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.
Whispering Light
Jesca Hoop Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I will try to dodge the rock the valley throws
Revealer, caught a fever
We all have a sinking stone
And when the road presents a twisting case of fate
A meaner eye you need to contemplate
The season comes with a reason
Distance, mark of distance
Your burden is your brilliance
There's a vessel, a hidden vessel in the stone
Difference, not indifference
Your passion marks you different
And you wrestle, and how you wrestle to come to know
The whispering light
The truth is awful quiet
Like it's whispering at night
Can tell you how to
Break the fever
With light
The truth is awful quiet
Like whispering in light
Can tell you how to
And light is less and light is more in some
For don't confuse the weather for the sun
Revealer, magic healer
And when will your vision come
And lightning rods will guide your journey home
And revelations from a fist of bones
And when the rock weighs heavy in your soul
Just tell her that you have earned the right to know
Revealer, how to break the fever
You carried in, like these demons your kin
And you'll render it secret then
Distance, mark of distance
Your burden is your brilliance
There's a vessel, a hidden vessel in the stone
Difference, not indifference
Your passion sparks resilience
And you wrestle, and how you wrestle to come to know
The whispering light
The truth is awful quiet
Like it's whispering at night
Can tell you how to
Break the fever
With light
The truth is awful quiet
Whispering at light
Can tell you how to
Break the fever
With light
The truth is awful quiet
Whispering at light
Can tell you how to...
In the song "Whispering Light," Jesca Hoop describes a journey towards a personal truth, acknowledging the ups and downs of the path. The opening lines suggest a willingness to continue down the path, no matter the obstacles that may arise. The verse continues with the idea that everyone has a "sinking stone," or an aspect of themselves that they struggle with.
As the song progresses, Hoop explores the idea that our experiences and differences make us who we are, and it is in our passion and resilience that we learn about ourselves. The chorus returns to the idea of a "whispering light" that can guide us through our struggles and help us find our own personal truths. This "whispering light" is a gentle yet powerful force that can "break the fever" of our doubts and fears.
Ultimately, the song is about the journey to understanding oneself, and the importance of wrestling with one's own strengths and weaknesses in order to come to a greater understanding of one's own truth.
Line by Line Meaning
I will walk the road as long as the road goes
I am committed to following my path as far as it may take me
I will try to dodge the rock the valley throws
I will face any obstacle with determination and resourcefulness
Revealer, caught a fever
I have found those who can guide me, but also face internal turmoil
We all have a sinking stone
We all have a burden that threatens to drag us down
And when the road presents a twisting case of fate
When my path takes unexpected turns, I must adapt to survive
A meaner eye you need to contemplate
I must approach difficult situations with caution and intelligence
The season comes with a reason
Life's changes often have a purpose and meaning
We all have a setting sun
We all have limited time to achieve our goals before our time is up
Distance, mark of distance
Separation and difference can be defining traits
Your burden is your brilliance
Your greatest challenges can become your greatest strengths
There's a vessel, a hidden vessel in the stone
There is always potential and possibility, even in the most challenging situations
Difference, not indifference
Being unique and passionate is important, not apathetic
Your passion marks you different
Your drive and interests make you stand apart from others
And you wrestle, and how you wrestle to come to know
Struggle and self-reflection are necessary to understand ourselves
The whispering light
The elusive yet truthful nature of our inner voice
The truth is awful quiet
The most honest self-reflection can be difficult and uncomfortable
Like it's whispering at night
The truth can be difficult to hear and accept
Can tell you how to
It can provide guidance and direction
Break the fever
Overcome your internal struggles and conflicts
With light
Using the power of truth and self-reflection
And light is less and light is more in some
The importance and intensity of self-reflection can vary for different people
For don't confuse the weather for the sun
Don't mistake distractions or temporary struggles for your true goals
Revealer, magic healer
Those who guide us can offer insight and comfort
And when will your vision come
When will you truly understand and see your path clearly?
And lightning rods will guide your journey home
The right guidance and inspiration can help us find our way through the toughest times
And revelations from a fist of bones
Even the harshest truths can offer the most enlightening lessons
And when the rock weighs heavy in your soul
When our burdens are overwhelming and stifling
Just tell her that you have earned the right to know
Acknowledge your right to self-knowledge and take responsibility for your life
You carried in, like these demons your kin
Our inner turmoil can be inherited or ingrained, but must be faced and overcome
And you'll render it secret then
By accepting and overcoming our struggles, we can move forward without shame or fear
Your passion sparks resilience
The things we care about most can make us stronger in the face of adversity
The truth is awful quiet
Self-reflection and honesty can be difficult but important
Whispering at light
The soft and gentle nature of our inner truth
Can tell you how to...
We can find guidance and direction from within
Break the fever
Overcome our internal conflicts and challenges
With light
Using truth and self-awareness to achieve our goals
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JESCA HOOP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Carolyn Beyer
this is one of the best songs i have ever heard. i simply cannot grow tired of it, no matter how i listen to it. also, i love jesca hoop's face at the end of the video, like she's just returned from a journey to another world...
Lucy
I love how she shares her creativity in bringing in a different lead vocal. I must admit, though, I miss her own haunting voice and more minor or... maybe darker sounds, cutting through. I prefer its feeling. Regardless, beautiful!!! Hunting My Dress is a masterpiece... Anything else she comes up with somehow continues to impress and blow me away!
It's music like this that makes up for not growing up in the 60's/70's ;)
ValhallaBeckons
This is definitely one of those tingle-inducing songs. So good.
Talitha Gamaroff
Could not love this song more. Willy and Jesca, dreamy combination
Stacey and Gidgey
You two are made to sing together. What beauty
Isaac Shemp
Damn, Jesca such a genius song writer.
Brad Wallis
Jesca, you can do no wrong in my eyes but I miss your voice as the lead vocal but your harmonies are so brilliant that I forgive you.
I always had a difficult time with harmonies as a singer but you shine so brightly.
Thanks for giving us something we truly love in a different fashion.
You are a unique talent and I don't think I speak for myself only when I say we love you.
Brad Wallis
You are the Kate Bush of the current generation and I don't think any higher compliment could be paid.
Organicis Theway
Jesca, I recently discovered you and fell in love with your sound. When I saw that you did a set with one of my favorite artists, Willy Mason, well my love for your sound grew enormously :D
W J
Amaze-sing. It's like glue for shattered us. I wanna hear more, please? x