Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine
In an interview, Florence has described the song as being about her late grandmother who died when Florence was just 11. In a dream, Florence’s grandmother gave Florence practical advice regarding her career.
Florence has stated Joan of Arc and her grandmother as being the core inspirations behind...
[Verse 1]
And I had a dream
About my old school
And she was there all pink and gold and glittering
I threw my arms around her legs
Came to weeping (Came to weeping)
Came to weeping (Came to weeping)
[Pre-Chorus]
And I heard your voice as clear as day
And you told me I should concentrate
It was all so strange and so surreal
That a ghost should be so practical
Only if for a night
[Chorus]
And the only solution was to stand and fight
And my body was bruised and I was set alight
But you came over me like some holy rite
And although I was burning, you're the only light
Only if for a night
[Verse 2]
And the grass was so green against my new clothes
And I did cartwheels in your honor
Dancing on tiptoes
My own secret ceremonials
Before the service began
In the graveyard doing handstands
[Pre-Chorus]
And I heard your voice as clear as day
And you told me I should concentrate
It was all so strange and so surreal
That a ghost should be so practical
Only if for a night
[Chorus]
And the only solution was to stand and fight
And my body was bruised and I was set alight
But you came over me like some holy rite
And although I was burning, you're the only light
Only if for a night
[Bridge]
My doe, my dear, my darling
Tell me what all the sighing is about
Tell me what all the sighing is about
[Pre-Chorus]
And I heard your voice as clear as day
And you told me I should concentrate
It was all so strange and so surreal
That a ghost should be so practical
[Outro]
Only if for a night (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, eh, eh)
Only if for a night (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, eh, eh)
Only if for a night (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, eh, eh)
Only if for a night (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, eh, eh)
Only if for a night (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, eh, eh)
Only if for a night (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, eh, eh)
Only if for a night (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, eh, eh)
Only if for a night (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, eh, eh)
Only If For a Night was written by Paul Epworth & Florence Welch.
Only If For a Night was produced by Paul Epworth.
Florence + the Machine released Only If For a Night on Fri Oct 28 2011.
The song begins with a church bell-like piano riff before Florence enters with her vocals. She told Spinner how producer Paul Epworth’s instrumentation prompted her to write the lyrics about her grandmother. Florence explained:
When Paul sent me this track that had church bells on it in the beginni...