ABC/Paula LoboFlorence + the Machine's "Patricia," the current single from the group's new album High As Hope, is a tribute to Patti Smith. But the Godmother of Punk isn't the only music legend to get a shout-out on High As Hope: The song "Hunger" includes a quick nod to John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
On "Hunger," frontwoman Florence Welch sings "They're gonna crucify me," which mirrors the chorus in the 1969 Beatles single "The Ballad of John and Yoko." Speaking to ABC Radio, Welch says that the line is "definitely a wink" to the iconic couple.
"John and Yoko, I love them," she says. "John Lennon is one of my biggest inspirations."
However, John and Yoko weren't the only things on Welch's mind when she included that lyric in "Hunger."
"I was also thinking about fame," she says. "Even sometimes, as a woman, if you, like, wear the wrong outfit, you know? There's...almost the pressure for perfection, I think, especially for women in the public eye."
Interestingly, some U.S. radio stations banned "The Ballad of John and Yoko" because of its use of the word "crucify," and also because another lyric goes, "Christ, you know it ain't easy."
Florence + the Machine recently wrapped a U.S. tour behind High As Hope. They'll launch a U.K. run in November.
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