[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