Phillips grew up in Leesburg, Georgia and went to Lee County High School. He graduated Albany Technical College, but had to miss the graduation ceremony due to being on American Idol.
Phillips auditioned for American Idol in Savannah, Georgia. He auditioned by singing the Stevie Wonder song "Superstition." The judges then asked him to audition with his guitar where he performed Michael Jackson's "Thriller." He made it to the Hollywood rounds and later to Las Vegas round.
On February 23, 2012, Phillips was chosen as one of the Top 24 semi-finalists. For the semi-finals, he performed "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins. He was one of the top five male vote getters and advanced to the Top 13. After the Top 13 performance night, Phillips was taken to a doctor for possible kidney stones. The Home Songfacts reports that after advancing to the final, Phillips was declared the winner on May 23, 2012. He won with a record breaking total vote count of 132 million.
Hold On
Phillip Phillips Lyrics
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The hells of the world made of puppets and fake
Death wont be too far now, the seeds in my heart start to awake
So all I can do is be the man, that the Lord brought me to today (Now oooh)
Hold on to your life my love
And then you'll find what's in and out of line
Just hold on
They say you'll find yourself one of these days
As if they know I'm lost and could never be saved
A gamble is what I'll take trading ashes for gold hoping life will give its sake
Life is too short to stop and stare at the blank page that tells your way (Aah oooh)
Hold on to your life my love and then you'll find whats in and out of line
Just hold on, now no, no
Hold on
Yeahh, ahhh
The song "Hold On" by Phillip Phillips is about the challenges and struggles of life, and the need for perseverance and hope. The lyrics express a sense of frustration with the world and its artificiality, which is described as "puppets and fake." The singer of the song feels lost and alone, but at the same time, there is a sense of determination and strength that shines through.
The first verse of the song describes the singer's feelings of anger and frustration at the world, and how it has contributed to his own sense of despair. He describes this as a "sacred rage" which helps him to escape the hells of the world. However, the seeds of hope and possibility begin to awaken in his heart, and he resolves to be the best version of himself that he can be, guided by the hand of God.
The chorus of the song tells the listener to hold on to their life, with the implication being that life is a precious gift that should be cherished and valued. The lyrics suggest that there is a way forward through life's difficulties, and that it is possible to find meaning and purpose in the midst of hardship.
Line by Line Meaning
I fall into a sacred rage to escape
I'm overwhelmed by the messed-up world around me and I need to release my anger to cope
The hells of the world made of puppets and fake
I see through the fake people and systems that control and manipulate our world
Death won't be too far now, the seeds in my heart start to awake
I feel like my literal or figurative death is approaching and that my raw emotions are starting to surface
So all I can do is be the man that the Lord brought me to today (Now oooh)
I have to stay true to myself and be the person I feel called by a higher power to be
Hold on to your life my love
Keep hold of what makes you feel alive and fulfilled
And then you'll find what's in and out of line
You'll understand what's truly important and what's just excess or noise
Just hold on
Don't give up, keep pushing through
They say you'll find yourself one of these days
People offer cliche advice about discovering yourself but it doesn't feel helpful or authentic
As if they know I'm lost and could never be saved
It's frustrating when people assume they understand your struggles when they don't
A gamble is what I'll take trading ashes for gold hoping life will give its sake
I'm willing to take risks and trade what seems worthless for something valuable, hoping life will reward me for it
Life is too short to stop and stare at the blank page that tells your way (Aah oooh)
We shouldn't waste time being stagnant in life, waiting for something to happen or for someone else to write our story for us
Hold on to your life my love and then you'll find whats in and out of line
If you value your life, you'll gain a clearer sense of what truly matters and what doesn't
Just hold on, now no, no
Stay strong, don't give up or give in to negativity
Hold on
Persevere, don't lose hope
Yeahh, ahhh
Vocalizations, no specific meaning
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NATE CAMPANY, PENNY PHILLIPS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind