Leur répertoire est déjà largement original, basé sur le quotidien et les préoccupations de ses membres. Leurs influences principales sont le blues, le métal et le rock québécois à la façon des années soixante-dix. Comme plusieurs représentants qui participent au renouveau du genre ces dernières années, les gars de La Chicane utilisent d'ailleurs le langage québécois populaire qui ralliait les jeunes à cette époque d'intense création musicale (les années 70) et qu'on appelait alors le joual.
Ils s'amènent aux alentours de Montréal en 1996 et commencent à envisager sérieusement de faire carrière, sans toutefois altérer leur approche musicale. Ils composent leur matériel au gré des jours, sans trop se soucier de la réaction des médias, trop formalisés pour les amateurs de rock un peu rebelle. Bien leur en prend puisque leur premier album "En catimini" lancé en janvier 1999 connaît un accueil inattendu tant auprès du public que d'un bon nombre de stations de radio, preuve que l'authenticité peut être un avantage. Faut-il s'étonner de constater qu'un succès qui débute dans le nord-ouest québécois se répande comme une traînée de poudre au reste du territoire.
La chanson "Calvaire" les propulse en tête des palmarès à peine un mois après sa sortie en vidéo clip et quelques semaines plus tard, l'album est le premier vendeur du côté québécois, dépassant même le succès colossal de "Notre-Dame de Paris". Sur cette lancée improbable, ils entreprennent une première tournée d'envergure à la grandeur du Québec en mars de la même année. En juillet ils se joignent, le temps de cinq spectacles bien garnis, au Grand Pique-nique de Kevin Parent avant de reprendre la route en solitaires. Au terme de cette année d'intense activité, ils songent déjà à un deuxième album pour l'année 2000.
Hold Me Down
La Chicane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't over let me up again
Don't let me slip away again
Never to return
I don't think I have the will power
To stay grounded on my own
Why after midnight
Can't I find my own way home?
Tie me down forever
Til my wrists drip blood
Don't give me room to cut the ropes
And drift off in the night
I can't contain my urge to run
From those who need me most
I guess it only means
That my fears have control of me
Hold me down, hold me down
Don't ever let me go
Hold me down, hold me down
Don't ever let me go
Lock me in the bedroom
Throw away the keys
It seems to be the only way
You can depend on me
Hold me down, hold me down
Don't ever let me go
Hold me down, hold me down
Don't ever let me go
I'll keep my fellings buried
We'll make believe I'm happy
I'll dig them up some other day
When you won't be around
The lyrics of the song ‘Hold Me Down’ by La Chicane depicts the struggles of an individual in coping with their emotional problems. The song starts with the singer expressing their fear of slipping away again and never returning. They yearn to be held down for good, fearing they don't have the willpower to stay grounded on their own accord. They want to be tied down forever- fearing that if they aren’t held down, they may run away from the people who need them most. The fear of losing themselves and not being able to find their own way home is a recurring theme throughout the song. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for losing oneself to their emotions and struggling to find the way back to stability.
In the chorus, the singer pleads to be held down and not let go. They request to be locked in their room and have the keys thrown away as it seems to be the only way they can depend on themselves. The last stanza reveals the singer’s intention to keep their feelings buried to make others believe that they are happy. This portrays the struggle of individuals for trying to hide their emotions and pretending to be happy when they are not.
Overall, the lyrics of ‘Hold Me Down’ by La Chicane portray the struggles individuals face while trying to cope with their inner turmoil, highlighting the importance of seeking help and not hiding feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
Hold me down for good
Keep me anchored and restrained securely
Don't over let me up again
Don't release me from my restraints too soon
Don't let me slip away again
Make sure I don't escape and leave forever
Never to return
I don't want to come back as I can't handle it
I don't think I have the will power
I feel powerless and unable to control myself
To stay grounded on my own
I am unable to remain stable without help
Why after midnight
Why is it that at night when I am alone I struggle most?
Can't I find my own way home?
Why is it so hard for me to feel safe and secure in my own surroundings?
Tie me down forever
Permanently bind me and make sure I don't leave
Til my wrists drip blood
Tie me so tightly it hurts and I can't escape
Don't give me room to cut the ropes
Don't provide me with any opportunity to break free
And drift off in the night
So that I can't sneak out once everyone is asleep
I can't contain my urge to run
I feel the need to escape from those who care about me
From those who need me most
From those who are relying on me for support
I guess it only means
I fear this shows my lack of self-control
That my fears have control of me
That I am at the mercy of my own anxieties
Lock me in the bedroom
Imprison me within a room so I am trapped
Throw away the keys
Ensure there is no way for me to escape
It seems to be the only way
I feel that this is the only solution to my problems
You can depend on me
By doing this, you can trust me to stay put and not leave
I'll keep my fellings buried
I will suppress my emotions and not show them
We'll make believe I'm happy
We'll pretend that everything is ok and that I am content
I'll dig them up some other day
I'll deal with my issues at a later time, when it's safe
When you won't be around
When I won't be a burden or worry to anyone else
Hold me down, hold me down
Keep me restrained and prevent me from leaving
Don't ever let me go
Make sure I am always bound and can't escape
Contributed by Avery H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.