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.
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've come to burn your kingdom down
Holy water cannot help you now
See I've come 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 new saints to be canonized
And it's an evensong
It's a litany
It's a battle 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
And I'll be dead before the day is done
Before the day is done
Before the day is done
Before the day is done
You can't keep it out
It's coming through the walls
To devastate your heart
And to take take your soul
For what has been done
Cannot be undone
In the eagle's eye
In the evensong
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
A thousand armies couldn't keep me out
I don't want your money
I don't want your crown
See I've come to burn your kingdom down
Holy water cannot help you now
See I've come 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 new saints to be canonized
And it's an evensong
It's a litany
It's a battle 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
And I'll be dead before the day is done
Before the day is done
Before the day is done
Before the day is done
You can't keep it out
It's coming through the walls
To devastate your heart
And to take take your soul
For what has been done
Cannot be undone
In the eagle's eye
In the evensong
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
Lyrics submitted by llscience, edited by DG2001, Kiamelnaru, lilyparis, mdong, ShannieWasabi, nihilistgum, singwbluebirds, Floatthedisco, ms_gwyn, SpinoJB, gir620, AeneaJones, sandbugs, Hellopatrick, ZeVeegee, Niorra, ladysigyn, LadyLilith
Seven Devils Lyrics as written by Florence Welch Paul Epworth
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Florence Welch is a celebrity Doctor Who fan, and I have to say, these lyrics are PRETTY perfect, if too obvious, for the recent (and pivotal) episode, A Good Man Goes to War. In it the Doctor collects five allies to rescue a sixth (making seven total) from a religious sect and an entire army organized and trained specifically to fight him ("a thousand armies couldn't keep me out") based on their Doctor myth that reputes him to be a supernatural evil (making all the religious imagery in the song sort of a mockery). The Doctor's uncharacteristic anger and ego is a central issue to the story, which would fit the dramatic statement "I've come to burn your kingdom down."
The rest are spoilers for the episode and season, so I'm separating them. Don't read unless you've seen at least the six episodes preceding A Good Man Goes to War!
The season's subplot is, of course, the impending death of the Doctor, so "I'll be dead before the day is done" fits. And this is probably just a coincidence, but the big surprise twist finale of the episode reveals that the baby "Melody" ("it's a melody") goes on to become the woman "River Song" ("and no rivers and no lakes can put the fire out"), AND one plot point involves a language issue that confuses the word "pond" with the word "river." Like I said, probably a coincidence, but if Florence was going to drop hints, those would work.