Florence + The Machine – Dog Days Are Over lyrics

Florence + The Machine – Dog Days Are Over lyrics

Happiness hit her like a train on a track
Coming towards her stuck still no turning back
She hid around corners and she hid under beds
She killed it with kisses and from it she fled
With every bubble she sank with her drink
And washed it away down the kitchen sink

The dog days are over
The dog days are done
The horses are coming
So you better run

Run fast for your mother, run fast for your father
Run for your children, for your sisters and brothers
Leave all your love and your longing behind
You can't carry it with you if you want to survive

The dog days are over
The dog days are done
Can you hear the horses?
'Cause here they come

And I never wanted anything from you
Except everything you had and what was left after that too, oh
Happiness hit her like a bullet in the back
Struck from a great height by someone who should know better than that

The dog days are over
The dog days are done
Can you hear the horses?
'Cause here they come

Run fast for your mother, run fast for your father
Run for your children, for your sisters and brothers
Leave all your love and your longing behind
You can't carry it with you if you want to survive

The dog days are over
The dog days are done
Can you hear the horses?
'Cause here they come

The dog days are over
The dog days are done
The horses are coming
So you better run

Lyrics taken from /lyrics/f/florence_the_machine/dog_days_are_over.html

Songwriters: Florence Leontine Mary Welch, Isabella Janet Florentina Summers

Dog Days Are Over lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group

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k

+ 21
Kelly0812 2011-07-06 17:55:57

Here's a more personal interpretation:.
I think this song is, as many have said, about the hard times ("dog days") being over, but I think the bits where she says "she hid under beds" and "run fast for..." and especially "you can't carry it with you if you want to survive," all kind of indicate, for me, a sense that the happiness was resisted at first, ("from it she fled")
Obviously it came on very suddenly (with all the images of horses and bullets and trains), but have you ever been in a situation where happiness is beckoning to you, but because of everything in your past, and bad experiences and memories, and fear of the situation going south, you resist going forward into it? I definitely have, and that's why I love this song so much. Florence nailed it.
I think she has fallen in love very quickly, and is afraid to get too far into it because of her past negative experiences, but, "you can't carry [those] with you if you want to survive."
In fact, she's sort of accepted it already, as she says "from someone who should have known better" and "can you hear the horses? Because here they come."
This song is like the moment the dawn breaks.

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U

+ 19
Unregistered 2011-12-16 22:33:36

The speaker finally realizes that life has so much more meaning to pointless and fruitless unrequited love. She finds that she is able to move on - as painful as it is - and she finds true happiness. She still experiences moments of pain, but she realizes escaping from her failed love before it further hurt her was the best thing she could do. And now she's running through the sunlight and leaving it all behind because it's a burden she can live without. And she's looking to the horizon with a smile on her face and a song in her heart.

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U

+ 10
Unregistered 2012-06-11 18:08:22

The end is coming, so let go of everything. The four horse men of the apocalypse. But only the end of the world as we know it, the only way to survive is to find out what love really is, let go of pain, and the things you long for, let go of the ones you love and the things you love, and do it for them, because you love them. Run. And don't be held back by anything. It's for you.

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m

+ 7
MissN 2011-05-06 10:50:33

This song is biblical, but in a non-religious creative sense. Someone earlier mentioned dystopia, and yes, to a point you're correct. This song is about the obliteration of "sin" in Sodom and Gomorrah. First, Dog Days in ancient Egypt, were considered cursed, and also periods of ritualistic sacrifice to the "gods" to appease natural disaster. With this, Sodom and Gomorrah were noted in the Bible for significant sexual deviance and more notably, Idol worship. God tells Lot, before the destruction of the city, "I'm going to allow you and your family safe passage, because this place is going down. DO NOT look back, and don't doubt that you'll be punished if you do." The "Her" is Lot's wife, who very much loved her city. As they flee, she looks back with longing on a place she didn't want to leave, because she loved it too much. God kept his promise and transformed her in to a pillar of salt.
The horses represent the Bible, and it's promise that God would send horses as a sign of warning to the end of days-Riders would lead these horses in and Hell would follow them over earth.
Songwriters use Biblical reference, obscure or otherwise, to create great music. The Killers also did this with one of their most famous songs, U2 as well. It makes for some good writing, ironically.

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U

+ 6
Unregistered 2012-05-31 08:15:35

This song is about the collective spiritual renewal happening on the planet. The old corrupt patriarch system is dead. We're learning to be happy and free again. It is being lead through women and the reigniting of the goddess. The goddess is learning to get back up off her knees, stop hiding under the bed. But she warns its a bumpy road and you must cast aside living a life controlled by your desires and need for control if you and run with the flow of change sweeping the planet. This woman is a reincarnation of an ancient celtic priestess. She is very wise and speaks symbolic language like a genius.

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l

+ 4
Libby Peasley 2015-10-10 15:00:39

I think a lot of her music is to do with mental health struggles, even if she doesn't realize it, she seems to say a lot don't have meaning from what I've read so far. But she writes some of the most meaningful songs I've ever known! I think she perhaps suffers from codependency, it really explains a lot about her and her music, she's such a gorgeous soul! For me dog days is about coming out of a depressive state or breakdown, after leaving toxic people or a toxic partner behind, and embracing the overwhelming happiness, seems almost manic in its finest form :).

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U

+ 3
Unregistered 2012-07-18 18:25:55

"dog days" (latin: diē s caniculā rē s) are the hottest, most sultry days of summer. In the northern hemisphere, the dog days of summer are most commonly experienced in the months of july and august, which typically observe the warmest summer temperatures. In the southern hemisphere, they typically occur in january and february, in the midst of the austral summer. The name comes from the ancient belief that sirius, also called the dog star, in close proximity to the sun was responsible for the hot weather. - wiki.

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U

+ 3
Unregistered 2011-12-21 11:25:25

I think it is about a girl and her and her family didn't have the best life and she decides to escape that way of life. This is basically saying the bad days are behind you, you've made a good decision to leave now don't look back, don't sink back into that life style. Keep going for all of those who love you and let them escape that life style that they are stuck with through you.

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r

+ 3
russianpointe233 2011-04-25 04:22:55

I don't know. When I hear the song and see the video, I see escaping from a society that is collapsing in on itself. I have a strange, macabre fascination with dystopian worlds, so maybe I'm predisposed to thinking that way, but the lyrics fit. Happiness hit her like a train on a track--for people who like that genre of literature (think Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury or Anthem by Ayn Rand), these societies always have a false illusion of happiness, so the happiness could be the realization of how false it is. And when the protagonist in these novels run away from the society, they have to leave behind everything they have, which usually isn't very much, but it means a lot.
There are a few mistakes in the lyrics. One verse says "leave all your love and your longing behind" but another says "leave all your love and your loving behind." I believe it's longing.

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m

+ 3
musicloverdd 2011-04-23 12:25:30

I'm facinated at the various interpretations of the lyrics. I do want to point out that feildmaster is right that it should be "Happiness hit her like a train on a track". Now relisten to the song and you will notice that the music is definately mimicing a train and her Wohoohoo is even mimicing the whistle. The music builds as the train would go faster. Its a facinating piece of music. I'd like to think its more about someone resisting falling in love and is mearly run down by it. But I think the interpretations about it being about an abusive love are worth considering.

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b

+ 3
BlueDiogenes 2011-04-07 07:54:48

I think Chillypepper is on to it. It's about an abusive relationship. "She's" running from "Happiness" because whoever it is that she's loving (ie happiness) is hurting her ("happiness hit her like a bullet in the back, struck from a great height, by someone who should know better than that").
The Dog Days were the good times, the horses coming is the impending doom of this abusive relationship. Because the drums, tone, and rhythm of the song seems to invoke that Native American theme I'd say the sounds of horses representing the whites coming to take everything from the Natives, thus ending the Dog Days is an apt observation.
The chorus reveals the message of the song "Run for your mother, etc" is telling her that you can't hold on to an abusive love or it will kill you, go back to those who support and love you in a positive way (mother, father, etc).
Not really a Christian song but as an outsider the basic message of Christianity has always seemed to me as being "Provide and seek positive and healing love to all your fellow man so that we may all overcome the pains of life and in that find and provide salvation to the world". I believe that message can be found in this song.
Maybe I've got it, maybe not but I think we can all agree that this is one great song.

2 replies
j

+ 3
jomomma 2011-04-06 01:24:24

"She" is Babylon the Great or false religion hiding from "Happiness" or God on judgment day while he hunts her down with the 4 horsemen. She is drunk on the wine made of the blood of the nations that she's blessed the killing of through war by the governments she's in bed with. We are warned to take our family's and run for the hills leaving behind the "things" we love because we can't escape while burdened with material items. Revelation 18: 4 warns us to "get out of her (babylon the great) if we don't want to share in the plagues that will befall her".

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a

+ 3
autumnwank 2011-02-27 20:24:42

I agree with trueblonderocker. I just recently started reading the bible and am fascinated by Revelations and this song is very clearly biblical. According to Revalations, horses will wage war on those who are not "saved" on judgement day. The reference to family means stay close to and value family love because nothing else will go with you to the next level. Even if you've got the love is a cover, these two songs fit togther very well. Another song that I just realized references same scenario is War Pigs by Black Sabbath, always loved the song, but just now understand the reference to judgement day. Crazy to think Ozzy got that message before a saner person like myself did, hahaha.

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c

+ 2
cat3406 2015-01-20 01:24:18

I've read many of the interpretation on line and I have to say that I think many people are living in the dog days ie:a state of naivete and innocence. Many other fans I have asked agree that the song is about an abusive relationship; heroin addiction. I don't believe "Flo" when she says its random lines strung together to create poetry. Every word and image were very thoughtfully chosen. When realize "horse" is one street term for heroine the chorus makes perfect sense. Run for help fast! The horses will destroy you. To use some of the imagery from the video you will ultimately be into hell.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2013-10-05 00:49:17

Somehow this song reminds me of a serial killer, that standard horror movie sketch: a young girl is being chased all over. People want her dead. She tries to avoid them in many different ways, but in the end she kisses her friends and family good bye because she knows that they'll come for them next but she still needs to leave. It is also an example of how your world can turn upside down just like that. One minute she's happy, then the next she's on the run.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-07-14 18:15:00

It is about getting over a relationship. The dog days are over stands for the mourning period of a relationship coming to an end. That's why it is essential to leave all the love and longing behind. Because if you want to survive the aftermath of a relationship, you need to let go of past hurt, past good and bad, tell yourself that the dog days are over and run with the horses instead!

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-07-07 20:42:35

God has something far better than human happiness and love, and it will sweep over you if you allow yourself to believe he is real and loves you so much he died in your place to pay for your sins. Be warned, he will carry you away far beyond where you might have intended, but it is to prepare you for his marriage to you as his believing bride.
When you repent of your sins, your own vein efforts to give life meaning, and accept him, the dog days will be over, for ever!

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-07-06 10:49:12

It's about facing an unexpectedly "real" love - an adult, more healthy relationship than previous ones (she 'killed with kisses' and 'fled' from them). But realizing finally what she has, she has an amazing moment of understanding that the 'dog days' (hard times in love) are over - she's found what she always wanted but hadn't yet achieved. "can't carry with you" the former doubts, mistakes in relationship, etc, that didn't work. She must be her authentic self, not needy, clingy but as a whole person meeting another in a new kind of relationship.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-06-17 04:21:16

I heard this song a long time ago but only recently actually thought about the lyrics, and it happened to be during a very difficult time, so to me it will always keen one thing- to me, it's about a daughter with an abusive father. She's just turned sixteen and is leaving and starting her own life, and that makes her incredibly happy, but she's at the same time leaving her mother and brother whom she loves. The little girl inside her wants to simply run and hide and disappear before her chance at happiness forces her to leave them behind. She doesn't want to forget what her life had been because the pain/sadness helps her know that it is real, but she has to leave all that she wished for and all that she loved behind her in order to survive.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-06-14 21:56:33

For me, it's like falling in love, and not being sure of yourself, or the relationship, but by saying the dog days are over, for it meaning that you no longer want to hide your love, and when the bullet hit her in the back, she realized the facade, and decided to see the truth and be happy, and allow herself to be consumed by love, and not the heartbreak that she had been putting herself through.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-05-29 04:57:02

She stuck in a relationship that she can't really get out of because she has no reason to leave other then she's not as happy as she could be. She's been with him for too long and hasn't had the happiness from her family and friends because she's stuck with this boy. Hearing the horses coming means your chance of freedom is coming and if you don't take that chance your stuck even longer. Leaving all or love and longing behind you means if you keep dwelling on the relationship she will never get passed her love for him, and won't live the life of happiness. Because she's been in a relationship for too long and she just isn't happy missing out on her family and friends. She's still a young girl with so much more happiness I front of her then in a relationship she's doubting and dwelling on.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-05-18 18:07:48

I think florence is writing about a person who works hard to achieve something, but never believes the work is done. This person "runs" from happiness because she believes that she doesn't deserve it or because she doesn't realize that her work is done.
She is telling herself that the dog days are gone, but it's not something she wants to see. I don't think that happiness as a bullet is meant as a violent force, but as an awakening one. It's saying, "look, you are here, you have made it. Stop trying and look around you, the work is done. "
That's my interpretation.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-05-18 16:07:24

No time left for sleeping. No more dog days. Too much resting leaves you wide open for any kind of happiness, good or hurtful, but it always hits and appears good at first. Happiness from the dog days hit her like a bullet by someone who should know better than to take advantage of her restfulness. The sleepy days are over. The platonic (white/dark) horses of runaway emotions are coming and she is in the way. Run away from the chaotic runaways to save yourself.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-05-17 09:20:34

I think that this song is about a girl who realizes that her love interest is no good for her, and how she gets out of her "dog days".
In the first verse, I think the florence is referring to a love interest, which causes her to feel a roller coaster of emotion, from "happiness hit her like a train on a track" to "with every bubble she sank with her drink (alcohol which depicts depression)".
"run fast for your mother, run fast for your father.
Run for your children, for your sisters and brothers".
Is like saying "you're family knows what is good for you, and they agree with you staying away from this person"
"the horses are coming, so you better run" is saying that the love interest is going to try and drag you back into the chaos of the relationship, but don't falter.
"leave all your love and your loving behind you, can't carry it with you if you want to survive" is basically saying that if you want to do well in the world, you can't rely on this person; you need to do what is best for you.
"and I never wanted anything from you.
Except everything you had.
And what was left after that too, oh.
Happiness it hurt like a bullet in the mind.
Struck from a great height.
By someone who should know better than that".
The first two lines are from the point of view of the love interest, the first line being his words and the second being his unsaid intentions. And the last two lines depict the love interest shooting the girl in the head, and the florence is saying he/she should know better than to act the way they are.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-05-15 13:43:10

I don't know the meaning of the song, for all I know florence may be writing about getting over a hangover. For me the, at this moment, my marriage has ended, my wife left me for someone else, and yes I was crushed. But now I see how much stronger I am without her, I am no longer everything she blamed me for inside. I see I did nothing wrong. I left what love I had for her at the door and I am starting to live. She expected me to fail and I am not, I am building a better life because I left her behind. That is what this means to me.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-05-14 20:37:59

"dog days" (latin: diē s caniculā rē s) are the hottest, most sultry days of summer.
In ancient rome, the dog days extended from july 24 through august 24, or, alternatively, july 23 through august 23. In many european cultures (german, french, italian) this period is still said to be the time of the dog days.
The old farmer's almanac lists the traditional timing of the dog days as the 40 days beginning july 3 and ending august 11, coinciding with the ancient heliacal (at sunrise) rising of the dog star, sirius. These are the days of the year when rainfall is at its lowest levels.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-05-11 14:57:19

I think all of these examples are great (except when new posts pick on previous ones. Not necessary, really, let's enjoy the open forum and sharing and not be judgmental and condescending. I personally don't see christ in this song but someone else obviously does! And so be it! Why does the mention of christ and god freak people out or provoke a negative reaction? Those two words/names simply signify 'love', that's all.) anyhow. I say it's about a female or male who may have been in a bad way, has realized/tasted happiness and can not deny it any longer. She/he tried but now has to run with it. If the love and longings are not rewarded, leave them behind and find true love and longing won't exist. Then I read the 'bullet in the back. From someone who should know better than that' and I think 'well, now I don't know what to think? ' contradicts the previous thoughts. So, may be song writers sometimes go off on a tangent and write 'what ever! ' because it rhymes. That's it from me! The meanings of flo's songs fall in the 'too hard basket' for me but I do still love them. She's wicked.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-05-05 10:19:45

I think someone was in love but to scared to face it for fear of getting hurt. It could be she was in love with a dangerous person who could hurt the people she loves. Maybe she was at a point where she either had to run away with this person and save her family or stay with her family [maybe even endangering them]. It could also mean that she landed in some trouble and had to run away to save her family from harms way. "leave all your love and your longings behind you, can't carry it with you if you want to survive. ".

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-05-02 12:40:03

If you've been hurt by love and you run to avoid it, but aren't careful it will smack you upside the head. I hurt my wife and she is divorcing me, but she still loves me (and I her!). I am changing completely, for her, waiting for her, learning to love her. "dog days" are the hottest, most sultry days of summer. She still wants to be with me sexually. And when we are together it is an amazing, emotional connection. She tries to kill the pain with kisses. And for a moment, she is happy without a relationship. But then. Happiness hits her like a train on a track. Happiness hits her like a bullet in the back. S* with emotion. One can try to drown the pain, the memories, the emotions in alcohol. She should know better, falling in love is risky, scary, complicated. Love demands giving all, taking all. If you want to merely survive then you can't love with abandon, love brings joy as well as pain. If you don't want the pain, you have to avoid love. Run fast. But I am confident, it is coming for her and when it does. We will die to ourselves and live for the other person completely. My love is coming for you.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-05-01 23:47:51

She could be saying you carry love when you have to fight through hard times, once those days are over you need to run away from the past, don't carry it with you. You could interpret the bullet in the back after love hitting in the first line as someone taking advantage 'someone who should have known better' could well be the one who was supposed to lover her dragging her down, fighting through then that bullet represents the fact that this persons love is tainted and ferls negative. She fell in love, was taken advantage of, fought through the dog days, they're over so now run from the past. Whether that's run from the person or the resentment.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-04-25 22:49:43

Are you people kidding me. This woman is being used. "dog" backwards meaning "god". "days are over". "the horses are coming". I should not have to explain that one. Listen carefully to the music being put out. Shes another who made certain oath in return for fame. On the show "the voice" yesterday. She performed a song standing on a giant pyramid. People in black robes on each stepat one point. Pyramids all in the background. This is only just a scratch on the surface to this womans musical influence and symbolism in her music videos.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-04-24 01:38:50

I'm not a religious person (like seriously, I'm an atheist) but this reminds me of a passage of a holy book(can't remember what it's called) I vaguely remember learning about from a bartmitzvah. It had to do with running away from eygpt, but they couldn't carry anything with them unless they wanted to die, but if they ran they would be happy. The lyrics kind of remind me of this is the sense of "can't carry your love" I'm not sure if that's the meaning, but most likely a reference. Sorry if I got the info all wrong, like I said, I barley remember the story in depth ^_^"

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-04-22 23:39:18

It seems like she had a bad life before since happiness, hit her like a train on a track.
But then she doesn't want happiness, she kind of wants to be miserable so she causes her own misery and runs away so she doesn't need to feel but she already knows what it's like.
It's almost like she resents this new, wonderful life and just wants to live on the edge.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-04-18 22:06:10

Clearly, she was heartbroken at some point, and developed, perhaps a drinking problem, and we all know that when a guy is a disrespectful pig, we call them dogs, so now that someone has made her a little happy, she is being stubborn and doesn't want to give it a chance because she doesn't want to risk being hurt again, so she will run from it as long as she can, but my advice to her or anyone would be, you can't stop fate, you'll get tired of running after a while.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-04-16 21:12:44

She is coming from a bad break with a person that she loved very much. It left her depressed and sad. These where the "dog days. " but now, she has found happiness and it scares her, hence the drinking reference. The song is about getting over that past event and learning to let yourself be happy again. And if you had a bad day and belt this out in your car, it's very therapeutic!

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-04-14 11:57:42

Song starts by explaining that love crept up on her when she didn't want it to, from the sounds of it because she was already in a relationship, trying to escape her feelings towards the new person she showers love on her family and relationship she is in and distracts herself with drinking etc but she can't help but feel elated by the new person and is making a decision to leave the boredom of her current situation which is strangling her 'the dog days' and run with the 'wild horses' becoming free to love. Also could be alcoholism too as agree this works too and would make the song moe hopeful than this affair interpretation.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-04-14 11:50:31

I think it is about someone who has been in an unhappy relationship but doesn't want to admit it until someone comes along and makes her fall in love with them for real, about moving from drudgery and responsibility to more wild but dangerous days leaving her family behind her but she knows this may be wrong and it can't work if she allows herself to carry the guilt but moving forward even though it would mean leaving her family behind. So she either has to refuse romantic love or love she had before but which drags her down. 'leave all your love and longing behind you' sounds like she has decided to run on the wild side. - just my interpretation.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-04-07 04:40:07

The dog days refer to summer, especially the summers during childhood, which are childhood's strongest symbol. The happiness of her youth hit her hard and left her fast, and now she has to face the adult world. The horses are coming means that you have to adjust for the world, it won't change it's course for you and you'll only get trampled if you aren't ready. Her happiness in childhood has betrayed her by not getting her ready for this, so it "hit her like a bullet in the back". And now she has to leave the things and people she enjoyed (leave all your love and longing behind you) to be able to move on to her future.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-04-03 03:52:18

To me, it means something or someone happened in her life and it means so much that the dog days, or care free times, are forced to leave and she has to do what she must to take advantage of it for the better or she'll lose it. It means so much to her that she has to do what she must or it'll be lost. Anything valuable in life must be taken care of, so I take it as when that something comes along, you're gonna have to give up a lot to just even see if it'll work out in the end, at best.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-03-31 01:21:06

Given that florence usually has undertones of religion, it's not too difficult to place this under the same category of religion. She speaks of the horses coming. The four horse men of the apocalypse. And there is one of the more sensible meanings. To leave all love and longing is not a positive message except in the case of the rapture. The dog days are over could easily be a reference to salvation. The bullet that struck from a great height is regarding the heavens. We can try to escape our end, but it will come one way or another. That's just one take. It does take into account religion, which doesn't necessarily make this right, but it's a strong possibility.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-03-30 00:25:12

I happened to listen to this a lot when I was pregnant. It was so symbolic because my dog days were coming to a halt with the new baby and all. And happiness did seem to hit me like a train on a track when I had him. Oh ya. And I ran like hell to my mother to survive. I know this can't possibly be the true meaning of the song, but every time I hear it, all I think of is my son and how much harder and happier my life is since my dog days ended.

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U

+ 2
Unregistered 2012-03-18 14:01:56

For me, this song has a lot to do with finding happiness for the long run. I feel that the girl in this song is really caught up in living for the moment, not thinking about all of the lost time she'll have to make up for. Kind of like she is just realizing all of damage that she has done, not only to herself, but the people that love her.
Its scary to find out that you have to pick up the peices from your past, and a lot of the time people choose to ignore the consequences of addiction, and decide to hide from the results of their actions. In a sense you have to "run fast" because you can't waste anymore time thinking about making yourself happy, and actually make it happen.
"happiness hit her like a bullet in the back struck from a great height.
By someone who should know better than that" this is my favorite line in the song, because i think its the girl telling herself that she knew better then whatever it was that she left behind for herself, and that the "great height" is the better her coming out, reminding her that things can get better, and that she'd wished she known the whole time.
My apologies for rambling, the feelings I get from the lyrics are easier to think/feel about then actually sharing them when it comes down to it.

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U

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Unregistered 2012-03-18 03:41:24

I think the meaning of this song is the character found happiness herself I get this from (happiness hit her like a train on a track) and I think she tried to commit to somthing but didn't always keep her commitment because it said (she hid around corners and hid under beds) so she was practicly cheating on her promis to herself. And once she realized what she was doing her happiness fled. And I'm assuming it was about alcohol so she poorer it all out down the kitchen sink. And the dog days are over part means she done with being in the dog house with herself.

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U

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Unregistered 2012-03-05 01:04:02

Dog days" (latin: diē s caniculā rē s) are the hottest, most sultry days of summer. In the northern hemisphere, the dog days of summer are most commonly experienced in the months of july and august, which typically observe the warmest summer temperatures. In the southern hemisphere, they typically occur in january and february, in the midst of the austral summer. The name comes from the ancient belief that sirius, also called the dog star, in close proximity to the sun was responsible for the hot weather.

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Unregistered 2012-03-04 17:12:21

"the dog days" is probably referring to the dog constellation; which is the hottest (and worst) days of summer. The horses are coming is probably referring to the 4 horsemen in revelations/apocalypse. I think the song is about her wasting her life trying to fight happiness and love; not understanding it, and not understanding how to love. When she finally figures it all out; its too late. "run fast" to escape the fact that its too late.

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Unregistered 2012-02-24 19:44:58

Yeah, the plight of the american indian seems to be all throughout this song. Reservation life being nothing short of deplorable. The train or the "iron horse" as the indians called it. The dog days when they relied on dogs as beasts of burden, helping with hunting and even for food during harsh times. The introduction of the horse by the spanish changed everything. The "only" thing the white man wanted was their land, which was everything to the indians. Harsh tactics from people who apparently had both the technological and moral high-ground.
Perhaps a girl who left the reservation looking for a better life and having to leave everything/everyone she knew behind and finding no happiness in adapting?

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Unregistered 2012-02-22 06:10:16

Ordinarily dogs are indicative of death and destruction while horses perhaps might represent hope in that they can carry you away from death. But I can't ignore that we're not talking about dogs in and of themselves, we're talking about "dog days" (dies caniculares) which is a phrase used first by the greeks and then later by the romans in relation to the star sirius (canis major meaning "large dog"). The term refers to the hottest days of summer. These were revered as dark times full of death and disease. As I said horses are commonly indicative of freedom, rescue, but also of war. There seemed to me to be a lot of war imagery in the music video. Also it seems to me that happiness is portrayed as the aggressor and the thing we ought to hide from. Much like "the gift outright" by robert frost I think the message of the song has something to do with war and with shedding of blood to be possessed by what we long to have our identity in. If not for ourselves then for our posterity. Fight for freedom because the time of evil is approaching dusk and with the dawn rides our rescuer to carry us to war.

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Unregistered 2012-02-18 21:31:05

The 'dog days' is an expression that comes from the 'jours caniculaires' in french. It refers to days of extreme heat such as those in a drought, or possibly a great summer, depending on your interpretation. I take the song to mean that the days of happiness are over and are to be replaced with days of extreme darkness and that the horses are coming, I. E. The horsemen of the apocalypse.

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Unregistered 2012-02-17 18:03:28

The relationship (another person, god, whatever) that entered her life was asking that she give up on the survivalist world of the family and society for something greater. She is running from the love and longing inside her in order to save the image of herself that she has always known. I see it as a song about our unwillingness to fight the fear inside and what we'll give up to that fight.

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Unregistered 2012-02-15 13:08:01

The song obviously has a different meaning for each of us. My interpretation (relevant to my life) is that "happiness" hit me fast at one stage of my life, and whilst I thought it was the best relationship I could ever have, it actually turned out to be my most destructive one ever. So whilst I thought it was hapiness, it actually transpired to be dog days in hindsight, and now that the relationship is over. The dog days are over. "leave all your love and longing behind, you cant carry it with you if you want to survive" ties in with my meaning, as leaving all of that behind is what I need to do to be ok. That's my 2 cents :) love the song!

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Unregistered 2012-02-12 22:44:46

Well, I will assume a different view by saying that the "dog days" actually signify happiness. Seeing as how dogs are carefree and consumed with mirth. The abandonment of these happy days is the result of the crippling world which surrounds a person. The coming of the horses could be a biblical allusion to the "four horsemen" that brought about the plagues, sickness, war, and pain in the world. This would tie into my theory. In summary, the song/poem is about the fleeting nature of happiness in this human-diseased world we all live in :)

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Unregistered 2012-02-12 00:11:09

To me, these lyrics mean:.
Hey, my relationship is over, but I still live for love that's everlasting, mothers, fathers, and brothers and sisters. Yeah, we broke up, but my family is here for me always. The days are over where I need to worry about someone else, i'll run toward new love. I'll leave my heartbreak, so I can open up to someone new, I can't expect to if I carry around bitterness.

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Unregistered 2012-02-07 15:59:01

I think this song means that there was another woman who was scared of someone. The "i never wanted anything from you" part was the singer sort of apologizing for something she did that only made things worse. But now she is trying to help this woman again by telling her "run away, and leave everything behind because you have to start a new life. " the start is saying that the woman at first thought that she had found happiness, but "the dog days are over" means that the good times where she was happy are over.

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Unregistered 2012-01-31 21:41:05

To me it means that we have nothing to lose, that every day it's a new beginning a new opportunity to do better. It's about realizing that we don't have to sit and wait for things to happen or to fall from the sky. That we have to deside what we want and go for it. If we are in a good place it can get better, and if we are in a bad situation, we should fight to get out of it. It's about life. And how we want to live it.

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Unregistered 2012-01-26 03:29:06

I think this song represents someone freeing herself from a unreciprocated love so the horses mean she can run free like wild horses without a care in the world and happiness hitting her like a bullet in the back means it struck her that quickly without thinkin hard bout it, it just happened and run for your mother father children mean run fast like the horses without anything holding her back.

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Unregistered 2012-01-24 23:48:04

Its about loving someone conditionally. She loved someone wanting him to give her everything and more. The song is a message about love and how it truley requires letting go of your desire to be fufilled by someone by anyhting outside of yourself. Once you know that no one can make you happy and that you find it from within, you liberate yourself and the dof days are over. No more searching for somthing when you already have it.

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Unregistered 2012-01-19 20:10:58

I think the lyrics are talking about an old relationship in which her man was acting like a dog. He was a drunk and abusive, either physically or emotionally. After hiding for so long, she killed him after they had s** and ran. Before she left, she drank some of his alcohol and poured the rest down the drain. She then ran away from her family. But she has to leave her family behind in order to survive.

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Unregistered 2012-01-19 05:30:12

I think that its about an abusive relationship and the girl runs away within an inch of her life and evem though she loved him and there were some great times she has to movd on in order to survive. She is constantly remimnded that the worst (dog days) are through with but is reminded that hes only going to come back stronger. And she feels foolish for wanting him to love her and care for her (all I ever wanted.) that's qhat I thimk anyway :)

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Unregistered 2012-01-16 22:32:44

I think she was madly inlove with someone who abused her but should haves known better so now she needs to move closer to her family cause they the ones who can help her recover if she doesn't shel die there in that place shes allready realy sic and alcohol is what shes turning to but she just needs to go and forget bout all the nostalgia shes leaving in that place it means start your life over I think this song can mean alot of different things to people mmm' I would like to know what it meant to the person who wrote it.

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Unregistered 2012-01-13 20:07:45

To me, "happiness" is alcohol. She is hiding it everywhere, around corners, under beds, trying to flee from it and wash it down the kitchen sink.
The dog days make peopel crazy. They are hot and endless, she is trying to run from her love of alcohol if she wants to survive, but she is hot and it is calling sweetly to her by the time we come to the bridge.
"i never wanted anything from you except everything you had and what was left after that too. "
Then "happiness" hits her like a bullet in the back.
She is an alcoholic.

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Unregistered 2012-01-13 18:02:08

It is quite profetic, seeing the current condition of our world and the prophecies of the word of god. The horses that are coming are the ones carrying the seven seals, the dog days would be the world of present since the horseman have already been released, and why we should run fast for our families it is because she is right they are the only thing we are going to be able to take with us.

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Unregistered 2012-01-12 21:13:45

I think this girl once thought love was easy and she was just lazy about it, didn't think things through enough. It wasn't until it ended that she realized how much of her relationship she'd taken for granted and how lazy she'd been. I think the song was written about the point when she's in the middle of another relationship and she realizes, I'm done. Love is way too tough for me. She's running away from this tough love and she's warning everyone around her "run fast for your mother and fast for your father. " get away from this idea of a perfect relationship as fast as you can.

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Unregistered 2012-01-11 07:53:45

Dogs in the song refer to those things we cling to, things we're used to be doing, or maybe people whom we used to love but no longer makes us happy and that we thought we could not let go but now these days are over. Time to let go, be free coz bigger things will come (the horses), better move fast because it will strike you fast coz you deserve to be happy.

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Unregistered 2012-01-10 23:34:27

It means that the carefree & happy years of our lives are over, that from now on the only thing we should do if we want to survive is to run for our lives and work to death to make ends meet. It also reffers to the government and how they try to steal everything from you, your feelings, your dreams & aspirations. Only to transform you in a working maschine. As the says: leave all your love and your longing behind you
can't carry it with you if you want to survive. You've got to be frozen and ruthless if you want t survive. This isn't a song about adolescents entering adulthood, it's about every single person of every age or nation. That's how I see it.

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Unregistered 2012-01-10 20:04:24

I felt like it was about someone who enjoyed being alone and longing. She's avoiding happiness at the beginning with different methods: drinking, flirting, partying. And then the whole run fast for your mother parts could be her trying to avoid marriage. Then she says to leave all your longing behind you can't carry them with you if you want to survive because she can't have both her loneliness and companionship. Something better was out there and she might not have thought she could be happy, but that happiness found her.

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Unregistered 2011-12-31 22:29:18

For me personally it represents freedom from a relationship that I didn't know was toxic until after I started to get away from him. Being happy again was a surprise after all that I had been thru with this person. It not only made me stronger but gave me vision as to what a relationship should be not what the one I had. The dog days are over. Whether I wanted them to be or not.

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Unregistered 2011-12-23 18:28:07

She always had everything she wanted or needed, just didn't realize it. One day she realizes happiness comes from within, plain and simple.
Too many people equate happiness with external things. You can even suffer abuse yet be happy, not about the abuse but about yourself. Happiness is not about the physical or even what you think about it, happiness is your being. Once you realize that, the physical world around you changes.

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Unregistered 2011-12-22 16:42:40

"happiness hit her like a bullet in the back, struck from a great height by someone who should know better than that" someone triggered a revelation in her that set her free. The happiness is violent and sudden which suggests that she has been unhappy for so long that facing happiness so suddenly is shocking. The person who "shot" her probably didn't know the impact he/she did, but should have known that it would change her.

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Unregistered 2011-12-15 03:23:51

I want to think it means the end of the eurozone uncertainty, stock market plunges, pakistan unrest, chinese manufacturing, you. S. Green initiatives, chinese pollution, iranian nuclear progress, israeli discrimination, atheist court victories, manger-scene removals, you. S. Economic downturn, obama, and finally cowardliness to stand up for everything that is good, bright and loving.
Then again. I doubt that is what it means or if much of anyone is left to see things in the same light.

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Unregistered 2011-12-14 19:00:18

I just was re-united with my deceased fathers family through his sister. I thought it would make me feel like I belonged to something after years of confussion and constant mystery surrounding my unknown history. I have longed for love and wholeness and a family although I never wanted to be in a relationship or have kids, when I tried to do what was right I have been left alone with a house to build into a home I never had. I have been overwhelmed with the knowledge that all the bitterness I felt was based on lies and deciet and have become everything I hate and loathed and ran from time and time again. Now I am left alone only with my thoughts and regret. I have recently after having been divorced for seven years found love and honest devotion in a long held friend and my youngest son was illegially taken from me by his absent father upon my disclosure that I was to wed and I have had a hurt that I never knew and can now understand what my father must have felt when my mother ran with us and told us he was dead only for him to be killed three years later. 24 years ago today my father died at the age of 24 and my aunt rose found me dec. 5th on my missing sons 6 birthday. The dog days are over~w. S. C. Ellashotzy@aol. Com.

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Unregistered 2011-12-12 22:33:58

Its meaning is esoteric (for those in the know). It signifies the coming turmoil/tribulation period the world is entering. Leaving the dog days (time of freedom and play/happy days) behind. They're over and reference to the horses deals with the pale horse of the apocalypse, (book of revelation) which brings death and suffering. A time when you can only fend for yourself, no mum, no dad, nobody but you.

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Unregistered 2011-12-03 01:39:03

Its about transitioning 'leave all your love and longing behind you"; the first words "happiness hit her"; she was fearful "hid around corners and under beds"; she "fled from it" meaning happiness with drinking champagne-"with every bubble she sank". And the dog days are over confirm she has control of her life and f the man who messed with her-.
"never wanted anything except everything you had". The horses are the wild horses running free. Her energy on stage is amazing-micklog.

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Unregistered 2011-12-02 07:02:58

I noticed in her other songs, a horse symbolizes, ones past mistakes and misfortunes. And "dog days" has a negative meaning. So I wonder if the song is about a pessimistic person who gave up on being happy or believing she would. And because being so negative hosts self destructive behavior she is unable to accept anything good. And although she tried to stay away from being happy, it suddenly found her but she is scared to take a risk because she is still use to failure and disappointments. The song is encouraging her to go for it in honor of whoever, her brother. Sister, mother etc. And to start fresh leaving all those feelings and thoughts behind, so by doing this, there is no link to her past and that past (the horses) can't catch up to her. That's why it's asking her to run, meaning take the opportunity and enjoy it, don't let the past experiences/ thoughts poison her current happiness. It's like when you have a bad experience in a relationship and in your next one you are judging everything based on your previous experience, your setting yourself up for failure if you don't go into the new situation without previous baggage or horse. just a thought. Love the song!

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Unregistered 2011-12-01 22:33:25

Well I listen to the song before and never really listen to the lyric til now, base on how I am atm. Just letting my ex go. It talks about her falling in love and trying to leave it behind. For example "run faster for your mother for your father, run for your children for your sisters and brothers". I feel like she's telling you to leave, like don't waste time on it and just run. For your families, those who loves you and wouldn't want you to stay stuck and move on for the sake of them. In the line "leave all your love and your longing behind you, you can't carry it with you if you want to survive". Basically if you want to move on, let it go.

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Unregistered 2011-11-28 20:23:06

It's music and beautiful lyrics. Whatever florence welsh means by it, it is for her alone. Only she knows what she means. Interpretations can be infinite. I just want to say to florence. You are an amazing and talented woman (beautiful as well!) I love your voice and the way you portray your thoughts. Just a music lover who wishes she was as talented as you. God bless you and please keep the music coming. I can pedal for 20 miles each day just listening to you. :)

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Unregistered 2011-11-28 07:18:06

Just so you guys know, the "dog days" refer to the star sirius (also known as the dog star) which is highest in the sky during the darkest longest days of winter, which are often worst for their bad weather and lack of crops and trade and general bad fortune. The greeks and romans used to call these days "dog days" in ancient greece and rome. . Just so you know. It's a pretty well known expression.

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Unregistered 2011-11-19 20:41:59

Are you people blind? Do your research all songs and videos have different meanings and hidden symbolism. "the horses are coming" look into the four horsemen. Yes she has a beautiful voice but they're all pawns. Beautiful talented people to have a face behind the music. Start analyzing songs if you don't believe me. Lady gagas judas song and government hooker. This is songs young girls listen to! I don't know about you guys but when I hear " run fast for your sisters run fast for your brothers ... Leave all your love and longings behind you can't take it with u if u want to survive... The horses are coming" I hear of an apocalypse. I'm sorry to burst your bubble but horses have nothing to do wit love. Wake up people before its too late keep ur eyes open and become more aware.

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Unregistered 2011-11-10 17:41:55

The more and more and more I read this. There are infinite interpretations. I'd love to hear what she has to say about it. Love can be scary. You're only gonna get hurt so when you feel that happy: run! Not the most positive upbeat message but people, like myself, get caught up in love and forget about themselves and it can be a scary thing. It talks about her trying to hide from it, the person "hitting her in the back" should've known better. Because she's not strong enough to endure something that isn't real love when she believes it is. So run, girl! Get s*t done for yourself. No more time to be lazy and depend on your love.

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Unregistered 2011-11-10 17:36:00

I guess how I took this, and is true. Dog days are considered "the hottest days of summer" or periods of sluggishness or laziness. So I feel as though it means that, okay lady, you gotta get your life on track. Dog days are over. Forget about the bullshit and get yourself on track. Family will help ya out. I know obviously that the happiness bit will play into it somehow. But I think that sort of means that yeah, you might feel happy, but be f*****g careful! It can be over soon. So don't carry your love and longing with you if you are going to be a strong person and get through the shiiizzz!

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Unregistered 2011-10-19 11:01:32

My guess is since it has a lot of lines about drinking references like dumping it down the sink etc. Possibely she is singing about someone with an alcohol addiction or any addiction for that matter. And in order to get better and be happy you have to leave the people behind who bring you down and prevent you from getting better and being sober! Just a thought :). And possibely happiness hit her like a train on a track meant she is finally happy with out using alcohol or drugs and it shocked her she can be happy with out that :)

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Unregistered 2011-10-10 19:49:27

(continuing the fox hunting explanation because my computer messed up and sent the entry before I was done).
I think it's very clever, because the she the song is about obviously doesn't think they deserve it yet had happiness find them anyway-.
"happiness hit her like a bullet in the back.
Struck from a great height.
By someone who should know better than that".
-so, essentially, she had run from it, but it hunted her down anyway, whether she thought she deserved it or not.

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Unregistered 2011-09-23 17:41:13

Wooow. Pretty loopy analyses I'm seeing here. Shot in the back by someone who should know better? Killed it with kisses and fled. "Leave all your love and your longing behind, you can't carry it with you if you want to survive" says it all to me. It's just one more song about love and betrayal. Pretty simple if you've ever been through a rough breakup. This song and others helped me escape that kind of despair. Don't brood over things that are only dragging you down. The dog days are the hottest days of the summer, to some the most miserable days of the year. Getting past that period is a relief. The song's supposed to portray that. Maybe everyone sees it differently, but that's what I got out of it. Hell, it's a good song, awesome vocals, catchy beat. Doesn't have to mean anything for you to like it. 5 stars all the way from me.

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auradiamond 2011-06-22 04:38:57

Quite simply, we've reached the end of days. Madness surrounds us so how could we possibly find happiness? We debate if we even deserve happines then explode when we bgin to feel the effervescent glow it creates. Our parents have seared into our souls that if we just try hard enough and play nice we'll have happiness. But it doesn't matter how hard we try (run) we can't survive the end unless we embrace it. Then we become one.

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TruBlondeRocker 2010-11-30 03:16:53

Although florence hasn't expressed chritian beliefs in past songs (you've got the love is a cover) there are clear biblical images in this song. Revelations speaks of horses at the end of times which are also seen to be the begining of a better time. The return of christ and the opening of the "kingdom" which jesus oftgen states can only be reached when you let go of all your belongings "you can't carry it with you. If you want tosurvive"at the very least means a symbolic letting go of material happiness in favor of simple joy that comes from love of family and friends and maybe even A. Reunion with god.

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Chillypepper 2010-11-28 21:41:35

For the Native American Indians, "dog days" refer to the time before the whites came to this country, before they had horses. The Plains Indians used dogs to pull their travois and their teepees when they moved following the buffalo. So when the horses came (stolen or escaped from their white owners) the Indians had a better way of life. The horses were better for hunting and warfare, etc. So from the native point of view, "the horses are coming" means change is coming, good days are coming. The "dog days" are over meaning your old way of life is over. Which is good in a way, but hard as well, because with the horses came the white man.

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missbecky07 2010-10-04 22:30:58

Perhaps I'm farther off with my interpretation of this song. I feel as if she's talking about getting rid of an addiction such as drinking. She talks about washing it down the sink and running for you mother, father, sisters, and brothers which, to me, means to not turn back and to hold onto those important things in your life because the "dog days are over". The only way to overcome an addiction is to have love and support. That is her driving force and what's keeping her running and leaving all the negative (addiction) behind her.

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melsiemonroe 2010-09-30 04:46:52

And also, I don't think this is a song about God. The lyrics are expressing hope of being free from a tough situation of loving someone and realizing that her happiness came when she left the situation she was in. If she wants to experience a happy life she will have to leave the one she love behind and spend time with those who make her the most happy. Dog days means the times she has with this love is over.

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melsiemonroe 2010-09-30 04:39:26

The song is brilliant; none of what I never even heard of before! :) Her signing style is amazing! It sounds like a mixture of rock, classical (opera) and yoldeling, which is not done today, but makes this song very unique in our time of the usual pop, rock, and country thet you listen to on the radio today. Trust me, we need something different. I am tired of listening to the same topics in everyone's music: love, money, fame, stuff (materials), and the ghetto.

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MysteryGirl1 2010-09-28 15:11:47

Gotta say, this song is a relief. Has lyurics that evoke thought and discussion, unlike most of what you hear on the radio anymore. I always heard the phrase "dog days of summer" meaning long hot days, and symbolizing hard times somehow. I wasn't far off the mark on that one; ljmack, thanks for thwe history of the phrase's meaning. I agree with met10. Funny thing is, I just went through a rough time in my life these past 2 months (and in summer, lol) but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel getting brighter, and so I can say that my "dog days are over." But, the rest of the lyrics confused me. Run from love? Run from your mother, father, sister and brother? During my rough time, it was the love and help of those people who got me through it! Oh well. I'm just talking about what the song means to me. That's the thing about music. It's a universal language and songs can have different meanings to different people.

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met10 2010-09-21 20:06:26

I love this song. I think its a celebration to the ending of a sad and unproductive time in one' life. The woman hid from tried to find happiness in men, alcohol, and avoiding risks. She found true happiness when she stopped hiding and it "hit her like a bullet to the head" or "a train on a track". I like the contrast between "dog days" and the "horses". Horses are faster and stronger than dogs which illustrates the unproductuve time and the progressing happy time approaching. When she says "Run fast", I think that means "Live your life to the fullest". Live it to for your mother, father, sister, and brother. I also like the video as strange as it may be. It is a celebration of a fulfulling point in life.

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KD410 2010-09-18 02:55:07

@Filth90 - Wow. I never even thought about that until you mentioned it. I went back, read all of the lyrics, and it makes complete sense. The entire song makes sense and goes along with what you are saying. You can look at it either way. She could be trying to put a message out there showing what Satan will do to you. Making you think God is not real. Run for your mother, father, sisters, and brothers. Leave all your love and your loving behind you. The dog days are over, can you hear the horses? Cause here they come. So creepy, but whether she is Satanic, or she is sending a message. I think you are right.

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Filth90 2010-09-17 00:06:08

I do believe we are all one race it's human race no stupid feminism but beyond this have any of you ever picked up a bible this song sounds really satanic it's sayin the 4horsemen are coming and you can't have your loved ones and this may sound stupid to you but god backwards is dog I know I might seem crazy but I know this is satanic be careful and pay attention in life were headed for truble.

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LiamNighthawk 2010-07-24 08:02:12

@Jasondfb; Why choose either Feminism or Male Supremacy? I'm a Peoplist, neither gender should have an advantage over the other. I treat everyone the same way no matter who they are. You're right that in the grand scheme what you and I say don't matter at all, but still the grand scheme has to start somewhere. It starts from the opinions of people who can see the big picture of the future, and feminism is not the future. It is just the same s*t we already have from a female viewpoint instead of a male viewpoint.
Anyways, as a male I can really identify with the lyrics of this song, even though it is about a female I'd like to think that music & arts are left to ones own mind and inspire them to think for themselves, find their own meanings. To me the lyrics sing out about my current situation of being trapped without my consent and the only way I can get out of boring routines, I hate routines, is to leave everything behind.

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Unregistered 2012-06-23 05:04:59

Let the dog days be over. Reach out for your happiness. Do it for your sister and your brother, your father and your mother. And most of all for your children. Do it for everyone who never could. Do it for all those who never had the courage to leave a life of misery and complacency to find their true happiness. Life is too short. I love this song because it inspires me to just run away from this life and go after what makes me happy! What my mother and my father, and my sister and my brother. Could never do. I wanna do this for all of you. But above all for me and my precious son! Please. Let these dog days be over! Despite the fact that my mother and my father, and my sister and my brother don't support me leaving behind these dog days and my life of privileged servitude. My dog days will soon be over!

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Unregistered 2012-05-03 07:14:25

To me, it sounds like the dog days are referring to the suffering of our human lives on earth. I can't exactly speak for the "happiness hit her" lines, they have so many meanings that I can't even choose one. However, I remember a legend about the four horses of the apocalypse; war, famine, pestilence(sickness), and death. The line "can you hear the horses cause here they come" sounds like the four horses are coming, bringing with them the end to our days of suffering on earth. If you believe in heaven, her happiness could be referring to our paradise in heaven, but the other lines don't support this theory as much. I just thought it was an interesting connection.

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Unregistered 2012-05-01 16:51:06

I have to agree that no one can be sure that they are deciphering the meaning to this correctly. Sea
seems to me that you would have to ask the writer. Referring to happiness as a bullet in your back isn't normal. There must be personal meaning. That being said the term dog days comes from greek history known as a time on the year when the weather was so hot that there was a lot of misery. The term is still used today. I think to say that " dog" is a reference to "god" because theyre spelled the same backwards is totally ridiculous and laughable. Anyone who looks that much into the meaning of things must be depressed.

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Unregistered 2012-02-03 21:04:12

I think my favourite interpretation is about a woman finally deciding to escape from her abusive relationship. In the past, she's tried ignoring her situation, hiding physically and emotionally from the trauma, and smothering it with her affection. But her relationship, the thing that was supposed to make her happy, continued to harm her ("like a train on a track"; "like a bullet to the back"). She realizes now that she can leave it behind her, and she is able to run to and for the people that truly care for her (her family). The dog days are over, and she needs to "leave all her love and her longing behind" to survive.

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Unregistered 2012-01-28 12:02:29

The song is about not being able to take responsibility for your own life and the way you live it. The things that are happening to her are things she cannot deal with, because they are too overwhelming. She is used to running away from unknown situations, in stead of turning around and seeing what is truly there. It's a song about fear and the easiest way to deal with that fear is to run away. The line where it says: "by someone who should know better then that. " it's refers to losing control and not being able to let that be. It's hard to lose control and go with it.

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maryana_85 2010-10-19 06:18:43

What I think about this song is totally opposite to what the mayority of the people have posted. For me the lyrics are about a crossroad in live, when something critical has just happened to you, like a death, a breakup or something, that you have to leave from a happy state (dog days) to pass to another, critical one coming foward in your live (the horses evoking sorrow and despair). Then is when she tries to reach back those happy days, but when she does that, the memories hurt her (Happiness, it hurts like a bullet in your mind) cause she no longer can have that in her life.
Finally, the action of running is more like getting into a inner struggle to overcome the problems in which she is now, and she does it in order to not to hurt the people she loves more.

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raven111379 2010-10-13 14:52:37

I think the song is about the end of the world. The Dog days were like the life of freedom and happiness that we have been living, and soon we will have to run for our lives. You can't take anything with you when you die, so leave all emotions behind if you want to survive. Can't you hear the horsemen cause they are coming is in reference to the four horsemen of the apocolypse, famine, death, etc.

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ljmack 2010-09-20 17:36:38

Dog in this song does not mean God. The phrase, Dog Days, is an actual phrase. Florence and the Machine did not make it up. It is in the summer and dates back to Roman times when the Dog Star, Sirius, was visible. Dog Days were popularly believed to be an evil time "when the seas boiled, wine turned sour, Quinto raged in anger, dogs grew mad, and all creatures became languid, causing to man burning fevers, hysterics, and phrensies"
I don't think she is sneakily trying to say that the God Days are Over.

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Jasondfb 2010-05-09 10:20:33

I mean the 'typo' or misinterpretation of the lyrics is maybe a result of a still male-dominated society. (how could we publish lyrics with a woman singing in the first person about her own experiences?!)
Before any 'haters' or 'rationalists' get involved I'm being tongue in cheek, even if what I said is the case even slightly it's still a tiny point in the great scheme of things, even in terms of feminism. Still, viva la revolution femanina! :)
(And like I said yes I am male myself).

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Unregistered 2012-01-21 02:09:41

Finding joy in life, in particular through romantic love, can be a nuisance and troublesome. Many people, but in the case of this song, a young girl, spend their entire avoiding love & the happiness it brings, in order to conform, particularly to the wishes of family and culture, and to get ahead in a world both brutal and demanding. Never the less, happiness, especially in the form of romantic love for another, will come and, no doubt, upend your world, usually from someone who could be considered the most unlikely of sources, who has just the same amount of business being in romantic love as you are. Someone, who is, no doubt, as much caught up in the same web of romantic love that you are (with that someone).

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skyblue169 2010-10-12 19:23:49

This seems stupid now but when I read the lyrics (because until I read the lyrics the only word I knew was 'dog days are over'!) I thought of a woman that's killed her husband (maybe I've just watched 'Chicago' too many times). Obviously the word 'killed' started it and the more I read the more I thought of a victim of domestic violence killing her partner (Happiness, it hurt like a train on a track). 'Washed it away dowwn the kitchen sink' would be washing the weapon. Then shes saying 'The dog days are over' because her abusive partner is dead. The horses is the police. Shes running from her family because she doesn't want to get caught and get them in trouble. She can't take her love because if she wants to survive (basically, not go to prison)then she has to leave her love of her family and her family behind. The rest is pretty much self explanitary. The way the song sounds relates to her confusion. Just a thought like I said maybe I just watched 'Chicago' too many times.

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