I think this song is about Florence Welch's recovery from her alcohol and substance abuse issues. Addiction recovery can often feel worse before it feels better, and I think that's what this song describes.
Welch's lyrics talk about "climbing up the walls for that flashing light", the sun blinding her (being hungover), never being able to say no to a drink. She wants to be free of her addiction ("I'm gonna be free and I'm gonna be fine") but knows it's not a quick process ("Maybe not tonight.") She sometimes feels she will never recover: "These chains never leave me, I keep dragging them around."
I think Delilah represents whomever or whatever convinced her to seek treatment. She's "dancing with Delilah and her vision is mine," she can see a future for herself without alcoholism, but the practice is harder than the idea.
The chorus, the biggest and most emotional part of the song, is about the struggle. Alcohol withdrawals can be severe and even life-threatening, they are "a different kind of danger" than drinking. Emotions also run high and some recovering alcoholics fly into rages: "pull the pillars down" could be in reference to a rage. "Calling for my mother" expresses her fear at what she's going through and the helplessness she might feel during the withdrawal.
The last three lines of the chorus are some of my all-time favorite:
"And my feet are spinning round
Never knew I was a dancer
'Til Delilah showed me how."
Through a chaotic and terrifying and insanely difficult process, she's discovering things she never knew about herself, and maybe she's not sure what to think about them yet.
Amazing and powerful song, my favorite on the new album.
I think this song is about Florence Welch's recovery from her alcohol and substance abuse issues. Addiction recovery can often feel worse before it feels better, and I think that's what this song describes.
Welch's lyrics talk about "climbing up the walls for that flashing light", the sun blinding her (being hungover), never being able to say no to a drink. She wants to be free of her addiction ("I'm gonna be free and I'm gonna be fine") but knows it's not a quick process ("Maybe not tonight.") She sometimes feels she will never recover: "These chains never leave me, I keep dragging them around."
I think Delilah represents whomever or whatever convinced her to seek treatment. She's "dancing with Delilah and her vision is mine," she can see a future for herself without alcoholism, but the practice is harder than the idea.
The chorus, the biggest and most emotional part of the song, is about the struggle. Alcohol withdrawals can be severe and even life-threatening, they are "a different kind of danger" than drinking. Emotions also run high and some recovering alcoholics fly into rages: "pull the pillars down" could be in reference to a rage. "Calling for my mother" expresses her fear at what she's going through and the helplessness she might feel during the withdrawal.
The last three lines of the chorus are some of my all-time favorite: "And my feet are spinning round Never knew I was a dancer 'Til Delilah showed me how." Through a chaotic and terrifying and insanely difficult process, she's discovering things she never knew about herself, and maybe she's not sure what to think about them yet.
Amazing and powerful song, my favorite on the new album.