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Holding On

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The War On Drugs - Holding On
Standard Tuning
Capo 6 / all Chords relative to Capo
[Intro]
 C   Dm   Am2x
G C
 F   C   Dm   C(fast change)
G
[Verse 1]
      C  DmOnce I was alive and AmI could feel
      CI was Dmholding on to youAm  
   GAnd I Credefined the Fway I Clooked at Dmdawn Cinside of Gyou
G
      CI Dmwent down a crooked highAmway
      CI went Dmall outside the lineAm  
  GI've been Crejected, Fnow the Clight has Dmturned and CI'm out of Gtime
G
[Chorus 1]
Ain't no Fway I'm gonna last
Hiding in the Amseams, I can't Emmove the pastG  
Feel like FI'm about to crash
Riding on on Amline, keep Emkeeping onG  
[Verse 2]
      C  DmOnce we were apart and AmI could see red
      C  DmNever trying to turn back timeAm  
 GNever Cmeant to bring my Fpain Cto the Dmfront and Cinto your Glife
G
      C  DmNow I'm headed down a Amdifferent road
      CCan we Dmwalk it side by side?Am  
Is an Gold memoCry Fjust Canother Dmway of Csaying Ggoodbye?
G
[Chorus 2]
Ain't no Fway I'm gonna last
Hiding in the Amseams, I can't Emmove the pastG  
Feel like FI'm about to crash
Riding on same Amline, keep Emkeeping onG  
[Solo]
 C   Dm   Am2x
G C
 F   C   Dm   C(fast change)
G
[Bridge]
I ain't Fnever going to change
He'll never get in lineAm  
I keep Emmoving on the path, yeah
GHolding on to mine
When you Ftalk about the past
What are we talking of?
Did I Emlet go too fast?
Was I holding on too long?
Ain't no Ftruths from the past
As silent as the sea
Am I Emholding on too long?
But you're right in front of me
And I'm Fmoving on a cast
Shadows on my Amseam
I keep Emmoving to changes, Gyeah
GOoh
[Outro]
C(tiDmll the end)

All chords in this song (6)

The story behind the song

"Holding On" captures a feeling of determined persistence through life's swift changes. The lyrics evoke a journey where, even when things move too fast to last, there's a desire to walk side by side with someone until the very end. It's a testament to enduring connection amidst the fleeting nature of experience. This track appeared on The War on Drugs' album A Deeper Understanding, released in 2017. At its heart, the song plays like a steady, hopeful stride forward.

AI-written from these sources:The War on Drugs (band) — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

Story time

Holding On

Holding On

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Holding On

by The War On Drugs

Lyrics & chords · Original key · Capo on fret 6 (as written in this song)

Chords in this song · guitar

The War On Drugs - Holding On

Standard Tuning

Capo 6 / all Chords relative to Capo

[Intro]

C Dm Am

G C

F C Dm C

(fast change)

[Verse 1]

C Dm Am

Once I was alive and I could feel

C Dm Am

I was holding on to you

G C F C Dm C G

And I redefined the way I looked at dawn inside of you

C Dm Am

I went down a crooked highway

C Dm Am

I went all outside the line

G C F C Dm C G

I've been rejected, now the light has turned and I'm out of time

[Chorus 1]

Ain't no way I'm gonna last

Am Em G

Hiding in the seams, I can't move the past

Feel like I'm about to crash

Am Em G

Riding on on line, keep keeping on

[Verse 2]

C Dm Am

Once we were apart and I could see red

C Dm Am

Never trying to turn back time

G C F C Dm C G

Never meant to bring my pain to the front and into your life

C Dm Am

Now I'm headed down a different road

C Dm Am

Can we walk it side by side?

G C F C Dm C G

Is an old memory just another way of saying goodbye?

[Chorus 2]

Ain't no way I'm gonna last

Am Em G

Hiding in the seams, I can't move the past

Feel like I'm about to crash

Am Em G

Riding on same line, keep keeping on

[Solo]

C Dm Am

G C

F C Dm C

(fast change)

[Bridge]

I ain't never going to change

He'll never get in line

I keep moving on the path, yeah

Holding on to mine

When you talk about the past

What are we talking of?

Did I let go too fast?

Was I holding on too long?

Ain't no truths from the past

As silent as the sea

Am I holding on too long?

But you're right in front of me

And I'm moving on a cast

Shadows on my seam

Em G

I keep moving to changes, yeah

Ooh

[Outro]

C Dm

(till the end)

About Holding On Chords by The War On Drugs

Learn how to play Holding On by The War On Drugs with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Holding On chords”, “Holding On guitar chords”, or “The War On Drugs Holding On chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Holding On chords and for experienced players who want accurate Holding On lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include C, Dm, Am, G, F, Em.

FAQ — Holding On by The War On Drugs

How do I play "Holding On" by The War On Drugs on guitar?

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Are the chords for "Holding On" by The War On Drugs free?

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Can I transpose "Holding On" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Holding On" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Holding On"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Holding On" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Holding On" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Holding On" by The War On Drugs with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by The War On Drugs below.

What key is "Holding On" in?

The chords for "Holding On" show the original chord names (including C, Dm, Am, G, F, Em). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.