High Hopes

HIGH HOPES is a song written by Tim Scott McConnell who originally released it in 1987. See the original Tim Scott McConnell version for more details. The song was also recorded and released by Tim Scott's band on their 1990 self-titled album, The Havalinas (Elektra Records). The above lyrics are transcribed from The Havalinas' version, as sung on their self-titled album.

The above lyrics are for a Springsteen's studio version of HIGH HOPES recorded in 1995. It was first released on the Blood Brothers promo EP in 1996.
The Recording Sessions

In 1994, Bruce Springsteen recorded an unreleased album with Shane Fontayne and other members of the 1992-1993 touring band. Springsteen's manager Jon Landau wasn't a fan of the project (the 1994 album), and recommended shelving it and focusing more on a "career overview"; this lead to the Greatest Hits sessions with the E Street Band in early 1995.

Springsteen called the band in early January 1995, and they assembled for the recording sessions on 09 Jan 1995 at the Hit Factory in New York City, NY. This was their first studio reunion in 11 years (since the Born In The USA sessions) and their first ever with Nils Lofgren. HIGH HOPES was among the songs recorded during these sessions. Being a cover, it is not surprising that the song was not included on the Greatest Hits album.
The Blood Brothers Documentary

Producer/director/photographer Ernie Fritz was given complete access to the 1995 studio sessions with the E Street Band, and part of the 23-hour footage was released on the 80-minute documentary Blood Brothers in November 1996.

The video was nominated in 1997 for a "Best Long Form Music Video" Grammy Award. The nomination was shared among video director/producer Ernie Fritz, video producer Lee Rolantz, and video producer Jack Gulick. It lost for The Beatles Anthology.

Blood Brothers premiered in the U.S. on 03 Mar 1996 on the Disney Channel. It was released on Laserdisc on 01 Oct 1996, VHS on 19 Nov 1996 (the packaging for which included the bonus Blood Brothers EP), and DVD on 16 Jan 2001.

On 18 Nov 2013 it was announced on Bruce Springsteen's official website that HIGH HOPES will be released as a single on 25 Nov 2013. The single's artwork was revealed simultaneously. On 19 Nov 2013, six days prior to its official release, the songs leaked on the internet. HIGH HOPES was released on 25 Nov 2013 as a digital single on Amazon.com and iTunes.

Music Video

A music video of HIGH HOPES was released on 25 Nov 2012 on both Bruce Springsteen's official website and Bruce Springsteen VEVO's YouTube channel. The video was posted to celebrate the High Hopes album's announcement. It was directed by Thom Zimny and features photos from Danny Clinch, Australian tour footage (March 2013) featuring Tom Morello shot by Chris Hilson, vintage documentary footage, and some of the song's lyrics. Springsteen also posted liner notes about the High Hopes album along with the song's video on his website.


High Hopes

High Hopes is Bruce Springsteen's eighteenth studio album. The album was officially announced on 25 Nov 2013 and will be released on 14 Jan 2014 on Columbia Records. It consists of 12 tracks and clocks at 56:24. Four songs were previously released in different versions, two more were previously performed live but never released, and the remaining six are new to fans. "This is music I always felt needed to be released," Springsteen wrote in the album's liner notes.

High Hopes was produced by Bruce Springsteen, Brendan O'Brien, and Ron Aniello. It features all E Street Band members, including the late Clarence Clemons and the late Danny Federici on several songs of what Springsteen calls "some of our best unreleased material from the past decade." The album also features an ensemble of guest artists, including Tom Morello who's featured prominently on the album, appearing on eight tracks.

According to the press release, High Hopes was recorded in New Jersey, Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York City, and Australia. In March 2013 Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band performed ten shows in Australia as part of the Wrecking Ball Tour. Steven Van Zandt was off filming his television series Lillyhammer and was replaced by Tom Morello for that leg of the tour. Morello suggested to add HIGH HOPES to the live set. They worked it up during the rehearsals prior to the Australian shows and Morello then "proceeded to burn the house down with it," as Springsteen said. They then re-cut the song along with JUST LIKE FIRE WOULD in Sydney at Studios 301, Australia's largest studio complex. "Tom and his guitar became my muse, pushing the rest of this project to another level," Springsteen said. He told Rolling Stone's David Fricke, "We've never had a recording session during a tour in our lives. We did a couple of things that I wanted to put down. So that was very exciting. And being with Tommy was exciting. The band – Steven, Nils, all those guys – continues to be a source of inspiration for me."

High Hopes will be available in three configurations: standard CD edition, Amazon bonus limited edition, and double-disc vinyl. The Amazon bonus limited edition is exclusive to Amazon.com and available for a limited time. It consists of the standard audio CD and includes a live DVD of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band performing the entire Born In The USA album on 30 Jun 2013 at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, England, during the Wrecking Ball Tour.