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Sarah McLachlan — Hold On
Album: Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
Avg rating:
7.1

Your rating:
Total ratings: 533









Released: 1993
Length: 4:07
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Hold on
Hold on to yourself
For this is gonna hurt like hell.

Hold on
Hold on to yourself.
You know that only time will tell

What is it in me that refuses to believe
This isn't easier than the real thing.

My love
You know that you're my best friend.
You know that I'd do anything for you
And my love
Let nothing come between us
My love for you is strong and true.

Am I in heaven here or
Am I...
At the crossroads I am standing.

So now you're sleeping peaceful
I lie awake and pray
That you'll be strong tomorrow
And will see another day
And we will praise it
And love the light that brings a smile
Across your face.

Oh god
If you're out there won't you hear me.
I know we're never talked before

And oh god
The man I love is leaving
Won't you take him when he comes to your door.

Am I in heaven here or
Am I in hell
At the crossroads I am standing.

So now you're sleeping peaceful
I lie awake and pray
That you'll be strong tomorrow
And we will see another day
And we will praise it
And love the light that brings a smile

So now you're sleeping peaceful
I lie awake and pray
That you'll be strong tomorrow
And we will see another day
And we will praise it
And love the light that brings a smile
Across your face

Hold on
Hold on to yourself
For this is gonna hurt like hell.
Comments (69)add comment
in first encountered this on her Afterglow Live DVD. It was/far more somber in my opinion, and very hard hitting. It’s about the loss of a partner/deep friend to cancer, I believe. 
This is, indeed, fine to my ears.  I'd like to hear it more often...
She sounds very originally and even though this tune may not do it to everybody , it is a fine song
 ChicoCyclist wrote:
I remember when I first got this album. I had just broken up with my girlfriend of two years and was headed on a three week summer mountain biking trip to Utah and Colorado. This album was such a great mix of tonic and salt in the wounds. I still don't think my friend can listen to this as I played it nearly constantly in the truck!
 

How was the next girlfriend?
 Krispian wrote:
Fumbling towards tedium
 


Te Deum laudamus
Fumbling towards tedium
byrd wrote:
This is definitely a great album. And I'd have to agree, that there aren't any of her albums since that I've enjoyed as much.
X 3
jasonv wrote:
This album is amazing.. it's too bad she couldn't produce anything nearly as good afterward.
This is definitely a great album. And I'd have to agree, that there aren't any of her albums since that I've enjoyed as much.
I remember when I first got this album. I had just broken up with my girlfriend of two years and was headed on a three week summer mountain biking trip to Utah and Colorado. This album was such a great mix of tonic and salt in the wounds. I still don't think my friend can listen to this as I played it nearly constantly in the truck!
algrif wrote: One of the most interesting first lines I've heard. Hold on to yourself. This is goin' to hurt like hell. rgrace wrote:
An example of unintentional accuracy on Sarah's part. GOD this woman makes me hurl. Off with the headset till this is over.
lol
Just went from 9 to a 10. She is so fine...
algrif wrote:
One of the most interesting first lines I've heard. Hold on to yourself. This is goin' to hurt like hell.
An example of unintentional accuracy on Sarah's part. GOD this woman makes me hurl. Off with the headset till this is over.
...while I'm the polar opposite. The Harlequin Romance of chick singers.
This song is excellent. One of the only songs of hers I really really like.
Oh wow, Sarah you've never been better.
I like her other stuff alot better, but this still isn't too bad.
Just something about her voice...she could sing the phone book and I'd start to get hot and bothered..if you know what I mean.
Great song - builds a nice tension. Good resolution. It is a bit "agony aunt" ish, but she tells a good story.
Pantagruel wrote:
Her voice is extremely irritating
In a beautiful and compelling sort of way!
Hello, Sarah's voice sounds wonderful to me. Give us more! Neil
Her voice is extremely irritating
One of the most interesting first lines I've heard. Hold on to yourself. This is goin' to hurt like hell.
This song has follwed me down to emotional hell on more than one occassion. It's a painful favorite
This does hurt like hell!
She was right. That did hurt.
A not bad song from an awesome album.
This is okay as long as I don't have to hear it a whole lot.
I heard Sarah do a solo acoustic version of this song once and it kicked this versions' ass.
Not quite her finest, IMHO, but still a welcome addition to the RP playlist and my evening. What did I do before RP?
elara wrote:
Ah I have a quiet paino version.
Yep, I'm in pain alright.
She does it for me all the time...........we need a new CD out of her.......keep em coming.
I usually can't stand the lilting tones and melodrama of Sarah, but this is really good.
Ah I have a quiet paino version. I'm used to that one.
God. I haven't listened to this album in ages. I forgot how much this song just chills me.
elara wrote:
?? What is this crap. I like this song..but....whats with this remix?
I think this is how most of these kinda songs should sound...! Good voices complimented by grand arrangements and amazing sounds... YAY! Without the arrangement I would have given a 6 at most - like this, it's an 8! Cool.......
elara wrote:
?? What is this crap. I like this song..but....whats with this remix?
Perhaps you're referring to the version on the compilation album called "What's the Alternative"? I like that version better (it's a bit edgier musically), but this one is good too.
This album is amazing.. it's too bad she couldn't produce anything nearly as good afterward. Seal is the same way, IMHO. That first album had character and a bit of an edge. He still has a touch of edge but lost the character.
elara wrote:
?? What is this crap. I like this song..but....whats with this remix?
No clue what you mean by remix. This is exactlyhow it sounds on my LP, electronic wobbles and all.
?? What is this crap. I like this song..but....whats with this remix?
Shesdifferent wrote:
I thought I was depressed!
Not depressed, just demented!
I'll grant you that she is talented, but does she do anything these days but keep doing remixes of her old hits. I really did not need yet one more version of this song.
I thought I was depressed!
I'd a given this song a 10 but it's too short...Anything by Sarah is more than sweet...of course, I'm biased...of course... :sunny.gif:
grrrrrrrrr. beth gave me this cassette and when i'd memorized it she dumped me. grrrrrr. i didn't know 'hold on' meant wait a minute while i pack. GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! still, i love the song. am i a masochist?
Excellent. My favorite mcLachlan tune.
What a fabulous song.
mrselfdestruct wrote:
God, people say 'pretentious' too damn much in these song comments. It's not clever! Knock it off!
Exactly..... especially with what the words are about..... yeah, AIDS is so damn pretentious.
physicsgenius wrote:
Exactly what I was going to post. "This is going to hurt like hell." Pretentious much?
God, people say 'pretentious' too damn much in these song comments. It's not clever! Knock it off!
This one really filled the bill just now. Thanks RP.
ColdBear wrote:
Usually I like Sarah, but not this one
Exactly what I was going to post. "This is going to hurt like hell." Pretentious much?
Awesome. Boggles my mind that Norah Jones--not McLachlan--is the recent big thing in female vocalists. Singers, make that. "Singer" being a more magical thing than mere vocalist. Oh God if you're out there won't you hear me I know that we've never talked before . . .
Usually I like Sarah, but not this one
namesbenny wrote:
I must confess that although I really dig Sarah, I don't find this song, or this album as compelling as her more recent work.
you my friend, are missing a soul. go get one quickly while we wait. This album placed her in the immortal category (a la Steppenwolf)
intoxicating song, from a great cd... bravo to sarah for reminding me of how universal ours lives are.. :grouphug.gif:
TAMARA76 wrote:
It's a song she wrote after hearing a story about a bisexual man dying of AIDS, and she wrote it from the perspective of his wife.
The song is based on the documentary A Promise Kept, the promise being that of Karin Donnan to her husband Blair to use their story to educate others about HIV/AIDS. I'd read that Karin had contracted AIDS from Blair, which gives an odd perspective on the song. On January 16, 2004, the Toronto Star refers to her as an "AIDS patient" (see Google). I agree with others that this is a great song from a great CD.
Killer song, killer CD... love it.
Pipes wrote:
Just the opposite for me. I feel that the passion on this album far surpasses any of her more recent efforts. Not that I don't enjoy the new work as well, it's just that I think this was her best work to date!
Completely agree! This album is brilliant!
namesbenny wrote:
I must confess that although I really dig Sarah, I don't find this song, or this album as compelling as her more recent work.
Just the opposite for me. I feel that the passion on this album far surpasses any of her more recent efforts. Not that I don't enjoy the new work as well, it's just that I think this was her best work to date!
Very, very haunting song. Her voice is absolutely beautiful.
I must confess that although I really dig Sarah, I don't find this song, or this album as compelling as her more recent work.
This entire CD gives me goosebumps. What a great piece of work.
Sarah McLachlan is an incredible singer, I don't like this version of Hold On, the version on the Mirrorball album will always hold it for me.
TAMARA76 wrote:
It's a song she wrote after hearing a story about a bisexual man dying of AIDS, and she wrote it from the perspective of his wife.
Thanks for that. I'll listen to the words again and the song will probably take on even more meaning.
mindless wrote:
There's another version on the Album "The Freedom Sessions" (a kind of outtakes album) which is accompanied by piano instead of guitar. All versions I have heard are excellent but I do like the vocals best on this one. A strange character to her voice. I seem to recall this song being about a friend passing. Can anyone substantiate this?
It's a song she wrote after hearing a story about a bisexual man dying of AIDS, and she wrote it from the perspective of his wife.
tiara wrote:
The versions on FTE and the compilation album, "No Alternative," are slightly different, right? This sounds more to me like the No Alt. version, which I prefer, so I am ecstatic.
There's another version on the Album "The Freedom Sessions" (a kind of outtakes album) which is accompanied by piano instead of guitar. All versions I have heard are excellent but I do like the vocals best on this one. A strange character to her voice. I seem to recall this song being about a friend passing. Can anyone substantiate this?
The versions on FTE and the compilation album, "No Alternative," are slightly different, right? This sounds more to me like the No Alt. version, which I prefer, so I am ecstatic.
Sarah can do no wrong. This is not even the best track on the album, by a long shot, and I still give it a 9.
Same here. I love the momentum of the chorus, sounds pretty intense
This song gives me goose bumps!