Hold On

I was doom riding on top a black horse
Whatever prize there was
I could only observe where the trouble starts
Where does it end?
I cannot be cured
Before it ends

I know life would be different if I held on
I know I could be something if I held on

Gave her love away
Put it in my pocket when it should've been framed
Oh, it lost its shine
Gotta get this out of my head
Out of my brain
How could it end,
End like this?
How could it end?

I know life would be different had I held on
I know I could be something had I held on
I know I could be something if I held on
I know life would be different if I held on

Held on…
If I held on…

Previous Songs of the Moment
In My Tree
Red Mosquito
Porch
I Got Id
Release
Do The Evolution
Breath
Corduroy
Elderly Woman...
Leash
Hail Hail
Grievance
Love Boat Captain
Even Flow
Black Red Yellow
In Hiding
Can't Keep
Indifference
Insignificance
Whipping
Black
Smile
Push Me Pull Me
Rats
God's Dice
All or None
Yellow Ledbetter
Last Exit
Who You Are
Rearview Mirror

I must confess I am not a huge fan of this song. Since Eddie added vocals long after the song was written, it answers the question ‘what would pearl jam be like if they kept on trying to duplicate ten.' And the answer is worse off.

I don’t dislike it. It’s enjoyable enough. It reminds me of brother and girl—the other songs from this period not quite good enough to make Ten or become an official b-side, and it shows. What’s more, this one has the weakest lyrics of the three and is probably the least interesting musically (something I wouldn’t dream of saying about any of the other songs from the Ten era). It’s too bad because the opening riff is titanic, but it never really goes anywhere.

I am not one of the people who dump on Ten for its lyrics. I think it is Eddie’s finest written achievement except for Vitalogy. But there is something overwrought and melodramatic about Hold On that makes it less effective

‘I was doom riding atop a black horse.’—come on. Did one of GEG’s bands write this song. And the rest of the song feels like a mixture of posturing, cliché, and bad poetry. Compare this to other songs like Indifference (do our actions matter), Thumbing My Way (lost love) or State of Love and Trust (suicide). Eddie can and has done much better.

I do really enjoy the held on vocals at the end of the song with the rolling drums (the drums in general are strong). But in the end this will not be remembered as a classic. A fun but ultimately disposable listen. I don’t hear it that much so I always enjoy it, but it would get boring in heavy rotation. It’s too bad Girl didn’t make it onto lost dogs instead.

Interestingly enough, pearljam.com has no lyrics listed for Hold On.

i actually really like this song. weird, eh?

Yeah--although if Cal said that I'd probably spit out whatever I was drinking.

I think this song is terrific.

i think it's alright. i think it's top 10 on lost dogs.

Meh. I love the chorus but the lyrics in the verses are so weak that they don't provide it any resonance. Average at best.

listening to it now for the 1st time in a while...


i like the guitar riff, simple yet good

did ed record these vocals for lost dogs? his voice sounds current.

I believe so.

i dig.

I kinda like this track. Woulda worked well on the Breath/SOLAT/Yellow Ledbetter/Wash/etc 1992 record that could fairly easily have existed, but not on Ten. I like the verses, their feel and melody, a lot more than the run-of-the-mill choruses. Good song anyway.

This song sounds incredibly dated and immature.

I wish I had never heard this song. Seriously.

I prefer Sweet Lew.

no worries. don't like it.

eddie recorded these vocals for lost dogs? i thought the song almost made it onto ten.

I thought the LD liner notes suggested that this song was recorded for VS (not Ten). Either way you can see why it didnt make the album.

I actually like this song even while realizing its not very sophisticated. Probably wouldve been one of my favorites when I was 13-15.

I love this song,

It basically seems to me to be a grunge styled song,

And simply because it's unheard of "grunge" is the reason I love it,

I throw it up there with down education and sad as my favorites on lost dogs...

even though it does sound a little immature,... it's still awesome to hear, becayse it's them playing music, I personally love this song,...

And the "I was doom riding on top a black horse" line is one of my favorites!

But what ever, I'm a weirdo...

I looooooooooooooooooooooooooove this song. Easily my favorite from Lost Dogs. every time I put in Disc 1 of LD I listen to it at least 2-3 times in a row. I love how in the first verse, the relationship's not quite over, but by the second, all that's left is regret. The opening riff just freakin' rocks and leads into the nice pre-chorus chordal changes. The melody is great throughout.

The line, "Gave her love away, put it in my pocket when it should've been framed" is an awesome line and one of my favorite from any song ever. Anyone who's ever been in a relationship that they took for granted and realized it too late can immediately identify with that.

All in all, one of my favorite "undiscovered" Pearl Jam songs. And far and away the one song I've never heard live that I would kill the dog down the street to hear them do.

A+