Darren Jackson and Erik Appelwick, (of Minnesota bands Kid Dakota and Vicious Vicious, respectively) began recording and performing under the name of Camaro in the early 2000's. As their popularity on the Minneapolis music scene increased, they changed their names to The Olympic Hopefuls and were picked up by 2024 records, a local independent label. They released their debut album, The Fuses Refuse to Burn in 2005.
Due to a copyright dispute with the Olympic Games, the band shortened its name to the Hopefuls after the album was released.
The song "Let's Go!" was featured on the second seasons of both The O.C. and Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County.
In April of 2006, Applewick left The Hopefuls to play bass for Tapes 'n Tapes.
The Hopefuls' music is peppy, light, and often deliberately corny. They define their music as "fun music for fun times" and keep their songs upbeat and fast-paced. They often use xylophone fills, synthesizers, and hand claps to, as their webpage says, "keep heads bopping and asses shaking."
On the album, Jackson and Applewick switch off writing and singing songs; Applewick sings the odd-numbered songs and Jackson sings the even-numbered. Their songs are typically about romance and the problems associated with it.
Official site: http://2024records.com/artistweb/thehopefuls/default.cfm
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There is a second group that went under the name of "The Hopefuls" -- a 60s girl group, possibly an early incarnation of Candy and the Kisses. They have only one single: "One Sweet Kiss," which has been featured on a few compilations of soul rarities.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZKy1ukpsFI
Whisper
The Hopefuls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I won't hold your hand in public
You love me more than words can say
But let's keep that our little secret
You never let me meet your friends
'Cause I might say somethin' stupid
I might be high or on a binge
And that would not make you look so good
I was not invited to your birthday party last December
Well I might be jaded and aloof
But it hurts
I still remember
To you I was an experiment
Let's try and make the bad boy better
Let's see if he can eat organically
Or maybe wear a J. Crew sweater
You never thought that I was good enough
You say I don't know what it means to be a friend to you
You say I don't know what it means to be faithful, to be true
You say I don't know what it means but I could say the same of you
Whisper,
Keep words away from ears
About how we shared a toothbrush
About all our plans to get married
About the love that passed between us
You never thought that I was good enough
The Hopefuls' song "Whisper" depicts a one-sided, secretive relationship where one partner seems to hold all the power. The lyrics indicate that the couple has a deep love for each other, but their different social and economic backgrounds make it impossible to have a public relationship. The singer expresses his frustration as he is not good enough in the eyes of his partner, who tries to change him while keeping their relationship a secret. The singer recognizes that he is just an experiment and is only good enough in private. He is aware of the one-way nature of the relationship where his partner expects him to change but is not willing to accept him as he is.
The chorus of the song, "Whisper, keep words away from ears," emphasizes the importance of secrecy in the relationship. The love shared between the partners is seen as taboo as they come from different backgrounds, and the society they live in would not accept their love. The lyrics also show that the singer is aware of his partner's flaws and faults but is still deeply in love with them. It is clear that their love is not easy, and they both have to make sacrifices to keep it alive.
Overall, "Whisper" is a poignant and introspective song that deals with the complexities of love in a realistic and honest way. It highlights the difficult choices and sacrifices one has to make to keep a forbidden love alive.
Line by Line Meaning
Whisper, to you it's just a game
You treat our relationship as a game and don't take it seriously.
I won't hold your hand in public
You're not willing to show any type of affection towards me in public.
You love me more than words can say
Your feelings for me are strong and you deeply care about me.
But let's keep that our little secret
You don't want anyone to know about our relationship.
You never let me meet your friends
You keep our relationship a secret from your friends because you fear their disapproval.
'Cause I might say somethin' stupid
You're afraid I might embarrass you in front of your friends.
I might be high or on a binge
You are afraid that I will embarrass you in public by being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
And that would not make you look so good
You fear that your association with me may impact your reputation negatively.
You never thought that I was good enough
You have low expectations of me and don't believe I'm capable of being a good partner.
I was not invited to your birthday party last December
You excluded me from your birthday celebration, indicating that I don't matter enough to be a part of your personal life.
Well I might be jaded and aloof
I've become cynical and distant due to your treatment of me.
But it hurts
Your actions and treatment have caused me pain and emotional distress.
I still remember
I have not forgotten how you have treated me and it still haunts me.
To you I was an experiment
You treated our relationship as something to try out and see if it works for you, rather than a genuine relationship.
Let's try and make the bad boy better
You think you can change me and make me into a person that meets your expectations.
Let's see if he can eat organically
You want to change my lifestyle and diet to something that fits your preferences.
Or maybe wear a J. Crew sweater
You want to change my fashion sense to a style that is more acceptable to you.
You say I don't know what it means to be a friend to you
You criticize my ability to be a good friend to you.
You say I don't know what it means to be faithful, to be true
You criticize my ability to be faithful and loyal in our relationship.
You say I don't know what it means but I could say the same of you
You criticize me for not understanding the meaning of commitment, but you also have not proven to be fully committed to our relationship.
Whisper, Keep words away from ears
You don't want our private conversations to be overheard by others which may lead to our relationship being exposed.
About how we shared a toothbrush
You don't want anyone to know about the intimate details of our relationship.
About all our plans to get married
You want to keep our plans of getting married a secret from others.
About the love that passed between us
You don't want anyone to know about the deep affection and love we share for each other.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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