When we first came here
We were cold and we were clear
With no colours on our skin
We were light and paper thin
And when we first came here
We were cold and we were clear
With no colours in our skin
Until we let the spectrum in
[Pre-Chorus]
Say my name
And every colour illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again
[Chorus]
Say my name
As every colour illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again
Say my name
As every colour illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again
And when we come for you
We'll be dressed up all in blue
With the ocean in our arms
Kiss your eyes and kiss your palms
And when it's time to pray
We'll be dressed up all in grey
With metal on our tongues
And silver in our lungs
[Pre-Chorus]
Say my name
And every colour illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again
[Chorus]
Say my name
As every colour illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again
Say my name
As every colour illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again
And when we come back we'll be dressed in black
And you'll scream our names aloud
And we won't eat and we won't sleep
We'll drag bodies from the ground
[Refrain]
So say my name
And every colour illuminates
And we are shining
And we will never be afraid again
Say my name
As every colour illuminates
[Chorus]
Say my name
As every colour illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again
Say my name
As every colour illuminates
We are shining
And we will never be afraid again
[Outro]
Say my name
We are shining
Say my name
Say my name
And we will never be afraid again
About
Florence’s “Spectrum” addresses the spectrum of feelings and emotions that are felt in a relationship, the different colors of the spectrum that uniquely identify with different types of emotions. The song’s themes reflect the band’s general move away from “gothic horror toward something that’s slightly more chemical” as she explained to BBC Newsbeat:
There’s a song called Spectrum which has a lot to do with rainbows and prisms – so it has taken on a lot more of a crystal theme.
The song premiered in October 2011, two weeks before the release of their second album Ceremonials at The Creators Project in Brooklyn.
‘Spectrum’ gained popularity after it was remixed by Scottish DJ Calvin Harris who released it as ‘Spectrum (Say My Name)’. It was the band’s first single to reach number one on the UK Singles Chart.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
The fourth single from Ceremonials finds Florence Welch singing of how a relationship that exposes the full spectrum of feelings will produce a love that illuminates and shines forever. She told BBC’s Newsbeat the song “has a lot to do with rainbows and prisms”.
- 3.Choreomania
- 4.Delilah
- 5.Hunger
- 6.Shake It Out
- 7.King
- 8.Cosmic Love
- 9.Spectrum (Say My Name)
- 10.Falling
- 11.My Love
- 13.Drumming Song
- 14.Ship to Wreck
- 15.Free
- 16.Third Eye
- 18.Big God
- 22.Dream Girl Evil
- 25.Seven Devils
- 26.Blinding
- 27.The Bomb
- 28.What Kind of Man
- 29.Never Let Me Go
- 30.Mermaids
- 32.June
- 34.Mother
- 35.The End of Love
- 36.Cassandra
- 37.Heartlines
