[Verse 1]

They hung a sign up in our town

Said, "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 the Monroe hips

She went and took that California trip

Oh, the moon was gold, and her hair like wind

She said, "Don't look back, just come on, Jim"

[Chorus]

Oh, you got to hold on, hold on

Babe, you gotta hold on

Take my hand, I'm standing right here

You gotta hold on

[Verse 2]

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 on 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

[Chorus]

Oh, you got to hold on, hold on

Babe, you gotta hold on

Take my hand, I'm standing right here

You gotta hold on

[Verse 3]

Well, God bless your crooked little heart

St. Louis got the best of me

I miss your broken china voice

How I wish you were still here with me

Oh, you build it up, you wreck it down

And then you burn your mansion to the ground

Sometimes there's nothing left to keep you here

But when you're falling behind in this big blue world

[Chorus]

Oh, you got to hold on, hold on

Yeah, you gotta hold on

Take my hand, I'm standing right here

You gotta hold on

[Verse 4]

Down by the Riverside motel

It's ten below and it's falling fast

By a ninety-nine-cent store

She closed her eyes and started swaying

Oh, but it's so hard to dance that way

When it's cold and there's no music

When your old hometown is so far away

But inside your head there's a record that plays

[Chorus]

A song called "Hold On", hold on

Babe, you gotta hold on

Take my hand, I'm standing right there

You gotta hold on, hold on

Yeah, you gotta hold on

And take my hand, I'm standing right there

You gotta hold on, hold on

Yeah, you gotta hold on

And take my hand, I'm standing right here

You gotta hold on

[Outro]

Oh, you gotta hold on

Yeah, you gotta hold on

Baby, ooh, you gotta hold on

Oh, you gotta hold on