Florence and the machine what the water gave me – With Florence + The Machine’s hauntingly lovely soundscapes and Florence Welch’s highly effective vocals, we dive into the depths of their music, exploring the inspirations behind their iconic album, “Lungs,” and the story behind the tune that began all of it, “What the Water Gave Me.”
Their journey started within the midst of Florence’s childhood, the place she was uncovered to a wealthy tapestry of music and artwork, influencing her to create a novel sound that blends components of artwork rock, baroque pop, and indie rock.
Tune Evaluation: “What the Water Gave Me”

Florence and the Machine’s “What the Water Gave Me” stands as a poignant instance of the band’s potential to craft hauntingly lovely soundscapes that immerse listeners in a world of evocative themes and imagery. With its eerie instrumentation and Florence Welch’s highly effective vocals, the tune transports us to a realm of introspection and self-discovery. Delving deeper into the lyrics, we discover that the tune’s narrative is woven from threads of non-public battle, emotional turmoil, and the search for that means within the face of adversity.
Themes and Imagery
The lyrics of “What the Water Gave Me” revolve round Florence Welch’s personal experiences with psychological well being, relationships, and the fragility of the human psyche. The tune’s title itself hints at the concept the protagonist has been modified by some transformative expertise, maybe one which has left them feeling weak and uncovered. That is strengthened by way of water as a metaphor for the fluid, ever-changing nature of feelings. The imagery is vivid and unsettling, with Florence Welch’s vocals conjuring a way of urgency and desperation.
Musical Components
The tune’s haunting environment is essentially attributable to the even handed use of instrumentation. The inclusion of atmospheric synths and distorted guitars creates a way of rigidity, whereas the sparse percussive components serve to intensify the sense of unease. The addition of a outstanding bassline provides a way of depth to the association, whereas using strings (courtesy of Curtis Stewart on violins) offers a hovering counterpoint to Florence’s vocals.
Tempo and Construction
The tune’s tempo is sluggish and deliberate, permitting the listener to soak up the total weight of Florence Welch’s emotional supply. The construction of the tune is equally deliberate, with every part constructing upon the final to create a way of gradual escalation. That is mirrored within the association, which begins with a sparse, atmospheric intro and regularly builds to a climax of swirling synths and pounding drums.
- At 1:10, the primary strings enter, including a way of depth and texture to the association.
- At 2:15, the primary hints of the distorted guitar seem, including a way of rigidity to the tune.
- At 3:20, the bassline enters, offering a driving rhythmic component to the association.
| Instrument | Personnel |
|---|---|
| Violins | Curtis Stewart |
| Atmospheric synths | Florence and the Machine (uncredited) |
| Distorted guitar | Florence and the Machine (uncredited) |
Influences and Type
Florence Welch’s music is a wealthy tapestry of influences, weaving collectively components of artwork rock, baroque pop, and indie rock to create a novel sonic expertise. Her highly effective, soulful voice has drawn comparisons to different iconic feminine vocalists, significantly Kate Bush and PJ Harvey.
Influences of Kate Bush and PJ Harvey
Florence Welch’s work is deeply influenced by two of her musical precursors, Kate Bush and PJ Harvey.
Welch has typically cited Kate Bush as a serious inspiration for her theatrical, emotionally charged music.
Like Bush, Welch’s music typically blends artwork rock with folks and baroque components, creating a way of sweeping drama.
- Welch’s vocal fashion, significantly in tracks like “Shake It Out,” reveals a transparent debt to Kate Bush’s progressive use of vocal results and harmonies.
- Welch’s music, like Bush’s, typically incorporates components of mythology and folklore, including a layer of depth and that means to her lyrics.
Florence Welch has typically spoken in regards to the affect of PJ Harvey’s experimental and avant-garde strategy to music.
Welch has cited Harvey’s potential to push the boundaries of common music, incorporating components of noise and experimentation.
Like Harvey, Welch’s music typically blends indie rock with artwork rock and baroque pop components, creating a way of sonic experimentation.
Mixing Completely different Musical Genres
Florence Welch’s distinctive vocal fashion blends components of various musical genres, creating a particular sound that’s each acquainted and progressive.
- Welch’s voice, which has been described as a ” uncooked, emotional instrument,” is able to conveying a variety of feelings, from the deepest sorrow to essentially the most exuberant pleasure.
- Welch’s vocal fashion typically incorporates components of soul and R&B, including a way of swagger and confidence to her music.
- Welch’s music typically incorporates components of indie rock and folks, creating a way of intimacy and vulnerability.
Venn Diagram of Florence’s Type and Comparable Artists
When diagramming the relationships between Florence’s fashion and people of comparable artists, we are able to create a Venn diagram with overlapping circles representing totally different musical genres. The diagram may look one thing like this: [Description of a Venn diagram with overlapping circles of different musical genres, including indie rock, art rock, baroque pop, and soul/R&B.]
The most important circle represents Florence’s general fashion, which blends components of indie rock, artwork rock, and baroque pop. The smaller circles signify the affect of Kate Bush (artwork rock and folks) and PJ Harvey (indie rock and avant-garde experimentation). The overlapping areas of the circles signify the methods through which Florence’s music incorporates components of every of those types, creating a novel sound that’s each progressive and accessible.
Lyrics and Storytelling

In “What the Water Gave Me,” Florence Welch’s lyrical narrative is a wealthy tapestry of mythological and poetic imagery, drawing the listener right into a world of symbolism and metaphor. The tune’s lyrics are a masterful mix of non-public reflection, mythological allusion, and poetic aptitude, which collectively create a particular and haunting environment.
Evaluation of the Lyrics
The lyrics of “What the Water Gave Me” are a posh and multilayered narrative that defies easy interpretation. At its core, the tune is a meditation on the transformative energy of affection and loss, as embodied within the determine of the drowned girl, who’s each a illustration of the narrator and an emblem of the unconscious.
- The picture of the water is a recurring motif all through the lyrics, representing the unknown, the unconscious, and the transformative energy of affection and loss.
- The drowned girl is an emblem of the narrator’s personal experiences of affection and loss, in addition to a illustration of the collective unconscious.
- The tune’s use of mythological imagery, such because the reference to the goddess Ophelia, provides depth and complexity to the narrative, drawing on a wealthy cultural heritage of delusion and symbolism.
Themes in Florence’s Music
Florence Welch’s music is characterised by its themes of affection, loss, and transformation, that are woven all through the lyrics of “What the Water Gave Me.” These themes are mirrored within the tune’s use of mythological imagery, its deal with the transformative energy of affection and loss, and its exploration of the unconscious.
- Love is a central theme in Florence’s music, typically represented as a transformative and redemptive pressure.
- Loss can also be a recurring theme, typically related to the determine of the drowned girl, who represents the narrator’s personal experiences of affection and loss.
- Transformation is a key component of Florence’s music, typically represented as a means of religious or emotional renewal.
Diagram Illustrating the Relationships Between the Tune’s Lyrics and the Narrative of a Legendary Story, Florence and the machine what the water gave me
The diagram illustrates the relationships between the tune’s lyrics and the narrative of a legendary story, with arrows and phrases connecting the lyrics to the legendary narrative.
[The diagram shows a series of interconnected circles, with the song’s lyrics represented on the left and the mythical narrative represented on the right. The arrows and words connecting the circles illustrate the relationships between the lyrics and the mythical narrative.]
Within the diagram, the tune’s lyrics are represented by the next components:
* The picture of the water, which represents the unknown, the unconscious, and the transformative energy of affection and loss.
* The drowned girl, who’s an emblem of the narrator’s personal experiences of affection and loss, in addition to a illustration of the collective unconscious.
* The reference to the goddess Ophelia, which provides depth and complexity to the narrative, drawing on a wealthy cultural heritage of delusion and symbolism.
The legendary narrative is represented by the next components:
* The story of Ophelia, which is a traditional instance of a mythological narrative about love, loss, and transformation.
* The determine of the drowned girl, who’s a illustration of the collective unconscious and the transformative energy of affection and loss.
The diagram illustrates the relationships between the tune’s lyrics and the legendary narrative, with the arrows and phrases connecting the weather representing the methods through which the lyrics draw on and interpret the legendary narrative.
Musical Improvement and Affect: Florence And The Machine What The Water Gave Me

Florence and the Machine’s musical journey, evident of their early work, together with the monitor “What the Water Gave Me,” showcases vital development and evolution in Florence Welch’s creative imaginative and prescient. From the emotive, operatic pop of their early days to the extra experimental, atmospheric soundscapes in a while, the band’s growth displays an unwavering dedication to pushing boundaries and exploring inventive potentialities.
Musical Development
Key to understanding Florence and the Machine’s musical growth is analyzing their early work and main releases. Their 2009 debut album, LP1, marked a pivotal second within the band’s evolution, showcasing a uncooked, emotive vitality that has come to outline their sound. Subsequent releases, comparable to their 2011 album Ceremonials, demonstrated a refinement of their musical strategy, incorporating extra orchestral components and showcasing Welch’s highly effective vocals. Additional releases, like How Massive, How Blue, How Stunning, proceed to showcase the band’s development, experimenting with new textures and sonic landscapes.
Music Movies and Reside Performances
Florence and the Machine’s music movies and stay performances have lengthy been an integral a part of their creative growth. The band’s visually gorgeous movies, typically that includes elaborate costumes and hanging imagery, have helped to cement their standing as one of the crucial participating and theatrical stay acts of the previous decade. From the sweeping grandeur of their “Canine Days Are Over” video to the haunting great thing about “What the Water Gave Me,” their visible storytelling provides depth and richness to their music.
Timeline of Main Releases and Performances
| Launch Date | Album/Tune |
|---|---|
| 2009 | LP1 |
| 2011 | Ceremonials |
| 2015 | How Massive, How Blue, How Stunning |
| 2022 | Harm Management |
Affect on Different Artists
Florence and the Machine’s distinctive mix of anthemic pop, atmospheric electronica, and orchestral aptitude has undoubtedly influenced a brand new era of artists. Bands like Haim, Florence’s long-time mates and collaborators, have cited the Machine as a key inspiration, whereas artists like St. Vincent and Lykke Li have drawn on Florence’s emotive, atmospheric soundscapes in their very own work. The band’s stay performances, too, have impressed different acts to push the boundaries of what’s attainable in a stay setting, from the theatricality of Marina and the Diamonds to the experimental strategy of FKA twigs.
Legacy and Modern Relevance
Because the band continues to evolve and experiment with new sounds, it is clear that Florence and the Machine’s legacy extends far past their early successes. Their progressive strategy to music, visible storytelling, and stay efficiency has paved the way in which for a brand new era of artists, cementing their standing as one of the crucial influential and beloved bands of the twenty first century.
Closing Notes
As we mirror on the fascinating world of Florence + The Machine, we’re reminded of the transformative energy of music, the great thing about storytelling, and the enduring legacy of Florence Welch’s distinctive voice.
From the sweeping orchestral preparations to the poignant lyrics that whisper secrets and techniques of affection, loss, and transformation, “What the Water Gave Me” stays a poignant testomony to the band’s artistry and emotional depth.
Prime FAQs
What’s Florence + The Machine’s distinctive sound impressed by?
Florence Welch’s childhood publicity to artwork, music, and literature influenced her distinctive sound, mixing components of artwork rock, baroque pop, and indie rock.
How does Florence Welch’s vocal fashion mix musical genres?
Florence’s highly effective, hovering vocals draw from numerous genres, incorporating operatic and soulful components to create a novel sound that transcends boundaries.
What’s the significance of the band’s identify, Florence + The Machine?
The band’s identify is impressed by a Victorian-era poetry system referred to as the ekphrastic poem, the place artwork evokes and is impressed by literature.