Born in Hereford, England, she later moved to the country's east coast to study drama at the University of Kent. Goulding had developed a love for folk music as a teenager, and her time at university also exposed her to electronica. After two years, she took a break from her studies and moved to West London, where she pursued a career as an alternative singer/songwriter and befriended producers like Starsmith and Frankmusik, who gave her songs an electro-pop twist. In 2009, Goulding began building an audience via the Internet, where early tracks like "Starry Eyed" and a cover of Sam Sparro's "Black & Gold" were posted on tastemaking MP3 blogs such as Discodust. Goulding soon graduated from the blogosphere to print media, gaining praise from mainstream publications like The Guardian and fielding offers from record labels. She ultimately signed a major-label deal with Polydor Records and began making preparations to release her debut album. In the meantime, she penned songs for Diana Vickers, Gabriella Climi, and others.
During the final weeks of 2009, Goulding topped the BBC's Sound of 2010, a poll conducted by British music critics and industry insiders to identify new talent. Building on that momentum, she released Lights -- a sparkling debut album that splashed Goulding's vocal flutter across a landscape of acoustic and synthesized instruments -- in March 2010. Lights topped the U.K. charts during its first week and spun off "Starry Eyed" as a Top Five single (it also charted well in Ireland and New Zealand). Later that year, the album was re-released as Bright Lights, featuring seven new recordings (including a cover of Elton John's "Your Song," which peaked at number two).
In 2012, Goulding returned with her sophomore album, Halcyon, which showcased an even more sonically adventurous, electro-pop-infused sound. In 2013, a deluxe reissue featuring ten extra songs was released; entitled Halcyon Days, it acted as a supplement to the original release. Two of its new songs, "Burn" and "How Long Will I Love You," were among her biggest hits. The following year, she was featured on Calvin Harris' Top Ten U.K. hit "Outside," participated in Band Aid 30's update of "Do They Know It's Christmas?," and entered the U.K. Top Ten once more with "Beating Heart," a song released on the soundtrack for Divergent. Another soundtrack single, "Love Me Like You Do," added to the success of Fifty Shades of Grey in 2015.
That same year, Goulding released her third studio album, Delirium, which featured collaborations with Max Martin, Greg Kurstin, and others. The pop-leaning Delirium included the single "On My Mind" and peaked at number three on the U.S. and U.K. charts. Goulding returned in 2017 on "First Time," a collaboration with electronic producer Kygo.
In 2018, Goulding joined Tap Management after almost a decade with First Access Management.[107] She appeared on a collaboration with Sean Paul on his Mad Love the Prequel EP titled "Bad Love", released on 29 June 2018.[108]
Goulding collaborated with Diplo and Swae Lee on the single "Close to Me", which was released on 24 October 2018.[109] On 1 January 2019, The Guardian reported that she has been working on her fourth album, set to release in the same year.[110] On 1 March, she released the next single "Flux".[111] She said regarding the album, "It's very much written by me".[112]
On 12 April 2019, Goulding released the single "Sixteen".[113] Goulding said of the single, "...That age was such a pivotal year for me in many ways and this song is so close to my heart. It takes me back to the reckless days of being a teenager and I hope it reminds us all about the innocence of youth."[114]
Goulding released "Hate Me" with American rapper Juice Wrld on 26 June 2019.[115][116] It was premiered by Zane Lowe as his 'World Record' on Beats 1.[117] In July, Goulding stated that her next material to be released would be the songs "Woman I Am" and "Start".[118] In November, she released her rendition of Joni Mitchell's Christmas song "River", which topped the UK Singles Chart, becoming her third UK number one single and the last UK number one song of the 2010s.[119]
On 13 March 2020, Goulding released the new single "Worry About Me" which was created in-collaboration with Blackbear.[120] In a radio interview with Heart the same month, she revealed that the album "kind of comes in two parts", adding that "the first side is something written entirely by me which was fun and I wrote most of it in New York when I was living there a few years back. I play the guitar and I play the bass and piano and then I'm singing a lot of vocals. It's very classically influenced because I love classical music. There's a lot going on, it's a big soundscape and one big film. The second half is my kind of alter ego songs."[121] On 21 May she released single "Power" and on 30 June single "Slow Grenade" with Lauv.
Goulding released her fourth studio album, Brightest Blue, on 17 July 2020. Originally scheduled for 5 June 2020, the album's release was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The album debuted at the top of the UK Album Chart, becoming Goulding's third album to do so,[122] as well as at No. 2 in Scotland.[123] It reached the top 10 in Ireland[124] as well as the top 40 in over ten countries including Australia, Germany and the United States.
Goulding announced on an Instagram Q&A that she would be releasing new music which was not part of the Brightest Blue era at the end of January 2021.[125] On 21 January, she released a collaboration with electronic duo Silk City, titled "New Love".[126] On 30 September, Goulding performed "Anything Could Happen" as part of the opening ceremony for Expo 2020, held in Dubai.[127]
On 19 June 2022, Goulding performed at Rock in Rio in Lisbon, Portugal. After the concert, she announced that she would be releasing new music in July. The following day, she blacked out all her social media profiles.[128] Back in July 2021, during an interview with Joe Wicks, she described the forthcoming album as "a dance record. It's electronic pop, a dance thing from outer space".[129] On 4 July 2022, she announced the release of "Easy Lover" featuring Big Sean, which was released on 15 July.[130] The single did not enter the UK Singles Top 100, but peaked at number 31 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart Top 100.[131] It was followed by "All by Myself", a collaboration between Goulding and producers Alok and Sigala, on 7 October.[132] Goulding released the single "Let It Die" along with its video on 19 October and announced the same day that her fifth studio album Higher Than Heaven would be released on 3 February 2023.[133][134]
On 22 March 2023, Goulding released the single "By The End Of The Night".[135][136]
Hanging On
Ellie Goulding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Because I'm calling your name
Every day I feel this pain
But you just turn and walk away
No, I just can't keep hanging on
To you and me
I just don't know what is wrong
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah
Touch me and then turn away
Then put your hands into the flame
Tell me if you feel this pain
'Cause I don't wanna be a ball and chain
No, I just can't keep hanging on
To you and
I just don't know what is wrong
With you and me
I just can't keep hanging on
To you and me
With you and me
With you and me
The lyrics to Ellie Goulding's song Hanging On express the feeling of being in a difficult and painful relationship, where one partner is trying desperately to hold on and make things work, while the other seems to be pulling away. There is a sense of frustration and confusion as the singer tries to understand why things are not working, why the other person seems so distant and unresponsive.
The opening lines of "You know we can get away / Because I'm calling your name" suggest that the relationship is not entirely hopeless, that there is a possibility of escape from the pain they are both feeling. However, this is contrasted with the repeated refrain of "I just can't keep hanging on / To you and me / I just don't know what is wrong / With you and me," which implies that the singer is becoming increasingly desperate and frustrated with the situation.
The bridge of "Touch me and then turn away / And put your hands into the flame / Tell me if you feel this pain / 'Cause I don't want to be a ball and chain, no" hints at the idea that the other person may be deliberately hurting the singer, or simply not fully aware of the pain they are causing. There is a sense that the singer is pleading for a response, for some acknowledgement of the pain they are both feeling, but that this is not forthcoming.
Overall, the lyrics to Hanging On paint a picture of a relationship in crisis, where both partners are struggling to communicate and connect with each other. There is a sense of sadness and resignation, as the singer acknowledges the difficulty of the situation and tries to find a way through it.
Line by Line Meaning
You know we can get away
The idea of escaping from current troubles is a shared thought between the two of us.
Because I'm calling your name
I am openly reaching out to you.
Every day I feel this pain
This emotional turmoil is something I experience daily.
But you just turn and walk away
You consistently choose to ignore the problems and leave them unresolved.
I just can't keep hanging on
I cannot continue to carry the weight of our relationship by myself.
to you and me
Our relationship is the source of my current struggles.
I just don't know what is wrong
I am struggling to understand the root of our problems.
with you and me
Again, our relationship is causing me pain and confusion.
Touch me and then turn away
You are engaging with me physically in a way that leads me on, but then abruptly rejecting me emotionally.
And put your hands into the flame
By flirting with danger, you are putting yourself, and possibly us, at risk.
Tell me if you feel this pain
I am questioning whether you are capable of having empathy for my suffering, or if you are heedlessly causing it.
'Cause I don't want to be a ball and chain, no
I am aware of the toxic codependency we have, and seek to break free from it.
With you and me
Once more, the focus is on the tumultuous relationship and its effects on both people involved.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ariel Rechtshaid, Patrick J Grossi
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Luis Gabriel Ramirez Ospino
[Verse 1]
You know we can get away
Because I'm calling your name
Every day I feel this pain
But you just turn and walk away
[Chorus]
No, I just can't keep hanging on
To you and me
I just don't know what is wrong
With you and me
[Verse 2]
Touch me and then turn away
And put your hands into the flame
Tell me if you feel this pain
'Cause I don't want to be a ball and chain
[Chorus]
No, I just can't keep hanging on
To you and me
I just don't know what is wrong
With you and me
Mário Castro
✨ lyrics ✨
[Verse 1]
You know we can get away
Because I'm calling your name
Every day I feel this pain
But you just turn and walk away
[Chorus]
No, I just can't keep hanging on
To you and me
I just don't know what is wrong
With you and me
[Verse 2]
Touch me and then turn away
And put your hands into the flame
Tell me if you feel this pain
'Cause I don't want to be a ball and chain
[Chorus]
No, I just can't keep hanging on
To you and me
I just don't know what is wrong
With you and me
Cassidy Mowrey
This fits so perfectly in Divergent because it sound almost futuristic and Ellie Goulding is just incredible! Like no one can do what she does.
Orlando Gonzalez
bad movie... its so unreal way to make soliders haha
Luis Gabriel Ramirez Ospino
[Verse 1]
You know we can get away
Because I'm calling your name
Every day I feel this pain
But you just turn and walk away
[Chorus]
No, I just can't keep hanging on
To you and me
I just don't know what is wrong
With you and me
[Verse 2]
Touch me and then turn away
And put your hands into the flame
Tell me if you feel this pain
'Cause I don't want to be a ball and chain
[Chorus]
No, I just can't keep hanging on
To you and me
I just don't know what is wrong
With you and me
Unitato M
I love how she doesn't just sing about love.
Ieasha Mcmullan
how is this my first time hearing this song????? I'm obsessed with her music now. ...her voice is like no other!
Tasneem Booley-Gamieldien
One of my fav's from Ellie Goulding... This song's intense and it gives me goosebumps.
Mário Castro
✨ lyrics ✨
[Verse 1]
You know we can get away
Because I'm calling your name
Every day I feel this pain
But you just turn and walk away
[Chorus]
No, I just can't keep hanging on
To you and me
I just don't know what is wrong
With you and me
[Verse 2]
Touch me and then turn away
And put your hands into the flame
Tell me if you feel this pain
'Cause I don't want to be a ball and chain
[Chorus]
No, I just can't keep hanging on
To you and me
I just don't know what is wrong
With you and me
Valice Dans
What an ethereal song, brings me peace everytime..
Rachel Garton
Her voice is like no other 🧞♀️🧝🏾♀️
tionnanicole95
I'm in love with this song!!! Her voice is amazing.