Susanne Sundfør began her rise to fame in her homeland in 2005. That year she toured the country opening for English singer/songwriter Tom McRae, and in 2006 she joined Madrugada on tour, performing their song "Lift Me," a duet the band originally recorded in the studio with singer Ane Brun. Late in 2006, she digitally released her debut single, "Walls," which would climb to number three on the Norwegian singles chart. It was the same position her debut self-titled album took on the album charts when it was released in 2007. The live effort Take One followed in 2008 -- the same year that her debut won the Spellemannprisen for Best Female Performance. Sundfør accepted the award with some hesitation, stating her work represented her as an artist first, and a woman second, bringing into question whether the Norwegian Grammy board was acting archaically with such gender-specific awards. Two years later, her album The Brothel would climb to the top of the Norwegian album charts thanks in part to the success of its title track. Jazz keyboardist Christian Wallumrød and members of Jaga Jazzist appeared on her 2011 effort, the all-instrumental A Night at Salle Pleyel. In 2012 she released the single "White Foxes" along with the album The Silicone Veil. She ended the year collaborating with Morten Myklebust on the track "Away," along with electronica duo Röyksopp on their single "Running to the Sea."
In 2013, Sundfør collaborated with French electronic band M83 on the Oblivion soundtrack, and later that year her back catalog was released in the U.K. for the first time. She went on to make her production debut for Bow's Each Other record. By 2014 she was set to release her fifth studio album, which was preceded by the single "Fade Away." Ten Love Songs went on to become a commercial and critical success for Sundfør upon its release in 2015, and saw the record appear in many year-end "best-of" lists. Following that record's release, she spent time traveling the world, and her follow-up record reflected the different environments and politics she encountered, along with the anxiety felt by many due to an ever-changing world. Music for People in Trouble was released in 2017, with the track "Undercover" as the lead single. The ten-track record also featured a guest appearance from John Grant on its last song, "Mountaineers." In 2019 Sundfør issued the accompanying concert LP People in Trouble: Live from the Barbican, which was recorded in London the year prior. ~ David Jeffries, Rovi
Walls
Susanne Sundfør Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Walking through my door
They don't seem to wanna come back any more, well
I never ask them to, I let them all go
I guess I'm not the easiest one to talk to when it's cold
But I guess I'm alright, I guess I'm fine
I think sunshine'll treat me kind
And I'm feeling kind of locked up in this house of mine
'Cause these walls are killing me, killing me when I'm down
I am not a warrior but I can stay calm
And these walls are breaking me, breaking me down
But I'm living in, I'm living in
and that's how it's done
Ohh yes, that's how it's done
My house is full of flowers and my room has a bed
In my garden there are roses so colourful and red, but
People used to come here and pick a flower or two
Now nobody's coming, no, not even you
But I guess I'm all right, I guess I'm fine
I think sunshine would treat me kind
And now I'm feeling kind of locked up in this house of mine
'Cause these walls are killing me, killing me when I'm down
I am not a warrior but I can stay calm
And these walls are breaking me, breaking me down
But I'm living in, I'm living in
and that's how it's done
Ohh yes, that's how it's done
So, if you should ever come back
Don't knock on my door
Just walk right in like you did before, and
Stay forever, don't think about going home
'Cause this is were you all belong
And we're gonna be all right, we're gonna be so fine
The sunshine will treat us kind
But now I'm feeling so locked up in this house of mine
'Cause these walls are killing me, killing me when I'm down
I am not a warrior but I can stay calm
And these walls are breaking me, breaking me down
But I'm living in, I am living in
and that's how it's done
Ohh yes, that's how it's done
The song "Walls" by Susanne Sundfør speaks of the feeling of isolation and loneliness that can consume an individual when they are surrounded by emptiness. A person's home, which is supposed to be a safe haven, can quickly become a prison if it's devoid of warmth and companionship. The opening lines of the song show how the singer has had many visitors to her home, but they never returned because, as she puts it, "they don't seem to wanna come back any more." Despite being aware of her shortcomings as a conversationalist and host, she never implores them to stay. Instead, she lets them go, reinforcing the idea that she isn't easy to talk to. Ironically, her house is adorned with flowers, roses of many colours, and a comfortable bed that could be inviting, but it's now empty. The wall that once offered her protection now feels like a cage, and she's desperately seeking a way out.
The chorus of the song highlights this sense of entrapment caused by the walls around her. The first line, "these walls are killing me when I'm down," shows how loneliness is exacerbated when one is feeling blue. The singer then reassures herself that she's not a warrior, but she can stay calm and composed, which is what's keeping her going. But, the same walls that are holding her in, are also breaking her down like they are relentlessly chipping away at her psyche. However, despite all of this, she knows that she's still living, and ultimately, that's all that matters.
The last verse brings a glimmer of hope, but it's fleeting. The singer asks someone to come back, to not knock on her door but walk right in, and to stay forever. She promises that everyone will be alright, and the sunshine will treat them kindly. But, as the song ends, she's still locked up in her house and suffering from the same sense of loneliness as before.
Overall, "Walls" is a poignant commentary on the human condition and the fact that, despite our best efforts, we can still end up feeling isolated and alone in our homes. It also emphasizes the importance of human connection and companionship.
Line by Line Meaning
There have been so many people
Many people have come to my house
Walking through my door
They entered my house
They don't seem to wanna come back any more, well
They don't appear to want to come back to my house again
I never ask them to, I let them all go
I didn't ask them to leave, I let them go on their own
I guess I'm not the easiest one to talk to when it's cold
I may not be the best person to talk to in cold situations
But I guess I'm alright, I guess I'm fine
But I'm okay, I'm fine
I think sunshine'll treat me kind
I believe that the sun will be nice to me
And I'm feeling kind of locked up in this house of mine
I feel trapped in my own house
'Cause these walls are killing me, killing me when I'm down
These walls are suffocating me and making me feel worse
I am not a warrior but I can stay calm
I may not be strong, but I can remain calm
And these walls are breaking me, breaking me down
These walls are destroying me and my mental state
But I'm living in, I'm living in
But I'm still living and surviving
and that's how it's done
That's how it can be handled
My house is full of flowers and my room has a bed
There are many flowers and a bed in my house
In my garden there are roses so colourful and red, but
My garden is filled with colorful and red roses
People used to come here and pick a flower or two
People used to come and take flowers from my garden
Now nobody's coming, no, not even you
Now no one is coming, not even you
So, if you should ever come back
If you ever come back to my house
Don't knock on my door
Don't knock on my door when you arrive
Just walk right in like you did before, and
Just come in like you did before, and
Stay forever, don't think about going home
Stay here permanently, don't think about leaving
'Cause this is were you all belong
This is where you belong
And we're gonna be all right, we're gonna be so fine
We will be okay, we will be fine
But now I'm feeling so locked up in this house of mine
However, I feel trapped in my own home
Contributed by Gabriel R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@batuhanc2515
There have been so many people
Walking through my door
They don't seem to wanna come back any more, well
I never ask them to, I let them all go
I guess I'm not the easiest one to talk to when it's cold
But I guess I'm alright, I guess I'm fine
I think sunshine'll treat me kind
And I'm feeling kind of locked up in this house of mine
'Cause these walls are killing me, killing me when I'm down
I am not a warrior but I can stay calm
And these walls are breaking me, breaking me down
But I'm living in, I'm living in
And that's how it's done
Ohh yes, that's how it's done
My house is full of flowers and my room has a bed
In my garden there are roses so colourful and red, but
People used to come here and pick a flower or two
Now nobody's coming, no, not even you
But I guess I'm all right, I guess I'm fine
I think sunshine would treat me kind
And now I'm feeling kind of locked up in this house of mine
'Cause these walls are killing me, killing me when I'm down
I am not a warrior but I can stay calm
And these walls are breaking me, breaking me down
But I'm living in, I'm living in
And that's how it's done
Ohh yes, that's how it's done
So, if you should ever come back
Don't knock on my door
Just walk right in like you did before, and
Stay forever, don't think about going home
'Cause this is were you all belong
And we're gonna be all right, we're gonna be so fine
The sunshine will treat us kind
But now I'm feeling so locked up in this house of mine
'Cause these walls are killing me, killing me when I'm down
I am not a warrior but I can stay calm
And these walls are breaking me, breaking me down
But I'm living in, I am living in
And that's how it's done
Ohh yes, that's how it's done
@espenkaligrebrof9682
Sjukt bra låt
@dorironen15
Sounds like early Johnnie Mitchell. Beautiful melody and lyrics.
@sanchitsingh7162
This is a special song.
@batuhanc2515
There have been so many people
Walking through my door
They don't seem to wanna come back any more, well
I never ask them to, I let them all go
I guess I'm not the easiest one to talk to when it's cold
But I guess I'm alright, I guess I'm fine
I think sunshine'll treat me kind
And I'm feeling kind of locked up in this house of mine
'Cause these walls are killing me, killing me when I'm down
I am not a warrior but I can stay calm
And these walls are breaking me, breaking me down
But I'm living in, I'm living in
And that's how it's done
Ohh yes, that's how it's done
My house is full of flowers and my room has a bed
In my garden there are roses so colourful and red, but
People used to come here and pick a flower or two
Now nobody's coming, no, not even you
But I guess I'm all right, I guess I'm fine
I think sunshine would treat me kind
And now I'm feeling kind of locked up in this house of mine
'Cause these walls are killing me, killing me when I'm down
I am not a warrior but I can stay calm
And these walls are breaking me, breaking me down
But I'm living in, I'm living in
And that's how it's done
Ohh yes, that's how it's done
So, if you should ever come back
Don't knock on my door
Just walk right in like you did before, and
Stay forever, don't think about going home
'Cause this is were you all belong
And we're gonna be all right, we're gonna be so fine
The sunshine will treat us kind
But now I'm feeling so locked up in this house of mine
'Cause these walls are killing me, killing me when I'm down
I am not a warrior but I can stay calm
And these walls are breaking me, breaking me down
But I'm living in, I am living in
And that's how it's done
Ohh yes, that's how it's done
@Thecriticalplug
Her music is So Beautiful 😍
@indiego6794
sounds like i found a hidden gem 😍
@EdiEco
Merci!
@rwolfson1935
album is sold out. thank you for posting!
@Lauren-mp4ue
quarantine, 2021
@seBcopTer
thinking of this myself, haha