Hoop has lived all over the map, and her rich life experience is reflected in her distinctive voice and natural gift for inventive song craft. She learned to sing at an early age, harmonising with her musical Mormon family in northern California. She began writing highly idiosyncratic songs at the age of 14 to keep her company on her long walks to school. At 16, Hoop broke away from her strict upbringing and began what she calls her 'life as a racoon', off the grid & close to nature. Rambling through the high mountain deserts of the Southwest and along the coastlines of the Northwest, she worked as a wilderness survival guide and chalked up skills in farming, surveying, and carpentry. Her songwriting continued throughout, shared on porches, in deep river canyons and around campfires.
In 2004 the desire to share these songs on a broader scale set in. She settled in Los Angeles, where she honed her songwriting craft and developed a reputation as a unique and beguiling live performer of real substance. Though she now resides in Manchester, England, Hoop returned to Los Angeles to record her third album, The House That Jack Built.
Jesca has quite the collection of fans in high places: Tom Waits described her music as being "like a four sided coin. She is an old soul, like a black pearl, a good witch or red moon. Her music is like going swimming in a lake at night". Peter Gabriel took her to South America to sing with him, and in recent years she has been hand picked to play as support on tour for Eels, Andrew Bird, Punch Brothers, Shearwater and Elbow: Elbow's Guy Garvey has even had her do stints as guest presenter on his BBC radio show, to great reception.
The follow up to 2009's critically acclaimed Hunting My Dress, "The House That Jack Built" displays a striking duality: light and dark, head and heart, it juxtaposes the macabre and visceral with a disarmingly candid intimacy. The resulting combination is powerfully evocative, with overarching themes of biology, nature and humanity - Hoop's stone-turning observations are mired in the equal beauty and violence of a nature that, for her, is clearly red in tooth and claw.
Dreams in the Hollow
Jesca Hoop Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Want to be
Ballerinas when we grow up
When we grow up
Little boys dream the night away
With fighting fires
When we grow up
Torlege releve rondejambe
Found and up
Firemen slide on
Down the pole and sound
The siren
Everybody up
All is well in my sorrow
Isn't she a beauty
Burning hall
Ash and shadow
Here comes the hero
Little eyes
Small but wide
Young but wiser
All looking up
All looking up
For your hat
And your axe
And your yellow jacket
Daddy get up
Ash to ash dust to dust
None could muster
Daddy get up
Daddy get up
They see what you couldn't do
When consumed by fire
Days glow
Sleep in the hollow
Dreams in the hollow
Pesky old crow
Heather and thistle
No prints to follow
Hope that they follow
Hope's all they know
All is well in my sorrow
Isn't she a beauty
Burning hall
Ash and shadow
Here comes the hero
Oh, i tried to put it out
But the big tree was falling
And now i find him reaching out
But the big tree it fell
Cross the sea
Her dancing broken dream
So i'm lacing up
I'm lacing up
For musing starts
In broken hearts
The most courageous beauty
So i'm lacing up
Mother's milk
Ragged silk
Chalk's in the hall tree
Tattered toe shoes
Broken toes
Releve turn and pray
For mother's broken dancer
All is well in my sorrow
Isn't she a beauty
Burning hall
Ash and shadow
Here comes the hero
The song "Dreams in the Hollow" by Jesca Hoop explores the dreams and aspirations of young children, particularly the idea that girls want to be ballerinas when they grow up, while boys want to be firefighters. The first verse speaks of the traditional ideals of femininity and masculinity, and how they shape the way young children think and dream. The lines "Torlege releve rondejambe / And found and up" represent the technical terms used in ballet, while "Firemen slide on / Down the pole and sound / The siren" refers to the iconic image of firefighters sliding down a pole to get to their trucks.
The chorus, "All is well in my sorrow / Isn't she a beauty / Burning hall / Ash and shadow / Here comes the hero," explores the aftermath of a fire, as the singer watches a hero emerge from the flames. In the second verse, the imagery shifts to the perspective of a child watching their father, who is a firefighter, go to work. The lines "Ash to ash dust to dust / None could muster / Daddy get up" suggest that the father has not survived the fire, leaving the child to mourn their loss.
The final verse introduces the idea that dreams can be broken, symbolized by a "dancing broken dream." The lines "Mother's milk / Ragged silk / Chalk's in the hall tree" evoke the world of ballet, while "Tattered toe shoes / Broken toes / Releve turn and pray / For mother's broken dancer" suggest a dancer struggling to continue despite injuries and hardship.
Overall, Jesca Hoop's "Dreams in the Hollow" explores the way we construct and interpret our dreams and aspirations, both as children and adults, and the challenges we face in pursuing them.
Line by Line Meaning
Why do we
Questioning why we have certain aspirations or desires
Want to be
Having a desire to become
Ballerinas when we grow up
Questioning why there is a common desire to become ballerinas when growing up
When we grow up
Referring back to the previous line, highlighting the time frame for the aspiration
Little boys dream the night away
Noting how little boys have aspirations and dreams as well
With fighting fires
Specifically mentioning the common dream of fighting fires that little boys have
Torlege releve rondejambe
Mentioning dance steps, potentially linking back to the question of wanting to be ballerinas
And found and up
Continuing with the dance steps, 'found and up' potentially references a stance or position
Firemen slide on
Referencing the specific actions of firefighters
Down the pole and sound
Describing the motion of sliding down a pole and starting the siren on a fire truck
The siren
The sound the fire truck siren makes
Everybody up
Ordering everyone to get on the fire truck to respond to the emergency
All is well in my sorrow
Despite the sadness of the situation, there is a sense of calm or acceptance
Isn't she a beauty
Potentially referencing the burning hall or the firefighters themselves as beautiful despite the chaos
Burning hall
The subject of the emergency or fire that the firefighters are responding to
Ash and shadow
Describing the aftermath of the fire
Here comes the hero
Referencing the arrival of the firefighters as the 'heroes' who will save the day
Little eyes
Continuing the idea of youth having aspirations and desires
Small but wide
Although young, the children are optimistic and open to what the future holds
Young but wiser
Despite their youth, they have gained knowledge and insight
All looking up
All the children are paying attention and are receptive to what is happening around them
For your hat
Referencing the gear of a firefighter, specifically the helmet
And your axe
Another piece of gear a firefighter may have
And your yellow jacket
Describing the signature yellow jackets that firefighters wear
Daddy get up
Urging a specific person, potentially a father or firefighter, to get up and respond to the situation
Ash to ash dust to dust
Physical reminder of the aftermath of fire or destruction
None could muster
No one could gather the strength or courage needed
They see what you couldn't do
The children are able to see the hard work and effort put in by the firefighter that may have been missed in the moment
When consumed by fire
Referring to the dangerous and unpredictable nature of fire
Days glow
The passing of time is noticeable or significant
Sleep in the hollow
A place of solitude or rest
Dreams in the hollow
Referencing the hopes and aspirations that are present even in a peaceful moment such as sleep
Pesky old crow
A nuisance or obstacle in the way of achieving one's dreams
Heather and thistle
Potentially referencing Scotland, as these are flowers/plants native to the region
No prints to follow
Not having a clear direction or path to follow
Hope that they follow
Despite the lack of a clear path, there is optimism that there will be a way forward
Hope's all they know
The only thing certain in uncertain times is hope
Oh, i tried to put it out
Referencing an attempt to fix or solve a problem
But the big tree was falling
Despite the effort, things were still out of control or falling apart
And now i find him reaching out
After losing control, there is a need or desire for help
Cross the sea
A reference to a journey or transition
Her dancing broken dream
Something that was once beautiful and whole is now damaged or broken
So i'm lacing up
Preparing oneself
For musing starts
Looking inward or reflecting
In broken hearts
Referencing the pain or heartbreak experienced
The most courageous beauty
The ability to find beauty and strength despite hardship
Mother's milk
Nurturing or comforting aspect of a mother figure
Ragged silk
Something that was once beautiful, but is now tattered or worn
Chalk's in the hall tree
Vaguely referencing a location or memory, potentially of childhood or family
Tattered toe shoes
Dance shoes that are worn or no longer usable
Broken toes
Potentially referencing the physical toll one takes in ballet or dance
Releve turn and pray
Dance steps that, in this case, could symbolize hope or faith through movement
For mother's broken dancer
Referencing the importance of nurturing and caring for oneself in order to dance or pursue one's dreams
Here comes the hero
Repeating the same phrase from an earlier section, potentially as a reminder of the hope or optimism present despite hardship
Contributed by Camilla K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.