His Hands

Album: That Girl (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Penned by Jennifer Nettles with Hillary Lindsey and Ashley Gorley, this song is about domestic violence. "I wanted it to have a different subject matter, and I also wanted it to have something that could possibly help people at the same time," she said. "So I had come up with this idea for a chorus of 'His Hands."

    "I love the moment in the song during the performance when people realize that there's a twist," Nettles added. "Because when you hear the chorus after the first verse, you assume that it's about an intimate, passionate encounter. And then when you start to hear the second verse, you start to realize, 'Something else is going on here.' And by the time you hear the second chorus, you realize 'This is a completely different 'his hands on me,' than I originally thought. I love that moment of discovery whenever that happens in the audience."
  • The song is a duet with singer-songwriter Brandy Clark, who opened for Nettles on her That Girl Tour. "What I love about what Brandy brings to this song is that our voices are very different," Nettles commented. "Her voice has a sweet vulnerability to it, that I think almost makes the character in the second verse that much more believable and authentic."
  • Brandy Clark also features in the song's Shaun Silva and Valarie Allyn Bienas-directed music video, which was shot at the House of Blues in Las Vegas.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Yoko Ono

Yoko OnoSongwriter Interviews

At 80 years old, Yoko has 10 #1 Dance hits. She discusses some of her songs and explains what inspired John Lennon's return to music in 1980.

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")Songwriter Interviews

Holly Knight talks about some of the hit songs she wrote, including "The Warrior," "Never" and "The Best," and explains some songwriting philosophy, including how to think of a bridge.

Laura Nyro

Laura NyroSongwriting Legends

Laura Nyro talks about her complex, emotionally rich songwriting and how she supports women's culture through her art.

Sarah Brightman

Sarah BrightmanSongwriter Interviews

One of the most popular classical vocalists in the land is lining up a trip to space, which is the inspiration for many of her songs.

Supertramp founder Roger Hodgson

Supertramp founder Roger HodgsonSongwriter Interviews

Roger tells the stories behind some of his biggest hits, including "Give a Little Bit," "Take the Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song."

U2 Lyrics

U2 LyricsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the lyrics of U2?