Knebby Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 The official line was always that it is the "Hailla high hopes ball" - and that the lyrics were just mixed up on the album sleeve. I've never had any reason to disbelieve this - that's just what it sounds like . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eskimoblueday Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 The official line was always that it is the "Hailla high hopes ball" - and that the lyrics were just mixed up on the album sleeve. I've never had any reason to disbelieve this - that's just what it sounds like . Figures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manderlyh Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 It sounds like it more than anyone else has posted. I've listened to that line about a kagillion times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eskimoblueday Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 It sounds like it more than anyone else has posted. I've listened to that line about a kagillion times. I was sure there was a mystery behind those lyrics. Wrong again! Well, at least I'm consistent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledforthehead23 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 "...I got a date I can't be late for the __high hopes hailla ball________________?" We all know the official lyric sheet on the album cover lists it as 'high hopes hailla ball,' but to my loud-music-beaten ears it sounds nothing like it. Sounds more like: "for the hell I'm head for," "for the hellfire that must fall" "for the hellfire and its spore"* (hence the mushroom reference in the flick?) "for the hellhound and its spawn" Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evster2012 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Hailla may be a mispelling. Heilla is Nordic for "holy" or to "invoke spirits" (not too much of a leap on an album called Houses of the Holy). The ocean (audience) is attending a ball (concert) and there's "high hopes" of the holy/spirits joining in the celebration. It's a magical gathering/event. Page being a Thelemite who IMO performed invocations during shows (witness his bow solo where he calls the five directions)...makes perfect sense to me. Let's just not let Thelemic practices get caught up in the Satanism bullshit, okay. Don't get me started on the difference between Thelema and Devil crap. Taken in context, it's a beautiful vision. Playing to the spirits of heaven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eskimoblueday Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Hailla may be a mispelling. Heilla is Nordic for "holy" or to "invoke spirits" (not too much of a leap on an album called Houses of the Holy). The ocean (audience) is attending a ball (concert) and there's "high hopes" of the holy/spirits joining in the celebration. It's a magical gathering/event. Page being a Thelemite who IMO performed invocations during shows (witness his bow solo where he calls the five directions)...makes perfect sense to me. Let's just not let Thelemic practices get caught up in the Satanism bullshit, okay. Don't get me started on the difference between Thelema and Devil crap. Taken in context, it's a beautiful vision. Playing to the spirits of heaven. This is why you need to pop around more often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanEric Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 To me it sounds like he says "Got a date I can't be late, cause it's hell I'm headed for" The lyric is " I got a date and I cant be late OR its hell Im headed for" and he was late and did catch hell from his wife for being late to the birth of his daughter. Since the song is about her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 To me it sounds like he says "Got a date I can't be late, cause it's hell I'm headed for" The lyric is " I got a date and I cant be late OR its hell Im headed for" and he was late and did catch hell from his wife for being late to the birth of his daughter. Since the song is about her. Wow, I always thought is was something about a "hellhound at my door." I was way off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanEric Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Well the lat two lines are " Now Im singing all my songs to the girl who stole my, Shes only three years old and thats a real fine way to start" So its kinda obvious that the song is about her and how she changed his life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evster2012 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Well the lat two lines are " Now Im singing all my songs to the girl who stole my, Shes only three years old and thats a real fine way to start" So its kinda obvious that the song is about her and how she changed his life. The body of the song is about singing to the fans. The last line refers to his daughter Carmen, who was three years old and became his world. Let's keep things in context. EBD, all my love to you my dear! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mordor_maiden Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 I was listening earlier and it sounded to me like hellhound lovers ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evster2012 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Well the lat two lines are " Now Im singing all my songs to the girl who stole my, Shes only three years old and thats a real fine way to start" So its kinda obvious that the song is about her and how she changed his life. No. The "ocean" is the audience. He's said that in interviews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Masson Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 The official line was always that it is the "Hailla high hopes ball" - and that the lyrics were just mixed up on the album sleeve. I've never had any reason to disbelieve this - that's just what it sounds like . That indeed makes a lot more sense than that Robert Johnson reference in such a context. The one thing I wonder about is 'hailla'. If it's indeed taken from the old Norse language I'd be curious to know how Robert picked up.... Yep, as Ev points out the spelling is wrong. If you use English pronunciation it's admittedly slightly closer to the Nordic/Icelandic pronunciation of the word, but the double l is still pronounced very differently, more like 'haidd-la'. The word 'heill' means fortune, or just about, and is still often used if something brings good fortune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamh5 Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 The line I hear on the studio version sounds like "I got a date, I can't be late for the hellhound headed forth" or possibly "heading forth". However, if you listen to a live version, like How The West Was Won, or almost any other live recording of it, it sounds like he is saying "I got a date, I can't be late for the hellhound hell has spawned." There is definitely an 's' sound there that I cannot hear on the studio version. Of course, he could be singing this same line in the studio version - sometimes you can't hear certain sounds the way Plant sings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickZepp Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 The official line was always that it is the "Hailla high hopes ball" - and that the lyrics were just mixed up on the album sleeve. I've never had any reason to disbelieve this - that's just what it sounds like . This is probably right although listening to some live versions I think "high hopes" turns to "lovers". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickZepp Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 Yeah it's definitely inconsistent live. Listening to the version from San Francisco 6-2(I think, it may be the 3rd) he says what the album sleeve "high hopes haila ball" version Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTM Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 Gotta date i can't be late...for the half time superbowl...tee hee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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