Florence + the Machine: Only if For a Night Meaning

Song Released: 2011

Only if For a Night Lyrics

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

And I heard your voice
As clear as day
And you told me I should concentrate
It was...

1. anonymous

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   Aug 8th 2019 !⃝

   As someone who lost her father at a young age (5), I can attest to these feelings as a child at the funeral of a loved one, especially a parent or grand parent. No doubt in my mind this is about losing her grandmother
   
2. anonymous

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   Aug 17th 2015 !⃝

   I am in complete agreeance about it being related to her grandma. There is something about the song. I was very close to my grandma, however I lost her when I was nine. It was a protracted illness and I remember retreating into my own world, that no one else had known of, she fostered my imaginative side to a great extent and so I remember feeling as if it was a befitting way to grieve. I often think that if only I could see her again for just a few hours (a night), she would tell me to be happy, but return to life in a sense, don't neglect it in a fantasy realm.
3. anonymous

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   May 27th 2013 !⃝

   I think she is talking about her younger self. She is reminiscing about younger days when she was a child. Only if for a night she lets go of adulthood and let's herself go back to her younger carefree days. Old school meaning back in the day.
4. anonymous

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   Jul 12th 2012 !⃝

   I think it's about her granny's funeral. My grandmother died recently and this song is making me cry reivers! It almost describes how the person feel when an elderly loved one dies.
5. anonymous

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   Apr 20th 2012 !⃝

   I heard Flo talking about this song in an interview. She literally had a bizarre dream one night about her dead grandma and the seemingly odd advice she got to "concentrate". It was really beautiful hearing about it. Her grandma was in show business herself and hence was dressed in pink and sequins... Flo didn't really know why the setting in the dream took place at her old school. Just one of those odd but in reflection, poignant dreams that ends up being really relevant to your life. Love it...
6. anonymous

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   Apr 3rd 2012 !⃝

   Maybe her mother or grandmother died.
7. anonymous

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   Mar 20th 2012 !⃝

   About meeting a dead teacher.
8. anonymous

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   Nov 12th 2011 !⃝

   This song is about Florence at her her grandmother's funeral as a child. This makes the song personal and beautiful.

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