Heaven, Hope, and Holding On

Greetings and salutations Hivers. Today let’s go into another Three Tune Tuesday post.

As always, thanks to @ablaze for making this series. Lots of people participate in it! Follow the tags to find a ton of good music recommendations.

This week’s three songs share a thread of quiet yearning — the ache of distance, the stubbornness of hope, and the belief that somehow, the light ahead is real.

By the way, The Longest Yard was the clear favorite last week! Scroll down to the bottom to vote your favorite this week too!

James McCartney – Heaven

James McCartney’s “Heaven” feels like a whispered prayer to the universe itself. His voice trembles with vulnerability, carrying that familiar McCartney melodic DNA but stripped of his father’s pop polish. It’s a haunting song about searching for peace, for reunion, for something beyond this world that might justify the pain of living in it.

I’ve never really followed James. Like most of the Beatles kids, he has chosen to stay out of the limelight even while staying in the music business. This is a good song to become familiar with him over.

Phil Collins – Long Long Way to Go

Of all Collins’ lesser-known gems, this one cuts the deepest. “Long Long Way to Go” opens No Jacket Required with an aching loneliness. It’s the sound of a man adrift in fame, success, and isolation. His voice strains against the weight of everything unsaid, while Sting’s faint backing vocals give it an almost ghostly texture.

It’s not the anthemic Collins of “In the Air Tonight.” This is the one who’s tired, world-worn, and self-aware. Collins was on top of the world at this point in his career, and I’m sure the strain of that was rough. The song quietly captures what happens when the road to redemption stretches farther than the headlights can reach.

Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’

And then comes the anthem that refuses to die. After McCartney’s ache and Collins’ fatigue, Journey’s classic feels like a resurrection. It’s hope in power-chord form, the refusal to surrender the dream, no matter how small or how late at night it feels.

Maybe that’s why this song has lasted. It’s defiant optimism that appeals to everyone. That’s why this song is still a radio favorite of DJs.

So what’s your favorite?