear, you are the morning when it's clear
When it's over you're the start, you're my head, you're my heart

No light, no light in your bright blue eyes
I never knew daylight could be so violent
A revelation in the light of day
You can't choose what stays and what fades away
And I'd do anything to make you stay
No light, no light, no light, tell me what you want me to say

Through the crowds I was crying out and
In your place there were a thousand other faces
I was disappearing in plain sight
Heaven help me, I need to make it right

You want a revelation, you wanna get right
But, it's a conversation, I just can't help tonight
You want a revelation, some kind of resolution
You want a revelation

No light, no light in your bright blue eyes
I never knew daylight could be so violent
A revelation in the light of day
You can't choose what stays and what fades away
And I'd do anything to make you stay
No light, no light, no light, tell me what you want me to say

Would you leave me if I told you what I've done?
And would you leave me if I told you what I've become?
Because it's so easy to sing it to a crowd
But it's so hard, my love, to say it to you out loud

No light, no light in your bright blue eyes
I never knew daylight could be so violent
A revelation in the light of day
You can't choose what stays and what fades away
And I'd do anything to make you stay
No light, no light, no light, tell me what you want me to say

You want a revelation, you wanna get right
But it's a conversation I just can't have tonight
You want a revelation, some kind of resolution
You want a revelation
You want a revelation, you wanna get right
But it's a conversation I just can't have tonight
You want a revelation, some kind of resolution
Tell me what you want me to say


7. LOVER TO LOVER

I've been losing sleep
I've been keeping myself awake
I've been wandering the streets
For days and days and days

Going from road to road
Bed to bed
Lover to lover
And black to red
But I believe, I believe

There’s no salvation for me now
No space among the clouds
And I feel I’m heading down
But that’s alright
That’s alright
That’s alright
That’s alright

And I’ve been taking chances
I’ve been setting myself up for the fall
And I’ve been keeping secrets
From my heart and from my soul

Going from road to road,
Bed to bed,
Lover to lover,
And black to red,

But I believe, I believe
There’s no salvation for me now
No space among the clouds
And I feel I’m heading down
But that’s alright

That’s alright
That’s alright
That’s alright

Road to road
Bed to bed
And lover to lover
And black to red
And road to road
Bed to bed
And lover to lover

No space among the clouds
And I feel I’m heading down
But that’s alright
That’s alright
That’s alright
That’s alright
That’s alright
That’s alright

Road to road
Bed to bed
And lover to lover
And black to red
And road to road
Bed to bed
Lover to lover
To lover to lover
To lover to lover
To lover to lover
To lover to lover
To lover to lover

No salvation for me now
No salvation for me now
No salvation for me now
No salvation for me now


8. BREAKING DOWN

All alone
It was always there you see
And even on my own
It was always standing next to me

I can see it coming from the edge of the room
Creeping in the streetlight
Holding my hand in the pale gloom
Can you see it coming now?

Oh, I think I'm breaking down again
Oh, I think I'm breaking down

All alone
Even when I was a child
I've always known
There was something to be frightened of

You know that I can see you coming from the edge of the room
Creeping in the streetlight
Holding my hand in the pale gloom
Can you see it coming now?

Oh, I think I'm breaking down again
Oh, I think I'm breaking down

All alone
On the edge of sleep
My old familiar friend
Comes and lies down next to me

And I can see you coming from the edge of the room
Smiling in the streetlight
Even with my eyes shut tight
I still see you coming now

Oh, I think I'm breaking down again
Oh, I think I'm breaking down again
Oh, I think I'm breaking down again
Oh, I think I'm breaking down


9. NEVER LET ME GO

Looking up from underneath
Fractured moonlight on the sea
Reflections still look the same to me
As before I went under

And it's peaceful in the deep
Cathedral where you cannot breathe
No need to pray no need to speak
Now I am under all

And it's breaking over me
A thousand miles down to the sea bed
Found the place to rest my head
Never let me go
Never let me go

And the arms of the ocean are carrying me
And all this devotion was rushing out of me
In the crushes of heaven for a sinner like me
But the arms of the ocean delivered me

Though the pressure's hard to take
It's the only way I can escape
It seems a heavy choice to make
And now I am under all

And it's breaking over me
A thousand miles down to the sea bed
Found the place to rest my head
Never let me go
Never let me go

And the arms of the ocean are carrying me
And all this devotion was rushing out of me
In the crushes of heaven for a sinner like me
But the arms of the ocean delivered me

And it's over
And I'm going under
But I'm not giving up
I'm just giving in

I'm slipping underneath
So cold and so sweet

And the arms of the ocean are carrying me
So sweet and so cold
And all this devotion I never knew at all
In the crushes of heaven for a sinner released
In the arms of the ocean deliver me
Never let me go
Never let me go
Deliver me
Never let me go
Never let me go
Deliver me
Never let me go
Never let me go
Deliver me
Never let me go
Never let me go

And it's over
And I'm going under
But I'm not giving up
I'm just giving in

I'm slipping underneath
So cold and so sweet


10. WHAT THE WATER GAVE ME

Time it took us
To where the water was
That's what the water gave me
And time goes quicker
Between the two of us
Oh, my love, don't forsake me
Take what the water gave me

Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
Pockets full of stones

Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow

And oh, poor Atlas
The world's a beast of a burden
You've been holding up a long time
And all this longing
And the ships are left to rust
That's what the water gave us

So lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
Pockets full of stones

Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow

'Cause they took your loved ones
But returned them in exchange for you
But would you have it any other way?
Would you have it any other way?
You couldn't have it any other way

'Cause she's a crueller mistress
And the bargain must be made
But oh, my love, don't forget me
When I let the water take me

Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
Pockets full of stones

Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow

Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
Pockets full of stones

Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow


11. SHAKE IT OUT

Regrets collect like old friends
Here to relive your darkest moments
I can see no way, I can see no way

And all of the ghouls come out to play
And every demon wants his pound of flesh
But I like to keep some things to myself
I like to keep my issues drawn
It's always darkest before the dawn

And I've been a fool and I've been blind
I can never leave the past behind
I can see no way, I can see no way

I'm always dragging that horse around
All of these questions, such a mournful sound
Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground
Cause I like to keep my issues drawn
But it's always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, oh woah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, oh woah
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah

And I am done with my graceless heart
So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart
Cause I like to keep my issues drawn
It's always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, oh woah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, oh woah
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah

And it's hard to dance with the devil on your back (shake it out)
Given half the chance would I take any of it back? (shake it out)
It's a fine romance but it's left me so undone (shake it out)
It's always darkest before the dawn (shake it out)

Oh woah, oh woah...

And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't
So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my rope
And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope
It's a shot in the dark aimed right at my throat
Cause looking for heaven, found a devil in me
Looking for heaven, found a devil in me
But what the hell, I'm gonna let it happen to me

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, oh woah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, oh woah
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, oh woah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, oh woah
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah


12. LEAVE MY BODY

I'm gonna be released from behind these lines
And I don't care whether I live or die
And I'm losing blood, I'm gonna leave my bones
And I don't want your heart it leaves me cold

I don't want your future
I don't need your past
One grand moment
Is all I ask

I'm gonna leave my body
(Moving up to higher ground)
I'm gonna lose my mind
(History keeps pulling me down)
Said I'm gonna leave my body
(Moving up to higher ground)
I'm gonna lose my mind
(History keeps pulling me, pulling me down)

I don't need a husband, don't need no wife
And don't need the day, I don't need the night
And I don't need the birds let them fly away
And I don't want the clouds, they never seem to stay

I don't want no future
I don't need no past
One grand moment
Is all I ask

I don't want your future
I don't need your past
One grand moment
Is all I ask

I'm gonna leave my body
(Moving up to higher ground)
I'm gonna lose my mind
(History keeps pulling me down)
Said I'm gonna leave my body
(moving up to higher ground)
I'm gonna lose my, lose my mind
(History keeps pulling me, pulling me down)

Pulling me down
Pulling me down
Pulling me down
Pulling me, pulling me down

I'm gonna leave my body
(moving up to higher ground)
I'm gonna lose my mind
(History keeps pulling me down)
Said I'm gonna leave my body
(moving up to higher ground)
I'm gonna lose my mind
(History keeps pulling me, pulling me down)

Yeah, said I'm gonna leave my body
(moving up to higher ground)
I'm gonna lose my mind
(History keeps pulling me down)
(moving up to higher ground)
(History keeps pulling me, pulling me down)

lyrics added by LivSharon - Modify this lyrics