"High Hopes" lyrics

"High Hopes"

Beyond the horizon of the place we lived when we were young
In a world of magnets and miracles
Our thoughts strayed constantly and without boundary
The ringing of the division bell had begun

Along the Long Road and on down the Causeway
Do they still meet there by the Cut

There was a ragged band that followed in our footsteps
Running before time took our dreams away
Leaving the myriad small creatures trying to tie us to the ground
To a life consumed by slow decay

The grass was greener
The light was brighter
With friends surrounded
The nights of wonder

Looking beyond the embers of bridges glowing behind us
To a glimpse of how green it was on the other side
Steps taken forwards but sleepwalking back again
Dragged by the force of some inner tide

At a higher altitude with flag unfurled
We reached the dizzy heights of that dreamed of world

Encumbered forever by desire and ambition
There's a hunger still unsatisfied
Our weary eyes still stray to the horizon
Though down this road we've been so many times

The grass was greener
The light was brighter
The taste was sweeter
The nights of wonder
With friends surrounded
The dawn mist glowing
The water flowing
The endless river

Forever and ever

"Hey?"
"Yes."
"Is that Charlie?"
"Yes."
"Hello, Charlie!"
"Great."


Thanks to a86beaver, Kysrill, leonardo_fabrin, Beesley for correcting these lyrics.
Writer(s): Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen
This song is somewhat autobiographical for David Gilmour since it reflects the events of his childhood, e.g. when he left his hometown.
The title of the whole album was proposed by Douglas Adams, a friend of Gilmour. Adams took it from the line "The ringing of the division bell had begun" of this song.
The phone conversation at the end of this song is between Pink Floyd's manager Steve O'Rourke and David Gilmour's stepson Charlie.
Nightwish made a cover of this song on their compilation album "Highest Hopes" (2005).
Pink Floyd's album "The Endless River" (2014) took its title from a lyric "The endless river" of this song. David Gilmour explained that such a title made a connection between two albums because "The Endless River" was composed from material recorded during "The Division Bell" sessions.
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