| Hold On Tight | |
| Cover: | Hold On Tight.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Electric Light Orchestra |
| Album: | Time |
| B-Side: | When Time Stood Still |
| Released: | [1] |
| Studio: | Musicland Studios, Munich |
| Genre: |
|
| Length: | 3:06 |
| Label: | Jet |
| Producer: | Jeff Lynne |
| Prev Title: | Don't Walk Away |
| Prev Year: | 1980 |
| Next Title: | Twilight |
| Next Year: | 1981 |
"Hold On Tight" is a song written and performed by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). The song is track twelve on the band's 1981 album Time and was the first song released as a single. The song went top ten in most countries, hitting the top spot in Spain and Switzerland, number two in Germany, number four in the UK, and number ten on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's seventh and last top 10 hit, as well as number two on the US Billboard Top Tracks chart the week of 12 September 1981. A verse sung in French, which is a reprise of the first verse, translates as "Hold on to your dream, Hold on to your dream, When you see your ship leaving, When you feel your heart breaking, Hold on to your dream".
At the time of its release, the song's music video was the most expensive ever made, with a budget of approximately £40,000.[4] The mostly black and white video features footage of ELO playing the song in a lounge, intercut with scenes in the style of 1940s serial films featuring the band members, including violinist Mik Kaminski, who was no longer a band member nor had actually played on this song, "playing" a guitar.
Billboard called it an "affectionate tip-of-the-hat to '50s rock 'n' roll" that was inspired by "Jerry Lee Lewis' pumping piano style."[5] Record World said it has "rockabilly lead vocals, soaring Beach Boys harmonies, patented ELO keyboard waves, and a good time for all."[6]
In its review of the album. Rolling Stone said that with its "synthesized rock & roll cellos" the song is an "all-weather [single] for the here and now," but reviewing the album as a whole, Rolling Stone expressed concern that "If ELO's not careful, they're going to end up becoming the kind of cheese that squirts out of an aerosol can."[2]
The song was the theme song for the National Coffee Association's "Join the Coffee Achievers" television commercials which ran in 1983 and 1984.[7]
The song was used in the Daicon III and IV Opening Animations.
The song is used as the theme to Michael Brown's radio talk programmes The Situation which is heard on KHOW radio in Denver, Colorado, and The Weekend which is nationally syndicated by Premiere Networks.
The song is used in S1:E24 of My Name Is Earl, “Number One.”
| Chart (1981–1982) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] | 5 | |
| France (IFOP)[9] | 24 | |
| South Africa (Springbok Radio)[10] | 4 | |
| Spain (AFE)[11] | 1 | |
| US Billboard Hot 100[12] | 10 | |
| US Billboard Top Tracks[13] | 2 | |
| US Cash Box[14] | 8 | |
| US Record World[15] | 10 |
| Chart (1981) | Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[16] [17] | 32 | |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[18] | 6 | |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[19] | 39 | |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[20] | 38 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[21] | 42 | |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[22] | 49 | |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[23] | 3 | |
| US Billboard Hot 100[24] | 81 | |
| US Cash Box[25] | 55 |
