The Community of Hope

Last updated

"The Community of Hope"
The Community of Hope (Front Cover).png
Single by PJ Harvey
from the album The Hope Six Demolition Project
Released11 March 2016 (2016-03-11)
Genre
Length2:23
Label
Songwriter(s) PJ Harvey
PJ Harvey singles chronology
"The Wheel"
(2016)		"The Community of Hope"
(2016)		"The Orange Monkey"
(2016)
Music video
"The Community of Hope" on YouTube

"The Community of Hope" is a song by the English musician PJ Harvey. It is the opening track and second single from her ninth studio album, The Hope Six Demolition Project , and was released digitally on 11 March 2016 and physically on 16 April 2016 on Island Records. [1] [2]

Contents

The song was premiered on Shaun Keaveny's show on BBC Radio 6 Music on 10 March 2016, the day before its release. [3]

Inspiration

The song developed from PJ Harvey's poem "Sight-Seeing, South of the River", [4] published in her 2015 poetry book The Hollow of the Hand . [5] In the "Acknowledgements" section of the book she thanks The Washington Post reporter Paul Schwartzman for this poem. Paul Schwartzman described his experience in article "I gave a famous rock star a windshield tour of D.C. — and didn't know who she was". [6] Some of the lines in the song are direct transcriptions of Schwartzman's comments; video sections of his tour are featured in the music video.

The song's repeating line "they're gonna put a Walmart here" refers to a notorious initiative in which Wal-Mart was permitted for the first time to open outlets in the city proper in exchange for constructing some in particularly deprived parts of the city, which it was hoped would reduce a food desert problem. [7] Walmart only opened stores in affluent parts of the city before cancelling plans to open any in poorer areas. [8] [9]

The locations in the poem are listed in no clear order, but trace a clean linear path beginning at the Skyland Mall on Alabama Avenue, the planned location for the Southeast Walmart, [8] following Alabama Avenue past the only IHOP in Southeast DC at Alabama and 15th. Alabama merges with Martin Luther King boulevard just past the Ward 7/8 border, by St Elizabeth's Hospital (the former institution referenced in the song), then continues past the junction of MLK and South Capitol Street and one block south past the Community of Hope], a community clinic which provides medical and social services to under-served populations in DC, which is referenced in the poem by the statement "Here's the Community of Hope".

Criticism

Upon its release, "The Community of Hope" drew criticism from people unaware that some of her lyrics were direct quotes from Schwartzman and intended to portray popular attitudes about the city. It was commented upon by politicians running for the council seat in Ward 7 in the District of Columbia, with former DC Mayor Vincent C. Gray saying, "I will not dignify this inane composition with a response," and his campaign treasurer Chuck Thies insulting Harvey with, "PJ Harvey is to music what Piers Morgan is to cable news." [10]

Grant Thompson, a pastor and former Congressional staffer running for the Ward 7 council seat, stated that Harvey "needs to see more of the city." [10]

The circumstances under which music video was produced were also criticized by Joshua Alston, writing for The A.V. Club. Much of his criticism focused on both the use of a black gospel choir "to evoke earthiness, spirituality, and rapturous emotion" as cultural appropriation, as well as Harvey's failure to "treat the natives of that community [she is writing about] with dignity and respect," citing her refusal to be interviewed by a member of the community who guided her on a tour of the city. [11]

Track listing

All tracks are written by PJ Harvey

No.TitleLength
1."The Community of Hope"2:23

Charts

Chart (2016)Peak
position
Spanish Physical Singles (PROMUSICAE) [12] 6

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes of The Hope Six Demolition Project.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walmart</span> American multinational retail corporation

Walmart Inc. is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets, discount department stores, and grocery stores in the United States, headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas. The company was founded by brothers Sam and James "Bud" Walton in nearby Rogers, Arkansas in 1962 and incorporated under Delaware General Corporation Law on October 31, 1969. It also owns and operates Sam's Club retail warehouses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PJ Harvey</span> English musician (born 1969)

Polly Jean Harvey is an English singer-songwriter. Primarily known as a vocalist and guitarist, she is also proficient with a wide range of instruments.

<i>Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea</i> 2000 studio album by PJ Harvey

Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea is the fifth studio album by the English singer-songwriter PJ Harvey, released on 23 October 2000 by Island Records. Recorded during March to April 2000, it contains themes of love that are tied into Harvey's affection for New York City.

<i>A Boy Named Goo</i> 1995 studio album by Goo Goo Dolls

A Boy Named Goo is the fifth studio album by American rock band Goo Goo Dolls, released in 1995 on Warner Bros. The album was a commercial success, and was certified double-platinum by the RIAA within a year of its release. This is the last Goo Goo Dolls album with George Tutuska on drums; he was replaced by Mike Malinin just before the album was released.

<i>To Bring You My Love</i> 1995 studio album by PJ Harvey

To Bring You My Love is the third studio album by the English alternative rock musician PJ Harvey, released on 27 February 1995 by Island Records. Recorded after the break-up of the PJ Harvey trio, it stands as her first proper solo album. The songs on the album are heavily influenced by American blues music.

Working Families for Walmart is an advocacy group formed by Walmart and the Edelman public relations firm on December 20, 2005. It has been used to praise Walmart in a show of opposition to union-funded groups such as Wake Up Wal-Mart and Wal-Mart Watch. The group is financially supported by Walmart and is headquartered in Edelman's Washington, D.C. office. It is not organized as a non-profit, and is not required to disclose its sources of funding.

Walmart Canada is a Canadian retail corporation and the Canadian branch of the U.S.-based multinational retail conglomerate Walmart. Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, it was founded on March 17, 1994, with the purchase of the Woolco Canada chain from the F. W. Woolworth Company.

<i>Live at Donington</i> (AC/DC album) 1992 video by AC/DC

Live at Donington is the DVD recording of the Australian rock band AC/DC‘s show at Donington Park on 17 August 1991, directed by David Mallet; it was the band's third Monsters of Rock festival. The two-hour show was performed before 72,500 spectators and included real cannons, the Hells Bell, an inflatable Rosie and two inflatable Anguses: one to the right of the stage, and one in the back of the stage during Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be. It was filmed in 35 mm Panavision and had 26 cameras that included one situated inside a helicopter. The DVD includes special features such as stereo and 5.1 surround sound, Iso-cam versions of certain songs for different band members, and audio commentary from Angus and Malcolm Young.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capitol View (Washington, D.C.)</span> Place in the United States

Capitol View is a neighborhood located in southeast Washington, D.C., in the United States. It is bounded by East Capitol Street to the north, Central Avenue SE to the southwest and south, and Southern Avenue SE to the southeast.

<i>Cover Magazine</i> (album) 2002 studio album by Giant Sand

Cover Magazine is an album by the American band Giant Sand. It was released on Thrill Jockey Records in 2002. Eleven of the songs are covers.

<i>Beautiful Eyes</i> 2008 EP by Taylor Swift

Beautiful Eyes is the second extended play (EP) by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. The EP was released on July 15, 2008 by Big Machine Records exclusively to Walmart stores in the United States and their MP3 service. In later years, after the MP3 service got closed down, Walmart transferred the rights to Amazon for their Amazon MP3 service, where it remains exclusively available. The limited release EP has a primarily country pop sound and features alternate versions of tracks from her self-titled debut album (2006), and two original tracks, which Swift had composed as early as 2006. "I Heart ?" was previously released for digital download with the purchase of the Best Buy-exclusive version CD of Swift's self-titled debut album in 2006. A DVD, featuring music videos of singles from her self-titled debut album, is also included on the physical release of the EP.

<i>Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace</i> 2007 studio album by Big & Rich

Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace is the third studio album by American country music duo Big & Rich. It was released on June 5, 2007, by Warner Bros. Nashville. The album's lead-off single "Lost In This Moment," became the duo's first Number One single on the Hot Country Songs chart. Also released from this album were the title track and "Loud", which respectively peaked at No. 37 and No. 42 on the same chart. The latter was the first single of the duo's career not to reach Top 40.

<i>White Chalk</i> 2007 studio album by PJ Harvey

White Chalk is the seventh studio album by English singer-songwriter and musician PJ Harvey, released on 24 September 2007 on Island Records.

<i>Tailgate</i> (album) 2010 studio album by Trailer Choir

Tailgate is the debut studio album by American country music group Trailer Choir. It was released on July 6, 2010 via Show Dog-Universal Music. The album includes the single "Shakin' That Tailgate," as well as the songs "Rockin' the Beer Gut" and "Rollin' Through the Sunshine," previously released as singles from the trio's 2009 EP Off the Hillbilly Hook. The tracks "Off the Hillbilly Hook," "In My Next 5 Beers" and "Last Man Standing" were previously included on that EP as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Words That Maketh Murder</span> 2011 single by PJ Harvey

"The Words That Maketh Murder" is a song by English musician PJ Harvey. It is the fourth track and lead single from her eighth studio album, Let England Shake, and was released on 6 February 2011 on Island Records. Dealing with diplomacy, the ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and world wars, "The Words That Maketh Murder" was produced by Flood, John Parish, Mick Harvey and PJ Harvey. It was Harvey's first single since 2008's "The Devil" and uses similar dynamics of song-writing to its predecessor, including folk influence and instrumentation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Glorious Land</span> 2011 single by PJ Harvey

"The Glorious Land" is a song by the English alternative rock musician PJ Harvey. The song was released as the second single from her eighth studio album, Let England Shake, on 18 April 2011. An accompanying music video, directed by Seamus Murphy, was recorded and was released in March 2011, prior to the single release. It is the fourth part of a twelve-part music-film project documenting Let England Shake.

weGrow was a national hydroponics franchise that sold products and services to help patients cultivate medicinal marijuana. It was the first hydroponics store in the US that openly talked about cultivating cannabis for medical use. It was branded as the "first honest hydro store" and called the "Wal-Mart of Weed" by CNN.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walmart Soundcheck</span> Series of musical performances and interviews

Walmart Soundcheck was a series of musical performances and interviews released exclusively by Walmart, starting in 2006. Each recording consisted of a four-to-six-song set performed live, plus an interview, and was released as a digital album as well as played on televisions inside Walmart retail stores. The debut performances for the series were by rock bands Switchfoot and Yellowcard. Walmart later began a special series called Risers for less established artists.

<i>The Hope Six Demolition Project</i> 2016 studio album by PJ Harvey

The Hope Six Demolition Project is the ninth studio album by English singer-songwriter and musician PJ Harvey, released on 15 April 2016 on Island Records. It followed her acclaimed Mercury Prize-winning album Let England Shake, released in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guilty (PJ Harvey song)</span> 2016 single by PJ Harvey

"Guilty" is a song by the English alternative rock musician PJ Harvey. Recorded during the sessions for her ninth studio album The Hope Six Demolition Project, it was released as a non-album single on 13 July 2016 on Island Records.

References

  1. ↑ Brodsky, Rachel (10 March 2016). "PJ Harvey Shares Gripping New Single, 'The Community of Hope'". Spin . Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  2. ↑ Brodsky, Rachel (15 April 2016). "The Community of Hope (Etched 7\" Vinyl Rsd) - Pj Harvey (7") (2016)". iMusic. imusic.dk. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  3. ↑ Pearce, Sheldon (10 March 2016). "PJ Harvey Shares "The Community of Hope"". Pitchfork Media . Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  4. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ↑ "The Hollow of the Hand - lizzie b design". Lizziebdesign.com. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  6. ↑ Schwartzman, Paul (18 March 2016). "I gave a famous rock star a windshield tour of D.C. — and didn't know who she was". The Washington Post . Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  7. ↑ Hiltzig, Michael (22 January 2016). "How Wal-Mart 'absolutely shafted' Washington, D.C., by reneging on a promise". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  8. 1 2 Davis, Aaron; Halzack, Sarah. "District leaders furious Walmart breaking promise to build stores in poor neighborhoods". Washington Post . Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  9. ↑ "Wal-Mart Will Not Open Stores At Skyland Or Capitol Gateway". DCist. Archived from the original on 3 May 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  10. 1 2 Kurzius, Rachel (15 March 2016). "Ward 7 Council Candidates Respond To PJ Harvey's New Song". DCist. Archived from the original on 18 March 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  11. ↑ Alston, Joshua (25 March 2016). "PJ Harvey's "The Community of Hope" finds a talented artist out of her depth". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  12. ↑ "Physical Single Top 20". Spanish Charts Portal. Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.