Hourglass

Album: Out of the Wasteland (2015)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Lifehouse frontman Jason Wade got to fulfill a musical fantasy and work with legendary movie score composer James Newton Howard on this harmony-heavy track. He recalled to Artist Direct: "When I went into the studio, there was a big picture of Jennifer Lawrence on the screen. He was finishing up the new Hunger Games."

    "I've been listening to his soundtracks since I was 18 or 19-years-old," Wade continued. "To get to collaborate with him and have my name next to his on a song credit was so cool. It was amazing. It was probably the highlight of the record."
  • The song was originally written by Lifehouse manager and co-producer Jude Cole along with James Newton Howard in the mid 1990s. Jason Wade told HMV.com: "I heard it a few years back and fell in love with it but it didn't have a title, so Jude asked me if I wanted to help finish the song. I said I'd love to. I put my vocal on the original demo, James loved it and played it for his wife and she loved it and wanted to be a part of recreating it. So we took elements of the demo and got to spend a couple of days with James and he did this amazing string arrangement. It's very complex and one of my favorites on the record."

Comments: 1

  • KatrinaOne of the most beautiful songs ever written. Jason Wade is pure joy with lyrics that transport you on a magical journey through the heart.. A harmonious celebration of love, the song pulls at every corner of your soul, and just like your first heartbreak, James Newton Howard’s creation will be unforgettable in the deepest most profound way.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Tom Johnston from The Doobie Brothers

Tom Johnston from The Doobie BrothersSongwriter Interviews

The Doobies guitarist and lead singer, Tom wrote the classics "Listen To The Music," "Long Train Runnin'" and "China Grove."

Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee JonesSongwriter Interviews

Rickie Lee Jones on songwriting, social media, and how she's handling Trump.

Jon Anderson of Yes

Jon Anderson of YesSongwriter Interviews

From the lake in "Roundabout" to Sister Bluebird in "Starship Trooper," Jon Anderson talks about how nature and spirituality play into his lyrics for Yes.

Lori McKenna

Lori McKennaSongwriter Interviews

Lori's songs have been recorded by Faith Hill and Sara Evans. She's performed on the CMAs and on Oprah. She also has five kids.

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"They're Playing My Song

Chris and his wife Tina were the rhythm section for Talking Heads when they formed The Tom Tom Club. "Genius of Love" was their blockbuster, but David Byrne only mentioned it once.

Richard Butler of The Psychedelic Furs

Richard Butler of The Psychedelic FursSongwriter Interviews

Psychedelic Furs lead singer Richard Butler talks about their first album since 1991 and explains what's really going on in "Pretty In Pink."