As a record collector, I went out and hunted down a lot of my favorites but obviously came nowhere near getting them all. These are some of the favorites that I didn’t own at the time.
“Hold On / Don’t Open Your Eyes” (Kirshner – ZS9 4291) is a single by the Topeka rock band Kansas. I’ve never owned this record but enjoy it each time it played on the radio. Steve Walsh, as usual, does a great job with the vocals on this Kerry Livgren-written tune.
He penned it to try to convince his wife to convert to Christianity along with him, which proved successful and the couple have remained active in their faith ever since. The song peaked at number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was their 13th single, eighth top 100 hit, and fifth top 40 hit. The song was first released on the 1980 album Audio-Visions, which was the last album recorded with the original band before Steve Walsh left.
For Audio-Visions, the two divided up the songwriting chores, alternating Livgren’s always spiritual and by now explicitly religious lyrical sentiments and ornate musical structures with Walsh’s earthier and harder-rocking concerns.
An orchestral version of the song appears on the album Always Never the Same, recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra[1]. The B-Side – “Don’t Open Your Eyes” is another good rocker written by Walsh, Williams, Livgren, Ehart, and Hope.
Performers
- Bass, Vocals – Dave Hope
- Drums, Percussion, Vocals – Phil Ehart
- Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Vocals – Kerry Livgren
- Guitar, Percussion, Vocals – Rich Williams
- Keyboards, Vibraphone [Vibes], Percussion, Lead Vocals – Steve Walsh
- Violin, Viola, Lead Vocals – Robby Steinhardt
Hold On - Lyrics as written by Kerry Livgren
Look in the mirror and tell me
Just what you see
What have the years of your life
Taught you to be
Innocence dyin' in so many ways
Things that you dream of are lost
Lost in the haze
Hold on, baby, hold on
'Cause it's closer than you think
And you're standing on the brink
Hold on, baby, hold on
'Cause there's something on the way
Your tomorrow's not the same as today
Don't you recall what you felt
When you weren't alone
Someone who stood by your side
A face you have known
Where do you run when it's too much to bear
Who do you turn to in need
When nobody's there
Hold on, baby, hold on
'Cause it's closer than you think
And you're standing on the brink
Hold on, baby, hold on
'Cause there's something on the way
Your tomorrow's not the same as today
Outside your door he is waiting
Waiting for you
Sooner or later you know
He's got to get through
No hesitation and no holding back
Let it all go and you'll know
You're on the right track
Hold on, baby, hold on (hold on to me baby)
'Cause it's closer than you think
And you're standing on the brink
Hold on, baby, hold on (yeah I need you by my side)
'Cause there's something on the way
Your tomorrow's not the same
Hold on, baby, hold on (I got talk to you baby)
'Cause it's closer than you think
And you're standing on the brink
Hold on, baby, hold on (there's something on the corner)
'Cause there's something on the way
Your tomorrow's not the same as today
Hold on
Footnotes
- The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) has a rich history of collaborating with rock bands, seamlessly blending classical and contemporary music. They have notably partnered with Queen for a groundbreaking concert at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1975, resulting in the album “A Night at the Opera: Queen Live with the LSO.” The LSO also joined forces with Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters for the “Roger Waters: In the Flesh” concert in 2004. These collaborations demonstrate the LSO’s adaptability and versatility, as they have also worked with Deep Purple, Elton John, and Metallica, creating unique symphonic experiences that bridge musical genres and captivate audiences. [Back]
Further Reading
Sources
- Song Meanings
- Discogs
- Allmusic
- “Hold On (Kansas song)” (Updated April 02, 2023) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hold_On_(Kansas_song)
