12 Intriguing Songs That Reference Walls | Playlist 🎧

1. Louis Tomlinson, “Walls”

Walls • Sony • 2020

Louis Tomlinson became the final member of One Direction to release his debut solo album, Walls.  Prior to the release of the album, Tomlinson released a fourth advance single, “Walls”. First and foremost, vocally, Tomlinson sounds beautiful.  He exhibits great control, never overreaching or underwhelming in his performance.  With arguably the lightest voice out of 1D, on this particular pop/rock record, it translates respectably. Lyrically, “Walls” is quite thoughtfully penned, exploring life, adversity, relationships, and ultimately growing stronger because of adversity.

The chorus, the crème de la crème of the record, sums it up fantastically:

“But these high walls, they came up short
Now I stand taller than them all
These high walls never broke my soul
And I, I watched them all come fallin’ down
I watched them all come fallin’ down for you, for you.”

“Walls” is certainly a record that’s worth listening to.  Is it the most engaging or enthralling record you’ll ever hear? No, but it has a thoughtful, inspirational, and uplifting message.  Louis Tomlinson sings it well.

2. The Script, “Run Through Walls”

Sunsets & Full Moons • Sony • 2019

“I’ve got friends that will run through walls / I’ve got friends that will fly once called / When I’ve got nowhere left to go / And I need my heroes / I’ve got friends that will run through walls.” Sigh, that’s a beautifully penned, thoughtful chorus if I do say so myself! It hails from “Run Through Walls,” which appears as the third track from Sunsets & Full Moons.  Sunsets & Full Moons is the sixth studio album by Irish pop/rock collective, The Script, who are best known for hits such as “Hall of Fame”, “Breakeven”, and “Superheroes”.

Sunsets & Full Moons didn’t ignite the US charts, but at least we were blessed with “Run Through Walls,” which is quite personal and reflective throughout its course.  Danny O’Donoghue speaks to the power of true friendship.  On the first verse, while he asserts, “There’s no one born with X-Ray eyes,” he goes on to say, “But you always say the words that save my life.”  On the second verse, he cites a specific event – “And that day my mother died” – to reference the power of real friends.  “And you held me up and you wiped my eyes,” he sings, continuing, “It was in that moment when I realized.” Walls, indeed, have been broken down.

3. Kevin Gates, “Walls Talking”

I’m Him • Bread Winners’ Association • 2019

“I’m a prisoner in my own mind / I feel like these walls talkin’ to me / I feel like these wall talkin’ to me.” Damn, that’s a scary thought Kevin Gates. “Walls Talking” appears on the Baton Rouge rapper’s sophomore album, I’m Him, which serves as the proper follow up to Islah (2015).  “Walls Talking,” produced by Richie Souf and Roark Bailey, appears as the eighth track on the 17-track LP.

The aforementioned chorus is quite melodic, definitely a contrast to the edgier rhymes we associate with Gates.  That melodic sensibility continues on the first verse, with the rapper’s approach being reminiscent and reflective.  That said, he’s honest about the hard knock life he’s lived, specifically some bad decisions.  “Never spoke on this, they say that I murdered my best friend,” she spits, continuing, “It was just business, it wasn’t personal, you know how the world is…” Wow.  The second verse is actually less melodic and more un-pitched, but maintains the reflective, reminiscent tone. Some of my favorite lyrics appear on both the first verse and the bridge:

“And I’ll admit it, bein’ young, I made some bad decisions
Heart too big, that’s when my loyalty got used against me.”

4. 5 Seconds of Summer, “If Walls Could Talk”

Youngblood • Capitol • 2018

“Some things are meant to be secret and not to be heard…” Very true, 5 Seconds of Summer – very true! “If Walls Could Talk” certainly isn’t the first pop song to explore what the room might say regarding certain activities (sex specifically).  Kendrick Lamar, who appears later on this list, did a fantastic job of depicting this on “These Walls” in 2015.

5SOS’s own take from their 2018 album, Youngblood, may not quite achieve the same heights, or be quite as risqué, but it’s rock solid at the minimum.  Clearly, we know what the boys are getting at:

“If these walls could talk, I’d hope they wouldn’t say anything
Because they’ve seen way too many things
‘Cause we’d fall from grace, we’re falling
Yeah, we’d fall from grace.”

5. Alextbh, “Walls”

“Walls” – Single • Alextbh • 2018

If you need a great, totally lush, slow jam in your life, “Walls” by Alextbh just might be the song you’ve totally been waiting for.  The soulful singer has been dubbed Malaysia’s Queer pop icon. You can debate whether to characterize Alextbh as pop or R&B, but “Walls” itself is a prime example of urban contemporary music, period.

“My love, I’m / So afraid for things to change,” Alextbh sings on the first verse, continuing, “My love / Guess I’m too carried away.” The lyrics are few on “Walls,” but quite telling.  Matters of the heart are firmly in play, the perfect topic for a slow jam, not to mention a truly relatable song.  The second verse is as beautiful as the first lyrically, with similar emotions, but the centerpiece is the chorus, where the walls are mentioned just once:

“I don’t
Need you to plan my life out like
‘You'll find a man that's better than me’
See, my walls don’t take one day to rebuild
My love
My love
My love
My love.”

6. Halsey, “Walls Could Talk”

Hopeless Fountain Kingdom • Astralwerks • 2017

Halsey has had quite a successful career in the music business, if you analyze it.  Both her debut album, Badlands, and her sophomore album, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, were certified platinum by the RIAA.  Focusing on the album at hand, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, released in 2017, is conceptual, incorporating the artist’s own love issues as well as referencing Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, among numerous other influences.  She gets into our ‘wall’ action with “Walls Could Talk,” the 10^th track from the album.

“And we both hope there’s something / But we bo-both keep fronting / And it’s a closed discussion / And I’m thinking, ‘Damn, if these walls could talk.” Pretty sweet pre-chorus if I do say so myself. “Walls Could Talk” is actually pretty sweet overall to be honest.  It is a record that sounds like a throwback to 90s teen-pop, in all its bubblegum, urban-infused glory.  This includes the quick rhythmic nature of the melody on the verses.  Halsey has some attitude as well – “But you’re so damn good with a bobby pin / Now you gon’ play me like a violin, hittin’ these notes.” Arguably, the most unfortunate thing about this certified bop is its brevity.

7. Chase Atlantic, “The Walls”

Chase Atlantic • Warner • 2017

“Everybody’s leaning on the walls / I don’t think they’re ready for the fall / Cut a little, now she wanting more / Told her that I gotta make some calls.” Hmm, wonder what sort of ‘cutting’ that Mitchel Cave is referencing on “The Walls”? Anyways, “The Walls” appears as the third track on Chase Atlantic, the self-titled, 2017 album by Chase Atlantic. The record is sleekly produced, perhaps best characterized as an alternative cut. Alternative it may be, stylistically, it incorporates elements of pop, rock, and R&B. Essentially, this is the exemplification of modern pop, with its restless nature.

Naturally, “The Walls” features plenty of references to sex – shocking right?  Didn’t the excerpt from the chorus – particularly ‘cutting’ – confirm that?  “Give it to her however she wants / Told her that she gotta keep it down through, yeah, yeah,” Mitchel sings on the first verse, continuing, “I could do this shit like every night.” Of course, you could…  BUT there are also references to drugs, on the aforementioned chorus, as well as on the first verse, pre-chorus (“I just think she needs a little something / Or someone to get into heavy drugs with”), and somewhat implicitly on the second verse.  Safe to say, the excess is legit.

8. Bastille, “Four Walls (The Ballad of Perry Smith)”

Wild World • Virgin • 2016

“‘Being brought up one way and trying to see another way is very difficult.’” The somber “Four Walls (The Ballad of Perry Smith)” is among the most beautiful, thought-provoking moments of Wild World. Wild World is the intriguing sophomore album by British alternative collective, Bastille, fronted by Dan Smith.  As beautiful as “Four Walls (The Ballad of Perry Smith)” is, the subject matter isn’t beautiful.

“These four walls to keep you…
These four walls to contain you
Supposed to save you from yourself…
And now we’re faced with two wrongs…
I don’t know, oh, I don’t know.”

Perry Smith was a mass murderer who was executed by hanging.  Dan denounces the mass murder’s actions but argues against execution and capital punishment as atonement.

“We could be born to anything and now what, now what?
What you have done is terrible, and now you, and now you
Now you carry it with you
You carry it with you
You carry it with you.”

“Four Walls (The Ballad of Perry Smith)” previously appeared on the playlist, 33 Great, If Disturbing Songs About Serial Killers.

9. Kings of Leon, “Walls”

Walls • RCA • 2016

Grammy-winning rock collective Kings of Leon released their seventh studio album, WALLS, in 2016, following a three-year hiatus. “Walls”, the title track and closing track of the album, arrived as the second advance single. The resulting record is one that is great, if surprising. It opens mysteriously. Piano and acoustic guitar enter in, helping the record to settle in. Frontman Caleb Followill delivers clear vocals throughout.

One of the most notable lyrical moments occurs during the second verse:

“I could never point you out
Waste of space in a faceless crowd
Tell me what I have to say
If you know what’s right, then you’ll walk away.”

The question is, who is Followill referencing? Is he being fictional, or could he be in some regard referencing meeting his wife, Lily Aldridge? If that is the case, has he added some fictionalized elements? “Walls” is confounding (in the most brilliant way possible), because it raises plenty of questions that go unanswered by the conclusion. The chorus is incredibly repetitive and simplistic (“When the walls come down”). Because of this, question marks remain.   By the bridge, “Walls” picks up a bit more oomph, intensity.

“You tore out my heart
You threw it away
A Western girl with Eastern eyes
Take a wrong turn and found surprise awaits
Now there’s nothing in the way…”

The lyrics are a bit hard to follow on “Walls” – it’s somewhat open-ended an open to interpretation.  Regardless, it’s impressive – beautifully penned.

10. Alessia Cara, “Four Pink Walls”

Know-It-All • Def Jam • 2015

Canadian pop/R&B artist Alessia Cara clearly represented the new guard and the ‘next big thing’ on her fabulous, 2015 debut album, Know-It-All. A welcome new presence, it’s no surprise Cara ended up with the Grammy for Best New Artist.  Where does she fit within this wall-driven list? Why, she sings about “Four Pink Walls.”

“Four Pink Walls” is one of many highlights from the stacked Know-It-All.  The record is drenched in authenticity.  Why so authentic? It’s real talk about Cara achieving her dreams: “Then the universe aligned / With what I had in mind / Who knew there was a life / Behind those four pink walls?”  Sigh, more artists would benefit from speaking upon their personal experiences.  The second verse confirms Cara’s come-up from those ‘four pink walls’:

“Now I wake up to a different bedroom everyday
Living up in the clouds thinking of how it all changed
Used to sit and watch paint dry
Amazed by the limelight
I can’t ever be afraid.”

11. Kendrick Lamar, “These Walls”

Ft. Bilal, Anna Wise & Thundercat

To Pimp a Butterfly • Interscope • 2015

The fact that To Pimp a Butterfly didn’t win the Grammy for Album of the Year still baffles me.  That said, the fact that any of Kendrick Lamar’s studio albums failed to win the most coveted prize baffles me – quite perturbed! Regardless, critics have given the Compton, California rapper his just due, from the start, and that counts for something, right? As aforementioned (during the 5 Seconds of Summers, “If Walls Could Talk” blurb), on “These Walls,” Lamar does a fantastic job of discussing the activities going down in the bedroom, among other things.

In the context of To Pimp a Butterfly, “These Walls” continues the soulful, jazzy manner of the album. Once more, Kendrick Lamar enlists the talents of Anna Wise, Bilal, and Thundercat.  There is a gentler vibe, correlating with a sensual message.  Much like everything else that is Kendrick Lamar, there is a more complex message beyond sex, which he highlights with lyrics like:

“If your walls could talk, they’d tell you it’s too late
Your destiny accepted your fate
Burn accessories and stash them where they are=
Take the recipe, the Bible and God.”

12. Melanie Fiona, “Break Down These Walls”

The MF Life • Universal • 2012

“My love is strong / But it’s weary from the climb / Why can’t you help me / Can’t you help me please break down your walls.” “Break Down These Walls” is one of the best songs from The MF Life, the sophomore album by Canadian R&B singer Melanie Fiona.  The MF Life is a fantastic contemporary R&B album – quite the underrated album.

“Break Down These Walls” features some fantastic production, courtesy of the ever-awesome NO ID.  Elements that make the music pretty sweet include the mysterious, opening groove, a lovely harmonic progression, and the end of the record, the extended, instrumental unwinding (electric guitar, rhythmic acoustic guitar, and piano).  Vocally, Melanie Fiona is beastly – the most elite and accomplished way possible.  In addition to her compelling lead, she’s accentuated by layered supporting vocals on the refrain.

Thematically, love is wearing down on Melanie – the aforementioned chorus is perfect evidence of this.  “And I’m fighting but even the greatest of wall withstand,” she sings, hoping he’ll take and break down the walls that are hurting the relationship.   C’mon man! You’ve got a good woman; give more!