So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
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
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
Lyrics submitted by kevin
Hold On Lyrics as written by Sarah Mclachlan
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, O/B/O DistroKid, Capitol CMG Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone).
And, of course, the fact that she sees in him a fellow "idealist" and "dreamer" (terms commonly given to people with the INFP personality on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) portends that she'll always be left wondering if they would've been perfect together.
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There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
I thought you guys might be interested in this... Sarah McLachlan introduced it with this explaination at VH1 Storytellers...
"This is a song, basically um, another one of those few and rare occasions where a song came out very quickly and easily. It was from pure emotion. Um, I watching a, a documentary called a 'Promise Kept' it was made in Canada. It was about this woman who uh, discovered her fiance was HIV positive and basically the story followed her and her husband. They got married, um, and he got progressively sicker and she took care of him right up until the end, and she was telling her story with just such, y'know, beautiful clarity and honesty and uh, it just, it struck home in a way that I, I couldn't really describe except by writing this song and I really feel like it's a, sort of a, something that came out of me through her. This is called 'Hold On'."
@soundofherwings thank you for this information. I have always loved this son and now I think I love it even more.
@soundofherwings Oh now that is very interesting! I assumed it was something she went thru because the song is so emotional and intense! lol
This is one of my favorites of Sarah's, especially the live version. "Oh God - if You're out there, won't You hear me? I know that we never talked before Oh, God - the man I love is leaving Won't You take him when He comes to Your door?" Possibly the best snippet of any song I have ever heard. This is one of Sarah's most emotional, most bittersweet songs. Ever. Lumierdenuit's commet hit the nail on the head: praying for a loved one's soul to be admitted to heaven's gates.
This song always makes me cry. And I agree, the live version from Mirrorball gives me some special kinds of shivers. Especially the final chorus where she sings the descant.
I have always loved this song, and thought it to be about loosing a loved one to an illness. But it never hit me like it does now, until my best friend was diagnosed with cancer, when we took him to the hospital, and he sat on the bed in his gown, and looked at me with fear in his eyes, because he knew he had cancer, this song popped into my head. Ever since then, it is a memory of him, and our frinedship. It truly is a beautiful song of love and devotion to those who are leaving your life in pain.
To me it seems that this song is about coming to grips with the fact that "the man I love is leaving", facing the reality that every day he survives is a gift which may stop at any time ("I lie awake and pray that you'll be strong tomorrow and will see another day...").
Facing the imminent death of a loved one sure does hurt like hell.
Lately, I've been going through somewhat of a personal hell. I feel like I'm distant from all of my friends and things aren't ever going to be the same again. I feel like this song is telling me to remember to be myself although I'm going through so much pain.
Well, when I first head it, I thought it was about a woman whose man was leaving her, and she was having a hard time coming to terms with it, but she didn't want to stop him because she loved him so. But I recently found out that Sarah McLachlan was originally wrote it about a woman who's husband was dying of AIDS, and because Sarah was inspired by her strength, she penned this song.
knowing that she wrote it for a woman losing her soul mate, you hear the song so differently than if you didn't know it was about real loss. not just spiritual loss, but a loss of a loved one. "won't you take him when he comes to your door?" that's powerful stuff! i love this song...it's very moving.
This song is about coming to terms with the impending death of a loved one.
what an incrediable song....whatever the inspiration she had to write it, or the meaning behind it, it is so good...i've gone through alot in the past 2 years and i always head this song...now i am happy, good, saved, and blessed...God Bless you all forever i love you in Jesus
"Hold on, hold on to yourself, for this is gonna hurt like hell....." I think that's possibly the best line ever!! It's when you know something is coming but you can't change it so you just brace yourself and let it happen.