High Hopes
Dennis van Aarssen Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

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, everyday
We wanted everything, wanted everything

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

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)

Mama said
It′s uphill for oddities
Stranger crusaders
Ain't ever wannabes
The weird and the novelties
Don′t ever change
We wanted everything, wanted everything

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

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
So I got one more run and it's gonna be a sight to see

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

Overall Meaning

The song "High Hopes" by Dennis van Aarssen is about pursuing your dreams and never giving up, even when the odds are against you. The opening lines of the song suggest that the artist's mother encouraged him to fulfill his potential and make a difference in the world. He was told to rewrite his history and aim for success, despite whatever setbacks he may have faced.


Throughout the song, the artist emphasizes the importance of having high hopes and staying true to yourself. He explains that he always had a vision, even when he didn't have the means to achieve it. The lyrics encourage listeners to pursue their dreams and refuse to give up, even when things get tough. The repeated phrase "high, high hopes" serves as a reminder to stay positive and keep striving for success.


Line by Line Meaning

Mama said
A mother advising her children to fulfill their life's dreams and become something great.


Fulfill the prophecy
A mother's call to fulfill destiny and make a lasting impact on the world.


Be something greater
A call to aim for greatness and to leave a legacy that would be remembered.


Go make a legacy
The need to make a lasting impact on the world by leaving a legacy.


Manifest destiny
The belief that destiny can be achieved by the force of one's will.


Back in the days
A reference to the past when dreams were big and everything was possible.


We wanted everything, wanted everything
A reminder of how much they wanted to achieve everything they set their hearts on.


Burn your biographies
Discarding everything that doesn't work towards fulfilling destiny, because it can hold you back.


Rewrite your history
Take control and direct your life by rewriting your past experiences in a way that will help you to achieve greatness.


Light up your wildest dreams
A call to dream big and set high expectations in pursuit of greatness.


Museum victories, everyday
The need to achieve greatness every day and to never settle for mediocrity.


Mama said don′t give up, it's a little complicated
A mother's reminder that the path to greatness is not easy, but never to give up.


All tied up, no more love and I′d hate to see you waiting
A call to avoid being held back by indecision or fear, and to keep striving.


Had to have high, high hopes for a living
The belief that thinking and dreaming big is necessary to fulfill your ambitions.


Shooting for the stars when I couldn't make a killing
Keep pushing for greatness, even when the obstacles in your path seem insurmountable.


Didn't have a dime but I always had a vision
The need to hold onto and fight for your vision, even when you don't have the resources.


Always had high, high hopes
The belief that unwavering hope and optimism is essential for achieving your dreams.


Didn't know how but I always had a feeling
The sense that the journey to greatness sometimes starts from uncertainty and not knowing what the future holds.


I was gonna be that one in a million
The belief that you will be the exception to the rule and be one of the few who truly achieve greatness.


It's uphill for oddities
The notion that it can be tough for those who don't fit the mold, and that the journey will be an uphill struggle.


Stranger crusaders
A reference to the oddball personalities who fight for their dreams regardless of societal expectations.


Ain't ever wannabes
The need to reject simply being an outsider looking in and instead, confidently pursuing your dreams.


The weird and the novelties
The need to embrace uniqueness and individuality to leave a great impact while staying true to oneself.


Don't ever change
The belief that staying true to one's values will ultimately lead to success.


Stay up on that rise
A call to stay hopeful and positive regardless of the obstacles that come your way.


And never come down, oh
To never let failures or setbacks bring you down, and to keep striving upwards.


They say it's all been done but they haven't seen the best of me
A belief that the best is yet to come and that one should keep pushing for more.


So I got one more run and it's gonna be a sight to see
A reminder to keep fighting and never give up when things don't go as planned, as the path to success is a marathon, not a sprint.




Writer(s): Ilsey Juber, Jenny Owen Youngs, Brendon Urie, Jacob Sinclair, Lauren Pritchard, Samuel Hollander, Jonas Jeberg, Tayla Parx, William Lobban Bean

Contributed by Brooklyn F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions