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.
Three Down
The Waifs Lyrics
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But I've still got four more to go
There's a full moon
And it's rising over Austin
I can see a big old Texas flag
Flying in the wind
I can't sleep for all t
This is some kind of hellhole I'm living in
Three months on the road
But I've still got four more to go
Then I'm going home
I got my sister crying at me
"C'mon lets go downtown
You spend all day in this hotel room
Just lazing around"
So she takes me to a bar
Down on sixth street
And she orders me to drink them down
I got three under my belt
Just four more to go
Then I'm going home
(Take me home!)
Well we were driving out of Nashville
And the clock it said twelve AM
We've got a give hour drive to Jackson
And no map to get us there
We get lost somewhere off the parkway
We have to stop and ask some guy
Who look like he don't care
I said we've been three hours on the road
He said you've got four more to go
Till you'll be home
Three under my belt
But I've still got four more to go
Then I'm going home
Well I've been three months on the road
But I've still got four more to go
The Waifs's song Three Down is a musical narrative about a musician who’s been on the road for three months and has four more to go before she can go home. The song encapsulates the feeling of being trapped in a hotel room, performing in strange cities, and the longing to return home. The opening lines of the song start with the singer lamenting that she’s been on the road for three months and still has four to go. This is then followed by the imagery of a full moon rising over Austin, Texas, and the singer being unable to sleep for the bright lights of the cheap hotel.
The chorus of the song tells us that the singer is lamenting the fact that she still has four months left before she can go home. She’s trapped in a cycle of being on the road, performing and stuck in a hotel room. The singer’s sister tries to alleviate some of the boredom by taking her out to a bar on sixth street, but even this has a melancholic undertone. The singer again repeats that she's had three drinks and has four more to go before she can go home.
The last verse tells us about the singer being lost on the highway outside Nashville and having no map to get to Jackson. The singer stops to ask for directions, but the person she asks doesn't seem to care. This again emphasizes the sense of loneliness and alienation she feels while being on the road. She repeats the chorus one last time, emphasizing that she still has four months left on the road before she can return home.
Line by Line Meaning
Three months on the road
I have been traveling for three consecutive months.
But I've still got four more to go
However, I still have to continue my travels for another four months.
There's a full moon
At night, the moon is completely visible and bright.
And it's rising over Austin
The full moon is emerging above the city of Austin.
I can see a big old Texas flag
I am able to observe a large flag, displaying the state emblem of Texas.
Flying in the wind
This flag is flapping around due to the forceful gusts of wind.
I can't sleep for all t
It is difficult for me to fall asleep during the night.
The bright lights of this cheap hotel
The excessive illumination from the low-priced hotel I'm staying at contributes to my sleeplessness.
This is some kind of hellhole I'm living in
I hate the terrible conditions in this inferior shelter I'm residing, expressing my disgust.
I got my sister crying at me
My sister is nagging and begging me.
"C'mon lets go downtown
Let's go to the city center, try to have some fun," she urged and insisted.
You spend all day in this hotel room
You waste your entire day, doing nothing, locked up inside this room you're staying in.
Just lazing around"
You're idly lounging without much enthusiasm or drive.
So she takes me to a bar
She escorts me to a tavern or watering hole.
Down on sixth street
This bar is located along Sixth Street, a popular entertainment district.
And she orders me to drink them down
She commands me to consume alcoholic beverages.
I got three under my belt
I have drunk three servings of alcohol already.
Just four more to go
I have four more drinks to finish according to her orders.
Well we were driving out of Nashville
As we were departing from Nashville by car,
And the clock it said twelve AM
The timepiece indicated that it was twelve o'clock midnight.
We've got a give hour drive to Jackson
We still have to drive for five hours to reach Jackson.
And no map to get us there
We neglected to bring a map, leaving us lost without any guidance.
We get lost somewhere off the parkway
We took a wrong turn while driving along the parkway.
We have to stop and ask some guy
We need to halt and request directions from a local stranger.
Who look like he don't care
He appears disinterested, indifferent, or apathetic.
I said we've been three hours on the road
I declared that we've spent three hours driving so far.
He said you've got four more to go
He replied stating that we still need to drive for another four hours.
Three under my belt
I have consumed three alcoholic drinks.
But I've still got four more to go
Despite drinking three drinks already, I still need to have four more.
Well I've been three months on the road
I have been traveling non-stop for three months.
Then I'm going home
However, soon I will return to my place of residency.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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