Hold On To Me
The Black Sorrows Lyrics
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Safe home at last.
Not cannon fire dockside,
No flags half-mast.
We were sold out for silver
And a string of black pearls
On the loneliest island
At the edge of the world.
Like destiny's children,
Souls lost at sea.
No room on the lifeboat, you can hold on to me.
Hold on to me, hold on to me.
Now the voyage is over,
We're back on dry land.
In our eyes are the stories,
The rope and the brand.
Like destiny's children,
souls lost at sea.
No room on the lifeboat, you can hold on to me.
Hold on to me, hold on to me.
Hold on to me, hold on to me, hold on to me.
We were dead on arrival,
Safe home at last.
Not cannon fire dockside,
No flags half-mast.
We were sold out for silver,
And a string of black pearls.
On the loneliest island,
At the edge of the world.
Hold on to me, hold on to me.
Hold on to me, hold on to me, hold on to me.
The lyrics to Hold On To Me by The Black Sorrows describe a journey, a voyage taken to the "loneliest island at the edge of the world." The singer describes being "dead on arrival" but finding safety at last, without the fanfare of cannons or flags half-mast that might accompany other homecomings. The journey was not easy; the singer mentions being "sold out for silver and a string of black pearls," suggesting that their trip was perhaps not entirely voluntary, or at least came at a cost. However, despite the difficulties faced along the way, the singer directs their words to someone else, offering to hold onto them and keep them safe.
The repeated phrase "like destiny's children, souls lost at sea" further emphasizes the uncertain and difficult nature of the journey, as well as suggesting a sense of inevitability or predestination. The singer's offer to hold onto someone else is a gesture of comfort and support, a recognition that they have come through something challenging together and can rely on each other moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
We were dead on arrival,
We were without hope or potential from the very start.
Safe home at last.
We have finally made it to a place of security and peace.
Not cannon fire dockside,
We did not receive the traditional send-off and recognition upon departing.
No flags half-mast.
No one mourned our departure or recognized our struggles.
We were sold out for silver
We were betrayed and abandoned in exchange for material gain.
And a string of black pearls
We were sacrificed and commodified for something of questionable value.
On the loneliest island
We were completely isolated and alone in our struggles.
At the edge of the world.
We were on the outskirts and margins of society, far from any recognition or aid.
Like destiny's children,
We were subject to the whims of fate and circumstance beyond our control.
Souls lost at sea.
We were adrift and without direction in the vast unknown.
No room on the lifeboat, you can hold on to me.
Even when there seems to be no hope, we can still support and hold onto each other.
Now the voyage is over,
We have finally completed our journey.
We're back on dry land.
We have emerged from our struggles and found a place of stability.
In our eyes are the stories,
We carry with us the experiences and memories of our struggles and hardships.
The rope and the brand.
The marks and scars of our past experiences are still present and visible.
Hold on to me, hold on to me.
We still need the support and connection of others, even in times of stability.
Hold on to me, hold on to me, hold on to me.
This refrain is a powerful reminder to never let go of the people we care about.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Joseph Camilleri, Nicholas Smith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rheylynjoyamboayan2527
We were dead on arrival,
Safe home at last.
Not cannon fire dockside,
No flags half-mast.
We were sold out for silver
And a string of black pearls
On the loneliest island
At the edge of the world.
Like destiny's children,
Souls lost at sea.
No room on the lifeboat, you can hold on to me.
Hold on to me, hold on to me.
Now the voyage is over,
We're back on dry land.
In our eyes are the stories,
The rope and the brand.
Like destiny's children,
Souls lost at sea.
No room on the lifeboat, you can hold on to me.
Hold on to me, hold on to me.
Hold on to me, hold on to me, hold on to me.
We were dead on arrival,
Safe home at last.
Not cannon fire dockside,
No flags half-mast.
We were sold out for silver,
And a string of black pearls.
On the loneliest island,
At the edge of the world.
Hold on to me, hold on to me.
Hold on to me, hold on to me, hold on to me.
@janvalon8975
I lived in Oz for 40 years and was lucky enough to see the Black Sorrows and Joe's previous band (JoJo Zep and the Falcons) live. They were pretty hot in those days and on the radio a lot, but like many bands they were a bit forgotten after the 90s, but not by me, I regularly play the album and Hold onto me is still my fav.
@renzy5270
Such an underrated band,some really beautiful song writing and lyrics
I could honestly listen to Joe camelleri sing all day
@AnalogTVMainChannel
One of the most underrated Australian songs in Australian history
@adamkane5205
Agreed. This song is up there among the best. Love it.
@Ratrun
So true, if they ever do a UK tour, I'll be there!
@Mac-zl4po
Australia has changed forever. All Asians and Indians
@ragnarmyhr7238
This band hit me really hard, back in 1989. First band to play in our new concerthall in Trondheim, Norway.
@Scottie_S
Had the pleasure of being on Rockwiz with Joe. He starts a conversation and never finishes....and I don't give a shit. I could listen to him all day and night.
@stevenpenton2954
Joe is one of the best songwriters. Love this song.
@Bennyboy1985
This is one of those songs that can put you in a good mood even if it's wet and pissing down rain outside. For some reason I love the slow-mo of the boat going past near the end of this clip- there's something other-worldly and unexplainably calming about it.