Various Storms & Saints

Album: How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful (2015)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Many of the tracks on How Big How Blue How Beautiful are about Florence Welch being in a relationship with someone who is driving her away. This song finds the songstress trying to cut ties with the man who's bringing her down, but she just can't shake him from her life.

    The lyrics include a line from a poem by Marty McConnell called Frida Kahlo to Marty McConnell, which Welch has pinned to the wall behind her bed:

    You had to have him, so you did.

    "I was writing a pep talk to myself, almost," she told The Evening Standard. "I like to hide behind reverb and a lot of backing vocals but Markus (Dravs, producer) pushed my vocals forward and was quite adamant about it. It's another layer of taking down your defenses and I was scared."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Bob Daisley

Bob DaisleySongwriter Interviews

Bob was the bass player and lyricist for the first two Ozzy Osbourne albums. Here's how he wrote songs like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" with Ozzy and Randy Rhoads.

Ed Roland of Collective Soul

Ed Roland of Collective SoulSongwriter Interviews

The stories behind "Shine," "December," "The World I Know" and other Collective Soul hits.

Billy Joe Shaver

Billy Joe ShaverSongwriter Interviews

The outlaw country icon talks about the spiritual element of his songwriting and his Bob Dylan mention.

Keith Reid of Procol Harum

Keith Reid of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

As Procol Harum's lyricist, Keith wrote the words to "A Whiter Shade Of Pale." We delve into that song and find out how you can form a band when you don't sing or play an instrument.

Bryan Adams

Bryan AdamsSongwriter Interviews

What's the deal with "Summer of '69"? Bryan explains what the song is really about, and shares more of his songwriting insights.

Guy Clark

Guy ClarkSongwriter Interviews

Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett are just a few of the artists who have looked to Clark for insightful, intelligent songs.