Performing Songwriter calls Hutchinson, "...A master of introspective ballads filled with understated yearning and an exquisite sense of metaphor." The twenty-six year old describes her style as "lyric-based, folk-pop, with a whole lot of small town idealism and one devastating break up thrown in for good measure." Among her influences she is quick to include poet Mary Oliver along with the likes of David Grey, Patty Griffin, Greg Brown and Shawn Colvin. Her songs are characterized by a weathered but unselfconscious optimism, a love of language and of the natural world. Having grown up in a town of 5,000 people, "just outside the National Historic District," her songs possess all the charm of Lake Wobegon, tempered by a sweet and timeless voice.
Hopeful Things
Meg Hutchinson Lyrics
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Sometimes I say things I can't forget
Apple fields full of fruit, we lay in the tall grass
And let the afternoon pass
One length ahead of the sun
It's a strange and lovely vision
Big jet floating down the Hudson
Everyone balancing on those sinking wings
You make a ring for me, and leave the tools out, on our table
Only working when I'm gone
Which finger will it fit on?
Woman on the plane with me, knits her husband one new sock
You know a girl who's everything I'm not
But can I make you happy enough?
I don't wanna choose between two lives
Guess that's the danger in working nights
Even in my sleep I sing, and forever I begin
Marry my new self back, to that ancient spark again
But when I drink whiskey, sometimes I do things I don't regret
Sometimes I say things I can't forget
The lyrics of Meg Hutchinson's song "Hopeful Things" are a reflection of the different emotions that come with alcohol consumption. The first stanza talks about the nature of whiskey, how it can lead to doing things that one might not necessarily regret, but can't forget. The second stanza takes a more tender note as the lyrics reflect on a moment of shared beauty between two people, lying in an apple field, waiting for the sun to set. This experience is described as "strange and lovely vision" that carries one through the dark times. The third stanza takes on a more mysterious character, as it talks about the spectacle of a jet floating down the Hudson, with everyone balanced on the "sinking wings." This line can be interpreted as a reflection on the impending dangers of life, but that there are always glimpses of hope that one can hold onto. It is in this moment that the song title is brought in, as the lyrics say "Tonight, I'm full of hopeful things."
The song then takes a turn towards more personal reflections, starting with the idea of someone making a ring for her and leaving the tools out on the table. The question of what finger it will fit on, while seemingly simplistic, can be interpreted as a reflection on the uncertainty of life and relationships. The following lines talk about a woman on the plane knitting a new sock for her husband, while she contrasts herself with a girl who is everything she is not. The question of whether she can make someone happy and whether she wants to choose between two lives speaks to the struggles of finding one's own path in life. The final lines bring the song back to its opening sentiments, as the singer reflects on how even in her sleep, she sings and looks to marry her new self to an "ancient spark again." It is a reminder that despite the uncertainties and struggles, there are always hopeful things to look towards.
Line by Line Meaning
When I drink whiskey, sometimes I do things I don't regret
I sometimes engage in behavior under the influence of whiskey that doesn't cause me any regret.
Sometimes I say things I can't forget
My whiskey indulgences often make me vocalize things that linger in my memory for long periods afterward.
Apple fields full of fruit, we lay in the tall grass
I recall a time when I and my companions rested in grassy apple fields, surrounded by ripe fruit.
And let the afternoon pass
We allowed the afternoon to drift away without worrying about our productivity or occupation.
One length ahead of the sun
A picturesque scene of the sun hovering one step ahead of us as we meandered along.
It's a strange and lovely vision
I find the imagery of the previous memory both eccentric and beautiful.
Big jet floating down the Hudson
I see a massive plane glide down the Hudson River.
Everyone balancing on those sinking wings
I worry about the precarious balance of the passengers as the plane appears to be sinking.
Tonight, I'm full of hopeful things
Currently, I'm brimming with a hopeful outlook on life and what it could potentially bring.
You make a ring for me, and leave the tools out, on our table
You create a ring for me that lies unfinished among the tools strewn across our shared workspace.
Only working when I'm gone
You exclusively work on the ring when I'm absent from our workspace.
Which finger will it fit on?
I ponder which finger the ring you're making for me will eventually be suitable for once it's finished.
Woman on the plane with me, knits her husband one new sock
During my flight, I observe a woman knitting a fresh sock for her spouse.
You know a girl who's everything I'm not
I'm aware of someone who possesses all the qualities I lack.
But can I make you happy enough?
I wonder if I can bring you enough happiness.
I don't wanna choose between two lives
I dislike the idea of selecting one existence over another.
Guess that's the danger in working nights
A risk factor inherent in laboring through the night.
Even in my sleep I sing, and forever I begin
I sometimes spontaneously sing in my sleep, and I often feel as though I'm restarting a never-ending cycle.
Marry my new self back, to that ancient spark again
I aspire to reconnect my present self with an old but influential part of me.
But when I drink whiskey, sometimes I do things I don't regret
Once again, I emphasize how I sometimes perform actions whilst drinking whiskey that doesn't elicit any remorse.
Sometimes I say things I can't forget
I reiterate my tendency to verbalize things that remain in my memory for extended periods of time after drinking whiskey.
Contributed by Olivia M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.