They first started rehearsing on a council estate at Hornsey Rise, North London in 1965. In 1966 the group released the "Hold Me Closer" / "Baby Come Back" single, which initially did not capture much attention in the United Kingdom. However, in Germany and The Netherlands it went to #1 - a position its re-issue would later reach in the UK in 1968. Thus, the racially mixed London group gave President Records their only number one hit. A gold disc was presented to the group in June 1968 for a combined one million sales of the record [1]. The year 1968 saw the release of "I Get So Excited" which appeared in the Top 50 of the UK Singles Chart. It was reported in September 1969 that all five members of the group had been injured in Germany, when their car ran off an autobahn in a gale[3].
A string of single releases followed up to 1970, all of which charted in the UK. The group also attracted attention as one of the few racially integrated bands of the 1960s, which was reflected in the group's name: The Equals.
In 1971, Grant went home to Guyana, following a collapsed lung and heart infection which put him out of action at the beginning of that year. He promptly left The Equals to pursue his solo career. He would have eventually release several Top 40 singles in the late 1970s and early 1980s; among them, "Living On The Front Line", "Electric Avenue", and "Romancing the Stone". Grant also topped the UK Singles Chart in 1982 with "I Don't Wanna Dance". Although the band never charted again after Grant's departure, they remained a popular live act, performing into the late 1970s and beyond.
Hold Me Closer
The Equals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've got to hold me closer, when we dance
You've got to love is like thunder
That is really driving me mad
Every time your kiss is like murder
Is like something driving me mad, Oo yeah, Oo yeah
You've got to hold me closer, girl, when we walk in the dark
You've got eyes just like moonbeams
They just seem to glitter and spark
When we get talking that things that had
We stand up in the dark, Oo yeah, Oo yeah, yeah
Hold me closer, every day
You've got to give me good loving, child, each and every day
You've got to love is like thunder
That is really driving me mad
Your kisses put me right under your spell
Your love is driving me mad, Oo yeah, Oo yeah, yeah
Hold me closer
You've got to hold me closer
You've got to hold me closer
I said your love is like thunder, child
I said your love is like thunder
I said your love is like thunder
You've got to hold me closer
Just a little bit closer
Just a little bit closer
Not too close baby ...
The lyrics of The Equals's song "Hold Me Closer" are about the intense feelings that arise when two people are in love. The singer of the song is asking his lover to hold him closer when they dance, walk, and even every day. The love that they share is like thunder, it drives him mad and puts him under a spell. Every kiss they share feels like murder, and every time they talk or stand in the dark, it is an electrifying experience that is full of passion.
The lyrics are full of metaphors that are used to describe the intensity of the love that the singer is feeling. The love is compared to thunder, moonbeams, and murder. The way that the eyes of the lover glitter and sparkle is similar to the way that the moonbeams shine, and the way that their love is like thunder is like a force that is beyond their control. The singer is swept away by the intensity of this love, and he wants his lover to hold him closer to feel their love more deeply.
Overall, the lyrics of "Hold Me Closer" are about the intense feelings of love and passion that two people can share. The song is a powerful expression of the emotions that can arise when two people are in love.
Line by Line Meaning
Hold me closer, when we dance
When we dance together, I need you to hold me tighter.
You've got to love is like thunder
That is really driving me mad
Every time your kiss is like murder
Is like something driving me mad, Oo yeah, Oo yeah
Your love is intense and all-encompassing, like thunder. Every time we kiss, it's like a powerful force that has me completely under your spell.
Hold me closer, when we walk
You've got to hold me closer, girl, when we walk in the dark
You've got eyes just like moonbeams
They just seem to glitter and spark
When we get talking that things that had
We stand up in the dark, Oo yeah, Oo yeah, yeah
When we walk together in the dark, I need you to hold me tight. Your eyes are captivating, like moonbeams that shine and sparkle. When we talk about deep things, we become lost in the darkness together.
Hold me closer, every day
You've got to give me good loving, child, each and every day
You've got to love is like thunder
That is really driving me mad
Your kisses put me right under your spell
Your love is driving me mad, Oo yeah, Oo yeah, yeah
Every day, I need you to hold me close and show me your love. Your love is so intense it's like thunder, driving me wild. When we kiss, I'm completely under your control.
Hold me closer
You've got to hold me closer
You've got to hold me closer
I said your love is like thunder, child
I said your love is like thunder
I said your love is like thunder
You've got to hold me closer
Just a little bit closer
Just a little bit closer
Not too close baby ...
You need to hold me tight, because your love is like thunder and I can't get enough. I need you to hold me closer, just a little bit closer, but not too close baby.
Writer(s): Lincoln Gordon, Edmond Montague Grant
Contributed by Dominic I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@frankterrebrood5261
You can't go wrong with with music like that! 👍
@maskofsorrow
Never heard this song before. Good stuff. The Equals were a music phenomenon.
@johnnyp8979
This is the most controlled song/singing I've seen of these guys.
Great group. !
@terrypussypower
This single was originally released with “Baby Come Back” as the B-side! I mean, this song is great, but “Baby Come Back” is one of the greatest singles ever released in my opinion! A stone cold classic!
@paulselkirk2345
Another good song from the equals🤩😊😎🤗
@ianmilne1185
Wish there was more music like this.... Its sooooo BOSS!!
@laszlonemet4425
EQuals'Collection
@ivanyrsanto8236
Excellent, great to hear again. Thanks.
@rachelepollastrini33
Best way to fight these negative times!
@blueleodoowop7122
Wow wow !! Feels so good...