Hold On Tight (Electric Light Orchestra song)

"Hold On Tight" is a song written and performed by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). The song is track twelve on the band's 1981 album Time and was the first song released as a single. The song went top ten in most countries, hitting the top spot in Spain and Switzerland, number two in Germany, number four in the UK,[2] and number ten on the US Billboard Hot 100, as well as number two on the US Billboard Top Tracks chart the week of 12 September 1981.[3] A verse sung in French, which is a reprise of the first verse, translates as "Hang on to your dream, Hang on to your dream, When you see your boat leaving, When you feel your heart breaking, Hang on to your dream".

"Hold On Tight"
Single by Electric Light Orchestra
from the album Time
B-side"When Time Stood Still"
Released
  • 17 July 1981 (UK)
  • July 1981 (US)
Recorded1981 at Musicland Studios, Munich
GenreRock and roll[1]
Length3:06
LabelJet
Songwriter(s)Jeff Lynne
Producer(s)Jeff Lynne
Electric Light Orchestra singles chronology
"Don't Walk Away"
(1980)		 "Hold On Tight"
(1981)		 "Twilight"
(1981)
Time track listing
13 tracks
Side one
  1. "Prologue"
  2. "Twilight"
  3. "Yours Truly, 2095"
  4. "Ticket to the Moon"
  5. "The Way Life's Meant to Be"
  6. "Another Heart Breaks"
Side two
  1. "Rain Is Falling"
  2. "From the End of the World"
  3. "The Lights Go Down"
  4. "Here Is the News"
  5. "21st Century Man"
  6. "Hold on Tight"
  7. "Epilogue"
Music video
"Hold On Tight" on YouTube

Music video

At the time, the song's music video was the most expensive ever made, with a budget of approximately £40,000.[4] The mostly black and white video features footage of ELO playing the song in a lounge, intercut with scenes in the style of 1940s serial films featuring the band members, including violinist Mik Kaminski, who was no longer a band member nor had actually played on this song, playing a guitar.

Critical reaction

This was one of the songs Rolling Stone magazine called a "near-perfect Top-Forty spurt", with its "synthesized rock & roll cellos" but complained that the music was so light that ELO could "end up becoming the kind of cheese that squirts out of an aerosol can."[1]

Uses in other media

It was the theme song for the National Coffee Association's "Join the Coffee Achievers" television commercials which ran in 1983 and 1984.[5]

Chart performance

See also

References
  1. "Electric Light Orchestra – Time". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 17 April 2008.
  2. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  3. "Rock Albums & Top Tracks". Billboard. 12 September 1981. p. 30. ISSN 0006-2510.
  4. UK Midlands Central TV News, August 1981
  5. https://www.nytimes.com/1983/09/02/business/advertisingn-r-kleinfield-campaign-seeks-lift-for-coffee.html (2 September 1983). "Advertising N. R. Kleinfield Campaign Seeks Lift for Coffee". The New York Times.
  6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. "Austriancharts.at – Electric Light Orchestra – Hold On Tight" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  8. "Ultratop.be – Electric Light Orchestra – Hold On Tight" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  9. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0392." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  10. "Le Détail par Artiste" (in French). InfoDisc. Select "Electric Light Orchestra" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  11. "Offiziellecharts.de – Electric Light Orchestra – Hold On Tight". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Hold On Tight". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  13. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Electric Light Orchestra - Hold On Tight" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  14. "Dutchcharts.nl – Electric Light Orchestra – Hold On Tight" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  15. "Charts.nz – Electric Light Orchestra – Hold On Tight". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  16. "Norwegiancharts.com – Electric Light Orchestra – Hold On Tight". VG-lista. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  17. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (E)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  18. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  19. "Swedishcharts.com – Electric Light Orchestra – Hold On Tight". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  20. "Swisscharts.com – Electric Light Orchestra – Hold On Tight". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  21. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. 3 October 1981. p. 68. ISSN 0006-2510.
  22. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending October 3, 1981". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 2 September 2012.
  23. "Record World Singles" (PDF). Record World. 26 September 1981. p. 23. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  24. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  25. "Jahreshitparade 1981" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  26. "Jaaroverzichten 1981" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  27. "Top 100 Singles of 1981". RPM. Vol. 35 no. 22. 26 December 1981. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  28. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1981" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  29. "End of Year Charts 1981". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  30. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1981" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  31. "Top 100 Hits for 1981". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  32. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1981". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 18 September 2012.
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