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Gabby Barrett – I Hope (Lyrics)

Inspiration Behind I Hope:

Gabby Barret had a vision to create a song where genuine emotions are expressed. With the help of co-writers Zach Kale and Jon Nite as well as producer Ross Copperman, I Hope became a reality. The inspiration behind the lyrics stems from Gabby’s personal experiences in high school. Being cheated on for the first time left the bitter pill of betrayal inside of Gabby. This painful experience enabled Gabby to mature, wanting to highlight the positive in life with the title, I Hope. Yet the root of bitterness inside of Gabby’s heart provides an unexpected twist at the end, using hope in a negative context.

Biblical Application:

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. ² Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. ³ For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”^[a] 4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope, Romans 15:1-4.

Exegesis of I Hope:

Yeah, yeah
Ooh, oh
Oh, oh
Yeah

The opening melody is like taking a deep breath before an important speech.

I, I hope she makes you smile
The way you made me smile
On the other end of a phone
In the middle of a highway, driving alone

Gabby focuses on an ex-boyfriend, wanting his new girlfriend to feel like she did.

Oh, baby, I, I hope you hear a song
That makes you sing along
And gets you thinking ’bout her
Then the last several miles turns into a blur, yeah

Gabby sings about how music keeps you awake while driving. The longer you drive, there is a tendency to start losing your thoughts as being tired begins to blur everything together.

I hope you both feel the sparks by the end of the drive
I hope you know she’s the one by the end of the night
I hope you never ever felt more free
Tell your friends that you’re so happy
I hope she comes along and wrecks every one of your plans
I hope you spend your last dime to put a rock on her hand
I hope she’s wilder than your wildest dreams
She’s everything you’re ever gonna need

Gabby remains positive, hoping the best for her ex-boyfriend. She hopes that he isn’t afraid of commitment and is willing to become engaged and married.

And then I hope she cheats
Like you did on me
And then I hope she cheats
Like you did on me

This is where the root of bitterness inside of Gabby rears its ugly head.

Yeah, babe, I hope he shows up in a 2:00 a.m. pic from a friend
Hanging on to a girl to just rub it in
I hope you stay up all night, all alone, waiting by the phone
And then he calls

Gabby now turns her attention to her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend, wishing she endures the same pain he brought her.

And baby, I (I), I hope you work it out
Forgive and just about forget
Let him take you on a first date again
And when you lean in for a kiss

Gabby is now back for a positive spin, hoping for reconciliation.

I hope you both feel the sparks by the end of the drive
I hope you know he’s the one by the end of the night
I hope you never ever felt more free
Tell your friends that you’re so happy
I hope he comes along and wrecks every one of your plans
I hope he spends his last dime to put a rock on your hand
I hope he’s wilder than your wildest dreams
He’s everything you’re ever gonna need

this chorus serves as a hopeful prayer, wanting the best for these two.

And then I hope he cheats
Like you did on me
And then I hope he cheats
Like you did on me

Another twist, hoping for the worse, possibly fueled by resentment.

I hope what goes, comes all the way around
I hope she makes you feel the same way
About her that I feel about you right now

Another negative stanza, wishing for karma or as the Bible states, “you reap what you sow.”

I hope you both feel the sparks by the end of the drive
I hope you know she’s the one by the end of the night
I hope you never ever felt more free
Tell your friends that you’re so happy (oh-woah, oh, woah, woah)
I hope she comes along and wrecks every one of your plans
I hope you spend your last dime to put a rock on her hand
I hope she’s wilder than your wildest dreams
She’s everything you’re ever gonna need

Gabby is having a series of emotional sways, going back and forth between wishing the best, then the worst.

And then I hope she cheats
Like you did on me
And then I hope she cheats
Like you did on me

Perhaps Jon and Zach swayed Gabby to add this twist of fate halfway through, I Hope.

Like you did on me

One last zinger, wanting her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend to want to feel the same pain that Gabby endured.

Final Thoughts:

For as long as I can remember, I try to surround myself with positive people. While Gabby is pouring out her heart as she sings, I Hope, the negative spin on hope kills the good vibes of the opening of this song. As my former pastor often taught, “hurt people hurt other people.” When you allow the root of bitterness to poison your heart, you turn hope into hate.

by Jay Mankus

Inspiration Behind Fancy:

Bobby Gentry was the original writer of the country song Fancy. However, when Reba McEntire performed her version of this song, Fancy became a household name. The lyrics tell the story of a poor mother’s last act of generosity to give her daughter Fancy a chance for success in the future. Fancy’s theme points to sacrifices made so made by parents so that their children might be able to realize the American dream.

Biblical Application:

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver, 2 Corinthians 9:6-7.

Exegesis of Fancy:

Well, I remember it all very well looking back
It was the summer I turned 18
We lived in a one-room, rundown shack on the outskirts of New Orleans
We didn’t have money for food or rent
To say the least, we were hard-pressed
Then mama spent every last penny we had to buy me a dancing dress

A teenager girl remembers a special moment from her childhood. Fancy’s mom wanted her prom night to be special, saving everything she had to buy a dress.

Well, Mama washed and combed and curled my hair
Then she painted my eyes and lips (lips)
Then I stepped into a satin dancing dress
That had a split on the side clean up to my hip
It was red velvet trim and it had fit me good
Well, standing back from the looking glass
There stood a woman where a half-grown kid had stood

Fancy’s mom did everything in her power to make this evening the best night of her life.

She said, “Here’s your one chance, Fancy, don’t let me down”
She said, “Here’s your one chance, Fancy, don’t let me down”

Fancy;s mother wanted her girl to make her proud.

Mama dabbed a little bit of perfume on my neck
Then she kissed my cheek
And then I saw the tears welling up in her troubled eyes
As she started to speak
She looked at our pitiful shack
And then she looked at me and took a ragged breath
She said, “Your Pa’s runned off, and I’m real sick
And the baby’s gonna starve to death”

Fancy’s dad took off, her mom is about to die and her younger sibling doesn’t have enough income to eat.

She handed me a heart-shaped locket that said
“To thine own self be true”
And I shivered as I watched a roach crawl across
The toe of my high-heeled shoe
It sounded like somebody else that was talking
Asking Mama, “What do I do?”
She said, “Just be nice to the gentlemen, Fancy they’ll be nice to you”

Fancy’s mother provides advice for her date.

She said, “Here’s your one chance, Fancy, don’t let me down
Here’s your one chance, Fancy, don’t let me down
Lord, forgive me for what I do
But if you want out, well, it’s up to you
Now don’t let me down now
Your Mama’s gonna move you uptown”

This mom’s dying wish is to make her mama proud, to find a man who will provide her Fancy better than her husband.

Well, that was the last time I saw my Ma
The night I left that rickety shack
The welfare people came and took the baby
Mama died and I ain’t been back
But the wheels of fate had started to turn
And for me, there was no way out
It wasn’t very long until I knew exactly
What my Mama’d been talking about

Through this tragic event, Fancy began to realize what her mom was trying to say.

I knew what I had to do, and I made myself this solemn vow
That I was gonna be a lady someday
Though I didn’t know when or how
But I couldn’t see spending the rest of my life
With my head hung down in shame
You know, I might’ve been born just plain white trash
But Fancy was my name

Instead of feeling sorry for herself, Fancy decided to make something out of her life.

She said, “Here’s your one chance, Fancy, don’t let me down”
She said, “Here’s your one chance, Fancy, don’t let me down”

The memory of Mom’s word motivated Fancy to be successful in life.

It wasn’t long after a benevolent man took me in off the streets
And one week later, I was pouring his tea
In a five-room hotel suite (yes, she was)
I charmed a king, congressman and an occasional aristocrat
Then I got me a Georgia mansion
And an elegant New York townhouse flat
And I ain’t done bad (she ain’t done bad)

This positive mindset led to good fortune. Fancy’s drive to make her mother proud paid off.

Now in this world
There’s a lot of self-righteous hypocrites that call me bad (bad)
They criticize Mama for turning me out, no matter how little we had
But though I ain’t had to worry about nothing for nigh on 15 years
Well, I can still hear the desperation
In my poor Mama’s voice ringing in my ears

Despite reaching new heights, the elite don’t like Fancy’s elevated status. This doesn’t bother Fancy, holding true to what her mother taught her.

“Here’s your one chance, Fancy, don’t let me down
Oh, here’s your one chance, Fancy, don’t let me down
Lord, forgive me for what I do
But if you want out, well, it’s up to you
Now don’t let me down, hon’
Your Mama’s gonna move you uptown”
Oh, and I guess she did

When one or more parents believe in their children. girls like Fancy often end up living prosperous and successful lives. The support from mothers instill belief and confidence in their children.

Final Thoughts:

My father was an immigrant to America after World War II. Subsequently, my parents lived paycheck to paycheck when I was a child. My parents did the best that they could until my father relocated to Delaware. While my parents weren’t perfect, they did everything in their power to ensure that my 2 older sisters and I had a foundation for success in the future. Happiness isn’t about money. Happiness comes from doing and working in positions that you were designed by God to do.

by Jay Mankus