Interview with Keith Levene, July 2001.
It was unusual when I think back, but at the time it just seemed like fun. It's true, Keith told me to record everything. They came in with NO songs. On a typical day, Martin Atkins would turn up first. We were both into big drum sounds, so he would go into the Stone Room, and play a big Bohnam-esque rhythm, I would fiddle with controls, and he would tailor his playing to the sound I fed him in the headphones. Sometimes I'd add delays and echoes, and he'd play to that.
On 'Four Enclosed Walls' for instance we placed Martin's Mickey Mouse pocket watch on a floor tom, so it would resonate and have more tone, then I added two Harmonizers with a 15 second delay fed back on themselves. One paned left, one right. I recorded about 7 minutes of it ticking away . Then Martin went out and played that amazing beat to it. The toms that come in at the very end were an overdub. I remember John came in and said, "All right, let me hear what you two wankers have been up to!" Sometimes I'd push play, and he'd say, " That's fucking pathetic, ERASE IT IMMEDIATELY. I don't want to hear it ever again." This time he heard it, and calmly said, "Oooo, I think I like that... lets hear it once more!" and sat down and scribbled on the inside of a cigarette packet. "All right... Is there a mic up, I think I'll have a wail" and one take later the vocal was done! We then added this strange instrument called a Violumpet. Which looks like a Violin with a large trumpet horn sticking out of it, like those old wind up 78 Gramophones have. It sounded like an Arabian flute. I added backwards reverb to make it more snake like! I think the whole thing took maybe five hours. Keith came in, heard it and said, "That's fucking amazing It's done".
Many of the songs were done this way. Someone would turn up and do something, then another would get inspired and add to it, and if John put a vocal to it, it was done. The band had a very distinct range of sounds, the dynamic drum sound, Keith's ringing guitar, and of course John's voice.
Nick Launay
Four Enclosed Walls
Public Image Ltd. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Allah
Allah
Doom sits in gloom in his room
Destroy the infidel
In a mosque
In a ghost
Is a Saracen
Allah
Joan of Arc was a sorcerer
The trilogy the desert sand
Scriptures in the tower of Babble
Allah
Only ending is easy
Burn
Burn
Burn
In the tower
Only ending is easy
Allah
Arise in the east
The trilogy
Allah
Allah
I take heed
Arise in the West
A new crusade
The song Four Enclosed Walls by Public Image Ltd. is a complex and enigmatic piece that touches on themes of religion, violence, and history. The first stanza mentions Allah, the Islamic term for God, and depicts a figure known as Doom sitting in his room, plotting to destroy those who do not believe in Allah. The next few lines seem to suggest that this destruction will take place in a mosque or by a ghostly figure wielding a sword, possibly referencing historical conflicts between Islamic and non-Islamic groups. The song then shifts its focus to the French historical figure Joan of Arc, describing her as a sorcerer, and mentions a trilogy set in the desert sand and religious texts kept in the tower of Babel. The song repeats the phrases "Allah" and "burn" before ending with a call for a new crusade.
The lyrics of Four Enclosed Walls are cryptic and challenging to interpret, with many possible meanings and references. Some have suggested that the song is a commentary on the relationship between Islam and Western society, with references to Joan of Arc and the Tower of Babel representing Christian and Jewish history respectively. Others have interpreted the lyrics as a critique of religious extremism and violence, with the repeated calls to burn and destroy representing the dangerous consequences of such beliefs.
Line by Line Meaning
Allah
This is a reference to the Islamic deity, used repeatedly throughout the song.
Doom sits in gloom in his room
A personification of despair and hopelessness.
Destroy the infidel
A call to arms against nonbelievers.
In a mosque
A place of worship for followers of Islam.
In a ghost
A haunting, eerie presence.
Is a sword
A weapon for battle.
Is a Saracen
A term used to refer to Muslims during the Crusades.
Joan of Arc was a sorcerer
A reference to the medieval French heroine who led her army to victory, accused of sorcery, and ultimately burned at the stake.
The trilogy the desert sand
A metaphorical reference to the holy Islamic texts - the Qur'an, the Hadith, and the Sunnah.
Scriptures in the tower of Babble
A reference to the Biblical story of the Tower of Babel, symbolizing the confusion and discord between religions.
Only ending is easy
Implying that destruction and chaos come more naturally to humans than peace or resolution.
Burn
To ignite and destroy, often used in a violent or aggressive context.
In the tower
A representation of the hierarchical structure and authority associated with organized religion.
Arise in the east
Symbolizes the rise of Islamic power, particularly in the Middle East and Asia.
The trilogy
Refers again to the three holy Islamic texts.
I take heed
To take notice or pay attention to something, often implying a sense of caution or warning.
Arise in the West
Refers to the growth and spread of Islam in Europe and the Western world.
A new crusade
This final line carries a double meaning: a new religious campaign as well as a call to action for those who hold fast to their beliefs.
Contributed by Connor P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.