{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2016}} {{Infobox song | name = The Community of Hope | cover = The Community of Hope (Front Cover).png | alt = | border = yes | type = single | artist = PJ Harvey | album = The Hope Six Demolition Project | released = {{Start date|2016|03|11|df=yes}} | recorded = | studio = Somerset House (London, England)<ref name=SomersetHouse>{{cite web |url=http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/about/press/press-releases/PJ-Harvey-Recording-in-Progress |title=PJ Harvey: Recording in Progress at Somerset House |publisher=Somerset House |accessdate=18 March 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160329023536/http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/about/press/press-releases/PJ-Harvey-Recording-in-Progress |archivedate=29 March 2016 }}</ref> | venue = | genre = * Alternative rock * folk rock | length = {{Duration|m=02|s=23}} | label = {{hlist|Island|Vagrant}} | writer = PJ Harvey | producer = | prev_title = The Wheel | prev_year = 2016 | next_title = The Orange Monkey | next_year = 2016 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|qsLqsqbObyg|"The Community of Hope"}}}} }}
"'''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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/2016/03/pj-harvey-the-community-of-hope-stream/ |title=PJ Harvey Shares Gripping New Single, 'The Community of Hope' |publisher=Spin |first=Rachel |last=Brodsky |date=2016-03-10 |access-date=2016-03-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imusic.dk/7inch/0602547745446/pj-harvey-2016-the-community-of-hope-etched-7-vinyl-rsd-7-vinyl |title=The Community of Hope (Etched 7\" Vinyl Rsd) - Pj Harvey (7") (2016) |work=iMusic |publisher=imusic.dk |first=Rachel |last=Brodsky |date=2016-04-15 |access-date=2016-03-20}}</ref>
The song was premiered on Shaun Keaveny's show on BBC Radio 6 Music on 10 March 2016, the day before its release.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/64039-pj-harvey-shares-the-community-of-hope/ |title=PJ Harvey Shares "The Community of Hope" |publisher=Pitchfork Media |first=Sheldon |last=Pearce |date=2016-03-10 |access-date=2016-03-18}}</ref>
==Inspiration== The song developed from PJ Harvey's poem "Sight-Seeing, South of the River",<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CdWp9gOXEAAjlJq.jpg:large |title=Archived copy |access-date=19 March 2016 |archive-date=25 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425113207/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CdWp9gOXEAAjlJq.jpg:large |url-status=dead }}</ref> published in her 2015 poetry book ''The Hollow of the Hand''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lizziebdesign.com/The-Hollow-of-the-Hand|title=The Hollow of the Hand - lizzie b design|website=Lizziebdesign.com|access-date=7 June 2021}}</ref> 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".<ref name="The Washington Post">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/i-gave-a-famous-rock-star-a-windshield-tour-of-dc--and-didnt-know-who-she-was/2016/03/18/8124ab28-e488-11e5-bc08-3e03a5b41910_story.html |title=I gave a famous rock star a windshield tour of D.C. — and didn't know who she was |newspaper=The Washington Post |first=Paul |last=Schwartzman |date=2016-03-18 |access-date=2016-03-19}}</ref> 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.<ref name="How Wal-Mart 'absolutely shafted' Washington, D.C., by reneging on a promise">{{cite web|last1=Hiltzig|first1=Michael|title=How Wal-Mart 'absolutely shafted' Washington, D.C., by reneging on a promise|url=http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-how-walmart-absolutely-shafted-washington-20160122-column.html|website=Los Angeles Times|date=22 January 2016 |access-date=22 April 2016}}</ref> Walmart only opened stores in affluent parts of the city before cancelling plans to open any in poorer areas.<ref name="District leaders furious Walmart breaking promise to build stores in poor neighborhoods">{{cite news|last1=Davis|first1=Aaron|last2=Halzack|first2=Sarah|title=District leaders furious Walmart breaking promise to build stores in poor neighborhoods|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/district-leaders-furious-walmart-wont-build-stores-in-poor-neighborhoods/2016/01/15/3425f5fa-bbb3-11e5-99f3-184bc379b12d_story.html|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=22 April 2016}}</ref><ref name="Wal-Mart Will Not Open Stores At Skyland Or Capitol Gateway">{{cite web|title=Wal-Mart Will Not Open Stores At Skyland Or Capitol Gateway|url=http://dcist.com/2016/01/walmart_will_not_open_stores_at_sky.php|website=DCist|access-date=22 April 2016|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503122015/http://dcist.com/2016/01/walmart_will_not_open_stores_at_sky.php|archivedate=3 May 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
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,<ref name="District leaders furious Walmart breaking promise to build stores in poor neighborhoods"/> 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."<ref name=DCist>{{cite web |url=http://dcist.com/2016/03/ward_7_council_candidates_respond_t.php |title=Ward 7 Council Candidates Respond To PJ Harvey's New Song |publisher=DCist |first=Rachel |last=Kurzius |date=2016-03-15 |access-date=2016-03-18 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160318181039/http://dcist.com/2016/03/ward_7_council_candidates_respond_t.php |archivedate=18 March 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
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."<ref name=DCist/>
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.<ref name="Alston">{{Cite web|url=http://www.avclub.com/article/pj-harveys-community-hope-finds-talented-artist-ou-234314|title=PJ Harvey's "The Community of Hope" finds a talented artist out of her depth|last=Alston|first=Joshua|date=2016-03-25|website=The A.V. Club|publisher=|access-date=2016-12-21}}</ref>
==Track listing== {{track listing | all_writing = PJ Harvey | headline =
| title1 = The Community of Hope | length1 = 2:23 }}
==Charts== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col" | Chart (2016) ! scope="col" | Peak<br>position |- ! scope="row" |Spanish Physical Singles (PROMUSICAE)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://spanishcharts.com/weekchart.asp?cat=s2&year=2016&date=20160612|title=Physical Single Top 20|publisher=Spanish Charts Portal. Hung Medien|access-date=26 June 2016}}</ref> | 6 |}
==Personnel== Credits adapted from liner notes of ''The Hope Six Demolition Project''.
* PJ Harvey - vocals * John Parish - guitar, background vocals * Terry Edwards - baritone saxophone, percussion, background vocals * Kenrick Rowe - percussion, background vocals * Enrico Gabrielli - bass clarinet, percussion, background vocals * Mike Smith - piano, baritone saxophone, background vocals * Alessandro Stefana - guitar, background vocals * James Johnston - keyboards, background vocals * Alain Johannes - guitar, background vocals * Adam 'Cecil' Bartlett - bass, background vocals * Flood - background vocals
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== *{{YouTube|qsLqsqbObyg|"The Community of Hope" official music video}} <!-- legally posted by PJ Harvey -->
{{PJ Harvey}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Community of Hope}} Category:Island Records singles Category:2016 singles Category:2016 songs Category:PJ Harvey songs Category:Songs written by PJ Harvey Category:Vagrant Records singles