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.
Nothing New
The Waifs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll look real pretty
For I don't know who
I'll find my own way
Around this great big city
And I'll sit at a bar
And I'm gonna have a drink
In your youthful yearnings
I know you like to visit them
From time to time
Like a thief I steal
The words you write to her
I take them to my heart
And I wish them to be mine
But this is nothin'
But it ain't nothin'
Oh this is nothin' new
But it ain't nothin'
You long for sweetness
Does mine make you sickly
Or maybe I no longer have
The sweetness you require
There's nothing sweet
About a heart so embittered
It's ugly and it's cold
And tonight it's out for hire
This is nothin' new
But it ain't nothin' here
We live through this
Day after day
Complacency's a curse
But you just can't escape it
I've arrived at a place
Where my tolerance gave way
And I struggle to hold
My head up high
The Waifs's song "Nothing New" is a poignant commentary on a relationship where one person is ready to move on while the other is still holding on to the past. The singer starts by expressing a desire to dress up and go out, without knowing whom she is dressing up for - perhaps it is to feel better about herself or to move on from a past relationship. She finds her way around the city and sits at a bar, where she contemplates the complexities of relationships.
The singer seems to address her partner when she says, "I'll leave you to revel in your youthful yearnings / I know you like to visit them from time to time." Here, she is acknowledging that her partner is still caught up in the past, holding onto memories that are no longer relevant. The singer also talks about how she steals from her partner's words to another woman ("I steal the words you write to her"), suggesting that she wishes to be the recipient of those words.
As the song progresses, the singer reveals a bitterness towards her partner and the relationship, saying, "There's nothing sweet about a heart so embittered / It's ugly and it's cold and tonight it's out for hire." Despite this, she acknowledges that this is a pattern that repeats itself in every relationship; "This is nothin' new / But it ain't nothin' here / We live through this day after day."
Overall, "Nothing New" is a powerful commentary on the complex dynamics of relationships and the pain of holding onto something that is no longer fulfilling.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm going to dress up tonight
The singer is taking control of her life and making an effort to feel good about herself by dressing up.
I'll look real pretty
She will put in effort to create her own sense of beauty, regardless of outside opinions.
For I don't know who
The goal isn't to impress anyone in particular, but to enjoy her own company.
I'll find my own way Around this great big city
She's not afraid to explore and find her place in the world on her own terms.
And I'll sit at a bar And I'm gonna have a drink
She'll treat herself to a night out and indulge in something she enjoys.
I'll leave you to revel In your youthful yearnings
The singer is making a conscious decision to let her partner enjoy whatever he needs to enjoy without judging him.
I know you like to visit them From time to time
She has a deeper understanding of her partner's desires and doesn't take them personally.
Like a thief I steal The words you write to her
She recognizes that her partner writes to someone else and that it's not necessarily a reflection of how he feels about her.
I take them to my heart And I wish them to be mine
She takes the words he writes to someone else and tries to internalize them as if they were directed towards her.
But this is nothin' But it ain't nothin' Oh this is nothin' new But it ain't nothin'
The singer recognizes that her partner's behavior is not unique to their relationship and that it's not a big deal.
You long for sweetness Does mine make you sickly
The singer recognizes her partner's desire for something sweeter in life and questions whether or not she can provide that for him.
Or maybe I no longer have The sweetness you require
She's acknowledging the possibility that she's unable to provide what her partner is looking for.
There's nothing sweet About a heart so embittered
The singer recognizes the hurt and negativity that has developed in her heart over time.
It's ugly and it's cold And tonight it's out for hire
She is experiencing the pain of her past and is unable to escape it, even for a night out.
This is nothin' new But it ain't nothin' here
The singer is reminding herself that even though her pain is persistent, it's not as big of a deal as it seems.
We live through this Day after day
The singer is highlighting the monotony of living with pain and disappointment.
Complacency's a curse But you just can't escape it
The singer feels trapped in her complacency, unable to move on from her pain and disappointment.
I've arrived at a place Where my tolerance gave way
The singer has finally reached a breaking point where she can no longer tolerate her pain and is ready for a change.
And I struggle to hold My head up high
Despite her pain, she is still fighting to find her own sense of self-worth and maintain her dignity.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: JOHN SHANKS, KARA DIOGUARDI, ASHLEE SIMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind