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 Kingdom
Jesca Hoop Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hollarin ground
I lay down a shrine and I
Come with the autumn
To tear it down
Orange and brown
And I lay a soft down
All in line
Brethren bathin'
Bones in brine
Separate your light from lime
Our mortal bind
Under the spell of full November moon
Light on the broom
Frost in my room
In through the window
Came a ghost I knew
She paid me a visit while I was in my bed
Sleepy she said
Sleep as though dead
For in the morning you are called
Is what she said
To the high desert
War is raging
You must go to the battlefield
And follow the cry of men rampaging
And gather the ones that won't heal
Down through a cloud of smoke to the promise land
Many are dead
River runs red
"For my god and for my king" is what he said
I came to my knees with my lips to his ear
My hand to his chest
His wounded breast
For my god and for my king I will not rest
But in the high desert
You are dying
For your god and his ghost and the son
Do not hold to the earth on which you are lying
For the kingdom can never be won
All of the fallen under ground
Hollarin ground
I lay down a shrine and i
Come with the autumn to
Tear it down
Orange and brown
And I lay a soft down
For all are waiting
All in line
Brethren bathing bones in brine
Separate your light from lime
Let go of the earth
Jesca Hoop's song "The Kingdom" is a deeply symbolic and metaphorical work that explores themes of mortality, spirituality, and the ephemeral nature of human life. The song opens with the singer laying down a shrine in honor of all the fallen who are "hollarin" on the ground. She describes tearing it down each year with the arrival of autumn, symbolizing the transience of human life and the cycle of death and rebirth. The imagery of orange and brown leaves falling contributes to the sense of impermanence and the passing of time.
The chorus suggests a sense of unity in death, with all being "in line" and "brethren bathin' / bones in brine." This imagery creates a sense of peaceful dissolution of the physical body, where all are equal in death. The line "Our mortal bind" references the inescapable nature of our physical bodies and the inevitability of death.
The second verse describes the singer being visited by a ghost, who instructs her to go to war in the high desert, gathering those who won't heal. This is likely a metaphor for spiritual warfare, with the singer being tasked with guiding those who are struggling towards healing and salvation. The line "For my god and for my king I will not rest" demonstrates the singer's devotion to her faith and duty.
The final verses repeat the imagery of the fallen on the ground and the laying of a shrine. The line "let go of the earth" encourages the listener to embrace the transient nature of life and let go of earthly attachments.
Line by Line Meaning
All of the fallen on the ground
Referring to the dead lying on the ground
Hollarin ground
Ground that is crying out, perhaps due to the death and destruction around it
I lay down a shrine and I
Creating a memorial or remembrance of those who have died
Come with the autumn
Referring to the fall season and the changes it brings
To tear it down
Destroying the shrine that was created earlier
Orange and brown
Colors often associated with autumn
And I lay a soft down
Perhaps referencing a bed, pillow, or blanket
For all are waiting
Those who have died are waiting for something
All in line
Referring to the dead lined up in graves
Brethren bathin'
Reference to bodies being prepared for burial, possibly in a ritualistic way
Bones in brine
Preserving the bodies in a salty solution to prevent decay
Separate your light from lime
Separating one's soul or 'light' from their physical body, possibly in a reference to death and the afterlife
Our mortal bind
Our physical bodies that bind us to this world and eventually decay
Under the spell of full November moon
Reference to the full moon in November, possibly implying a sense of magic or enchantment
Light on the broom
Referring to the moonlight shining on a broomstick, possibly in a symbolic or mystical way
Frost in my room
Describing a cold and possibly eerie or uncomfortable environment
In through the window
Someone/something entered through an open window
Came a ghost I knew
A familiar ghost appeared
She paid me a visit while I was in my bed
The ghost appeared to the singer while they were sleeping in bed
Sleepy she said
The ghost seemed tired or lethargic
Sleep as though dead
The ghost advises the artist to sleep deeply or restfully, as though they were dead
For in the morning you are called
The artist will be summoned in the morning for something important
Is what she said
The ghost finished speaking
To the high desert
Referring to a location characterized by a barren and dry landscape, often used in a symbolic way
War is raging
A conflict or battle is taking place
You must go to the battlefield
The singer is being instructed to enter the conflict
And follow the cry of men rampaging
The singer should follow the sounds of men fighting and destroying
And gather the ones that won't heal
Gather those who are wounded beyond repair
Down through a cloud of smoke to the promise land
Descending into a location or state that is desired, but may be associated with danger and destruction
Many are dead
Referencing the casualties of the conflict
River runs red
A metaphorical description of the bloodshed and violence taking place
"For my god and for my king" is what he said
A quote from one of the soldiers, suggesting that their faith is driving them to fight
I came to my knees with my lips to his ear
The artist is on their knees, whispering something to the soldier
My hand to his chest
The artist's hand is on the soldier's chest, possibly checking for a pulse or injury
His wounded breast
Referring to the soldier's chest that has been injured in battle
For my god and for my king I will not rest
The artist pledges their loyalty to God and their monarch
But in the high desert
Returning to the location mentioned earlier
You are dying
Referring to the singer's death or impending death
For your god and his ghost and the son
Possibly invoking religious imagery or ideas, suggesting that the singer is dying for a higher purpose
Do not hold to the earth on which you are lying
Do not cling to this physical world, as death is inevitable
For the kingdom can never be won
Perhaps referencing the idea that certain things will always be beyond human power and control, such as death and the afterlife
Let go of the earth
Release your attachment to this physical world
Contributed by Charlotte J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@_spacegoat_
All of the fallen on the ground
Hollarin ground
I lay down a shrine and I
Come with the autumn
To tear it down
Orange and brown
And I lay a soft down
For all are waiting
All in line
Brethren bathin'
Bones in brine
Separate your light from lime
Our mortal bind
Under the spell of full November moon
Light on the broom
Frost in my room
In through the window
Came a ghost I knew
She paid me a visit while I was in my bed
Sleepy she said
Sleep as though dead
For in the morning you are called
Is what she said
To the high desert
War is raging
You must go to the battlefield
And follow the cry of men rampaging
And gather the ones that won't heal
Down through a cloud of smoke to the promise land
Many are dead
River runs red
"For my god and for my king" is what he said
I came to my knees with my lips to his ear
My hand to his chest
His wounded breast
For my god and for my king I will not rest
But in the high desert
You are dying
For your god and his ghost and the son
Do not hold to the earth on which you are lying
For the kingdom can never be won
All of the fallen under ground
Hollarin ground
I lay down a shrine and i
Come with the autumn to
Tear it down
Orange and brown
And I lay a soft down
For all are waiting
All in line
Brethren bathing bones in brine
Separate your light from lime
Let go of the earth
@epetridis
Hi Peoples! It's Elia, the director of the kingdom video here. Just wanted to post a thank you all for stopping by and checking this out. It was a great experience to make and work with Jesca who is as enchanting and enigmatic as I'm sure you all expect her to be! I'm so glad you're all enjoying this video - if you'd like to see something else of mine check out my film "How Henri Came To Stay" on Openfilm.com best, Elia
@JustSteve88
This... is actually magical. I love the way the song suddenly takes a new slant, like a flower blooming, or a beast erupting from a slumber... and then slides back to a calm lull. This artist is one I will be following closely.
@some18youknow
I spent 3 years trying to find you! This song is amazing. Hope u kept making music since then. It honestly inspires me to not give up ❤❤
@Eclispestar
Almost memory holed this song. Nice to find it again
@LightNeverFades
Still my all time favourite music video! Even after all these years... <3
@chiara3162
Exquisite. Leaves a reflection long after hearing it, as well as many questions...
@AreliMusiK
My tribal spirit rejoices with this song. Jesca, you're a genius!
@WThomasScott
This is just amazing, her work is so profound.
@MayweedMole
I saw Jesca Hoop live the other nite in Manchester and she was amazing...this is fast becoming one of my fave songs by her...great video...she is brilliant!!
@ReeceWarburton
literally in love with Jesca.