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.
Up All Night
The Waifs Lyrics
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Watched the moon rising slow
Watched it move across the sky
Till I saw the morning light
Up all night
Up all night
Things just don't seem right
Stay up all night
We were young long ago
Now there's ash where the fire glowed
Cold and grey, black as night
I'm waiting for the morning light
Up all night
Up all night
Things just don't seem right
Lordy I think I might
Stay up all night
Watched the sun sinking low
I watched the moon rising slow
Watched it move across the sky
Till I saw the morning light
Up all night
Up all night
Things just don't seem right
Lordy I think I might
Stay up all night
Stay up all night
The Waifs's song “Up All Night” is a melancholic ballad about a person struggling with insomnia while they reminisce about their youth. The lyrics describe the singer observing the beauty and power of nature as they stay awake all night. The first two lines depict the singer watching the sun and the moon moving through the sky from dusk till dawn. The lines "things just don't seem right" and "Lordy, I think I might stay up all night" suggest that the singer may be feeling a sense of unease and restlessness that has kept them up all night. As the song continues, the singer reflects on how they used to be young, vibrant and hopeful, with fire in their hearts, but now they are cold and grey, waiting for the morning light.
The repetitive chorus reinforces the idea that the singer is experiencing insomnia, as they sing "Up all night" multiple times, while hinting at the underlying emotional turmoil that the character is going through. The melancholy tone of the lyrics and the slow, gentle melody add to the heartfelt nature of the song. Overall, the song is an ode to the power of memories and the fleeting nature of youth, that can leave people feeling lost and disconnected from the world around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Watched the sun sinking low
I observed the sun setting in the sky.
Watched the moon rising slow
I gazed as the moon slowly rose in the sky.
Watched it move across the sky
I observed as the moon moved across the sky.
Till I saw the morning light
I watched until the sun came up and it was morning again.
Up all night
I stayed awake throughout the entire night.
Things just don't seem right
I feel something is amiss.
Lordy I think I might
I might stay up all night, but I am not certain.
We were young long ago
We were young once, a long time ago.
Now there's ash where the fire glowed
The fire that once burned bright is now ashes.
Cold and grey, black as night
The world around me is bleak and dark.
I'm waiting for the morning light
I am eagerly anticipating the sunrise.
Stay up all night
I will not go to sleep and will stay awake all night.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DANA STRUM, MARK ALLEN SLAUGHTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind