Hold up
Beyoncè Lyrics


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Hold up, they don′t love you like I love you
Slow down, they don't love you like I love you
Back up, they don′t love you like I love you
Step down, they don't love you like I love you

Can't you see there′s no other man above you?
What a wicked way to treat the girl that loves you
Hold up, they don′t love you like I love you
Oh, down, they don't love you like I love you

Something don′t feel right
Because it ain't right
Especially comin′ up after midnight
I smell your secrets, and I'm not too perfect
To ever feel this worthless
How did it come down to this?
Scrolling through your call list
I don′t wanna lose my pride, but I'ma fuck me up a bitch
Know that I kept it sexy, you know I kept it fun
There's something that I′m missing? Maybe my head for one

What′s worst, lookin' jealous or crazy?
Jealous or crazy?
Or like being walked all over lately, walked all over lately
I′d rather be crazy

Hold up, they don't love you like I love you
Slow down, they don′t love you like I love you
Back up, they don't love you like I love you
Step down, they don′t love you like I love you

Can't you see there's no other man above you?
What a wicked way to treat the girl that loves you
Hold up, they don′t love you like I love you
Slow down, they don′t love you like I love you

Let's imagine for a moment
That you never made a name for yourself
Or master wealth, they had you labeled as a king
Never made it out the cage, still out there movin′ in them streets
Never had the baddest woman in the game up in your sheets

Would they be down to ride? No
They used to hide from you, lie to you
But y'all know we were made for each other
So I find you and hold you down
Me sing se

Hold up, they don′t love you like I love you
Slow down, they don't love you like I love you
Back up, they don′t love you like I love you
Step down, they don't love you like I love you

Can't you see there′s no other man above you?
What a wicked way to treat the girl that loves you
Hold up, they don′t love you like I love you
Slow down, they don't love you like I love you

Hey, this such a shame
You let this good love go to waste
I always give that top tier, 5 star
Backseat lovin′ in the car
Like make that wood, like make that wood
Holly like a boulevard

What's worse, lookin′ jealous or crazy?
Jealous and crazy?
Or like been walked all over lately, walked all over lately
I'd rather be crazy

Hold up, they don′t love you like I love you
Slow down, they don't love you like I love you
Back up, they don't love you like I love you
Step down, they don′t love you like I love you

Can′t you see there's no other man above you?
What a wicked way to treat the girl that loves you
Hold up, they don′t love you like I love you
Oh, down, they don't love you like I love you

I hop up off my bed and get my swag on
I look in the mirror, say, what′s up?
What's up? What′s up? What's up?
I hop up off my bed and get my swag on




I look in the mirror, say, what's up?
What′s up? What′s up? What's up?

Overall Meaning

Beyonce's song "Hold Up" seems to be a message to a lover who is not fully appreciating her love. The song starts off with Beyonce telling her partner to slow down and back up, as no one loves him like she loves him. She further emphasizes that there is no other man above him and wonders why he is treating her so wickedly. The feeling of something amiss intensifies as she describes the vulnerability she feels and laments that she may lose her pride but is willing to confront the other woman. The lyrics explore the theme of jealousy and madness and forces the listener to consider which is worse - being jealous or crazy. Beyonce's final resolve ends the song, to embrace the crazy rather than jealousy because she loves her partner more than anything else.


The music video for "Hold Up" was inspired by Yoruba goddess Oshun, who represents fertility, love, and sensuality in West African religion. The video features Beyonce in a yellow Roberto Cavalli dress and a baseball bat, smashing car windows on the street of New Orleans. The song itself samples a song by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs called "Maps" and interpolates the chorus from the song "Can't Get Used to Losing You” by Andy Williams. The song's co-writers include Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend and Diplo, who co-produced it.


Line by Line Meaning

Hold up, they don′t love you like I love you
I love you more than anyone else, and others can't compare to my love for you


Slow down, they don't love you like I love you
Take a moment and realize that no one can love you as much as I do


Back up, they don′t love you like I love you
Leave behind those who can't love you like I do


Step down, they don't love you like I love you
Lower your expectations of others because no one can match my love for you


Can't you see there's no other man above you?
You are the most important person in my life and no one can replace you


What a wicked way to treat the girl that loves you
You're not treating me as well as I deserve, even though I love you so much


Something don't feel right, Because it ain't right
I sense that something is wrong, and it's not fair to me


Especially comin′ up after midnight, I smell your secrets, and I'm not too perfect
I know you're hiding something from me, and I'm not perfect, but I can still sense when something is wrong


To ever feel this worthless, How did it come down to this?
Feeling this unimportant to you hurts me deeply, how did things get this bad?


Scrolling through your call list
I'm going through your phone trying to find answers


I don't wanna lose my pride, but I'ma fuck me up a bitch
I don't want to give you the satisfaction of knowing I'm hurting, but I might have to lash out


Know that I kept it sexy, you know I kept it fun
I did my best to keep our relationship exciting and passionate.


There's something that I'm missing? Maybe my head for one
I feel like there's something I'm not understanding, maybe it's just me


What's worst, looking' jealous or crazy? Jealous or crazy?
Is it worse to appear jealous or insane? Both are undesirable


Or like being walked all over lately, walked all over lately
I feel like others are taking advantage of me lately


I′d rather be crazy
I'd rather be considered crazy than let others take advantage of me


Let's imagine for a moment, that you never made a name for yourself
Let's pretend you're not famous or successful


Or master wealth, they had you labeled as a king
Without fame or fortune, people wouldn't look at you the same way


Never made it out the cage, still out there movin′ in them streets
If you hadn't made it out of the tough life you used to live, you'd still be struggling


Never had the baddest woman in the game up in your sheets
If you hadn't been with me, you wouldn't have been with the best woman you've ever been with


Would they be down to ride? No, they used to hide from you, lie to you
If you weren't successful, would the people who are around you now still be there? Probably not


But y'all know we were made for each other, So I find you and hold you down
Despite the challenges we face, I still believe we belong together and I'll always be there for you


Hey, this such a shame, You let this good love go to waste
It's a shame that you're not treating our love as well as you should be


I always give that top tier, 5 star, Backseat lovin′ in the car
I always give you the best love and intimacy, even in less than ideal situations


Like make that wood, like make that wood, Holly like a boulevard
I'm excellent at making love and I'm the best you'll ever have


I hop up off my bed and get my swag on, I look in the mirror, say, what's up?
I'm confident and sexy, I don't need anyone else to feel good about myself.




Writer(s): Beyonce Knowles, Emile Haynie, Thomas Wesley Pentz, Brian Chase, Karen Orzolek, Nick Zinner, Deandre Way, Uzoechi Emenike, Kelvin Mcconnell, Antonio Randolph, Doc Pomus, Joshua Tillman, Thomas Ezra Koenig, Sean Rhoden, Mort Schuman

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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@emd4390

I tried to change, closed my mouth more tried to be softer, prettier, less awake.
Fasted for 60 days, wore white
abstained from mirrors, abstained from sex. Slowly did not speak another word
In that time my hair grew past my ankles
I slept on a mat on the floor
I swallowed a sword
I levitated
Into the basement confessed my sins and was baptized in a river.
Got on my knees and said Amen
And said I mean I whipped my own back and asked for dominion at your feet
I threw myself into a volcano I drank the blood and drank the wine I sat alone and begged and bent at the waist for God
I crossed myself and thought I saw the Devil.
I grew thickened skin on my feet, I bathed in bleach, and plugged my menses with pages from the holy book.
But still inside me coiled deep was the need to know
"Are you cheating on me?"

Like this so others can see



@Nathan-yf2mj

I tried to change
Closed my mouth more
Tried to be soft, prettier
Less... awake
Fasted for 60 days
Wore white
Abstained from mirrors
Abstained from sex
Slowly did not speak another word
And that time my hair I grew past my ankles
I slept on a mat on the floor
I swallowed a sword
I levitated
Into the basement
Confessed my sins
And was baptized in a river
Got on my knees and said, "Amen"
And said, "I mean"
I whipped my own back
And asked for dominion at your feet
I threw myself into a volcano
I drank the blood and drank the wine
I sat alone and begged and bent at the waist for God
I crossed myself in thought
I saw the devil
I grew thickened skin on my feet
I bathed in bleach
And plugged my menses with the pages from the holy book
But still inside me coiled deep was the need to know
Are you cheating?
Are you cheating on me?



All comments from YouTube:

@day6atemywallet78

I love how she realises her worth and knows that it’s not her fault that he cheated, she was there, she did everything, still he did it

@jessika3584

And he is still doing it 🤐

@unicornbitch3653

@@jessika3584 yeah, he is sooo being a bitch rn.

@__yeri3719

this.

@efsunkartal1774

So true 👏👏👏

@Nominaze

@@jessika3584 right 💀

266 More Replies...

@justmelol9544

Beyonce: I tried to be pretier
Me:sorry?

@ShonnysLab1995

just me lol right I’m like excuse me how, not even to hype her up. But she’s an extraordinary looking BLACK WOMAN!!

@greenhornet8262

Angel Johnson sure jan

@emanueladiprima762

Ahhhahahaha me toooo!!!

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