You Really Got a Hold on Me
●The Beatles Lyrics
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But I love you
Seems that I'm always
Thinking of you
Oh, oh, oh,
You treat me badly
I love you madly
You've really got a hold on me
I don't want you,
But I need you
Don't want to kiss you
But I need you
Oh, oh, oh
You do me wrong now
My love is strong now
You've really got a hold on me
You've really got a hold on me, baby
I love you and all I want you to do
Is just hold me, please, hold me, squeeze,hold me
Tied up. Tied up.
I want to leave you
Don't want to stay here
Don't want to spend another day here
Oh, oh, oh, I want to split now
I just can quit now
You've really got a hold on me
You've really got a hold on me, baby
I love you and all I want you to do
Is just hold me, hold me, hold me, hold me
You've really got a hold on me
You've really got a hold on me
The lyrics to The Beatles' "You Really Got A Hold On Me" are an honest admission of a love-hate relationship. The singer expresses their conflicting emotions towards the person they are addressing. On one hand, they admit to not liking the person, but on the other hand, they cannot help but love them. The singer is constantly thinking of this person and cannot shake the feeling they have for them. The person they are addressing, however, treats them badly, yet the singer cannot help but love them even more. The singer is aware that they are tied up in this relationship, and the other person has a hold on them, as expressed in the repetition of the title phrase.
Despite the fact that the singer wants to leave and not spend another day with this person, they admit to needing them. The singer's love is strong, and they cannot resist the other person's hold on them. All they want is for the other person to hold them and squeeze them, demonstrating the intimate and conflicted nature of their relationship. In the end, the singer admits that the other person truly does have a hold on them, and they cannot escape their love.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't like you
I have negative feelings towards you
But I love you
Despite my dislike, I am deeply in love with you
Seems that I'm always
It appears that my thoughts are constantly occupied
Thinking of you
By thoughts, I refer to thoughts of you
Oh, oh, oh,
Words to express intense emotion
You treat me badly
Despite my love for you, you do not treat me well
I love you madly
My love for you is intense and unwavering
You've really got a hold on me
You have a strong emotional grip on me
You've really got a hold on me, baby
This grip is particularly strong and affects me deeply
I don't want you,
I have no desire to be with you
But I need you
Despite my lack of interest, I am reliant on you
Don't want to kiss you
Physical affection towards you is not desirable
But I need you
However, I am dependent on you
You do me wrong now
Your actions towards me are negative
My love is strong now
Despite this, my love for you persists and is growing stronger
I love you and all I want you to do
The only thing I desire from you is
Is just hold me, please, hold me, squeeze, hold me
Physical comfort and closeness
Tied up. Tied up.
Metaphor for being fully and irrevocably committed to the relationship
I want to leave you
I wish to end this relationship
Don't want to stay here
I do not want to continue being in this situation
Don't want to spend another day here
I have no desire for this to continue any longer
Oh, oh, oh, I want to split now
Expressing urgency and strong desire to end things
I just can quit now
Despite this, I find it difficult to leave you
You've really got a hold on me
Metaphorically, you have a strong grip on my heart and emotions
You've really got a hold on me, baby
This grip is particularly intense and difficult to break free from
I love you and all I want you to do
Even with these conflicting emotions,
Is just hold me, hold me, hold me, hold me
All I truly desire is physical comfort and closeness from you
You've really got a hold on me
Reiterating the strong emotional grip you possess on me
You've really got a hold on me
Repeated for emphasis
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WILLIAM ROBINSON JR.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind