Hope
The Chainsmokers Lyrics

I would have walked through fire to kiss your lips
Expressing great desire and willingness to do anything to be with the person they loved

Do you still think about it, of what you did?
Questioning whether the other person still thinks about their past relationship and the mistakes they made

Still see your old apartment, like a bad trip
Having vivid memories of the place they used to share with their ex-partner, but those memories now bring disappointment and pain

Wish I could forget all the places we've been
Expressing a desire to erase the memories of their past relationship and move on without any reminders of their time together

Hard and heavy whiskey goodbyes
The pain of saying goodbye to their partner is so strong that they need alcohol to cope

Boy, you know how to make a girl cry
Their ex-partner caused them so much pain that they were reduced to tears

Was sleeping in a bed full of lies
Their relationship was based on lies and deception

And now that I'm older, I can see why
With age comes wisdom, they are now able to understand why their past relationship was doomed to fail

You made me feel high
The rush of excitement they felt when they were with their partner made them feel like they were on a high

'Cause you had me so low, low, low
Their partner also made them feel incredibly low when they were not around

You only seemed tall
In retrospect, their partner's supposed lofty qualities were not as impressive as they had first seemed

'Cause you stunted my grow-grow-growth
Their partner held them back from growing and developing as a person

I only wanted you 'cause I couldn't have you
They were attracted to their partner because they were unattainable, but now realize that love shouldn't be based on a game of chase

Now that I know That wasn't love, that wasn't love, that was just hope
Realizing that their infatuation with their partner was not love but rather a misguided hope that they would be able to be together, thereby bringing closure to the failed relationship

Always another bender, I lose control
The pain of the breakup drives the singer to lose control and engage in unhealthy behaviors

But I never had it, did I? Your heart's a trick
The artist realizes that their partner's love was not genuine and that they were tricked into thinking it was real

And all the magic we felt was just a hit
All the good times they had in their relationship were just temporary highs that eventually came crashing down, leaving them feeling empty and disappointed

Hope Hope ('cause you had me so low) Hope (now that I know) That wasn't love, that wasn't love, that was just hope
The repeated use of the word 'hope' emphasizes the theme of the song and how misguided hopes can lead to disappointment, and that their past relationship was a clear example of this

'Cause you had me so low, low, low You only seemed tall 'Cause you stunted my grow-grow-growth I only wanted you 'cause I couldn't have you Now that I know (now that I know) That wasn't love, that wasn't love, that was just hope
The final repetition of the chorus emphasizes the lasting impact of their past relationship and serves as a reminder that their former partner was not a source of love or happiness but rather a mistake they made out of false hope.