- Album This song officially appears on the Off The Ground Official album.
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
December 1991 - July 1992
Overdubs for "Hope Of Deliverance"
Jul 17, 1992
September - October 1992
July 1993
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Song facts
“Hope of Deliverance” is a song from 1993 album Off the Ground, released as a single in anticipation of the album in December 1992. From Wikipedia:
It became a hit in his native UK, reaching number 18. It did not fare well on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 83, but did better on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, hitting number 9. It also did very well in Germany, reaching number 3 there, and is still gaining a lot of airplay in Central and Eastern European radios as well as in South America. Remix versions were released on 15 January 1993, and picked up massive airplay in clubs.It was number one on European top 20 “1993/02/13”. The song went on to become the 11th biggest worldwide hit of 1993. […]
The song was featured in the set list of 1993’s The New World Tour. It was in hiatus until McCartney performed it again in Bogotá, Colombia on 19 April 2012 during his On the Run Tour—the first time performing a song from Off the Ground with his 2012 lineup. During the Out There Tour, McCartney performed “Hope of Deliverance” with all musicians in his band playing guitar, including the tour opener in Belo Horizonte. […]
I went up into the attic of our house, just to get away from everyone. There’s a trap door, you go up a little ladder and then close it and no one can get at you, so then you know you’ve got a couple of hours to yourself. So I went up into the attic and took with me a Martin 12-string guitar and, just for a bit of fun, I put a capo on it – the little bar that comes half way up the strings and changes the length of the guitar neck. On a 12-string it makes for a very jingly sound, which reminds me of Cathedrals and Christmas. So that led me into the field of hope, of deliverance, and then I added about the darkness that surrounds us. You know, if you’re involved in rescuing people in Somalia then that’s the deliverance – you want to get out of there safely, if you are involved in poverty then that’s your deliverance, to get out of that trap. Homelessness, disease, whatever, big or little, we’ve all got them. So that was it really, it just became a kind of optimistic song, either to, perhaps, a girlfriend, or to a God-figure. I do like leaving things ambiguous – I’ve often done that in my songs, so that people say to me “I always thought it meant something else…”.
Paul McCartney – From Club Sandwich interview
Paul Wix Wickens: Hope Of Deliverance was a track that Paul and Robbie got together, really. They’d been working on it with acoustic guitars and so when the rest of us came to hear it there was this wall of guitars. On stage, because they have a lead break in harmony, to my surprise and delight I have a starring role on acoustic. I’m mad keen on any instrument. I used to be a drummer from the age dot and then I played guitar in folk clubs, C, G, D7, A minor and bluff the rest.
Blair Cunningham: Hope Of Deliverance was a try-this, try-that track until one sunny day I said, It sounds Caribbean, calypsoey, out on the beach. Paul could hear that so it happened. There’s a beatbox on it, but apart from that, I play drums acoustically, not through machines. It’s all right on record, but how will it work live?
I want to see more bands out there, not someone miming to a computer programme. A lot of people tried to get me into the electronic business, That’s where the money is, man! No, I say, that sounds session to me. I want to be in a band. That’s where I feel safe.
Paul McCartney: I’ve noticed that with a lot of the songs what’s coming through is me saying something like don’t go down under the prevailing despair and gloom, you know, the (moans) Woooo-aaa. It’s a sort of, Don’t bottle out, we can do it!
Paul McCartney – From the “New World Tour” tour book
Three Latin percussionists were involved on this track, during an overdub session which took place on July 17, 1992. One of those, Maurizio Ravalico, has detailed this session in the book Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013):
We were invited to McCartney’s private studio in Sussex. They had us to hear the track, that was already completed and mixed, giving some generic instructions. We only learned that they wanted a Latin flavor on the song and so we brought to the studio an entire instruments’ van! […] We were in the studio for half a day. Everything went smoothly and quickly, but without any pressure. Both McCartney and Mendelsohn were wide-open to our suggestions and they did not give any indication about our instruments or the playing style […]
Maurizio Ravalico, Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013)
A promotional video for “Hope Of Deliverance“ was shot in Ashdown Forest and in Black Island Studios (North London), late November 1992, directed by Andy Morahan. Two edits of the video were prepared – the “stone cross edit” and the “version with stone”.
Last updated on June 15, 2019

The book "The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present", published in 2021, covers Paul McCartney's early Liverpool days, the Beatles, Wings, and solo careers, by pairing the lyrics of 154 of his songs with first-person commentaries of the circumstances in which they were written, the people and places that inspired them, and what he thinks of them now.
"Hope Of Deliverance" is one of the 154 songs covered.
Lyrics
I will always be hoping, hoping.
You will always be holding, holding
My heart in your hand.
I will understand
I will understand someday, one day.
You will understand always, always
From now until then.
When it will be right, I don't know.
What it will be like, I don't know.
We live in hope of deliverance
From the darkness that surrounds us.
Hope of deliverance, hope of deliverance.
Hope of deliverance from the darkness
That surrounds us.
And I wouldn't mind knowing, knowing
That you wouldn't mind going,
Going along with my plan.
When it will be right, I don't know.
What it will be like, I don't know.
We live in hope of deliverance
From the darkness that surrounds us.
Hope of deliverance, hope of deliverance.
Hope of deliverance from the darkness
That surrounds us.
Hope of deliverance, hope of deliverance.
Hope of deliverance from the darkness
That surrounds us.
Hope of deliverance.
Hope of deliverance.
I will understand.
Officially appears on
7" Single • Released in 1992
3:24 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Electric guitar, Producer, Spanish guitar, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Autoharp, Backing vocals
- Robbie McIntosh :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Spanish guitar
- Hamish Stuart :
- Backing vocals
- Paul Wickens :
- Backing vocals, Drums programming, Lynn drum, Percussion, Piano
- Blair Cunningham :
- Backing vocals, Drums, Percussion
- Julian Mendelsohn :
- Producer
- Bob Kraushaar :
- Recording engineer
- Davide Giovanni :
- Percussion
- Dave Pattman :
- Percussion
- Maurizio Ravalico :
- Percussion
- Session Recording:
- December 1991 - July 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Overdubs:
- Jul 17, 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- September - October 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
CD Single • Released in 1992
3:20 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Electric guitar, Producer, Spanish guitar, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Autoharp, Backing vocals
- Robbie McIntosh :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Spanish guitar
- Hamish Stuart :
- Backing vocals
- Paul Wickens :
- Backing vocals, Drums programming, Lynn drum, Percussion, Piano
- Blair Cunningham :
- Backing vocals, Drums, Percussion
- Julian Mendelsohn :
- Producer
- Bob Kraushaar :
- Recording engineer
- Davide Giovanni :
- Percussion
- Dave Pattman :
- Percussion
- Maurizio Ravalico :
- Percussion
- Session Recording:
- December 1991 - July 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Overdubs:
- Jul 17, 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- September - October 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Deliverance (The Steve Anderson Mixes)
12" Single • Released in 1992
Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Electric guitar, Producer, Spanish guitar, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Autoharp, Backing vocals
- Robbie McIntosh :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Spanish guitar
- Hamish Stuart :
- Backing vocals
- Paul Wickens :
- Backing vocals, Drums programming, Lynn drum, Percussion, Piano
- Blair Cunningham :
- Backing vocals, Drums, Percussion
- Julian Mendelsohn :
- Producer
- Bob Kraushaar :
- Recording engineer
- Davide Giovanni :
- Percussion
- Dave Pattman :
- Percussion
- Maurizio Ravalico :
- Percussion
- Session Recording:
- December 1991 - July 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Overdubs:
- Jul 17, 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- September - October 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Off the Ground - The Complete Works
Official album • Released in 1993
3:22 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Electric guitar, Producer, Spanish guitar, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Autoharp, Backing vocals
- Robbie McIntosh :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Spanish guitar
- Hamish Stuart :
- Backing vocals
- Paul Wickens :
- Backing vocals, Drums programming, Lynn drum, Percussion, Piano
- Blair Cunningham :
- Backing vocals, Drums, Percussion
- Julian Mendelsohn :
- Producer
- Bob Kraushaar :
- Recording engineer
- Davide Giovanni :
- Percussion
- Dave Pattman :
- Percussion
- Maurizio Ravalico :
- Percussion
- Session Recording:
- December 1991 - July 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Overdubs:
- Jul 17, 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- September - October 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Official album • Released in 1993
3:22 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Electric guitar, Producer, Spanish guitar, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Autoharp, Backing vocals
- Robbie McIntosh :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Spanish guitar
- Hamish Stuart :
- Backing vocals
- Paul Wickens :
- Backing vocals, Drums programming, Lynn drum, Percussion, Piano
- Blair Cunningham :
- Backing vocals, Drums, Percussion
- Julian Mendelsohn :
- Producer
- Bob Kraushaar :
- Recording engineer
- Davide Giovanni :
- Percussion
- Dave Pattman :
- Percussion
- Maurizio Ravalico :
- Percussion
- Session Recording:
- December 1991 - July 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Overdubs:
- Jul 17, 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- September - October 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Official live • Released in 1993
3:33 • Live • L1
- Performed by :
- Paul McCartney • Linda McCartney • Robbie McIntosh • Hamish Stuart • Paul Wickens • Blair Cunningham
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Geoff Emerick :
- Engineering, Mixing engineer
- Julian Mendelsohn :
- Recording engineer
- Bob Kraushaar :
- Recording engineer
Concert From the concert in East Rutherford, USA on Jun 11, 1993
- Session Recording:
- July 1993
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Official live • Released in 2019
3:33 • Live • L1.2019 • 2019 remaster
- Performed by :
- Paul McCartney • Linda McCartney • Robbie McIntosh • Hamish Stuart • Paul Wickens • Blair Cunningham
- Paul McCartney :
- Producer
- Geoff Emerick :
- Engineering, Mixing engineer
- Julian Mendelsohn :
- Recording engineer
- Bob Kraushaar :
- Recording engineer
- Alex Wharton :
- Remastering
Concert From the concert in East Rutherford, USA on Jun 11, 1993
7" Single • Released in 2022
3:22 • Studio version • A2022 • 2022 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Bass, Electric guitar, Producer, Spanish guitar, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Autoharp, Backing vocals
- Robbie McIntosh :
- Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals, Electric guitar, Spanish guitar
- Hamish Stuart :
- Backing vocals
- Paul Wickens :
- Backing vocals, Drums programming, Lynn drum, Percussion, Piano
- Blair Cunningham :
- Backing vocals, Drums, Percussion
- Julian Mendelsohn :
- Producer
- Bob Kraushaar :
- Recording engineer
- Davide Giovanni :
- Percussion
- Dave Pattman :
- Percussion
- Maurizio Ravalico :
- Percussion
- Alex Wharton :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- December 1991 - July 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Overdubs:
- Jul 17, 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
- Session Mixing:
- September - October 1992
- Studio :
- Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Bootlegs
Unofficial live
4:25 • Live
Concert From the concert in Toronto, Canada on Jun 06, 1993
Unofficial live
3:52 • Live
Concert From the concert in Boulder, USA on May 26, 1993
Rehearsals For The New World Tour 1993
Unofficial live
4:33 • Live
Concert From "New World Tour - Rehearsal Concert" in London, United Kingdom on Feb 05, 1993
Unofficial live • Released in 1993
3:39 • Live • Recorded Live at The Ed Sullivan Theatre, New York 10 December, 1992 - for the "Up Close" TV show
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass guitar, Piano, Vocals
- Linda McCartney :
- Background vocals, Keyboard
- Robbie McIntosh :
- Guitar
- Hamish Stuart :
- Bass guitar
- Paul Wickens :
- Keyboard
- Blair Cunningham :
- Drums
Unofficial live • Released in 1993
4:01 • Live
Concert From the concert in Las Vegas, USA on Apr 14, 1993
Videos
Album • Hope Of Deliverance
Concert • Jan 07, 1993 in London
Concert • Jan 23, 1993 in
Concert • Apr 16, 1993 in Los Angeles
Concert • May 09, 2013 in Fortaleza
Live performances
“Hope Of Deliverance” has been played in 93 concerts and 20 soundchecks.
Latest concerts where Hope Of Deliverance has been played
May 18, 2013 • Part of Out There Tour
Fortaleza • Castelao Stadium • Brazil
May 09, 2013 • Part of Out There Tour
Goiania • Serra Dourada Stadium • Brazil
May 06, 2013 • Part of Out There Tour
Belo Horizonte • Mineirao Stadium • Brazil
May 04, 2013 • Part of Out There Tour
Mexico City • The Zocalo • Mexico
May 10, 2012 • Part of On The Run Tour
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Hope Of Deliverance – from the darkness that surrounds us 4 years ago
[…] Paul wrote this about the song: […]