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.
THE LOST SKY
Jesca Hoop Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Searching for your signal, receive mine
I called you cold and our tears became laughter
Happy ever after
Out of our secrets, we built a home
Confide and fortify, blood, bone
A love like I was comes 'round once in a lifetime
The bitter burn of a signal run cold
You became the dark star and left me all alone
A love like I was comes 'round once in a lifetime
Sending you a lifeline
The bitter burn of a signal run cold
You became the dark star and left me all alone
A love like I was comes 'round once in a lifetime
Sending you a lifeline
And when we said the words 'I love you'
I said them 'cause they are true
Why would you say those words to me
If you could not follow through?
Go wash your mouth out, child
I walk the dark star, the lost sky
Searching for your signal, receive mine
I called you cold and our tears became laughter
Happy ever after
Out of our secrets, we built a home
Confide and fortify, blood, bone
A love like I was comes 'round once in a lifetime
Sending you a lifeline
The bitter burn of a signal run cold
You became the dark star and left me all alone
A love like I was comes 'round once in a lifetime
Sending you a lifeline
And when we said the words 'I love you'
I said them 'cause they are true
Why would you say those words to me
If you could not follow through?
Go wash your mouth out, child
I walk the dark star, the lost sky
Searching for your signal, receive mine
I called you cold and our tears became laughter
Happy ever after
Out of our secrets, we built a home
Confide and fortify, blood, bone
A love like I was comes 'round once in a lifetime
Sending you a lifeline
The bitter burn of a signal run cold
You became the dark star and left me all alone
A love like I was comes 'round once in a lifetime
Sending you a lifeline
The bitter burn of a signal run cold
You became the dark star and left me all alone
A love like I was comes 'round once in a lifetime
Sending you a lifeline
And when we said
The Lost Sky is a song by Jesca Hoop that talks about love, loss, betrayal, and the hopeful possibility of a love that can withstand any trials. The lyrics of the song describe the feeling of walking alone in the dark sky, pining for the return of a lover who has left without a trace. It talks about the searching for the lost signal of love in the vast darkness and hoping to receive a response from the other person.
The first verse talks about the singer walking in the lost sky, searching for a signal from their lover. The singer called their lover cold but later on found happiness by turning their tears into laughter. In the second verse, the singer talks about the secrets shared with their lover and how they built a home out of it. They trusted and fortified each other, and the love they shared was one that comes around once in a lifetime, sending a lifeline to keep them connected. However, the third verse talks about the pain, as the signal of love fades away, leaving the singer feeling lost and alone. They were betrayed by the person they thought they loved, who became a dark star and disappeared, leaving the singer behind.
The chorus repeats the theme of the singer walking in the lost sky, searching for a signal of love, and hoping for a happy ever after. The final lines of the song address the insincerity of love and the importance of following through on one's promises. The singer questions why someone would say they love another person if they cannot follow through with it.
Overall, the song explores the intricacies of human relationships and how love can be both beautiful and devastating. It expresses the hope that even when love is lost, it can be found again.
Line by Line Meaning
I walk the dark star, the lost sky
I am wandering aimlessly in the vast and empty universe, searching for a way back to you.
Searching for your signal, receive mine
I am desperately trying to contact you through any means possible, hoping that you are also trying to reach out to me.
I called you cold and our tears became laughter
Despite you being distant and unresponsive, I still found a way to connect with you and turn our tears of sorrow into tears of joy.
Happy ever after
I wish for us to continue our journey together, finding happiness and comfort in each other's company forever.
Out of our secrets, we built a home
We forged a deep and intimate connection by sharing our innermost thoughts and secrets, creating a safe and nurturing environment for our love to grow.
Confide and fortify, blood, bone
Our love is built on a foundation of trust, honesty, and commitment, and we will stand by each other through thick and thin, no matter what.
A love like I was comes 'round once in a lifetime
Our love is unique and special, and will never be replicated again in our lifetime.
Sending you a lifeline
I am reaching out to you, hoping that you will grab onto me and not let go, and that we can weather any storms together.
The bitter burn of a signal run cold
Our once passionate and intense connection has withered away into nothingness, leaving us both feeling empty and alone.
You became the dark star and left me all alone
You have become my source of pain and despair, and I feel lost and alone without you by my side.
And when we said the words 'I love you'
We made a solemn promise to each other, vowing to love and cherish each other until the end of time.
I said them 'cause they are true
I truly and deeply love you, and my words were not just empty promises or sweet nothings.
Why would you say those words to me
I am confused and hurt by your actions, wondering why you would say you loved me if you did not truly mean it.
If you could not follow through?
I am questioning your sincerity and your ability to keep your promises, wondering if you were ever truly invested in our relationship.
Go wash your mouth out, child
I am angry and disappointed with you, and I feel like your words were nothing but lies and deception.
Contributed by Lucy F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@DancingVioleta
[Verse 1]
I walk the dark star, the lost sky
Searching for your signal, receive mine
I called you cold and our tears became laughter
Happy ever after
Out of our secrets, we built a home
Confide and fortify, blood, bone
A love like ours comes 'round once in a lifetime
Sending you a lifeline
The bitter burn of a signal run cold
You became the dark star and left me all alone
A love like ours comes 'round once in a lifetime
Sending you a lifeline
The bitter burn of a signal run cold
You became the dark star and left me all alone
A love like ours comes 'round once in a lifetime
Sending you a lifeline
[Chorus]
And when we said the words 'I love you'
I said them 'cause they are true
Why would you say those words to me
If you could not follow through?
Go wash your mouth out, child
[Verse 2]
I walk the dark star, the lost sky
Searching for your signal, receive mine
I called you cold and our tears became laughter
Happy ever after
Out of our secrets, we built a home
Confide and fortify, blood, bone
A love like ours comes 'round once in a lifetime
Sending you a lifeline
The bitter burn of a signal run cold
You became the dark star and left me all alone
A love like ours comes 'round once in a lifetime
Sending you a lifeline
[Chorus]
And when we said the words 'I love you'
I said them 'cause they are true
Why would you say those words to me
If you could not follow through?
Go wash your mouth out, child
[Verse 3]
I walk the dark star, the lost sky
Searching for your signal, receive mine
I called you cold and our tears became laughter
Happy ever after
Out of our secrets, we built a home
Confide and fortify, blood, bone
A love like ours comes 'round once in a lifetime
Sending you a lifeline
The bitter burn of a signal run cold
You became the dark star and left me all alone
A love like ours comes 'round once in a lifetime
Sending you a lifeline
The bitter burn of a signal run cold
You became the dark star and left me all alone
A love like ours comes 'round once in a lifetime
Sending you a lifeline
And when we said...
[Outro]
@ReyMarz
Hey everyone, thanks so much for checking out this video! I’m the actor working alongside Jesca Hoop in these scenes, just wanted to say this was such an awesome experience being part of this project, on set with our director Elia Petridis and the whole cast and crew ...a wonderful team for a brilliant, haunting piece of music
@gofilmatics1263
:-)))) Hi Rey, Elia here, the pleasure was all ours to have you, talented you! And looking forward to the next one :-)
@nobozos7444
Fantastic work Rey, Elia, Jesca, and everyone else involved.
@nobozos7444
I hope you find the light. Sometimes it's hard to see.
@paulthompson4567
Rey Marz I love this song! And your acting was supberb but please tell me...What are you portraying? A crazy man? A man who doesnt love his wife anymore? I dont get it!!
@ReyMarz
Thank you for all of these comments, very much appreciated!! It is deeply humbling to be part of something so meaningful here, our personal interpretations, which I feel are all so very relevant. Jesca Hoop also talks about this song on the record label’s website, in the 7th paragraph down: subpop.com/artists/jesca_hoop
@unitedrecords9207
I can't find appropriate words to say how deeply this song touched my soul... So sad, so beautiful... And this harmony... This is my greatest music discovery of last 20 years. Thank you, Jesca Hoop.
@thinkthensend9228
This song should be listened to by every person as proof that great music IS still written today.
@Divaxi
I've been playing this on loop for an hour. Stop reading my diary.
Breathtaking song, and Singer.
Well done.
@Nicola-Lore
this song is perfect and it hits home for me.. makes me sob every time I listen to it. Therefore, if I need a good cry I put this on.