Dog Days Are Over

by Florence + The Machine

Explosive orchestral-pop joyously erupts, painting a picture of sudden, overwhelming liberation from a period of stagnation.
Release Date January 1, 2009
Duration 04:12
Album Lungs (Deluxe Version)
Language EN

Emotions

anger
bittersweet
calm
excitement
fear
hope
joy
longing
love
nostalgia
sadness
sensual
tension
triumph

Mood

positive
negative
neutral
mixed

Song Analysis for Dog Days Are Over

"Dog Days Are Over" is a powerful anthem about sudden, chaotic, and overwhelming liberation from a period of personal hardship and stagnation. The term "dog days" refers to the hot, listless days of summer, which the song uses as a metaphor for a time of difficulty, sadness, and inertia. The song's core message is that this difficult period has abruptly ended, but the arrival of happiness is not a gentle dawn; it's a violent, shocking event.

The opening lines, "Happiness hit her like a train on a track" and later, "like a bullet in the back," personify happiness as a forceful, almost brutal power. This suggests the protagonist is so unaccustomed to joy that its arrival is jarring and frightening, prompting an initial instinct to hide or run from it. She tries to self-numb through drink, indicating a history of maladaptive coping mechanisms.

The chorus, "The dog days are over / The horses are coming so you better run," introduces a sense of urgent, almost apocalyptic change. The "horses" symbolize an unstoppable, wild force of freedom and a new future that one must run towards, leaving the past behind. The instruction to "Leave all your love and your longing behind / You can't carry it with you if you want to survive" underscores the necessity of a complete break from past emotional baggage to embrace this new chapter. The song is ultimately a declaration of triumphant, albeit chaotic, freedom and the cathartic release that comes from surviving a dark period and being propelled into a brighter, more vibrant existence.

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Most Frequently Used Words in This Song

dog days run done horses come better fast coming hear cause mother father children sisters brothers leave love longing behind carry want survive never wanted anything except everything left happiness

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this song

Song Discussion - Dog Days Are Over by Florence + The Machine

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