The band's 2003 album Up All Night reached the top five of the Australian Albums Chart, achieving double platinum status and winning 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.
The Waifs formed in August 1992 in Albany, Western Australia as a folk rock band. The Simpson sisters, Donna and Vikki (now Vikki Thorn), had formed a duo, Colours, in Albany to perform cover versions of Bob Dylan and Everly Brothers at local pubs. Their father, Jimmy Simpson, was a seasonal salmon fisherman at Cosy Corner beach and had bought Donna her first guitar when she was 15. In February 1992, 20-year-old Donna and her 16-year-old sister, Vikki headed off in a Kombi van to tour the state as Colours. Josh Cunningham, a Moruya farmer's son, had started playing guitar in 1987, he was touring Australia playing bass guitar for a band.] The Simpsons met 18-year-old Cunningham while Colours were playing twelve-bar blues in Broome. After a ten-minute jam session, Donna invited Cunningham to join Colours, Cunningham later recalled, "there was a connection that Donna felt that I felt as well ... it's always felt very much like a family to me and I felt instantly welcomed into that right from the very start". Upon return to Albany, Colours changed its name to The Waifs (initially styled as The WAiFS) with Cunningham on guitars, ukulele, mandolin, dobro and vocals, Donna on vocals, guitar and tambourine, and Vikki on vocals, harmonica and guitar. The Waifs used the Kombi van from 1992 to 1996 to travel to gigs across Australia.
Discography
The Waifs (1996)
Shelter Me (1998)
Sink or Swim (2000)
Up All Night (2003)
Sun Dirt Water (2007)
Live From The Union Of Soul (2009)
Temptation (2011)
Lighthouse
Waifs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Standing on that cold headland
Shine your light across the sea
For a wayward sailor girl like me
Lighthouse man
Guide this sailor back to land
Steer my ship on through the storm
Back to water safe and calm
Sometimes I need a lighthouse for my own
It gets so dark I can't see which way I'm going
Oh lighthouse man I'm all at sea
Shine a little lighthouse light on me
Lighthouse man I'm all at sea
Shine a little lighthouse light on me
Lighthouse man can't help us all
Some he'll save and some will fall
He'll show you where the danger lies
But he can't help it if you capsize
Steer your own ship back to shore
He'll light your way but that is all
This sea is full of misery and woe
Won't you light my lonely way back home
They don't need no light to light their way
Oh woe betide those that say
They think they're safe enough on their own
Drown in murky depths below
We all need a lighthouse for our own
It gets so dark I can't see which way I'm going
Oh lighthouse man I'm all at sea
Shine a little lighthouse light on me
The song "Lighthouse" by the Waifs is a plea to the lighthouse to guide the lost sailor girl back to the shore. The lighthouse is described as tall and grand, standing on the cold headland, shining its light across the stormy sea. The sailor girl implores the lighthouse man to guide her back to the land, steer her ship through the storm, and bring her to the water safe and calm.
The chorus of the song expresses the need for a lighthouse in our own personal lives. The darkness can be overwhelming, and we can lose our way, but the light of the lighthouse can show us the path. The lyrics of the song are emotional and resonant, urging the listener to seek guidance in times of confusion and distress.
Overall, the song is a powerful metaphor for the need for guidance and light in our lives, especially in times of uncertainty and hardship. The lighthouse serves as a beacon of hope and safety, leading us through the darkness back to the calm and peaceful waters of home.
Line by Line Meaning
Lighthouse tall and grand
The lighthouse is a towering structure that commands respect and authority.
Standing on that cold headland
It is situated on a windy and secluded promontory.
Shine your light across the sea
Illuminate the way for the sailors seeking guidance and direction.
For a wayward sailor girl like me
Assist me, a lost and misguided sailor in need of a beacon of hope.
Lighthouse man
The keeper of the lighthouse, an individual responsible for maintaining and operating the structure.
Guide this sailor back to land
Assist in navigating and piloting the ship back to the safety of the shore.
Steer my ship on through the storm
Navigate through turbulent and treacherous weather conditions.
Back to water safe and calm
Return to the serene and peaceful ocean environment.
Sometimes I need a lighthouse for my own
Occasionally, one requires guidance and support like a sailor in search of a lighthouse.
It gets so dark I can't see which way I'm going
Life can be uncertain and dark, and it's difficult to discern the correct path to follow.
Oh lighthouse man I'm all at sea
I'm lost and hopeless, and I require your expertise to guide me.
Shine a little lighthouse light on me
Please assist me in illuminating my path and guiding me through life's journey.
Lighthouse man can't help us all
The lighthouse keeper has limitations, and not everyone can be helped.
Some he'll save and some will fall
The lighthouse can't rescue everyone, and some will succumb to the unknown dangers.
He'll show you where the danger lies
The lighthouse can provide warnings and indicate where hazardous conditions exist.
But he can't help it if you capsize
The lighthouse can't prevent accidents from occurring, and sometimes catastrophe happens.
Steer your own ship back to shore
One must take personal responsibility and navigate through life's difficulties.
He'll light your way but that is all
The lighthouse can only provide enlightenment and signal direction, but the rest is up to the individual.
This sea is full of misery and woe
The ocean is replete with sadness and despair.
Won't you light my lonely way back home
Please assist me in returning to the comfort of my haven and eradicating my loneliness.
They don't need no light to light their way
Some individuals believe they don't need external guidance or support.
Oh woe betide those that say
It is unfortunate for those who believe they can handle everything on their own.
They think they're safe enough on their own
There are people who assume they can protect themselves without assistance.
Drown in murky depths below
However, they may drown in the unknown and uncharted waters of life.
We all need a lighthouse for our own
Every person requires guidance and support at certain times in their life.
Shine a little lighthouse light on me
Assist me in illuminating my path and guiding me through life's journey.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHAD ALAN GRACEY, CHAD DAVID TAYLOR, EDWARD JOEL KOWALCZYK, PATRICK DAHLHEIMER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind