"Walls" is the third single released by the Australian rock band Flowers, later known as Icehouse. Written by Iva Davies it was released in January 1981, on independent label Regular Records from the Flowers debut album, Icehouse, it peaked at #20 on the Australian Kent Music Reoport Singles Charts. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988. It was also released in New Zealand, with a different cover, which was the last Flowers release before the band was renamed as Icehouse.
Iva Davies has said that "Walls" was autobiographical for a period of his life.
The music video for "Walls" was directed by Trevor Hawkins and is the same Sydney apartment used as location for the 1980 released song "Cheap Wine" by Australian band Cold Chisel.
The Davies-produced b-side "All The Way" is included on various compact disc (CD) re-releases of the Icehouse album. The 1987 CD additionally noting "mastered for CD by David Hemming and Rick O'Neil" and the 2011 CD as Davies playing the oboe.
"Walls" was in September 1981 released internationally by Chrysalis Records in the United States by Icehouse as a single from the re-mixed self-titled Icehouse album.
The 1989 Icehouse compilation album Great Southern Land includes a remixed version of "Walls" by Steve Thompson & Michael Barbiero.
Reception In a single review Cash Box magazine said "Icehouse's Iva Davies entreats the listener to once again enter the Australian band's world of densely textured synth-rock... The title is appropriate enough, as the quartet bursts from a heartbeat rhythm in to wall-like keyboard and guitar hook."
Track listings All tracks written by Iva Davies. Note: requires user to input song title e.g. WALLS
Regular Records (Australia and New Zealand):
"Walls" - 4:22 "All the Way" - 3:50 Chrysalis Records (United States): "Walls" - 3:49 "Fatman" - 3:50
Charts Chart (1981)PeakpositionAustralian (Kent Music Report)20
References