Hold Out Your Hand
Nickelback Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

All men with stars upon the chest
Save yourselves, your family
Don't worry 'bout the rest
Small child receives light through the crack
The human mile, they're never coming back
Hold out your hand and ask for some
Now and again she sits beneath the tree
The sign above reads
Hard work will set you free
Hold out your hand and ask for some
Too late for another direction
Always what we've got in store
Hurry back we've all been waiting
We can't take much anymore
Where are the days where brothers are brothers




A childless mother
Leave it except for one

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Nickelback's song "Hold Out Your Hand" is about the struggle to survive in a world full of troubles and injustices. It suggests that people must focus on saving themselves and their families by holding out for help when needed. The lines "All men with stars upon the chest, save yourselves, your family, don't worry 'bout the rest" portray that people in power only care about their own interests and not of the common people. The song also alludes to the idea of fighting for the less privileged individuals, represented by the line "Small child receives light through the crack, the human mile they're never coming back." It suggests that the society is callous and indifferent to the plight of those who are not privileged enough.


The theme of the song further escalates to the idea of desperation, with some lines indicating that people have no choice but to take desperate actions for survival. This is highlighted through the line, "Hurry back we've all been waiting, we can't take much anymore." The lyrics also talk about the nostalgia for a time when familial bonds were stronger, and people looked out for each other through the lines, "Where are the days where brothers are brothers, a childless mother, leave it except for one." The song ends with the idea that people should hold out their hand to ask for aid from others, urging them to come together in difficult times.


Line by Line Meaning

All men with stars upon the chest
Military personnel, with badges on their uniform indicating their high rank


Save yourselves, your family
Protect yourselves and your loved ones


Don't worry 'bout the rest
Do not concern yourself with others besides your own family


Small child receives light through the crack
A little kid gets the only glimmer of light through a small opening


The human mile, they're never coming back
The long and arduous path that people have strayed from cannot be regained


Hold out your hand and ask for some
Reach out and request for any help possible


Now and again she sits beneath the tree
Occasionally, she finds comfort under the tree


The sign above reads
The board above informs


Hard work will set you free
Persistence and struggle may lead to liberation


Too late for another direction
It's too little too late to turn around


Always what we've got in store
What we have planned for ourselves


Hurry back we've all been waiting
Come back as soon as possible, we've been eagerly waiting


We can't take much anymore
We can't endure it any longer


Where are the days where brothers are brothers
What happened to the times when everyone was united as a family


A childless mother
A woman unable to have children, a paradoxical and unfamiliar concept


Leave it except for one
Leave behind everything except for that one important thing




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHAD KROEGER, MICHAEL KROEGER, MICHAEL DOUGLAS HENRY KROEGER, MIKE KROEGER, RYAN PEAKE, RYAN ANTHONY PEAKE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions