Jeff Bridges – Hold On You

Am I really writing about a song that an actor sings? Yes. I am.

Besides the standout songwriting of Bingham on the Crazy Heart soundtrack… you get totally sideswiped by Jeff Bridges singing lead on several of the tracks. He does an amazing job at bringing to life a old country sound and makes you feel the music along with hearing it. He has a gritty voice and a history of heart felt roles including the current one that he won an Oscar for playing Bad Blake in Crazy Heart.

I say all that about Bridges because the guy is the real deal. He takes this song and creates a haunting tale of mistakes and poor choices in life, but gives it a purpose… getting a “Hold On You”. It’s never quite clear what the “You” is… maybe it’s love for some of us, maybe it’s purpose, maybe it’s getting a hold on life, or maybe it’s finding God. His voice and the writing seep of the truth of someone that understands that life deals you curve after curve and we find ourselves in the most crazy circumstances. “I’ve been people that I don’t know” and “All my lies have been unrehearsed ” are two of my favorite lines that sums that up perfectly.

If we are truthful about ourselves, we can see these truths in our past. If you don’t see them, then you aren’t looking hard enough. The key with finding and admitting our failures is we have to do something with them. What are you going to do.. continue hurting or change and grab a “Hold On You”? That is what this song speaks to me about… It tells a story of the past to remind me of the future.

“Hold On You” by Jeff Bridges

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I’ve been loved
And I’ve been alone
All my life I’ve been a rollin’ stone
Done everything that a man can do
Everything but get a hold on you

Done everything that a man can do
Everything but get a hold on you

I’ve been blessed
And I’ve been cursed
All my lies have been unrehearsed
All the fire that I’ve walked through
Only tryin’ to get a hold on you

All the fire that I walked through
Only tryin’ to get a hold on you

I saw you waitin’ at the gate
But I arrived a moment late
I saw you shed a single tear
And still I can’t get there from here

I’ve been high
And I’ve been low
I’ve been people that I don’t know
Been to China and old Peru
Only tryin’ to get a hold on you

Been to China and to Peru
I’m only tryin’ to get a hold on you
Only tryin’ to get a hold on you