Holding On – English Lyrics

• By: Disclosure, Gregory Porter
• Album: Caracal

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into 'Holding On,' a captivating blend of electronic beats and smooth jazz vocals that tells a universal story of love and resilience. This song offers a unique opportunity to explore modern English expressions of emotion and enduring hope, showcasing how a powerful message transcends musical genres. Its accessible yet profound lyrics make it an excellent choice for language learners to grasp contemporary vocabulary and conversational nuances.

[English]

Weight of love on my shoulders

I thought that it would be easier than this

I found my heart had grown colder

But the warmth of your kiss, I can't dismiss

Though my past has left me bruised

I ain't hiding from the truth

When the truth won't let me lie right next to you

But it's holding on

And it's holding strong

Even though I tried to make it

Played the part, but I can't fake it

It keeps holding on

And it's holding strong

Even though I tried to break it

Heaven knows that I can't shake it

But it's holding on

And it's holding strong

Even though I tried to make it

Played the part, but I can't fake it

It keeps holding on

And it's holding strong

Even though I tried to break it

Heaven knows that I can't shake it

Shake it, sh-shake it

Shake it, sh-shake it

Shake it, sh-shake it

Shake it, sh-shake it

Shake it, sh-shake it

Shake it, sh-shake it

Shake it, sh-shake it

Shake it, sh-shake it

I've seen times that were harder

I remember the taste of bitterness

Won't you help me, my father?

Help me fall in the love that I have missed

Though my past has left me bruised

I ain't hiding from the truth

When the truth won't let me lie right next to you

But it's holding on

And it's holding strong

Even though I tried to make it

Played the part, but I can't fake it

It keeps holding on

And it's holding strong

Even though I tried to break it

Heaven knows that I can't shake it

But it's holding on

And it's holding strong

Even though I tried to make it

Played the part, but I can't fake it

It keeps holding on

And it's holding strong

Even though I tried to break it

Heaven knows that I can't shake it

Shake it, sh-shake it

Shake it, sh-shake it

Shake it, sh-shake it

Shake it, sh-shake it

Shake it, sh-shake it

Shake it, sh-shake it

Shake it, sh-shake it

Shake it, sh-shake it

It keeps holding on and on

It keeps holding on and on

It keeps holding on and on

It keeps holding on and on

It keeps holding on and on

It keeps holding on and on

It keeps holding on and on

It keeps holding on and on

It keeps holding on and on

It keeps holding on and on

It keeps holding on and on

It keeps holding on and on

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
holding /ˈhoʊldɪŋ/ A1	verb - to grasp or carry something
strong /strɒŋ/ A1	adjective - having power or ability
shake /ʃeɪk/ A1	verb - to move something quickly back and forth
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - a deep affection or emotional attachment
truth /truːθ/ A1	noun - the quality of being true or factual
bruised /bruːzd/ B1	adjective - injured or marked by a bruise
dismiss /dɪsˈmɪs/ B1	verb - to reject or disregard something
warmth /wɔːrmθ/ A2	noun - the quality of being warm in temperature or feeling
kiss /kɪs/ A1	noun - a touch with the lips as a sign of love
fake /feɪk/ A2	verb - to make a copy without authority or right adjective - not genuine or real
heaven /ˈhɛvən/ A1	noun - the place thought to be where God lives
bitterness /ˈbɪtərnəs/ B2	noun - a sharp and unpleasant taste or feeling
father /ˈfɑːðər/ A1	noun - a male parent
hiding /ˈhaɪdɪŋ/ A2	verb - to put something or someone in a secret place
miss /mɪs/ A1	verb - to fail to catch or hit something verb - to feel sad about the absence of someone or something

Key Grammar Structures

• Weight of love on my shoulders

  ➔ Prepositional phrase

  ➔ The phrase "on my shoulders" acts as a prepositional phrase, describing where the "weight of love" is located. It follows the noun "weight".

• I thought that it would be easier than this

  ➔ Subjunctive mood (implied), Conditional clause

  ➔ The use of "would be" implies a conditional situation, even though a specific "if" clause is not present. The verb "be" is in the subjunctive mood.

• I found my heart had grown colder

  ➔ Past Perfect Tense

  ➔ The past perfect tense "had grown" describes an action completed before another past action ("found").

• But the warmth of your kiss, I can't dismiss

  ➔ Inversion (poetic)

  ➔ In this sentence, the object "the warmth of your kiss" comes before the subject "I". This is a form of inversion often used in poetry to emphasize the object.

• Though my past has left me bruised

  ➔ Subordinating conjunction

  ➔ "Though" is a subordinating conjunction, introducing a subordinate clause that provides a contrast to the main clause.

• I ain't hiding from the truth

  ➔ Contraction and preposition

  ➔ "Ain't" is a contraction of "am not" or "is not" (or sometimes "are not"), and "from" is a preposition, establishing the direction or origin of the hiding.

• When the truth won't let me lie right next to you

  ➔ Conditional clause, Modal verb (won't)

  ➔ "When" introduces a conditional clause. "Won't" is a contraction of "will not" and acts as a modal verb expressing refusal or inability.

• Heaven knows that I can't shake it

  ➔ Subject-Verb agreement, Negative contraction

  ➔ "Heaven" is the subject and "knows" is the verb (with correct subject-verb agreement). "Can't" is a negative contraction of "cannot".