Listen To The Fear That's Gone

Picture Book
Simply Red  (1985)
The debut album from British pop group Simply Red was released forty years ago today.  It's not an album that I ever owned or that I'm overly familiar with, but the second song on Side B of the record is one of my favorite songs of all time.

Holding Back The Years is the kind of song that I love to hear on the radio while driving at night or sipping a cup of coffee at a donut shop.  It was written by singer Mick Hucknall in 1977 as a stream of consciousness exercise.

Mick has stated in interviews that he wasn't sure what the song was about as he was writing it, but after it was finished, he described it as being about a moment in time when you realize that you need to leave home and make your own way in the world, but you're not ready.  It reminds me of college when I hear it these days.

Holding Back The Years

Simply Red  (1985)

Holding back the years

Thinking of the fear I've had so long

When somebody hears

Listen to the fear that's gone

Strangled by the wishes of pater

Hoping for the arms of mater

Get to me the sooner or later

Holding back the years

Chance for me escape from all I've known

Holding back the tears

Cause nothing here has grown

I've wasted all my tears

Wasted all those years

Nothing had the chance to be good

Nothing ever could

I'll keep holding on

So tight

Well, I've wasted all my tears

Wasted all of those years

And nothing had the chance to be good

Cause nothing ever could

I'll keep holding on

Holding, holding, holding

That's all I have today

It's all I have to say