Joan Armatrading MBE (born Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading in Basseterre, Sa… Read Full Bio ↴Joan Armatrading MBE (born Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading in Basseterre, Saint Kitts on 9 December 1950) and brought up in Birmingham, England, is a British singer, songwriter, and guitarist.

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

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Eight o'clock I wake up
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

Overall Meaning

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