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Hold On (Wilson Phillips song)

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"Hold On"
Single by Wilson Phillips
from the album Wilson Phillips
B-side"Over and Over"
ReleasedFebruary 27, 1990 (1990-02-27)
Recorded1989
GenrePop
Length
  • 4:27 (album version)
  • 3:42 (single/video version)
LabelSBK
Songwriter(s)Carnie Wilson, Chynna Phillips, Glen Ballard
Producer(s)Glen Ballard
Wilson Phillips singles chronology
"Hold On"
(1990) 		"Release Me"
(1990)
Audio sample
"Hold On"
Music video
"Hold On" on YouTube

"Hold On" is a song by American vocal group Wilson Phillips, released on February 27, 1990 by SBK, as the lead single from their debut studio album, Wilson Phillips (1990). The song topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for a week in June 1990 and was the most successful single of that year in the US. It also became a worldwide hit, peaking within the top three in Australia and Canada and the top 10 in Belgium, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The song received platinum sales certifications in Australia and the UK and a gold certification in the US. Julien Temple directed its music video.

"Hold On" won the Billboard Music Award for Hot 100 Single of the Year for 1990. At the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards, "Hold On" was nominated for Song of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, losing in both categories.[1] In 2017, Billboard ranked the song number 15 in their list of "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time".[2] In 2020, Cleveland.com ranked it at number 37 in their list of the best Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 song of the 1990s.[3] In 2022, Pitchfork ranked number 246 in their list of "The 250 Best Songs of the 1990s".[4]

Background

[edit]

Chynna Phillips wrote the song's lyrics while battling substance abuse as well as being in a "really bad" relationship. She explained to Kelly Clarkson, "I just said if I don't change my course, I'm going to be in a lot of trouble."[5] Producer Glen Ballard presented the track to the group, noting it needed lyrics. Phillips based the lyrics off of the principles taught in AA, specifically the idea that things had to be taken "one day at a time." The next day, Phillips returned with "Hold On" and sang it for the Wilsons and Ballard, who immediately loved it. "I remember one guy I played it for said, 'That's not going to go anywhere. That's not a very good song. It's really corny,'" Phillips recalls. "I just remember thinking to myself, 'God, I hope he's wrong.'"[6]

Commercial performance

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"Hold On" became Wilson Phillips' first number one single, reaching the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 on June 9, 1990, and, despite spending just a single week at number one, was ranked the top song of the year by Billboard. (This was the second and most recent concurrence of this to date, the first of which was "Stranger on the Shore" by "Mr." Acker Bilk in 1962.) The song also spent a week atop the adult contemporary chart that same year. In Europe, "Hold On" peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart; this was in large part due to a performance by the group on the legendary British music series Top of the Pops a week prior to the song's peak position.[citation needed] Additionally, it was a top 10 hit also in Belgium, Ireland and Sweden, while peaking within the top 20 in the Netherlands, Switzerland and West Germany.

Despite being number one on the US year-end for 1990, the song did not appear on the 1990s decade-end chart. It does, however, appear on Billboard's 60th anniversary "All-time chart" at number 228, ahead of many songs that do appear on the decade-end chart.[7]

Critical reception

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Alex Henderson from AllMusic felt that the song is not "remotely convincing."[8] J.D. Considine from The Baltimore Sun complimented it as "a tough-but-tuneful paean to self-reliance" and "irresistibly catchy".[9] Bill Coleman from Billboard described it as an "engaging and melodic pop confection".[10] In 2020, Tony L. Smith from Cleveland.com wrote, "A decade or two ago, Wilson Phillips' inspirational anthem "Hold On" wasn't regarded as anything more than a cheesy (maybe the cheesiest) pop song from the Nineties. But opinions change. For a generation big on nostalgia, it gets no bigger than "Hold On", a song that has good times written all over it."[11] The Daily Vault's Christopher Thelen stated in his review of Wilson Phillips, that it's the "defining moment" for the album, "setting the tone for what was to come as well as letting the listener know that all they have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride."[12] A reviewer from Music & Media called the song "melodic, well crafted and extremely catchy", and "everything you would expect from a band madeup of daughters of rock stars."[13] David Quantick from NME felt the single "is fine and rather thrashes everything else here [on the album]. However, since it was one of the songs here written by the cowboy-booted threesome, it bodes well for the future."[14]

Music video

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A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by English film, documentary and music video director Julien Temple.[citation needed] It begins with aerial shots of a mountain side in California's San Gabriel Mountains.[15] Wilson Phillips sings as they sit on the side of the mountain. Later, they sing as they sit together on the beach by the ocean.[16]

Wendy Wilson: For that video, we spent the whole day in the mountains. We were up so high where you could only get there by helicopter. It was just breathtaking. I actually got a little hypothermia and they had to take me down from the mountain at one point. The director, Julien Temple, is this super creative British guy and it was all his concept. He saw us as these California girls who represented the "girls next door" idea. He wanted to put us out in nature as an embodiment of that. It feels very "California" but I guess that’s just who we are. I think that’s what helped to make it work.[15]

Impact and legacy

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In 2017, Billboard magazine ranked "Hold On" number 15 in their "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time" list.[2] In 2020, Cleveland.com ranked it number 37 in their list of the best Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 song of the 1990s.[3] In 2022, Pitchfork ranked it number 246 in their list of "The 250 Best Songs of the 1990s".[4] In October 2023, Billboard ranked "Hold On" number 312 in their "500 Best Pop Songs of All Time".[17]

Track listings

[edit]
  1. "Hold On" (single fade) 3:40
  2. "Hold On" 4:35
  1. "Hold On" – 3:30
  2. "Over And Over" – 4:40
  • UK CD
  1. "Hold On" (single version) 3:42
  2. "Hold On" (album version) 4:25
  3. "Over and Over" 4:27
  • West German maxi-CD
  1. "Hold On"
  2. "Over and Over"
  3. "A Reason to Believe"

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[52] Platinum 70,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[53] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[54] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

[edit]

Harold & Kumar sing the song as a duet while they are driving in the film Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.[55] The song was featured in the finale of the 2011 film Bridesmaids, performed by the band members as themselves, bringing renewed recognition to Wilson Phillips.[56][57]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "1990 Grammy Awards". Grammy Awards. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time: Critics' Picks". Billboard. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  3. ^ a b Smith, Tony L. (October 21, 2020). "Every No. 1 song of the 1990s ranked from worst to best". Cleveland.com. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "The 250 Best Songs of the 1990s". Pitchfork. September 27, 2022. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  5. ^ The Kelly Clarkson Show (February 4, 2020). Wilson Phillips On Growing Up With The Beach Boys And The Mamas And The Papas As Their Parents. YouTube. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021.
  6. ^ Spannos, Brittany (February 27, 2020). "'Here Comes Hope!': The Winding 30-Year Journey of Wilson Phillips' 'Hold On'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  7. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart – Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  8. ^ Henderson, Alex. "Wilson Phillips – Wilson Phillips". AllMusic. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  9. ^ Considine, J.D. (1990). "Wilson Phillips – Wilson Phillips". Baltimore Sun – via Milwaukee Journal. (May 20, 1990).
  10. ^ Coleman, Bill (March 3, 1990). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 69. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  11. ^ Smith, Tony L. (October 21, 2020). "Every No. 1 song of the 1990s ranked from worst to best". Cleveland.com. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  12. ^ Thelen, Christopher (December 31, 1998). "Wilson Phillips – Wilson Phillips". The Daily Vault. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  13. ^ "Previews: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. June 16, 1990. p. 22. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  14. ^ Quantick, David (August 18, 1990). "Long Play". NME. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  15. ^ a b Hodge, Will (May 8, 2020). "California Girls, California Dreamin': Wilson Phillips Reminisce On 30 Years Of "Hold On" And Their Multi-Platinum Debut Smash". Grammy Awards. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  16. ^ "Wilson Phillips - Hold On (Official Music Video)". YouTube. March 13, 2009. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  17. ^ "The 500 Best Pop Songs: Staff List". Billboard. October 19, 2023. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  18. ^ Hold On (US CD Single liner notes). Wilson Phillips. SBK Records. 1990. DPRO-05334.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ^ Hold On (US 7-inch Single liner notes). Wilson Phillips. SBK Records. 1990. B-07322.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^ Hold On (US Cassette Single liner notes). Wilson Phillips. SBK Records. 1990. 4JM-07322.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ^ Hold On (Canada 7-inch Single liner notes). Wilson Phillips. SBK Records. 1990. B-07322.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ^ Hold On (Canada Cassette Single liner notes). Wilson Phillips. SBK Records. 1990. 4JM-07322.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  23. ^ "Wilson Phillips – Hold On". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  24. ^ "Wilson Phillips – Hold On" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  25. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1256." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  26. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 7976." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  27. ^ Danish Charts Archive. 18 August 1990.
  28. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 27. July 7, 1990. p. IV. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  29. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Wilson Phillips". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 283. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  30. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Hold On". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  31. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved June 8, 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Wilson Phillips".
  32. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 23, 1990" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  33. ^ "Wilson Phillips – Hold On" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  34. ^ "Wilson Phillips – Hold On". Top 40 Singles.
  35. ^ "Lista Przebojów Programu 3" (in Polish). LP3. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  36. ^ "Wilson Phillips – Hold On". Singles Top 100.
  37. ^ "Wilson Phillips – Hold On". Swiss Singles Chart.
  38. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  39. ^ "Wilson Phillips Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  40. ^ "Wilson Phillips Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  41. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Wilson Phillips – Hold On" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  42. ^ "1990 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  43. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1990" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  44. ^ "Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1990". RPM. Retrieved April 10, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  45. ^ "Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of 1990". RPM. Retrieved April 10, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  46. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1990" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 51. December 22, 1990. p. 36. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  47. ^ "Top 100 Singles – Jahrescharts 1990" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  48. ^ "End of Year Charts 1990". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  49. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1990". Archived from the original on July 6, 2009. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
  50. ^ "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  51. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  52. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1990 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  53. ^ "British single certifications – Wilson Phillips – Hold On". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  54. ^ "American single certifications – Wilson Phillips – Hold On". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  55. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Harold and Kumar Sing Wilson Phillips' Hold On". YouTube. November 7, 2009.
  56. ^ THR staff (May 27, 2011). "How Bridesmaids Landed '90s Girl Group Wilson Phillips". The Hollywood Reporter.
  57. ^ Harding, Cortney (May 22, 2011). "Wilson Phillips Gets New Boost from Bridesmaids Movie". Billboard. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
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