“High Hopes” is a song by the American pop-rock solo project Panic! at the Disco. It came out on May 23, 2018, as the second single from their sixth album, Pray for the Wicked.
The song talks about chasing your dreams boldly and seeing them come true in amazing ways. Having high hopes means feeling strongly that good things will happen.
In this article, we’ll dive into the lyrics and explore what they mean.
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“High Hopes” Background
“High Hopes” was written by a team including Jake Sinclair, Jonas Jeberg, Brendon Urie, Jenny Owen Youngs, Lauren Pritchard, Sam Hollander, William Lobban-Bean, Taylor Parks, and Ilsey Juber, with additional production by Jonny Coffer.
The creative process began at a BMI writing camp in Aspen, Colorado, back in 2015.
Jeberg, Parks, Juber, and Lobban-Bean started things off by brainstorming in a hot tub—an impromptu setting where they didn’t have instruments.
Jeberg explained:
“I was sitting in the hot tub, singing bass notes. We didn’t have any instruments because we were in the hot tub. I was singing bass notes and directing chords in that way, and we were brainstorming different lyrics.”
Eventually, they set up a portable recording studio and laid down a demo version featuring beats, horns, and vocals.
“High Hopes” Lyrics Meaning
[Verse 1]
Mama said, fulfill the prophecy
Be something greater, go make a legacy
Manifest destiny, back in the days
We wanted everything, wanted everything
Mama said, burn your biographies
Rewrite your history, light up your wildest dreams
Museum victories, every day
We wanted everything, wanted everything
In Verse 1, the singer reflects on the advice given by his mother. The lyrics describe how the singer’s mom encouraged him to pursue his dreams and leave a lasting legacy. The phrase “fulfill the prophecy” suggests a sense of destiny or predetermined success that the mother believes her child is destined for.
The lyrics also mention the concept of rewriting one’s history and burning biographies, which symbolizes the idea of not being constrained by past failures or limitations. Instead, the singer is urged to “light up [his] wildest dreams” and strive for greatness.
The line “wanted everything, wanted everything” emphasizes the ambitious nature of the singer’s desires and aspirations. It conveys a sense of longing for success and achievement in all aspects of life.
[Pre-Chorus]
Mama said don’t give up, it’s a little complicated
All tied up, no more love and I’d hate to see you waiting
In the Pre-Chorus, the singer recalls his mother’s advice, which serves as a source of encouragement during challenging times.
The line “Mama said don’t give up, it’s a little complicated” acknowledges that the way to achieving one’s dreams is not always easy. Despite facing obstacles and setbacks, the singer is urged to persevere and not lose hope.
The phrase “All tied up, no more love and I’d hate to see you waiting” suggests that the singer feels constrained or restricted by circumstances, yet his mother emphasizes the importance of not giving up.
[Chorus]
Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Shooting for the stars when I couldn’t make a killing
Didn’t have a dime but I always had a vision
Always had high, high hopes
Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Didn’t know how but I always had a feeling
I was gonna be that one in a million
Always had high, high hopes (High, high hopes)
In the Chorus, the singer expresses how he maintains a positive outlook and strives to achieve his goals, despite facing challenges and obstacles along the way, as he sings, “Had to have high, high hopes for a living.”
The phrase “Shooting for the stars when I couldn’t make a killing” suggests that the singer still aims for greatness even when success seems out of reach or difficult to attain.
The lines “Didn’t have a dime but I always had a vision” underscore the importance of having a clear sense of purpose and direction, even in the face of adversity. Despite lacking material wealth, the singer’s dreams and aspirations serve as a source of motivation and inspiration.
[Verse 2]
Mama said, it’s uphill for oddities
The stranger crusaders, ain’t ever wannabes
The weird and the novelties don’t ever change
We wanted everything, wanted everything (High, high hopes)
Stay up on that rise
Stay up on that rise and never come down, oh
Stay up on that rise
Stay up on that rise and never come down
In Verse 2, the line “Mom said, it’s uphill for oddities” suggests that the singer’s mother acknowledges the challenges faced by those who are perceived as different or unconventional. Despite this, the singer is encouraged to embrace his uniqueness and not conform to societal norms.
The phrase “The stranger crusaders, ain’t ever wannabes” celebrates those who defy expectations and pursue their dreams with passion and authenticity. The singer admires people who are unafraid to be themselves and stand out from the crowd.
The line “The weird and the novelties don’t ever change” suggests that some quirks and eccentricities are integral to one’s identity and should be celebrated rather than suppressed.
[Pre-Chorus]
Mama said don’t give up, it’s a little complicated
All tied up, no more love and I’d hate to see you waiting
They say it’s all been done but they haven’t seen the best of me-eh-eh-eh
So I got one more run and it’s gonna be a sight to see-eh-eh-eh
In the Pre-Chorus, the singer reflects on the advice given by his mother. The line “Mama said don’t give up, it’s a little complicated” acknowledges the difficulty of pursuing one’s dreams. Despite facing obstacles, the singer’s mother encourages him to persevere through the setbacks.
The line “All tied up, no more love and I’d hate to see you waiting” suggests that the singer may feel constrained by circumstances beyond their control. However, his mother urges him not to lose hope and to keep striving towards his goals.
The phrase “They say it’s all been done” means that some people may believe that everything worth achieving has already been accomplished or that there are no new ideas or opportunities left.
However, the singer rejects this notion and asserts that he still have much to offer and accomplish, singing, “but they haven’t seen the best of me.”
The singer expresses his determination to make another attempt to achieve his goals, as seen in the line “So I got one more run and it’s gonna be a sight to see.” He’s confident that his upcoming endeavor will be impressive and noteworthy, proving his doubters wrong.
[Bridge]
Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Shooting for the stars when I couldn’t make a killing
Didn’t have a dime but I always had a vision
Always had high, high hopes (High, high hopes)
Had to have high, high hopes for a living
Didn’t know how but I always had a feeling
I was gonna be that one in a million
Always had high, high hopes (High, high hopes)
In the Bridge, the singer begins with the lines “Had to have high, high hopes for a living, Shooting for the stars when I couldn’t make a killing,” expressing the importance of maintaining optimism and ambition even in the face of challenges.
The phrase “Didn’t know how but I always had a feeling” suggests that the singer may not have had a clear plan or path to success, but he was guided by a sense of purpose. He trusts his instincts and remains steadfast in the pursuit of his dreams, even when the future seems uncertain.
The repetition of “Always had high, high hopes” emphasizes the singer’s unwavering belief in his abilities to achieve his goals.
Deeper Meaning Behind “High Hopes”
“High Hopes” by Panic! at the Disco is a spirited anthem celebrating resilience, ambition, and the pursuit of dreams. In the song, the singer reflects on the advice and encouragement given by his mother, who instilled in him the belief that he could achieve greatness.
Despite encountering difficulties, the singer remains steadfast in their pursuit of his dreams, refusing to be discouraged by setbacks or naysayers. As the chorus proclaims, “Had to have high, high hopes for a living, Shooting for the stars when I couldn’t make a killing.”
In other words, he maintains a positive outlook and continue to aim high, confident in his abilities and driven by his vision for the future.
After releasing the song, Brendon shared his inspiration for “High Hopes” on Twitter, Instagram, and in the video description on YouTube.
I spent too long not setting my expectations high enough, worried about how it felt to fail. I hit a point when I realized I had to aim high and fail, fail, fail in order to keep growing. This one is for all of you who helped me go for it all. I thank you.
– B
In an interview with Topsify, Urie explained why he wrote the song:
“I want[ed] to talk about my childhood and having this dream as a kid. Making a cardboard cutout of a guitar and standing front of the mirror, dreaming of being on stage. Now it’s come to fruition, and that is what [“High Hopes”] is about. It’s [this] all encompassing idea of how it started and where I am now [and] the vision I had.”
In the end, the phrase “high hopes” represents the singer’s unwavering belief in his ability to achieve greatness. It signifies one’s aspiration to aim high and reach for the stars, even when the odds seem stacked against them.
Jacob Carter is a lyricist. He created the lyrics writing course to teach people how to analyze and write lyrics. He graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in English Literature, so he’s skilled at playing with words.
He’s also an amateur guitarist, which means he knows music and melody very well. With this background, he’s a great lyricist you can rely on to learn writing lyrics.