Held Together (Let Go If You Will)

i think this song has some moral ambiguity to it. it seems as though it's talking about letting go of any inhibitions, preconceived notions, and becoming someone new. 'hold together' and stay the person you've been or if you feel like a change is needed then 'let go if you will.' maybe suggesting that the things we take as foundations for our own lives aren't so important, that we can let go of them if we choose, that we shouldn't be so attached to this identity that we think we've found for ourselves.

that being said, it also has a sort of hedonistic tone to it. becoming who you will, doing what you will, and paying for it all 'once you decide to' does sound fun. but, as she says, 'see what's left' afterwards. frivolously abandoning oneself for a lighter existence will not necessarily yield a substantial existence. the tone of the music is haunting as well, suggesting that maybe messing around with these sorts of things like one's identity isn't necessarily as easy as holding together, and letting go if we will, as much as we'd like to think that we can become whomever we wish.

as for the only real concrete imagery cluck presents us with in this song -- maybe the collision that won't happen before its time demonstrates some sort of destruction that happens just as it should happen exactly when it will happen because it was always meant to happen precisely so. you watch documentation of that collision in slow motion, either praying that it won't happen this time or wishing it would happen already. and, trying to avoid this collision through drifting apart (rather than coming together) yields the same result in the end. these collisions happen and we can either face them as they are - "hold together" - or delay them until they come in alternate form - "let go if you will."