“Harness Your Hopes” by Pavement
The late 1990s was a unique period in the history of music. For instance, back in those days, quality musicians could spit about all types of random stuff in a single song but do so in a way that makes it all sound comprehensive.
Part of that reality was due to the fact that such was also a confusing time in history, where no one really knew what was coming next, which is kinda the feel you get from “Harness Your Hopes”. For example, it was around that time, via acts like the Columbine High School mass shooting, when Americans truly started to realize that mass killings would likely be a lingering problem. And “a semi-automatic” is referenced in the lyrics of “Harness Your Hopes”.
Also, even though 1999 was pre-9/11 and before the reign of George Bush Jr., many people already had issues with the government, as illustrated through the allegory of ‘freaks storming the White House’. Moreover, around the turn of the century is when Y2K was major a concern. Of course that phenomenon proved to be more fiction than fact, but still, you’d be surprised by how many people were shook by the prospect of computers suddenly going haywire or what have you.
Title of Song
But all of that noted, what the title of this track seems to allude to, from the very first line in the song, is the idea of being faithful to your lover. That may seem like a weird addition in relation to what’s been mentioned above. But again, the lyrics are kinda willy-nilly, with the first verse theoretically being about romance. And it appears what the vocalist is saying in that regard is that whereas he is attracted to multiple women, settling down with just one is, all things considered, the wiser option.
But again there is a lot going on in this piece, as in listeners being tasked with using their imaginations in putting it all together.
Pavement and “Harness Your Hopes”
Pavement is a rock band from California. As of this article’s writing, the band is still technically active, though collectively they’ve done little between the turn of the century and now.
This song we’re looking at today was released on 22 June 1999 as part of an EP the band put out, via Matador Records. The said album goes by the title “Spit on a Stranger”.
“Harness Your Hopes” was never issued as a single. However, it did manage to go viral some 20 years after its release. It has actually become Pavement’s most-popular song as far as the information age is concerned. As such a music video to this track, as assembled by director Alex Ross Perry, did eventually get around to being released – in March of 2022. And concurrently the group, which disbanded in 1999, are engaged in their second reunion tour, with the first being held in 2010.
Pavement is a band consisting of these musicians:
- lead vocalist Stephen Malkmus
- guitarist Spiral Stairs Kannberg
- bassist Mark Ibold
- percussionist Bob Nastanovich
- drummer Steve West
Just recently, in 2022, they added a female, multi-instrumentals Rebecca Cole, to the mix.
