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.
Take it In
The Waifs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the mango trees
In her mind she's still splashing 'round
Down on Cable Beach
And her eyes, they are as rich and faraway
As the sunset there
She's not taking in a word I say
Well I might as well be talking to myself
Take it in, take it all in
Now is a time that
Will not come again
Take it in, take it all in
This is a day that
Is here for the living
So we step outside
Into this Melbourne weather
With a shock it
Brings her back to where she is
Now we've made this place our home
Surrounded by unknown
We're gonna stick it out
Until it comes together
Take it in, take it all in
Now is a time that
Will not come again
Take it in, take it all in
This is a day and
It's here for the living
We're only living for a day
To come or some days gone by
Never taking in each moment
Never knowing what you had
Until it passed you by
And it'll pass you by
Take it in, take it all in
Now is a time that
Will not come again
Take it in, take it all in
This is the day and
It's here for the living
Take it all in
Now is a time that
Will not come again
Take it in, take it all in
This is the day and
It's here for the living
The Waifs's song "Take it In" is an invitation to embrace the present moment, to cherish what we have and to be mindful of the passing of time. The singer of the song is a woman who is brought back to reality by the gloomy weather of Melbourne while she is daydreaming of her past experiences in Cable Beach. The contrast between the warmth, the colors, and the scents of her memories and the bleakness of her present is striking, but the singer encourages her to take it all in, to be aware of the uniqueness of each moment.
The repetition of the chorus reinforces the idea that life is fleeting and that we should make the most of what we have. The verses, however, are more narrative and descriptive, conveying a sense of longing for what was and appreciation for what is. The line "surrounded by unknown" expresses the disorientation and alienation that can come with starting a new life, while the determination to "stick it out until it comes together" reflects the resilience and optimism that are necessary to navigate change.
"Take it In" is a poignant and uplifting song that reminds us to be present and grateful, to pay attention to the beauty that surrounds us, and to cherish the people and moments that make life worth living.
Line by Line Meaning
Now she's thinking of the red soil
She's reminiscing about the red soil that she used to see
And the mango trees
Also reminiscing about the mango trees that she used to see
In her mind she's still splashing 'round
She's still recalling memories of playing around Cable Beach
Down on Cable Beach
Referring to the Cable Beach where she used to play
And her eyes, they are as rich and faraway
Her eyes seem dreamy, filled with rich memories of the past
As the sunset there
As the sunset she used to see in her past memories
She's not taking in a word I say
She's too lost in her memories to pay attention to what I'm saying
Well I might as well be talking to myself
I feel like I'm talking to myself because she's not listening
Take it in, take it all in
Enjoy and appreciate everything around you to its fullest
Now is a time that
The present is the only time we have and it's unique
Will not come again
Once this moment passes, it's gone forever
This is a day that
Every day is a unique experience that we should cherish
Is here for the living
We should live in the present moment and make the most out of it
So we step outside
We move out of the house into the world
Into this Melbourne weather
In Melbourne, it's often raining or cold, and this reality brings her back to the present from her memories
With a shock it
Referring to the shock of realizing where she is and what she's currently experiencing
Brings her back to where she is
It grounds her and brings her back to the present moment
Now we've made this place our home
We've settled down and made Melbourne our new home
Surrounded by unknown
We're surrounded by unfamiliarity
We're gonna stick it out
We're going to stay here and make it through
Until it comes together
Until we feel comfortable and acclimated to this new environment
We're only living for a day
Life is temporary and fleeting
To come or some days gone by
Referring to memories of past and future experiences
Never taking in each moment
We often don't appreciate and enjoy each moment as they come
Never knowing what you had
We often don't appreciate what we have until it's gone
Until it passed you by
Once the moment is gone, it's too late to appreciate it
This is the day and
Today is a unique day that we should cherish
It's here for the living
We should be alive in the moment and make the most of it
Take it all in
Appreciate and enjoy everything around you
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Phill Hart
Love it. LOVE it. Such a good message. We all get into that rut at some point where the day is just another day. But take it all in. It won't come around again. Pretty good advice - I think
goldfinger -999
20 odd years ago I met that girl splashing around on Cable Beach, this song is a time capsule for me….beautiful Broome
padraig sisk
Remember this band 1996 at the Clifton hill, Queens pde, Melbourne.