It's from their album Volume One (2008).
You Really Got a Hold on Me
She & Him Lyrics
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But I love you
Seems that I'm always
Thinking of you
Oh, oh, oh,
You treat me badly
I love you madly
You've really got a hold on me
You really got a hold on me
(You really got a hold on me)
Baby, I don't want you
But I need you
Don't want to kiss you
But I need to
Oh, oh, oh
You do me wrong now
My love is strong now
You've really got a hold on me
(You really got a hold on me)
You really got a hold on me
(You really got a hold on me)
Baby, I love you and all I want you to do
Is just hold me (please), hold me (squeeze), hold me, hold me
I want to leave you
Don't want to stay here
Don't want to spend
Another day here
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
You do me wrong now
My love is strong now
You've really got a hold on me
(You really got a hold on me)
You really got a hold on me
(You really got a hold on me)
I love you and all I want you to do
Is just hold me, hold me, hold me, hold me
Hold me
Hold me
Hold me
Hold me
Hold me
Hold me
Hold me
Hold me
Hold me
Hold me
Hold me
"You Really Got A Hold On Me" by She & Him is a hit cover of The Miracles' classic love song from 1962. The song is an expression of the emotional conflict between a desperate passion for someone and a rational understanding that the person is not good for the singer. The song starts with the singer's admission of a paradoxical emotion towards his/her lover. The first verse reads: "I don't like you, but I love you. Seems that I'm always thinking of you." These lines reveal that the singer is struggling between two conflicting feelings that not only are hard to reconcile but also contradict each other. The love is so consuming that the singer cannot get over it despite the mistreatment by the person they love.
In the chorus, the singer confesses the power the lover holds over them. The phrase "you really got a hold on me" is repeated several times throughout the song, serving as a symbol of the grip the lover has over the singer's heart. The last verse reveals the tension between the desire to leave the lover and the compelling strength of love that commands the singer's mind and heart. The plea, "All I want you to do is hold me," could either be seen as an act of weakness or one of power, and the audience is left to interpret the lyrics based on their own experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't like you
I have a dislike towards you
But I love you
Despite my dislike, I have intense feelings of love for you
Seems that I'm always
Thinking of you
You are always on my mind
Oh, oh, oh,
You treat me badly
You behave poorly towards me, causing me emotional pain
I love you madly
My love for you is intense and passionate
You've really got a hold on me
(You really got a hold on me)
You have a strong influence over me, controlling my thoughts and emotions
Baby, I don't want you
But I need you
Although I may not want you in my life, I feel a strong dependence on you
Don't want to kiss you
But I need to
Despite my lack of desire, I feel a compulsion to be physically close to you
You do me wrong now
Your actions towards me are negative and harmful
My love is strong now
Despite your harmful actions, my feelings of love for you have intensified
Baby, I love you and all I want you to do
Is just hold me (please), hold me (squeeze), hold me, hold me
My desire for physical closeness with you is strong and intense. All I want is for you to hold me in your arms
I want to leave you
I have a desire to end our relationship
Don't want to stay here
Don't want to spend
Another day here
I do not wish to remain in this situation any longer
You've really got a hold on me
(You really got a hold on me)
Your influence over me is still strong, despite my desire to end the relationship
Hold me, hold me, hold me, hold me
Hold me, hold me, hold me, hold me
Hold me
My desire for physical closeness with you is so intense that I need you to hold me multiple times
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: William Robinson Jr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind