Hold On – English Lyrics

• By: Chord Overstreet

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a powerful tool, and Chord Overstreet's "Hold On" offers a deeply emotional and narrative-driven experience. The song's clear and heartfelt lyrics provide an excellent opportunity to understand expressions of love, loss, and desperation. Its simple yet powerful vocabulary makes it accessible for learners, while the profound story behind the song makes it a memorable and engaging piece to study.

[English]

Loving and fighting, accusing, denying

I can't imagine a world with you gone

The joy and the chaos, the demons we're made of

I'd be so lost if you left me alone

You locked yourself in the bathroom

Lying on the floor when I break through

I pull you in to feel your heartbeat

Can you hear me screaming? Please don't leave me

Hold on, I still want you

Come back, I still need you

Let me take your hand, I'll make it right

I swear to love you all my life

Hold on, I still need you

Long endless highway, you're silent beside me

Driving a nightmare I can't escape from

Helplessly praying, the light isn't fading

Hiding the shock and the chill in my bones

They took you away on a table

I pace back and forth as you lay still

They pull you in to feel your heartbeat

Can you hear me screaming? Please don't leave me

Hold on, I still want you

Come back, I still need you

Let me take your hand, I'll make it right

I swear to love you all my life

Hold on, I still need you

I don't wanna let go

I know I'm not that strong

I just wanna hear you

Saying, "Baby, let's go home"

Let's go home

Yeah, I just wanna take you home

Hold on, I still want you

Come back, I still need you

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
hold /hoʊld/ A1	verb - to grasp or keep firmly
need /niːd/ A1	verb - to require something because it is essential or very important
want /wɑːnt/ A1	verb - to have a desire or wish for something
love /lʌv/ A1	verb - to feel a deep romantic or sexual attachment to (someone) noun - an intense feeling of deep affection
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death
lost /lɔːst/ A2	adjective - unable to find one's way; having gone astray
chaos /ˈkeɪ.ɑːs/ B2	noun - complete disorder and confusion
demons /ˈdiːmənz/ B2	noun - an evil spirit or devil; a tormenting force or feeling
locked /lɑːkt/ A2	verb - fastened or secured with a lock
heartbeat /ˈhɑːt.biːt/ B1	noun - the pulsation of the heart
screaming /ˈskriːmɪŋ/ B1	verb - making a long, loud, piercing cry, typically as an expression of extreme emotion
nightmare /ˈnaɪt.meər/ B1	noun - a terrifying dream; a very bad or frightening experience
escape /ɪˈskeɪp/ B1	verb - to break free from confinement or control
fading /ˈfeɪdɪŋ/ B2	verb - gradually growing faint or disappearing
shock /ʃɑːk/ B1	noun - a sudden upsetting or surprising event or experience
chill /tʃɪl/ B1	noun - a feeling of coldness; a sudden feeling of fear or apprehension
pace /peɪs/ B1	verb - to walk at a steady speed, especially back and forth, as a sign of anxiety
still /stɪl/ A2	adjective - not moving or making a sound
strong /strɔːŋ/ A1	adjective - having the power to move heavy weights or perform other physically demanding tasks; having great power or influence; not easily broken or damaged
home /hoʊm/ A1	noun - the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household

Key Grammar Structures

• Loving and fighting, accusing, denying

  ➔ Gerunds functioning as nouns/labels for actions/states.

  ➔ Gerunds (verb + -ing) often function as nouns, representing an action or state. Here, "Loving and fighting, accusing, denying" are listed to describe a series of actions or the nature of a relationship.

• I can't imagine a world with you gone

  ➔ "With + object + past participle/adjective" construction.

  ➔ This structure describes a state or circumstance accompanying the main action. "With you gone" means "with you in a state of being gone," indicating your absence.

• I'd be so lost if you left me alone

  ➔ Second Conditional (unreal present/future).

  ➔ Used for hypothetical or improbable situations in the present or future. The structure is "If + past simple, would + base form." "I'd" is a contraction of "I would."

• Lying on the floor when I break through

  ➔ Present Participle as an adverbial phrase.

  ➔ The present participle "Lying" modifies the subject (you, implied), describing an action happening simultaneously or providing context for the main verb. It functions similarly to an adverbial clause.

• Can you hear me screaming?

  ➔ Perceptual verb + object + present participle.

  ➔ Used to describe an action that someone perceives (sees, hears, feels, watches) as it is happening. The present participle "screaming" emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action.

• Let me take your hand

  ➔ Causative verb "let".

  ➔ "Let" means to allow or permit someone to do something. It is followed by an object and the base form of the verb (infinitive without "to").

• the demons we're made of

  ➔ Relative clause with a preposition at the end.

  ➔ In informal or common English, prepositions in relative clauses (e.g., "of which we're made") are often moved to the end of the clause. This is a common and natural construction.

• Hold on, I still want you

  ➔ Phrasal verb "hold on".

  ➔ A phrasal verb combines a verb with a preposition or adverb (or both), creating a new meaning. "Hold on" here means "wait," "don't give up," or "persevere," often in an emotional context.

• I know I'm not that strong

  ➔ "That" as an intensifier.

  ➔ "That" can be used informally as an adverb to mean "so" or "to that extent," often in negative sentences or questions, to emphasize a degree or amount.