I didn’t really have any friends and felt quite lost. so writing this song was hugely comforting and really helped me to cope with everything that was going on around me.
On May 7, 2021, she teased the song’s lyrics and music video on her Instagram, announcing the song three days later with a snipped memo.
In the music video’s description, Holly cites the claustrophobic flat in London as the inspiration for being trapped in an air vent for the video:
"Shooting the video was chaotic, my elbows and knees look quite different now after 8 hours of crawling back and forth. The fire blast in the vent was totally real too !!"
"Going into the studio and making sense of everything that was going on was my salvation. The flat where I was living in London was the worst of the worst. I wrote this with [frequent collaborator and songwriter/producer] Rob Milton in Nottinghamshire and it was such an amazing excuse to leave London. Like a lot of the songs on this EP, there’s quite a depressing meaning behind them, but it was important not to make it sound depressing. This was written over a long period of time, and I remember being just obsessed with synth for ages. I wanted to write stuff that sounded fully ‘80s: cheesy cringe music."
—via Apple Music
"I wrote it about moving away from my home for the first time & feeling very [sic] lovely and isolated in my lil tiny room in London."
– Holly Humberstone in an Instagram story
The Walls Are Way Too Thin
Holly Humberstone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heavy whispers from the next room
You say it's never your intention
And I'm just in a bad mood
There was a possible connection
On the table for a second
Then she made such an entrance
Can't stand all this tension, can you?
And we crossed paths by the bathroom
But I'd just rather be out of the picture
And I'll do my utmost to talk to you
But I just wanna be out
I just wanna be out of the picture
And no, I'm not just gonna lay here and bite my tongue
I only wanna be here when she's gone
Ooh
The walls are way too thin
Oh, I get down, I get down when she gets you high
I'm bored, I'm ignored, I'm being out my mind
Ooh
The walls are way too thin
The walls are way too thin
You're blowing smoke rings in the corridors, I feel so cold
How come it rains inside? The house is full but I'm alone
With all the shit that still needs fixing out of my control
It takes a hold of me, it takes a hold of me
The same old sad songs I cling to
'Cause I just wanna be out
I just wanna be out of the picture
And no, I'm not just gonna lay here and bite my tongue
I only wanna be here when she's gone
Ooh
The walls are way too thin
Oh, I get down, I get down when she gets you high
I'm bored, I'm ignored, I'm being out my mind
Ooh
The walls are way too thin
The walls are way too thin
And no, I'm not just gonna lay here and bite my tongue
I only wanna be here when she's gone
Ooh
The walls are way too thin
Oh, I get down, I get down when she gets you high
I'm bored, I'm ignored, I'm being out my mind
Ooh
The walls are way too thin
The walls are way too thin
(Oh, I get down)
The walls are way too thin
In "The Walls Are Way Too Thin," Holly Humberstone describes a difficult situation in which she is living with a couple who are possibly her roommates or neighbors. She listens to them through the thin walls and hears the man talking to another woman in a way that makes her uncomfortable. She tries to distance herself by avoiding them and staying out of their picture. The walls are even thinner than she thought because she can hear everything, including the smokerings in the corridor. She feels lost and alone, as if she is the only one who can see the things that need to be fixed. She knows it is not healthy to stay there when the man is with the other woman, but she cannot bring herself to leave entirely.
The song is a heartfelt reflection of the difficult emotions associated with cohabitation and hearing things you do not want to hear. The walls being too thin symbolize both the physical walls of her living space and her internal walls that keep her from speaking out or leaving. She feels trapped though she is constantly reminded of what she is missing out on through the other woman's visits. The song's melancholy melody and introspective lyrics convey the feeling of being stuck in a situation that is uncomfortable and difficult to navigate.
Line by Line Meaning
I heard you talking 'til the morning
I was awake and heard you talking all night long.
Heavy whispers from the next room
The whispers from the next room were so loud that they seemed heavy.
You say it's never your intention
You claim that you did not intend to hurt anyone.
And I'm just in a bad mood
But I am feeling upset.
There was a possible connection
There was a chance for us to connect and bond.
On the table for a second
However, the opportunity was quickly lost.
Then she made such an entrance
She came in and disrupted everything.
Can't stand all this tension, can you?
The tension between us is unbearable, don't you agree?
And we crossed paths by the bathroom
We happened to run into each other by the bathroom.
But I'd just rather be out of the picture
But I'd much rather not be involved in this situation.
And I'll do my utmost to talk to you
I'll make every effort to communicate with you.
But I just wanna be out
But what I truly want is to not be a part of this.
I just wanna be out of the picture
I just want to remove myself from this situation entirely.
And no, I'm not just gonna lay here and bite my tongue
I'm not going to keep quiet and suffer in silence.
I only wanna be here when she's gone
I only want to be around when she's not here.
Oh, I get down, I get down when she gets you high
I feel down and gloomy when she makes you feel good.
I'm bored, I'm ignored, I'm being out my mind
I'm feeling bored and ignored, and it's driving me crazy.
You're blowing smoke rings in the corridors, I feel so cold
You're smoking and creating an uncomfortable environment for me.
How come it rains inside? The house is full but I'm alone
Even though there are many people in the house, I still feel lonely and isolated.
With all the shit that still needs fixing out of my control
There are many issues that need to be addressed, but I have no control over them.
It takes a hold of me, it takes a hold of me
These issues are consuming and overwhelming me.
The same old sad songs I cling to
I find solace in listening to the same old sad songs that I always listen to.
The walls are way too thin
The walls between us are too thin, and everything is getting mixed up and confused.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Holly Ffion Humberstone, Robert James Milton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ansobaya
she takes me back to the early 2000s. We had Alanis Morissette, Avril Lavigne, Michelle branch she is in the line of the best, the songs were so good, they were songs that take you to the guts. She makes me feel like a teenager again, she makes me vibrate, gives me shivers. thanks for that Holly
@rwlynch3468
I agree with those vibes and comparisons. Been a while since there was someone like this.
@chrisarcher6936
Yup
@jerryjones4131
you got that spot on totally agree
@laurenashley7138
Yes!! She's got that special kind of vibe.
@michaelhusada2276
This song reminds me of Donna Lewis with I Love You. Catchy.
@losangeleslovesyou
This lady deserves all the awards she's gonna be getting in the coming years.. 💛
@santivsj
I agree
@ek-jc9nh
oh yes
@janetwebb3994
I agree