Holding On to You (Twenty One Pilots song)
"Holding on to You" | |
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Song by Twenty One Pilots | |
from the album Regional at Best | |
Released | July 8, 2011 |
Genre | |
Length | 4:25 |
Label | Self-released |
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Twenty One Pilots |
"Holding on to You" | ||||
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Single by Twenty One Pilots | ||||
from the album Vessel | ||||
Released | September 11, 2012 | |||
Recorded | 2011 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:23 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Tyler Joseph | |||
Twenty One Pilots singles chronology | ||||
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Audio sample | ||||
Music video | ||||
"Holding on to You" on YouTube |
"Holding on to You" is a song written and recorded by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots, for their second studio album Regional at Best. A partially re-recorded version of the song appeared on their third studio album, Vessel. "Holding on to You" was released as the first single from Vessel in the iTunes Store worldwide on September 11, 2012 but was first released on Twenty One Pilots’s PureVolume account on September 7, 2012.[1] A video for the song was released on November 15.[2] The video was directed by Jordan Bahat.[3] The song impacted alternative radio on December 4, 2012,[4] and released to mainstream radio on June 11, 2013.[5] It is the band's debut single.
Background
In an interview with SiriusXM, Tyler Joseph, the lead singer of Twenty One Pilots, revealed that he was considering ending his career in music, but continued as he was excited about a track he was working on called "Entertain my Faith";[6] however, its name was changed to "Holding on to You" when Joseph could not decide on a better title. While originally unsatisfied by the title, he has since grown used to it. "I remember the riff..." Joseph says while talking about the conception of "Holding on to You", "on the piano, on the keys. I'm very visual when I write music and I remember I accidentally jumped over a few notes when I was trying to figure out just the riff and I didn't think it worked. Then I listened to it again and actually the riff anticipates the chord progression in a really nice way and then I fell in love with it."[7] "Holding on to You" contains lyrical elements from the chorus of "Lean wit It, Rock wit It" by Dem Franchize Boyz. The track's vocals on the album Regional at Best were recorded in Joseph's basement, and the same ones were used for their first major-label release Vessel.[8]
Composition
"Holding on to You" runs for a duration of four minutes and twenty-three seconds.[9] The track contains erratic yet catchy music, transforming from being a synth-pop-inspired ballad to banging hip-hop number with rapped verses.[10][11] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by EMI Music Publishing, it is written in the time signature of common time, with a moderate tempo of 90 beats per minute.[9] "Holding on to You" is composed in the key of B Major, while Tyler Joseph's vocal range while Tyler Joseph's vocal range spans three notes from a low F♯4 to a high of B5.[9] The song has a basic sequence of Bsus2/G♯–Bsus2/F♯–B/E–Bsus2 in the verses and outro, changes to E–G♯m–B–F♯–C♯m at the chorus, and follows to G♯m–F♯/A♯–B–E during the interlude and follows G♯m–F♯–E–B at the bridge as its chord progression.[9]
The song retains catchy hooks imbued with electro-pop while built on a sleek groove and immense beats.[12] Dun’s drumming provides a rhythm, playing in a punk-inspired fashion.[13] In addition, the track contains a mixture of squelchy synths, zippy keyboards and melodic guitars.[14][15] "Holding On To You" is a realizing of the band's pop sensibilities, as its features the bending of mainstream pop conventions towards introspective means.[16][17] It musical arrangement expresses upbeat rhythms, skittering rap, and euphoric refrains.[17] The song demonstrates Tyler Joseph’s rapping abilitites, which he performs with a catchy delivery.[18][19] Alongside rapping, the musical composition also contains grandiose sung choruses that harbor spirit-lifting sentiments.[18][19][20]
Lyrically, “Holding On To You” is an ode to self-control.[21] It addresses the idea of taking shotgun of your own life and holding onto one's values.[22] The song's lyrical content exhibits both sensitive balladry and sensational introspection.[10][17] It contains thoughtful lines and a sentiment about taking back control of your mental health.[19] "Holding On To You" suggests a different take when it comes to battling depression, one with a more overtly spiritual subtext.[23] The song's lyrics undoubtedly encourage listeners to fight self-doubt, with Tyler Joseph instructing, "Take the pain / Ignite it / Tie a noose around your mind / Loose enough to breathe fine and tie it".[24] They illustrate Joseph's usage of clever wordplay regarding music beats and heartbeats while encouraging listeners to look inward and dance to their own tune: 'It ain’t the speakers that bump hearts, it’s our hearts that make the beat.[19] His lyrical themes' primary lesson is to listen to your heart.[19] Additionally, Joseph passionately criticizes meaningless music, delivering the lines, "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?"[18]
Critical reception
Following its release, "Holding on to You" received favorable reviews from contemporary music critics.[14] Piet Levy from Milwaukee Journal Sentinel described the song as "erratic but always catchy music. 'Holding On to You' was transformed from a sensitive, Death Cab for Cutie-style ballad to a hip-hop banger.[10] Complimenting its "silky groove" AllMusic's Fred Thomas cites "Holding on to You" as one of three "relentlessly catchy single-ready standouts" featured on the duo's major label debut album, Vessel.[12] Regarding its opening trio, he continued saying, "These three songs encapsulate the band's unique calling card, offering up the best examples of what makes their approach different from any number of bands working in similar territory, with enormous beats and full-force electro-pop running through hooks modeled for Top 40 radio, each element punctuated by Joseph's down-to-earth sentiments coming through in the form of caffeinated rap codas.[12] Georgina Langford-Biss of MTV UK claimed, "twenty one pilots slyly snuck into the mainstream with the weirdly awesome 'Holding On To You'." [25] Graham Clark of The Yorkshire Times likened the song to being a mixture of the increasingly successful American duo Capital Cities and Of Monsters and Men.[26] Writing for idobi, after panning the awkward flow of "Ode to Sleep" and claiming it left one doubting his rapping ability, Catherhine Yi conceded that Joseph’s quickly redeems himself on "Holding Onto You." She remarked, "... you can truly feel his passion as he criticizes meaningless music ... The song also continues the trend of catchy, grandiose choruses that will lift your spirits every time you hear them."[18]
Kerrang!'s Sam Law considered "Holding on to You" to be the fifth best song by Twenty One Pilots. He stated, "Another Regional At Best relic buffed up to high shine on Vessel, "Holding On To You" sees every ounce of the boys’ early influence and unfettered creativity poured into four-and-a-half minutes of feeling. Bending the machinery of mainstream pop (upbeat rhythms, scattergun rap, euphoric choruses) to their own, far more introspective ends, this was a warning shot from modern rock revolutionaries ready to crumble traditional genre boundaries and capture the mood of a new generation."[17] Kerrang! also praised its lyrical content, writing, "There’s plenty of thoughtful lines in this song about taking back control of your own mind, lost to mental health, but this one stands out in both sentiment and catchy delivery."[19] Dan Leroy of Alternative Press opined the song was wisely reclaimed from Regional At Best (2011). He continued saying, "Another successful hip-pop hybrid, "Holding On To You" offers a different Joseph take on battling depression––this time with a more overtly spiritual subtext––and became the duo’s first national hit."[23] Jason Pettigrew, from the same publication, ranked "Holding on to You" as the their best song. He stated, "This is the answer to the eternal question: What do twenty one pilots sound like? Everything about the band’s character, musical methodology, pop sensibility and raison d’etre are fully realized on this song. The perfect gateway drug with all the elements of where they’ve been and where they will escape from for parts unknown."[16]
Music video
The music video for "Holding On To You" was directed by Jordan Bahat and released on November 15, 2012.[3][27] For his promotional video, Bahat blends an abstract combination of a live shoot with radical stage performances from Twenty One Pilots.[3] Bahat elaborated, “The intent for the video was to translate the band’s live energy onto the screen. As a two-piece band, Twenty One Pilots invests a lot into the theatrics of their live shows to give their fans a big experience. ... The song speaks about the demons we wrestle with in our daily lives. Taking some license from the band’s knack for theater, I made the demons literal, added some smoke and ballerinas and let the band to the rest.”[3] It was the first official music video that Twenty One Pilots released.[28] The video features contemporary dancers wearing skeleton facepaint bob and weave their bodies around Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun as they perform the song. At its climax, the dancers pull a rope tied around Joseph’s neck as he yells, “This ain't a noose, this is a leash/And I have news for you: You must obey me.”[28] Once the rope breaks, the dancers are sent into an abyss as a skull-faced ballerina dressed in all-black pointed shoes, tights, and a tutu gracefully does a performance.[28]
Reception
The video was ranked at number two on Alternative Press' 11 alternative music videos with the best choreography list.[29]
Track listing
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Holding on to You" (single edit) | 3:22 |
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Holding on to You" | 4:23 |
2. | "Holding on to You" (live at the LC Pavilion) | 5:36 |
3. | "Can't Help Falling in Love" (originally by Elvis Presley) | 2:38 |
4. | "The Run and Go" | 3:49 |
Personnel
- Tyler Joseph – vocals, piano, bass guitar, guitar, synthesizers
- Josh Dun – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Charts
Weekly charts
Chart (2013) | Peak position |
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Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[30] | 77 |
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[31] | 33 |
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[32] | 10 |
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[33] | 32 |
Year-end charts
Chart (2013) | Position |
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US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[34] | 96 |
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[35] | 33 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United States (RIAA)[36] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label |
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Worldwide[1] | September 11, 2012 | Fueled by Ramen | |
United States[37] | June 11, 2013 | Top 40 radio |
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References
- ^ a b "Holding On to You". iTunes US. Apple Inc. Archived from the original on September 17, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
- ^ "twenty one pilots release "Holding On to You" video". Alternative Press. November 15, 2012. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Twenty One Pilots 'Holding On to You' by Jordan Bahat". Promo News. November 22, 2012. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
- ^ "AllAccess.com Alternative eWeekly". AllAccess. November 27, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
- ^ "Airplay Archive: CHR". FMQB. Archived from the original on November 1, 2009. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
- ^ twenty one pilots - Holding On To You (SiriusXM Session) on YouTube
- ^ "Track by track analysis of Vessel by Tyler Joseph". Source from YouTube, recorded for Spotify. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
- ^ Ragogna, Mike (January 14, 2013). "Vessel : Chatting With Twenty One Pilots' Tyler Joseph, Plus Reintroducing The Johnny Stallings Arts Program and Six Market Blvd". Huffington Post. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Twenty One Pilots "Holding On to You" Sheet Music in B Major – Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
- ^ a b c Levy, Piet (August 31, 2015). "Twenty One Pilots get tattoos during the Rave's Eagles Ballroom Show". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Journal Media Group.
- ^ Rys, Dan (March 15, 2013). "Macklemore, Machine Gun Kelly Rule mtvU Woodie Awards". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ a b c Thomas, Fred. "Vessel - Twenty One Pilots: Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards: AllMusic". Retrieved June 19, 2015.
- ^ Olivier, Bobby (October 31, 2018). "Twenty One Pilots' Blazing New 'Bandito' Tour is a Stylish Triumph: Review". NJ.
- ^ a b Rahman, Ray (December 18, 2012). "Stream the new Twenty One Pilots album 'Vessel' here -- EXCLUSIVE". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
- ^ Leijon, Erik (May 23, 2019). "Concert review: Twenty One Pilots reflect musically mishmashed times". Montreal Gazette.
- ^ a b Pettigrew, Jason (September 26, 2019). "Twenty One Pilots Songs Ranked In All Of Their Pop Majesty". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on September 30, 2019. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
- ^ a b c d Law, Sam (April 24, 2020). "The 20 Greatest twenty one pilots Songs — Ranked". Kerrang!. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Yi, Catherine (January 8, 2013). "twenty - one - pilots – Vessel: Album Review". idobi.com. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f "The 10 Best twenty one pilots Lyrics So Far". Kerrang!. July 23, 2018. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
- ^ McCollum, Brian (October 25, 2018). "Twenty One Pilots Get Ambitious at Compelling Detroit Show". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
- ^ Poffenberger, Robby (September 23, 2015). "Twenty One Pilots". City Weekly.
- ^ Darus, Alex (July 27, 2018). "Find out which Twenty One Pilots song matches your zodiac sign". Alternative Press. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
- ^ a b LeRoy, Dan (September 2, 2015). "The 10 best twenty one pilots songs". Alternative Press. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
- ^ Carter, Emily (November 23, 2016). "How twenty one pilots Changed My Life… — Kerrang!". Kerrang!. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ Langford-Biss, Georgina (May 3, 2016). "Here's 21 Reasons Why We Love twenty one pilots". MTV UK.
- ^ Clark, Graham (September 5, 2013). "Yorkshire News: Album Review: Twenty One Pilots - Vessel". The Yorkshire Times. yorkshiretimes.co.uk. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
- ^ "twenty one pilots release "Holding On to You" video". Alternative Press. November 15, 2012. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
- ^ a b c "11 alternative music videos with the best choreography, ranked - Alternative Press". Alternative Press. January 27, 2017. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
- ^ "11 alternative music videos with the best choreography, ranked - Alternative Press". Alternative Press. January 27, 2017. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
- ^ "Twenty One Pilots – Holding On to You" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
- ^ "Twenty One Pilots Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
- ^ "Twenty One Pilots Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
- ^ "Twenty One Pilots Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
- ^ "Hot Rock Songs: Year End 2013". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
- ^ "Alternative Songs: Year End 2013". Billboard. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
- ^ "American single certifications – Twenty One Pilots – Holding On to You". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
- ^ "Future Releases". Archived from the original on April 22, 2011. Retrieved October 27, 2015.