Despite winning the Horizon Award for Best Newcomer at the BBC Folk Awards 2005, Karine Polwart is no newcomer to the folk world, having previously been a member of Malinky and Battlefield Band. Her solo career is new, and it is for this that she has been particularly recognised. Her songs cover a variety of topics, and although she has claimed at live performances that they are all quite depressing, many have an uplifting aspect. This is particularly notable in "The Sun's Comin' Over The Hill" (which won Best Original Song at the BBC Folk Awards 2005) which tells the story of woman who reacts to the death of her partner through a period of depression, drink and drugs, but has a more optimistic chorus, with the narrator foreseeing an end to this period. There are exceptions to this: "Waterlily" — the tale of a man whose wife is killed during the war in Yugoslavia — offers no such comfort. "Only One Way", on the other hand, is an upbeat song with a strong political theme and some biting humour.
Four Strong Walls
Karine Polwart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just when I thought I was broken forever
So broken that nothing on this earth could mend me
You put me back together again
You put me back together again
Just like a puzzle with no pieces missing
I see myself as you see me, my friend
When everything else in this world
Flickers and falters and falls
And the thunder is under our feet
You feel like four strong walls
You put me back together again
Just like the trick with the saw and the lady
Everything draws to itself in the end
You put me back together again
When everything else in this world
Flickers and falters and falls
And the thunder is under our feet
You feel like four strong walls
When everything else in this world
Flickers and falters and falls
And the thunder is under our feet
You feel like four strong walls
When everything else in this world
Flickers and falters and falls
And the thunder is under our feet
You feel like four strong walls
Karine Polwart's song "Four Strong Walls" is a tribute to the power of a loyal and supportive friendship. The lyrics speak of how the singer was once broken and believed they would never find a way to repair themselves. However, with the help of a true friend, they were able to put themselves back together again. The metaphor of a puzzle with no missing pieces is used to describe how the friend was able to help the singer see themselves as whole again. The friend's support is also described as being like "four strong walls" - a powerful and steady force that can withstand anything the world throws at them. Even when everything else in the world is unstable and unpredictable, the friend's support provides a sense of safety and stability.
The song's message is one of hope and gratitude for the people in our lives who help us through difficult times. It speaks to the power of true friendship and the transformative effect it can have on our lives. The metaphor of the puzzle is particularly effective at conveying this message - it captures the idea that even though we may feel broken, there is always a way to put ourselves back together again, as long as we have someone there to help us.
Line by Line Meaning
You put me back together again
You helped me heal and feel whole again
Just when I thought I was broken forever
I felt like I was permanently damaged before you helped me
So broken that nothing on this earth could mend me
I was so damaged that I thought there was no way to fix me
You put me back together again
You helped me heal and feel whole again
Just like a puzzle with no pieces missing
You helped me come together perfectly, like a complete puzzle
I see myself as you see me, my friend
Your support helped me see myself in a better light, like a friend sees you
When everything else in this world
Amidst all the chaos, confusion and disorder in this world,
Flickers and falters and falls
When everything seems unstable and vulnerable,
And the thunder is under our feet
And we feel the pressure and uncertainty beneath our feet,
You feel like four strong walls
Your support creates a sense of stability and strength like four solid walls
Just like the trick with the saw and the lady
Your support seems like a magic trick, like when a magician saws a lady in half and puts her back together
Everything draws to itself in the end
Everything eventually comes together and resolves
You put me back together again
You helped me heal and feel whole again
When everything else in this world
Amidst all the chaos, confusion and disorder in this world,
Flickers and falters and falls
When everything seems unstable and vulnerable,
And the thunder is under our feet
And we feel the pressure and uncertainty beneath our feet,
You feel like four strong walls
Your support creates a sense of stability and strength like four solid walls
When everything else in this world
Amidst all the chaos, confusion and disorder in this world,
Flickers and falters and falls
When everything seems unstable and vulnerable,
And the thunder is under our feet
And we feel the pressure and uncertainty beneath our feet,
You feel like four strong walls
Your support creates a sense of stability and strength like four solid walls
Contributed by Dominic I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.