In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
The looking glass so shiny and new
How quickly the glamor 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 winds
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
How quickly the glamor 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 winds
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
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I think the song is about a young woman who is afraid of human closeness because of bad experiences she made in her past while she was vulnerable (when she was a child) and now still feels like she is in danger if she doesn't hide herself. The person who wants to get near to her has to raise up "the offering" which could mean, he has to invest more feelings so she could dare to get into contact. In fact it's her own fear, she hat to overcome. The fear is represented by a metaphorical figure she calls "Midas". Could be that the idea of Midas is related to her father. Anyway, if the fear keeps controling her, she will get cold inside, unable to feel anything ("turn into gold"), being an empty shell, beautiful but unable to reach. But the person that wants to get through to her is also not confidable (or doesn't seem to be), he doesn't show his face and obliges her into a fight, or she puts herself into the fight because she can't trust. She has to become brave and this means she has to leave her fear behind (shed her skin) and lead off the fight. She offers herself as a gift because no matter how she acts she probably can't win but she prefers to be brave and get into contact, even if this will kill her because if she gives herself to somenone else at least she will no longer be the victim of Midas. In my oppinion the fight will be lost by both of them. That's why it's impossible to say who is the lamb and who is the knife because. In a manner they are both the same.
Well, I understand the whole thing about it her breaking into the music industry, but the Lewis Carroll reference is really clear here. Likening her emerging into the lucrative, dark and difficult record industry is like her tumbling down the rabbit hole and suddenly seeing all the butterflies and toadstools morphing into something increasingly more twisted and trippy as the story continues.
@Agita Or it could be about her maybe having ADHD and "this is a gift it comes with a price" or drug use " which pill to take" or literally a song about the occult and freeing yourself of a bad ritual but it takes years of suffering on earth to avoid death in such a scenario.
I agree mostly with AlmightyGingerOne's interpretation, but I have something to add
There is a story in the bible about King Midas, a man who gets to ask for anything he wants and so he asks to have the ability to turn everything he touches into gold - this seems to be a blessing at first, but one day when he goes to hold his daughter in his arms, she turns into solid gold.
For the daughter, Midas would have been someone she trusted, but instead he seemed to turn on her, and change her into something more of value to him. Of course it was an accident, but the daughter wouldn't have known that.
So the line could mean that someone close to her or someone that she trusted, has betrayed her because they've found someone/something better. This could relate to the music industry.
This could lead to her not knowing who to trust:<br /> <br /> Who is the lamb and who is the knife?
I just have to say...the story of King Midas isn't in the Bible. It's a myth. <br /> <br /> However, you are right on all the rest of the details. And I like your interpretation.
well the bible is a myth ;)
pretty confident I got them right
Heard it drop on Steve Lamacq's in new music we trust show. She said she's been a studio squirrel lately she keeps saying its done then changes her mind and is like no i just need to tweak this one line! Steve described it as very tribal compared to dog days was quite primal to which she responded she thouhgt it was quite Balearic dance. with the chellos in there
she went on to explain "Iv been doing all this heavy dark stuff and i just wanted somthing to express that sort of joyfull sort of side to the music. but then again once i started doing that the lyrics started getting dark again. and then it became all about like ritual sacrifice and like who is the lamb and who is the knife. And i think it was just all about me about to jump into the limelight and being in the music industry stuff like that. but it is sorta joyful in a way because its all about giving yourself up and letting it go and you start off being a sort of timid rabbit heart and you have to become courageous and become a lion heart"
Sorry its jumbled but she does tend to talk that way in interviews
Florence has the most unique and amazing voice i have never heard someone like her she is the amazing musician and performer. she truly has a gift.
I think we've all got a firm grasp on this song.. the only thing I'd like to add is something about the Midas reference. I doubt Florence meant it this way since she's not american- though I'm sure she is aware of the music here. But you know, we have "hit makers" here. They're probably all over the world, but since I'm american, I am most familiar with the ones here. But we have these producers and stuff who produce HITS. Fun songs with catchy hooks, infectious beats... and very little attention to lyrical content. But they're fun summer songs. It's your favorite song for about a month but then you get sick of it cause it's just a shallow pop song. I like to believe she is saying that a singer needs to be wary of these producers with the midas touch, because it too is a curse.
but it's a fantastic song! It sounds so ethereal and it has like a pagan goddess feel. It's like floaty.. It seems like she could be levitating at any given moment due to this song.
Thank you! I never really thought of that before, but I agree with you. It makes perfect sense.
Thank you! I never really thought of that before, but I agree with you. It makes perfect sense.
I get a very pagan feel from this. Yes, there are sacrifices in the Bible but sacrifices were just a part of everyday life back then.
"Who is the lamb and who is the knife"
I think the song has multiple interpretations. Relationships, music industry, spirituality/religion... All of them require sacrifice of self and giving and receiving. King Midas and the Alice reference are merely analogies. Regardless..it's still a beautiful song! I've listened to it so much. Her voice is fucking beautiful! I get a lifted feeling listening to this. Why does sacrifice have to be a negative thing? It's not always....
yeah, it's baisically about how being in the music industry you have to be brave. and it's about her becoming brave. offering herself up to the industry because she has a gift, and has to use it, but she understands that she's going to have to change to survive that industry.
x
hey that's a great interpretation xx
yeah, after your interpretation I felt like the Midas line really fell into place. greatttt
uh, yea. selling her soul for fame. duh
She is a really magnificent artist. Whenever this song springs up on me, I actually have to dance, which is exactly how I felt when I started hearing Dog Days. What is this magic spells she weaves? I think it's the harp. Plus there's the King Midas references in there, which I enjoy.
brilliant! makes me want to sing along, her voice is so powerful and expressive.
this is such an incredible song. the chorus is of course perfection, but the bridge also is just ... amazing. the whole thing is brilliant.