Hope

Album: Collapsed In Sunbeams (2021)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Here, Arlo Parks sings of a friend of hers who is feeling isolated, depressed and alone. She won't contact her mates because "she's ashamed of being locked into bed."
  • During the chorus, Parks empathizes with her friend and assures her she's not the only person on the planet feeling low. "That sense of shame is present in the verses, so I wanted the chorus to be this rallying cry," the singer explained to Apple Music. "I imagined a room full of people at a show who maybe had felt alone at some point in their lives singing together as this collective cry so they could look around and realize they're not alone."
  • On the song's bridge, Parks speaks to her friend, telling her she understands how she feels because she gets depressed too. "I wanted to also have the little spoken-word breakdown, just as a moment to bring me closer to the listener," she explained. "As if I'm on the other side of a phone call."
  • Parks' record company released "Hope" as the sixth single from her debut album, Collapsed in Sunbeams. Written and recorded with longtime producer Gianluca Buccellati, they made the record in a collection of different London Air BnBs rather than a traditional studio setup.
  • The singer's frequent visual collaborator, Molly Burdett, directed the touching video, where we see Parks dancing and hanging out with a lonely friend. "I think there's something so powerful about the saturated, filmic textures, the human portraits and depictions of euphoria," she said.

    The clip co-stars Molly Windsor, who played the lead role of Emma Hedges in the BBC TV drama Traces.
  • Speaking during Elton John’s Rocket Hour on Apple Music 1, Arlo Parks cited her inspirations for this song:

    Portishead's Dummy album
    The drums on some of '70s experimental rock band Can records
    The jazz she grew up listening to at home.

    "And I just wanted to create something that felt uplifting," Parks added. "I wanted to give people a sense of being part of something. And although everyone's isolated, not feeling alone and not feeling ashamed about those difficult feelings that a lot of us have."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Charlie Benante of Anthrax

Charlie Benante of AnthraxSongwriter Interviews

The drummer for Anthrax is also a key songwriter. He explains how the group puts their songs together and tells the stories behind some of their classics.

David Gray

David GraySongwriter Interviews

David Gray explains the significance of the word "Babylon," and talks about how songs are a form of active imagination, with lyrics that reveal what's inside us.

The Evolution of "Ophelia"

The Evolution of "Ophelia"Song Writing

How five songs portray Shakespeare's character Ophelia.

Jay, Peaches, Spinderella and other Darrining Victims

Jay, Peaches, Spinderella and other Darrining VictimsSong Writing

Just like Darrin was replaced on Bewitched, groups have swapped out original members, hoping we wouldn't notice.

Victoria Williams

Victoria WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

Despite appearances on Carson, Leno and a Pennebaker film, Williams remains a hidden treasure.

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.