High Hopes (Pink Floyd song)

"High Hopes"
SinglebyPink Floyd
from the albumThe Division Bell
B-side	"Keep Talking" "Marooned" "One of These Days(Live) "
Released	17 October 1994
Recorded	January – December 1993
Studio	Astoria,London
Genre	Progressive rock,New-age
Length	8:31(album version) 5:16 (single edit) 7:01 (Echoesversion)
Label	EMI Columbia
Composer(s)	David Gilmour
Lyricist(s)	Polly Samson David Gilmour
Producer(s)	Bob Ezrin David Gilmour
Pink Floydsingles chronology
"Take It Back" (1994) "High Hopes" (1994) "Wish You Were Here (Live)" (1995)
Music video
"High Hopes"onYouTube

"High Hopes"is a song by EnglishrockbandPink Floyd,composed by guitaristDavid Gilmourwith lyrics by Gilmour andPolly Samson.It is the closing track on their fourteenth studio album,The Division Bell(1994); it was released as the second single from the album on 17 October 1994. An accompanying music video was made for the song and was directed byStorm Thorgerson.

Douglas Adams,a friend of Gilmour, chose the title forThe Division Bellfrom one verse in this song. Live versions are featured on Pink Floyd'sPulse,as well as Gilmour'sIn Concert,Remember That Night,Live in GdańskandLive at Pompeiireleases. OnEchoes: The Best of Pink Floyd,a somewhat shortened version of the song segues intoSyd Barrett's "Bike".The segue is accomplished by cutting from the church bell at the end of" High Hopes "to a new bicycle bell sound effect before" Bike "begins. A 7-inch vinyl version of the single was released on a transparent record.

An early version of the song appeared on the 2018 box setThe Later Yearsand was released as one of the preview tracks.Unlike the album version, this features the final solo played on a regular electric guitar instead of a lapsteel.

Composition

The song is mostly in the key of C minor, and features the sound of a church bell chiming a 'C' throughout, except for a short section in the middle where the song briefly modulates into E minor for a guitar solo. The bell was taken from a sound effects record.

The lyrics refer to the band's early days inCambridge,specifically before they started making music. It references landmarks such as "Long Road" and "The Cut", as well as Cambridge as a location for "magnets and miracles". The video also references ex-bandmateSyd Barrett.Its lyrics speak of the things one may have gained and lost in life, written from Gilmour's autobiographic perspective. Gilmour has said that the song is more about his early days, and leaving his hometown behind, than about the seeds of division supposedly planted in Pink Floyd's early days.

The final couplet from the song ( "The endless river/Forever and ever" ) recalls a line from the band's second single, "See Emily Play",from 1967, (" Float on a river/Forever and ever ");it inspired the name of their final studio album,The Endless River,released in 2014.Shortly after the song ends and the chimes fade out is ahidden trackcomprising a brief phone call between the band's managerSteve O'Rourkeand Gilmour's son Charlie. This concludesThe Division Bell.

Track listings

CD single

1. "High Hopes" – 8:34
2. "Marooned" – 5:29

CD maxi

1. "High Hopes" (radio edit) – 5:16
2. "Keep Talking" (radio edit) – 4:55
3. "One of These Days" (live) – 6:57

Music video

The music video, directed byStorm Thorgerson,features a man looking overthe FensatEly Cathedral,the same building which can be seen between the metal heads on the cover of the album. Also, the video has many references to Cambridge, where Syd Barrett, Roger Waters and David Gilmour grew up,college scarves,bicycles andpuntson the river being obvious ones. In particular many scenes are set inSt John's College, Cambridge,including theBridge of Sighs.Also shown is an oversized bust of Syd Barrett. It was later used in live performances during Pink Floyd's 1994 Division Bell Tour and seen on the PULSE video.

Personnel

The Division Bell

• David Gilmour– lead and backing vocals, bass guitar,classical guitarandlap steel guitars
• Richard Wright–Kurzweilsynthesisers
• Nick Mason– drums,tambourine,church bell

Additional musicians:

• Jon Carin– piano
• Michael Kamen–orchestrations
• Edward Shearmur– orchestrations

Pulse

• David Gilmour – lead vocals, classical guitar and lap steel guitars
• Richard Wright – Kurzweil synthesisers,Hammond Organ
• Nick Mason – drums, gong

with:

• Jon Carin–piano,keyboards,additional and backing vocals
• Guy Pratt– bass, backing vocals
• Tim Renwick– classical guitar
• Gary Wallis– percussion,church bell,drum kit
• Sam Brown– backing vocals
• Claudia Fontaine– backing vocals
• Durga McBroom– backing vocals

Cover versions

• The song was covered byShark 'n the Smokeon the 2003 tribute albumA Fair Forgery of Pink Floyd.
• The song was covered byNightwishwho released two different live versions; one on the compilation albumHighest Hopes: The Best of Nightwishand another one on the live DVDEnd of an Era.
• The song was covered byGregorianfor their albumMasters of Chant Chapter IV.
• The song was covered by the German bandSylvanin 2000 for the albumSigns of Life – A Tribute to Pink Floyd.
• The song was covered by the French power metal bandKareliain 2005 for the albumRaise.
• The song was covered by the German Metalcore bandCalibanin 2012 for the deluxe version ofI Am Nemesis.
• The song was covered by the Scottish vocalistRay Wilsonin 2016 for his acoustic albumSong for a Friend.
• The song was covered by actor, comedian and vocalistAlexander Armstrongin 2016 for his second studio albumUpon a Different Shore.
• The song was covered byFrenchneofolkgroupSKÁLDin 2019 for theAlfar Fagrahvéledition of their albumVikings Chant.

Charts

Chart (1994)	Peak position
FrenchSNEPSingles Chart	4
UK Singles Chart	26
U.S.BillboardAlbum Rock Tracks	7
Canada Singles Chart	43

End of year chart (1994)	Position
French Singles Chart	36

External links

• "High Hopes"onYouTube