The Rise of The Phoenix:
Lyric Review #1 Florence and the Machine’s “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,
Its always darkest before the dawn,
And Ive been a fool and i’ve been blind,
I can never leave my past behind
I can see no way, I can see no way,
Im always dragging that horse around,
All of his questions such a mournful sound,
Tonight I’m gonna bury that horse in the ground,
Cause I like to keep my issues drawn,
Its always darkest before the dawn,
SHAKE IT OUT ! SHAKE IT OUT !
Shake it out! Shake it out! x2
And its hard to dance with a devil on your back,
So shake him off,
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,
Its always darkest before the dawn …
And its hard to dance with a devil on your back,
Given half the chance, would I take any of it back,
Its a fine romance but its left me so undone…
Its always darkest before the dawn,
Florence Welch’s ‘Shake it out’ is a much cherished and adored song by me and assumed massed. As an individual I must simply break the “formula” used that made the song such a genius masterpiece. The theme of the song is a story of tragedy, darkness, and dust, and later in contrast rings of triumph and much sought after emotional relief. This piece of music implies the story of the phoenix, burning in a fire you or another individual may have conjured and ignited. Finding yourself firsthand and struggling to dispatch flames to your fate. The moment of panic is the worst part of the scenario, but in the end, you’ll manage. Several qoutes and stanzas string together an overall piece of admirable beauty. “Its always darkest before the dawn” a fact of nature, yet a lesson in life. A situation appears dreadful before the light. “I’m always dragging that horse around, all of his questions, such a mournful sound”. Shes letting go and killing voices that bring a conniving, nostalgia, later stating her plans to bury him in the ground.
“All the ghouls come out to play , every demon wants his pound a flesh. “The ghouls and demons wants his pound of flesh. The ‘ghouls and demons’ signify her own intimidating and taunting memories. She calls herself a blind fool in another stanza, explaining that she could see ‘no way, no way’. She could see no way out. Didn’t see the destruction in process, aswell as the quoute “looking for heaven, found the devil in me” and that she’s over with her graceless heart, meaning she’s over being clumsy with her stroll in life.
Tripping and stumbling over things that cause treacherous sufferings. Saying she will cut it out and begin a brand new beat. “And Im damned if I do, and i’m damned if I dont. Its a shot aimed right at my throat” She states within this part a realization that is once again darkest before the dawn, and that she must take a leap of risky, shaky, faith to get to where she needs: pure refuge, “A shot in the dark” She doesn’t know where the bullet may end, but it is better than where she lies currently. “And finally, “Its hard to dance, with a devil on your back, so shake him off”. You can’t live life free with emotional luggage, you must rid of them to be light on carriage and genuinely free. As if the lyrics weren’t anymore bewitching the instrumentals were a gorgeous compliment. A main tone of triumph and dramatic antics, ending with a calm decrease. Signifying self comfort . A voice of might and torture, frustration. A true emotional crescando, Florence Welch proves to quite the epic heroine survivor, a dynamic soul.
