They put a sign up in our town "If you live it up, you won't live it down" So she left Monte Rio, son Just like a bullet leaves a gun
With her charcoal eyes and her Monroe hips She went and took that California trip Well, the moon was gold, her hair like wind She said "Don't look back, you just come on, Jim"
Oh, you've got to hold on, hold on Babe, you've got to hold on Take my hand, standin' right here, you've got to hold on
Well, he gave her a dimestore watch And a ring made from a spoon Everybody's lookin' for someone to blame But you share my bed, you share my name
Well, go ahead and call the cops You don't meet nice girls in coffee shops She said "Baby, I still love you But sometimes there's nothin' left to do"
Oh, but you've got to hold on, hold on Babe, you've got to hold on Take my hand, standin' right here, you've got to hold on
And God bless your crooked little heart St. Louis got the best of me I miss your broken-china voice How I wish you were still here with
But you build it up, you wreck it down You burn your mansion to the ground When there's nothing left to keep you here When you're falling behind in this big blue world
Oh, you've got to hold on, hold on Babe, you've got to hold on Take my hand, standin' right here, you've got to hold on
Down by the Riverside Motel It's ten below and falling And by a 99-cent store She closed her eyes and started swaying
And it's so hard to dance that way When it's cold and there's no music And when your old hometown's so far away But inside your head there's a record playin' A song called...
Hold on, hold on Babe, you've got to hold on Take my hand, standin' right here, you've got to hold on, hold on Babe, you've got to hold on Take my hand, standin' right here You've got to hold on.