Holding On To You

Holding on to You
Song by Twenty One Pilots from the album Regional at Best
Released	July 8, 2011
Format	Digital
Length	4:26
Time signature	4/4
Tempo	90
Key	E minor
Last played	April 1 2023
Composer	Twenty One Pilots
Lyricist	Tyler Joseph
Writer	Tyler Joseph
Producer	Tyler Joseph, Josh Dun
Label	Self-released
Stream / Buy
Twenty One Pilots track listing Guns for Hands Holding on to You Ode to Sleep Slowtown Car Radio Forest Glowing Eyes Kitchen Sink Anathema Lovely Ruby Trees Be Concerned Clear

Holding on to You is the 2nd track on the album, Regional at Best

Background

Tyler Joseph has spoken several times about the track, including:

"People try to interpret what the song is saying and in a way I feel like I’m supposed to let that live and not answer the question. In short, there was a particular show that I was playing and at this time we were really able talk to everyone after a show. I remember this show in particular more than usual, kids came up to me and felt like they needed to share what it was they were going through and a lot of what they were going through had to do with suicide… thank goodness it had a lot to do with them overcoming it and using music and using songs, in particular my songs, to help them get over that and I was so inspired and so moved by that show and those kids that came up to me and shared with me their struggles with suicide and this song is very inspired by them and those people that struggle with that. I don’t claim to be a professional opinion on the topic because it’s dangerous to talk about suicide and to claim you have a voice on the issue but this song is about taking that negative energy and aiming it at something else, not aiming it at yourself, really giving these kids the power to know that they do have control over their circumstances." [1]

Versions

Studio

Title	Release	Length	Recorded	Released	Notes
Holding on to You	Regional at Best	4:26	2010-2011	8 July 2011

Live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHKz6Okuukg

Lyrics

Lyrics

Album version

[Verse 1] I'm taking over my body, back in control, no more shotty I bet a lot of me was lost, "T"'s uncrossed and "I"'s undotted I fought it a lot and it seems a lot like flesh is all I got Not anymore, flesh out the door, swat I must've forgot, you can't trust me I'm open a moment and close when you show it Before you know it, I'm lost at sea And now that I write and think about it and the story unfolds You should take my life, you should take my soul [Break] Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah [Chorus] You are surrounding, all my surroundings Sounding down the mountain range of my left-side brain You are surrounding, all my surroundings Twisting the kaleidoscope behind both of my eyes [Post-Chorus] (Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah) And I'll be holding on to you (Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah) And I'll be holding on to you [Verse 2] Remember the moment you know exactly where you're goin' 'Cause the next moment before you know it Time is slowin' and it's frozen still And the windowsill looks really nice, right? You think twice about your life, it probably happens at night, right? Fight it, take the pain, ignite it Tie a noose around your mind, loose enough to breathe fine And tie it to a tree, tell it, "You belong to me This ain't a noose, this is a leash And I have news for you, you must obey me" [Chorus] You are surrounding, all my surroundings Sounding down the mountain range of my left-side brain You are surrounding, all my surroundings Twisting the kaleidoscope behind both of my eyes [Bridge] Entertain my faith, entertain my faith Entertain my faith, entertain my faith Entertain my faith, entertain my faith Entertain my faith, entertain my faith Entertain my faith, entertain my faith [Breakdown] Lean with it, rock with it, when we gonna stop with it? Lyrics that mean nothin', we were gifted with thought Is it time to move our feet, to an introspective beat? It ain't the speakers that bump hearts, it's our hearts that make the beat Lean with it, rock with it, when we gonna stop with it? Lyrics that mean nothin', we were gifted with thought Is it time to move our feet, to an introspective beat? It ain't the speakers that bump hearts, it's our hearts that make the beat Lean with it, rock with it, when we gonna stop with it? Lyrics that mean nothin', we were gifted with thought Is it time to move our feet, to an introspective beat? It ain't the speakers that bump hearts, it's our hearts that make the beat Lean with it, rock with it, when we gonna stop with it? Lyrics that mean nothin', we were gifted with thought Is it time to move our feet, to an introspective beat? It ain't the speakers that bump hearts and it's our hearts that make the beat [Outro] (Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah) And I'll be holding on to you, and I'll be holding on to you (Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah) And I'll be holding on to you, and I'll be holding on to you (Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah) And I'll be holding on to you, and I'll be holding on to you (Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah) And I'll be holding on to you, and I'll be holding on to you

Lyrics meaning

Lyrics
Frontman Tyler Joseph has stated the following regarding this track: "I know you have the ability to hurt yourself, I recognize that, but let’s take that energy and let’s point it at something else, let’s divert that, let’s kind of shift momentum and look at something like art, or something like this music specifically or even point it at me, just point it anywhere. But don’t point it at yourself … that song will always be important to me." [1]
all meanings of the lyrics are taken from the Genius website

Sources

[1] https://genius.com/Twenty-one-pilots-guns-for-hands-lyrics