High Places is an American duo formed in in May 2006 by multi-instrumentali… Read Full Bio ↴High Places is an American duo formed in in May 2006 by multi-instrumentalist Robert L. Barber (sometimes known as Robbie Barber) and vocalist Mary Pearson.

It began as an experiment in collaboration: two people with diverse artistic backgrounds coming together to merge their skills, aesthetic tastes, and music-making approaches. Robert L. Barber grew up listening to punk and hardcore, and Mary Pearson studied bassoon performance, but both gravitated toward a DIY compositional style and a love of layers. It is the affinity for layering that has thus far defined the duo, both in ideas and instrumentation. High Places’ songs contain a fascinating range of aural layers: bells and bird calls over a wash of ocean waves; mallets hitting mixing bowls over treated guitar and glockenspiel; Mary's reflective vocals over Rob's homemade beats. The result is an imaginative and spacious amalgamation of sounds with a unique, almost Caribbean undertone that is as immediate as it is refreshing.

Since their inception in 2006 in Brooklyn, High Places have honed their "exquisite corpse" style of songwriting, exchanging ideas back and forth, challenging one another's expectations, pushing both performance and songs to new places, or more aptly, new heights. With each single, from “Head Spins” to “Sandy Feat” from “Greeting the Light” to “Granola” the band has revealed more complex elements within their layers be it in vocal texture, delicate melodic sense, or in new dimensions to their ever inventive and propulsive percussion.

Their album "Original Colors" was released in 2011.

Jump In
High Places Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If you never take the first step
You cannot go too far
I'm sure you know that
You strike me as a smart kid
And you've got big plans
And big dreams
And big big goals
So get a move on

Jump in

Hey
We're jumpin' in
Today
It begins

And oooh I'm so impressed
'Cause you have done your best
And we will get so much done
Before this day is done

If we never take the first step
We cannot go too far

Let's get a move on
Jump in

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to High Places’ song “Jump In” convey an inspiring message of encouragement to listeners, urging them to take action to achieve their dreams and goals. The lines, “If you never take the first step, you cannot go too far” highlights the importance of making the effort to initiate progress towards one’s aspirations. The singer recognizes the potential of the person they are addressing and urges them to act on their ambitions by stating, “And you’ve got big plans, and big dreams, and big big goals.”

In the chorus, the singer emphasizes the need for immediate action by saying, “So get a move on, jump in,” emphasizing urgency without hesitation. The song also acknowledges the importance of making an effort, however small it may be, because even the slightest action can have a significant impact on the progress that one makes. Furthermore, the lyrics emphasize the significance of being proud of oneself for putting forth the necessary effort, “And oooh I’m so impressed, ‘cause you have done your best.”

Overall, “Jump In” delivers a powerful and motivational message to its listeners by challenging them to take the initiative, start planning and actualizing their goals, and take pride in every step towards it. The song encourages listeners to harness their inner strength and start taking action towards making their dreams a reality.

Line by Line Meaning

If you never take the first step
Progress is impossible without taking the first step

You cannot go too far
You can't achieve much if you're stuck at one place

I'm sure you know that
You seem smart enough to understand the importance of taking action

You strike me as a smart kid
You give me the impression that you're intelligent and capable

And you've got big plans
You have great aspirations for yourself

And big dreams
You have ambitious visions for your future

And big big goals
You have set high targets for your achievements

So get a move on
Take action now to start moving towards your goals

Jump in
Dive in without hesitation

Hey
A term used to grab attention

We're jumpin' in
We're starting our journey towards our goals