Hold On (song)

“Hold On”
Song by Adele from the album 30
Released	November 19, 2021
Length	6:06
Label	Columbia Records
Writer(s)	Adele Adkins, Dean Josiah Cover
Producer(s)	Inflo
30 track listing
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“Woman Like Me”	“To Be Loved”
Audio

“Hold On” is a song by British singer-songwriter Adele, taken from her fourth studio album, 30. The song was written by Adele with Inflo and serves as the tenth track on the album. Its title was confirmed on November 1, 2021, when the album’s track listing was revealed online.

A portion of “Hold On” debuted in an Amazon holiday commercial that follows a young girl faced with anxiety as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background and composition

Adele co-wrote “Hold On” with British producer Inflo and credited it with “keeping her going” and giving her a sense of pride of how far she has come. “I remember I didn’t barely laugh for about a year,” she told Zane Lowe during their interview for Apple Music. “But I didn’t realize I was making progress until I wrote ‘Hold On’ and listened to it back. Later, I was like, ‘Oh, fuck, I’ve really learned a lot. I’ve really come a long way.’ ”

The song’s title stems from an expression that Adele’s friends would regularly impart to her as she was going through her divorce from Simon Konecki. As a result, Adele insisted on her friends singing backing vocals on the song rather than a choir. They are officially credited on the album as “Adele’s crazy friends.”

Adele has cited “Hold On” as the song from 30 that would be the most difficult for her to disassociate from, and has noted that, “I think a song like ‘Hold On’ could actually save a few lives.”

Live performances

Adele performed “Hold On” live for the first time during the taping of her CBS special, Adele One Night Only. It was also included in the setlist of her ITV special, An Audience with Adele.

Lyrics

Hold on You are still strong Love will soon come Just hold, hold on Oh, what have I done yet again? Have I not learned anything? I don’t want to live in chaos It’s like a ride that I want to get off It’s hard to hold onto who I am When I’m stumbling in the dark for a hand I am so tired of battling with myself, with no chance to win Hold on Let time be patient You are still strong Let pain be gracious Love will soon come Just hold, hold on I swear to God, I am such a mess The harder that I try, I regress I’m my own worst enemy Right now I truly hate being me Every day feels like the road I’m on Might just open up and swallow me whole How do I feel so mighty small When I’m struggling to feel at all? Just hold on Let time be patient You are still strong Let pain be gracious Just hold on (You, just hold on, you, just just hold on), hold on (You, just hold on, just hold on) Sometimes loneliness is the only rest we get (just hold on, just hold on) And the emptiness actually lets us forget (just hold on, just hold on) Sometimes forgiveness is easiest in secret (just hold on, just hold on, just hold on, just hold on) So just hold on (just hold on) Let time be patient (you are still strong) Let pain be gracious Love will soon come, baby If you just hold on Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on Just let time be patient ‘Cause you’re still strong, I’m still strong (you are still strong) Just be gracious ‘Cause love will soon come If you just hold on (you, just hold on, you, just just hold on, you, just hold on) Just be patient, just be patient (You, just hold on, you, just just hold on, you, just hold on, you, just hold on, just hold on, just hold on)