A member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra during her youth, Winehouse signed to Simon Fuller's 19 Management in 2002 and soon recorded a number of songs before signing a publishing deal with EMI. She also formed a working relationship with producer Salaam Remi through these record publishers. Winehouse's debut album, Frank, was released in 2003. Many of the album's songs were influenced by jazz and, apart from two covers, were co-written by Winehouse. Frank was a critical success in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. The song "Stronger Than Me" won her the Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.
Winehouse released her follow-up album, Back to Black, in 2006, which went on to become an international success and one of the best-selling albums in UK history. At the 2007 Brit Awards it was nominated for British Album of the Year, and she received the award for British Female Solo Artist. The song "Rehab" won her a second Ivor Novello Award. At the 50th Grammy Awards in 2008, she won five awards, tying the then record for the most wins by a female artist in a single night and becoming the first British woman to win five Grammys, including three of the General Field "Big Four" Grammy Awards: Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Song of the Year (for "Rehab"), as well as Best Pop Vocal Album.
Winehouse was plagued by drug and alcohol addiction. She died of alcohol poisoning on 23 July 2011, at the age of 27. After her death, Back to Black temporarily became the UK's best-selling album of the 21st century. VH1 ranked Winehouse 26th on their list of the 100 Greatest Women in Music.
He Can Only Hold Her/That Thing
Amy Winehouse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, whoa, oh
He can only hold her for so long
The lights are on, but no one's home
She's so vacant
Her soul is taken
He thinks, "What's she running from?"
Now, how can he have her heart
When it got stole?
So he tries to pacify her
'Cause what's inside her never dies
Even if she's content in his warmth
She is plagued with urgency
Searching kisses
The man she misses
The man that he longs to be
Now, how can he have her heart
When it got stole?
So he tries to pacify her
'Cause what's inside her never dies
So he tries to pacify her
'Cause what's inside her - it never dies
So he tries to pacify her
But what's inside her never dies
The lyrics of Amy Winehouse’s song “He Can Only Hold Her/That Thing” explore the dynamics between two individuals in a romantic relationship that is plagued with emotional challenges. The song’s lyrics describe how the person singing cannot hold their loved one for too long, and the love they feel for their partner is complicated by the woman’s emotional unavailability. The singer describes their partner as vacant, with a taken soul, and they wonder what she is running from. This suggests that she has emotional baggage or some unresolved issue, which is keeping her from fully investing in the relationship.
The lyrics suggest that the woman’s heart has been stolen, and this has made it difficult for the singer to fully connect with her. However, he tries to pacify her to make her feel safe and secure in the relationship. Despite his efforts, the woman still longs for someone else, and this creates urgency in her to find the other man. The singer longs to be that man for her, but he knows that her heart is not entirely his.
The song’s lyrics are quite poignant, showing the complexities of human emotions, love, and relationships. It speaks to how people often carry their emotional baggage in relationships, making it difficult for them to fully connect with their partners. The song’s lyrics are also quite relatable and capture the experiences of many people in relationships. Overall, the song’s lyrics are profound, insightful, and thought-provoking.
Line by Line Meaning
He can only hold her for so long
He knows that he can't keep her for much long and she will eventually leave him
The lights are on, but no one's home
She's physically present but her mind is elsewhere
She's so vacant
She's not emotionally available
Her soul is taken
She's already given her heart to someone else
He thinks, "What's she running from?"
He's puzzled about her behavior and wonders what's causing her to act that way
Now, how can he have her heart
When it got stole?
He wonders how he can win her over when another man has already won her heart
So he tries to pacify her
'Cause what's inside her never dies
He tries to calm her down because he knows that her pain and loss will never go away
Even if she's content in his warmth
She is plagued with urgency
Even though she enjoys being with him, she still feels anxious and unsettled
Searching kisses
The man she misses
The man that he longs to be
She kisses him while thinking of the man she truly loves, and he wishes he could be that man for her
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HARRISON, JOHN / POINDEXTER, RICHARD / POINDEXTER, ROBERT / WINEHOUSE, AMY / HARPER, CHARLES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tonilm9045
He can only hold her for so long
The lights are on but no one's home
She's so vacant Her soul is taken
He thinks "What's she running from?"
Now how can he have her heart
When it got stole
So he tries to pacify her
'Cause what's inside her never dies
Even if she's content in his warmth
She is plagued with urgency
Searching kisses
The man she misses
The man that he longs to be
Now how can he have her heart
When it got stole
So he tries to pacify her
'Cause what's inside her never dies
So he tries to pacify her
Cause what's inside her, it never dies
So he tries to pacify her
Cause what's inside her never dies
@714steven
Amy Winehouse is one in a million. I hate how some will label her as a troubled woman. No one knew her, I know I didn't but she was remarkable. Behind the tabloid's negative press on the drug abuse stories; no one gives her credit. She had one of the most beautiful voices and was a talented songwriter. True artist.
@johnreese7590
one in 10 billion
@rosahemker5198
I (almost) totally agree with you, but it is not true nobody gives her credit. Enough people (i mean, look at the comments on youtube) see how good she was
@ayattalmasi5836
i love you for this comment <3
@KatKillahKills
Esteban Escamilla a lot of people give her credit, yes its true a lot of people first hear about her because of what happened in her life but once they hear that amazing voice they understand how amazingly talented she was a lot of people end up loving her they know she had an amazing talent and its sad she had to go the way she did.
@NubianGirl7
Well spoken ☺️
@Hockenduke
What's inside her never dies...
We miss the hell outta you Amy. Thanks for what you gave us in your short time here.
@eyesintheroad
woah that line tho
@Googlize1
Amy's dancing is so cute :-)
@johnreese7590
i know !!