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.
Four Walls
The Waifs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Round her Majesty's hotel
The maid'll hose the room out
When I'm gone
I never knew such luxury
Before my verdict fell
Four walls, washbasin, prison bed
When they clubbed the rebels down
And in every congregation
There was silence
You can hear the Angels singin'
When Christmas comes around
Four walls, washbasin, prison bed
I love to march while some Nazi calls the time
Who'd want to go home
I can't see
I can't hear
They've burnt out all the feeling
I've never been so crazy
And it's just my second year
Four walls, washbasin, prison bed
The Waifs's song Four Walls is a poignant account of life behind bars. The lyrics vividly describe the grim reality of imprisonment - the strict routine, the lack of privacy, and the psychological toll it takes on individuals. In the first verse, the singer talks about being confined to her prison cell and the mundane prison routines like exercise and the maid cleaning the room. She contrasts this with the luxury and freedom that she took for granted before she was imprisoned. The image of "four walls, washbasin, prison bed," conveys the limitations of life in prison and the lack of comfort or privacy.
The second verse of the song makes reference to the Bathurst riots, an infamous prison riot that took place in New South Wales, Australia in 1970. The singer captures the mood of silence that pervaded the nation after the riots were violently suppressed. She describes the joy that prisoners feel when they hear the sound of the singing during the Christmas season, which becomes a symbol of hope and connection to the outside world. The last lines of the song speak to the artist's despair and mental breakdown as they are losing touch with reality.
The song is a reflection of the realities of life in prison and how it affects people psychologically, as they are isolated from the world and restricted to a minimal living space. The song's lyrics and melody capture the emotional impact of being deprived of one's liberty.
Line by Line Meaning
They're calling time for exercise
It's time for the mandatory daily exercise for the prisoners.
Round her Majesty's hotel
The hotel is owned by the Queen and hence the name Her Majesty's Hotel.
The maid'll hose the room out
The maid will clean the room when the prisoner is gone for the exercise.
When I'm gone
When the prisoner goes for exercise outside the four walls of the prison cell.
I never knew such luxury
The artist never knew what luxury meant before being sentenced to prison.
Before my verdict fell
The singer was convicted before they realized what luxury meant.
Four walls, washbasin, prison bed
The singer is reminding themselves of their current situation- four walls, a washbasin, and a prison bed.
Well the Bathurst riots ended
Referring to the end of the Bathurst prison riots in 1970 in which prisoners were protesting against the inhumane living conditions.
When they clubbed the rebels down
The authorities used brutal force to end the riots.
And in every congregation
In every group of prisoners.
There was silence
After the riots, the prisoners became quiet and passive again.
You can hear the Angels singin'
A reference to the hymn 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing', which is sung during Christmas.
When Christmas comes around
Christmas brings hope and happiness to the prisoners.
I love to march while some Nazi calls the time
The singer likes to move to a beat or rhythm, even if it's being dictated by a Nazi prison guard.
Who'd want to go home
The singer doesn't want to leave the familiarity of the prison walls because they feel safer there.
I can't see
The darkness of the prison cell makes it difficult for the artist to see clearly.
I can't hear
The artist's hearing capabilities have been dulled due to the physical and emotional stress of prison life.
They've burnt out all the feeling
The harsh living conditions in prison have left the singer emotionally numb and unable to feel.
I've never been so crazy
The singer has never felt so insane or abnormal in their life as they do in the prison.
And it's just my second year
Despite being in prison for only two years, the artist feels as though it's been a lifetime.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DONALD WALKER, DONALD HUGH WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind