The band's 2003 album Up All Night reached the top five of the Australian Albums Chart, it achieved double platinum status and won four ARIA Awards in October. Two further top five albums were issued, Sun Dirt Water in 2007 and Temptation in 2011. The Waifs have three top fifty singles, "London Still" (2002), "Bridal Train" (2004) and "Sun Dirt Water". The band supported Bob Dylan on his 2003 Australian tour and then his 2003 North American tour, including a gig at the Newport Folk Festival.
The Waifs founded the independent label Jarrah Records in July 2002, co-owned with fellow musician John Butler, and their common manager Phil Stevens, which handles their Australian releases.
Fisherman's Daughter
The Waifs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I don't like pearls
I'm just your regular West Australian
Fisherman's daughter
I'm a middle class
Folk singing guitar playing girl
I ain't seen the world
I'm saving dollars for
A nineteen sixty two
Ruby red interior are series Valiant
Mother fucking of a car
'Coz I'm a country girl
And I'm in a city world
Pulling up pulling all the man
I'm gonna let you through
I'm living in the left hand lane of my city
Slow down so I can walk this highway with you
Slow down, let me walk it with you
Slow down, we all gotta slow down
Man I want to walk that highway with you
Yeah, I want to be walking
With you you you you you
Slow down, the whole world's gonna slow down
I want to walk that high way with you,
With you you you you with you
No, not yet married
I got no ring on my hand
I got my heart beating for
This sweet loving second hand dealing boy
I'm gonna love him
The best way I can I know I can
'Coz I'm a country girl
In a city world pulling down
Pulling all the man
I'm gonna let you through
I'm living in the left hand lane of my city
Slow down so I can walk this highway with you
Slow down let me walk it with you
I don't like gold
And I don't like pearls
I'm just your regular West Australian
Fisherman's daughter
I'm a middle class
Folk singing guitar playing girl
The Waifs's song Fisherman's Daughter is about a young woman who is proud of her roots and her humble beginnings. She sings that she doesn't care for material possessions, such as gold and pearls, and that she is content being a fisherman's daughter from Western Australia. Despite being a middle-class, folk-singing, guitar-playing girl, she hasn’t seen much of the world yet, although she's saving up for a 1962 Ruby Red interior A Series Valiant, which is her dream car. The song portrays a strong sense of identity and individuality, as she mentions that she is comfortable being herself amidst a city world, living in the left-hand lane of her city, pulling down and pulling in all the man, but still asking them to slow down so she can walk the highway with them.
Throughout the song, she sings about her personal life, stating that she's not yet married but has her heart set on a second-hand dealing boy whom she wants to love the best way she can. She draws on her country upbringing to navigate her way through life in the city while holding on to her roots. The overall message of the song is about slowing down in life and enjoying the present moment. She's asking every man who passes her by, to slow down and enjoy the walk with her, to appreciate the things that really matter in life, to enjoy the beauty of life, and not to be so caught up in the hustle and bustle of the city.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't like gold
Material possessions do not hold any value to me.
And I don't like pearls
Neither do I place value on conventional beauty.
I'm just your regular West Australian Fisherman's daughter
I am a simple girl hailing from a fishing family in Western Australia.
I'm a middle class Folk singing guitar playing girl
I come from a middle-class background, and I earn a living through my passion for folk music and guitar playing.
I ain't seen the world
I have not had the opportunity to travel extensively.
No I've not traveled far
My travels have been limited so far.
I'm saving dollars for A nineteen sixty-two Ruby red interior are series Valiant Mother fucking of a car
I am frugally saving money to purchase a 1962 Valiant car with a striking red interior.
'Coz I'm a country girl And I'm in a city world Pulling up pulling all the man I'm gonna let you through
As a girl from the countryside surrounded by urban life, I am often overwhelmed, but I have the confidence to navigate the city and attract attention from men.
I'm living in the left-hand lane of my city Slow down so I can walk this highway with you
I live life at a fast pace in the city, but I'm willing to slow down and spend time with you.
Slow down, we all gotta slow down Man, I want to walk that highway with you Yeah, I want to be walking With you you you you you
We all need to take a breather and enjoy life's little moments, like taking a walk together on the highway.
Slow down, the whole world's gonna slow down I want to walk that high way with you, With you you you you with you
If the entire world stopped for a moment, I would want to spend that time walking with you on the highway.
No, not yet married I got no ring on my hand I got my heart beating for This sweet loving second-hand dealing boy I'm gonna love him The best way I can I know I can
I am not married yet, but I am in love with a man who might not have all the riches in the world, but has a heart of gold. I want to love him in the best way possible.
'Coz I'm a country girl In a city world pulling down Pulling all the man I'm gonna let you through I'm living in the left-hand lane of my city Slow down so I can walk this highway with you Slow down let me walk it with you
As a girl from the countryside trying to navigate through the hustle and bustle of the city, I'm pulling attention from men, but I want to slow down and spend some quality time with you, walking alongside you on the highway.
I don't like gold And I don't like pearls I'm just your regular West Australian Fisherman's daughter I'm a middle class Folk singing guitar playing girl
My priorities in life are not materialistic. I am from a humble fishing family in Western Australia, and I earn a living through my passion for music.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
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