Armatrading has mixed eclectic musical styles over decades of recording and performing. She has had several British hit singles, the biggest of which were "Love & Affection", "Me Myself I", and "Drop the Pilot". Her music is generally pop, with forays into rock, folk, jazz, and even reggae. Her popularity is primarily as an album artist.
She gained a new audience following her writing and performing "The Flight of the Wild Geese", which was used during the opening and end titles for the 1978 film The Wild Geese.
Armatrading first performed in a concert at Birmingham University for her brother at the age of about 16 (circa 1966). She only knew her own songs, but her brother asked her to perform something that would be familiar to the audience; she chose "The Sound of Silence".[9] She then performed her own songs around the local area with a friend from school, and played bass and rhythm guitar at local clubs.
Waiting
Joan Armatrading Lyrics
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You didn't come to bed
I go downstairs
Try to keep my head together
At ten thirty
Look at my watch
I wonder darling
La
La la la la la
La la la la la la la
Twelve o'clock I'm really
Going out of my head
I've got ideas running round my brain
Can't go on this way
No work
Can't eat
And I do not really sleep
When I close my eyes
I hold identity parades
For the face that stole your heart
La la la
La la la la la
La la la la la la la
What time will you come back baby
Four a.m. I'll be here
I'm waiting for you baby
I'm waiting for you baby
I'm waiting for you baby
I'm waiting for you baby
La la la
La la la la la
La la la la la la la
You're my candy God
How you sweet talk me
You're my fantasy
Six is not too early
To come back to me baby
I'm waiting for you
I'm waiting for you baby
I'm waiting for you baby
I'm waiting for you
I'm waiting for you baby
I'm waiting for you baby
La la la
La la la la la
La la la la la la la
Oh
La la la
La la la la la
La la la la la la la
Oh
La la la
La la la la la
La la la la la la la
Oh
La la la
La la la la la
La la la la la la la
The song "Waiting" by Joan Armatrading tells the story of a woman waiting for her lover to come back to her. The lyrics express the agony of waiting and the mental stress it induces on the woman. The song begins with the woman waking up at eight o'clock and realizing her lover did not come to bed. She goes downstairs and tries to keep herself composed. Throughout the day, she waits and wonders when he will return. As the day wears on, she becomes more and more anxious, with ideas running through her head, and the stress causing her to be unable to work, eat, or sleep. The woman imagines identity parades for the face of the one who stole her lover's heart. The song ends with the woman waiting for her lover, hopeful that he will return to her.
The lyrics of the song are simple but express the emotions and thoughts of the woman effectively. The repetitive "La la la" makes the song catchy and easy to sing along to. The slow and steady rhythm creates a calming effect, which strongly contrasts with the tense emotions conveyed by the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Eight o'clock I wake up
I wake up at eight in the morning
You didn't come to bed
My partner didn't sleep with me last night
I go downstairs
I go to another part of the house
Try to keep my head together
I attempt to remain calm and focused
At ten thirty
It's 10:30 in the morning
Look at my watch
I check the time using my wristwatch
I wonder darling
I think about where my partner is
Twelve o'clock I'm really
It's now noon and I'm
Going out of my head
I'm going crazy with worry
I've got ideas running round my brain
I can't stop thinking about different scenarios
Can't go on this way
I can't handle the stress any longer
No work
I'm not able to focus on my job
Can't eat
I have no appetite
And I do not really sleep
I'm unable to get a good night's rest
When I close my eyes
At night when I try to fall asleep
I hold identity parades
I visualize many different faces to try to identify the one who took my partner's heart
For the face that stole your heart
For the person who won your love and affection
What time will you come back baby
I wonder what hour you'll return to me, my love
Four a.m. I'll be here
I'll still be awake waiting for you at four in the morning
You're my candy God
You're my divine treat, my love
How you sweet talk me
I adore the way you speak to me, saying kind and loving words
You're my fantasy
You're the source of my romantic daydreams and desires
Six is not too early
I'll happily welcome you back to me at 6:00am
To come back to me baby
To return to my arms, my love
I'm waiting for you baby
I'm here waiting for you, my love
La la la
Nonspecific musical interjection
Oh
Exclamation of emphasis or emotion
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOAN ANITA BARBARA ARMATRADING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind