Looking at The Meaning Of My Song Choice

What The Water Gave Me- Florence and The Machine

Florence, herself, on the meaning; ‘It’s a song for the water, because in music and art, what I’m really interested in are the things that are overwhelming. The ocean seem to be natures great overwhelming. When I was writing this song I was thinking a lot about all those people who’ve lost their lives in vain attempts to save their loved ones from drowning. It’s about water in all forms and all bodies. It’s about a lot of things; Virginia Woolf creeps into it, and of course Frieda Kahlo, who’s painfully beautiful painting gave me the title.’

Looking at The Lyrics:

I decided to analysis the lyrics to find out the meaning of the song. The writing in red is my interpretation and ideas of what the artist is trying to say through the lyrics.
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 a lover perhaps.
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 stones from the beach (from the theme of Virginia Woolf)

Lay me down swept up on the beach. A sexual link?  Submission to the ocean?
Let the only sound nothing else
Be the overflow

And oh poor Atlas Atlas the greek god who holds the world
The world's a beast of a burden
You've been holding on a long time talking about Atlas holding the world
And all this longing
And the ships are left to rust abandoned/ ruins/ wreckage
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 the ocean drowned them
But returned them in exchange for you
But would you have it any other way?     Would you sacrifice yourself for someone you love?
Would you have it any other way? Talking to the ocean
You could have had it any other way

'Cause she's a cruel mistress As in the ocean is cruel
And a bargain must be made In exchange
But oh, my love, don't forget me
But, I let the water take me Sacrificing yourself

So, lay me down
Let the only sound nothing else
Be the over flow
Pockets full of stones

Lay me down swept up on the beach. A sexual link?Let the only sound
Be the overflow

So, lay me down
Let the only sound
Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
Pockets full of stones Stones from the beach

Lay me down
Let the only sound
Be the overflow
From the Artist:

During an interview with NME, Florence Welch revealed how she looked in Freida Kahlo painting by saying, "At lot of the time when I'm writing, things will just appear. I was writing the song and this book on symbolism was lying around, and it had the painting in it. It's nice to mix the ordinary with extraordinary." She further stated that the song talked about "children who are swept out to sea, and their parents go in after them and try to rescue them."

Frieda Kahlo
'What The Water Gave Me'

The main theme of the song is Virginia Woolf's death; her walked into the water with her pockets filled with stones is the theme of the song.

By looking at the song lyrics, it has helped me to understand the meaning of the song so that I can apply it to my music video. The song's main theme is the ocean, the way that it can take peoples lives, the relationship that she has with it and the references to Greek Gods like that of 'Atlas'. I'm glad that I did this analysis because before I looked closely at these, I didn't know the true meaning of the song which made it difficult for me to be inspired by the lyrics. However, I now have the ability to reflect the lyrics in my music video.