Hold On (1999) – Tom Waits

Two people who are in love writing a song like that about being in love. That was good.

– TW

It’s been over 4 months since I posted a Tom Waits song here, but the wait has been worth it. I should preface by saying I would still consider myself a novice regarding the musical appreciation of Tom, but today’s featured track Hold On is so far my Tom Waits ‘Desert Island’ song. This music project has and will continue to provide an ideal opportunity to dig a little deeper and engage with people who may be more attuned with his background and discography. I always liked Rolling Stone’s description of him as an ‘urban romantic poet‘ and ‘minstrel of the downtrodden‘.

With lyrics written by Tom Waits and his wife Kathleen Brennan, Hold On got Waits nominated to the Grammys for “Best Male Rock Vocal Performance”.

Waits described the song inspiration as follows:

“Hold on” I thought that was a good thing to say in a song. Hold on. We’re all holding onto something. None of us want to come out of the ground. Weeds are holding on. Everything’s holding on. I thought that was a real positive thing to say. It was an optimistic song. Take my hand, stand right here, hold on. We wrote that together, Kathleen and I, and that felt good. Two people who are in love writing a song like that about being in love. That was good. (Source: “Holding On: A Conversation with Tom Waits”. Newsweek: Karin Schoemer. March 23, 1999)

[Verse 1]
They hung a sign up in our town
“If you live it up, you won’t live it down”
So she left Monte Rio, son
Just like a bullet leaves a gun
With her charcoal eyes and Monroe hips
She went and took that California trip
Oh, the moon was gold, her hair like wind
Said, “Don’t look back, just come on, Jim”

[Chorus]
Oh, you got to hold on, hold on
You gotta hold on
Take my hand, I’m standing right here
You gotta hold on

[Verse 2]
Well, he gave her a dimestore watch
And a ring made from a spoon
Everyone’s looking for someone to blame
When you share my bed, you share my name
Well, go ahead and call the cops
You don’t meet nice girls in coffee shops
She said, “Baby, I still love you”
Sometimes there’s nothin’ left to do

(Read the remaining 2 verses here)

Tom Waits released Hold On on his 1999 record Mule Variations; his first studio album in six years. It won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album and received widespread critical acclaim. Hold On is the third song presented here from the album after Big in Japan and Filipino Box Spring Hog respectively. The album was backed by an extensive tour in Europe and North America during the summer and autumn of 1999, which was Waits’ first proper tour since 1987.

References:
1. Mule Variations – Wikipedia

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“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand