Behind the Wall
Tracy Chapman Lyrics


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Last night I heard the screaming
Loud voices behind the wall
Another sleepless night for me
It won't do no good to call
The police always come late
If they come at all

And when they arrive
They say they can't interfere
With domestic affairs
Between a man and his wife
And as they walk out the door
The tears well up in her eyes

Last night I heard the screaming
Then a silence that chilled my soul
I prayed that I was dreaming
When I saw the ambulance in the road
And the policeman said
"I'm here to keep the peace




Will the crowd disperse
I think we all could use some sleep"

Overall Meaning

Tracy Chapman's song "Behind the Wall" is a hauntingly beautiful story about domestic violence told from a bystander's perspective. The lyrics describe the screams coming from the other side of a wall, indicating that the abuse and violence are happening near or next to them, and they feel powerless to help, especially when the police arrive and are unable to intervene due to the abuser's right to privacy. The line "another sleepless night for me, it won't do no good to call" highlights the helplessness of the singer as they realize that no matter how much they want to help, it's beyond their control, it's a heavy burden to bear, and the only option is to pray that it gets better.


The second verse paints a disturbing picture of the aftermath of the abuse, with the chilling silence, the ambulance, and the policeman arriving on the scene, tasked with keeping the peace because the situation has gone beyond control. The bystander hopes that they're dreaming because they're afraid of the truth, and the policeman's words "I think we all could use some sleep" are a sad reflection of how the ignored cries for help have become normalized, forcing people to turn the other way or tune out the noise. The song ends on an ambiguous note, leaving us wondering what happened to the people behind the wall and whether the violence will continue or end.


Line by Line Meaning

Last night I heard the screaming
The singer is recounting a recent experience of hearing loud screams from behind a nearby wall at night.


Loud voices behind the wall
The screaming was coming from behind a wall, indicating it was in a nearby building or home.


Another sleepless night for me
This is not the first time the singer has been kept awake by such noises.


It won't do no good to call
The singer is feeling helpless and defeated, and doesn't think it will make a difference to report the incident.


The police always come late
The singer has reported similar incidents in the past and believes that the police don't come quickly enough.


If they come at all
There is a possibility that the police won't show up at all, which exacerbates the prevailing sense of powerlessness.


And when they arrive
The police came eventually, but not in a timely manner.


They say they can't interfere
The police are explaining that they cannot intervene in the internal affairs of a domestic situation.


With domestic affairs
The police consider the dispute to be between a man and his wife.


Between a man and his wife
The police officers are assuming that the conflict is primarily a matter of a private, personal relationship.


And as they walk out the door
As the police officers are leaving, the singer observes that someone is crying.


The tears well up in her eyes
The distressed woman is visibly upset and crying.


Then a silence that chilled my soul
The singer heard screaming, then a sudden silence that raised alarm and fear.


I prayed that I was dreaming
The latter experience was so unsettling that the singer hoped it was not a real event, but only a bad dream.


When I saw the ambulance in the road
The singer looks outside to see an ambulance parked outside, indicating that something terrible has happened.


And the policeman said
Upon approaching the scene, the singer encounters a police officer.


"I'm here to keep the peace
The officer states his reason for being there is to maintain calm and order.


Will the crowd disperse
The officer is asking those who have gathered to leave so that the situation can be resolved more easily.


I think we all could use some sleep"
The officer acknowledges that everyone is tired and that the situation should be de-escalated so that everyone can rest.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TRACY L CHAPMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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