The newly formed group scored a hit right off the bat with the single "Only You" b/w "Situation," which hit number two on the U.K. charts in April of 1982, and shortly thereafter, scored another big hit with "Don't Go" (which would become their best-known track stateside as its promo video enjoyed airtime on the newly formed MTV). Yaz's commercial winning streak continued with their debut full-length, Upstairs at Eric's, which hit number two on the U.K. album charts (eventually going platinum in England) and opened the door to countless other synth-dance bands that would soon follow in Yaz's wake. But despite a promising career ahead of them, Yaz opted to call it a day after one more full-length recording, 1983's You and Me Both. Moyet would go on to launch a solo career immediately after Yaz's split (scoring a major hit with her solo debut, 1984's Alf, which topped the charts and spawned several hit singles), while Clarke would go on to form another synth-based outfit, Erasure, with singer Andy Bell. Although Yaz issued only a pair of albums during a brief career together, a 15-track "hits" collection was assembled in 1999, The Best of Yaz.
In My Room
Yaz Lyrics
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I only wait for it to stop
And in the room locked up inside me
The cutout magazines remind me
I sit and wait alone in my room
And in my room against the wall
There is picture very small
It shows a picture of the room I know
I sit and wait alone in my room
[Chorus:]
The walls are white and in the night
The room is lit by electric light
I stand and watch the clock
I only wait for it to stop
The doors are shut and all the windows lock
The only sound is from the clock
I sit and wait alone in my room
[Chorus]
The Yaz song "In My Room" is a somber reflection on loneliness and isolation. The lyrics describe a person who is trapped in their own thoughts, waiting patiently for time to pass, and their only company comes from the cut-out magazines and photographs that clutter their room. The walls are stark white, and the only light in the room comes from an electric source. The imagery highlights the sense of detachment, as the character is disconnected from the world outside their four-walled prison. The person is also haunted by a picture they took several years ago, reminding them of the small space they occupy.
The repeated phrase, "I sit and wait alone in my room" reinforces the feeling of being trapped and isolated. The clock is a constant reminder of time passing, which only adds to the sense of despair. The character's solitude is highlighted by the sound of the clock being the only noise they hear, with all doors and windows locked. The overall meaning of the song is a reflection on the emotional and mental tolls of being alone for an extended period.
Line by Line Meaning
I stand alone and watch the clock
I'm by myself, staring at the clock, wishing time would stop
I only wait for it to stop
The only thing I hope for is that time stops passing
And in the room locked up inside me
There's a part of me that's trapped inside this room
The cutout magazines remind me
The magazines cut into pieces act as a reminder of something I'm trying to forget
I sit and wait alone in my room
I'm sitting, waiting, all alone, in this room
And in my room against the wall
On my room's wall, there's
There is picture very small
A small picture hangs
A photograph I took some years ago
It's a picture I took years ago
It shows a picture of the room I know
The picture shows the familiar room I'm currently in
The walls are white and in the night
The walls are white and at night,
The room is lit by electric light
The electric light is the only source of illumination in the room
The doors are shut and all the windows lock
The doors are closed, and the windows are locked
The only sound is from the clock
The only sound I hear is the ticking of the clock
I sit and wait alone in my room
I'm still just sitting and waiting in this room, all by myself
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ERIC WILLIAM MARTIN, GARY L. USHER, BRIAN WILSON, MICHELLE PATRICIA GAYLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind