No Hope

Album: The Vaccines Come Of Age (2012)
Charted: 37
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the first single to be released from The Vaccines' second album, The Vaccines Come Of Age. Frontman Justin Young said: "We all felt it was a really good bridge between the first record and the second record." The song received its first play on Zane Lowe's BBC 1 Radio show on May 28, 2012.
  • Young said of the upbeat track to NME: "This is our coming of age song. It's about growing up and getting old."
  • The angsty tune was inspired by struggles Young has experienced in his twenties. He explained to The Sun: "People always told me that my teens would be the most confusing, difficult transitionary period of my life. But I was so idiotic and reckless in my teens that I didn't find them hard at all. I was just kissing girls and smoking weed. Now I've become more highly strung and found my twenties a lot harder.

    Meeting people for the first time and knowing they're deciding whether or not you're good-looking, talented, charismatic or not. It's a head f--k. People are at different steps on the same path when before we were all neck and neck. It's just confusing and scary."
  • Young told NME: "I wrote it in our rehearsal space when I was waiting for the others to come in: the melody was written within half an hour: It wears is heart on its sleeve and I think that's really important - if you want people to emotionally invest in what you do then you have to be uncomfortably honest."
  • The single version's B-side "Blow Your Mind" was written and sung by bass player Arni Hjorvar. It ties in with the single's artwork, which depicts a young girl resembling him.
  • Young explained the album title to NME: "I quite liked that the first record was quite disarming and didn't take itself too seriously, so I liked the idea of doing something similar on this album. The title isn't actually a reference to the band... it's a reference to being a human being. We used a lyric from the first single, like we did on the first album. I love the idea of continuity."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Dave Mason

Dave MasonSongwriter Interviews

Dave reveals the inspiration for "Feelin' Alright" and explains how the first song he ever wrote became the biggest hit for his band Traffic.

Peter Lord

Peter LordSongwriter Interviews

You may not recognize his name, but you will certainly recognize Peter Lord's songs. He wrote the bevy of hits from Paula Abdul's second album, Spellbound.

Rock Stars of Horror

Rock Stars of HorrorMusic Quiz

Rock Stars - especially those in the metal realm - are often enlisted for horror movies. See if you know can match the rocker to the role.

Bill Withers

Bill WithersSongwriter Interviews

Soul music legend Bill Withers on how life experience and the company you keep leads to classic songs like "Lean On Me."

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.