"Hold On" | ||||
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Single by En Vogue | ||||
from the album Born to Sing | ||||
B-side | "Lies" | |||
Released |
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Format | 7", 12", CD single | |||
Recorded | August–September 1989 | |||
Genre | R&B, new jack swing | |||
Length | 5:04 | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Writer(s) | Thomas McElroy, Denzil Foster, En Vogue (Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron, Maxine Jones, Dawn Robinson) | |||
Producer(s) | Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy | |||
En Vogue singles chronology | ||||
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"Hold On" is a song by American recording group En Vogue released in 1990. It is the first single from their debut album, Born to Sing. The song was produced by producing duo Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy and composed by all members of En Vogue, Thomas and Foster.
The song opens with an a cappella rendition of the Motown standard "Who's Lovin' You", written by Smokey Robinson and originally recorded by his group, The Miracles. It features lead vocals by Cindy Herron and Terry Ellis vocals on the introduction. The song also contains a guitar sample from "The Payback" by James Brown.
Following its release, the single peaked to #1 one on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles, #2 on Billboard Hot 100, and #1 on Billboards Hot Dance chart. "Hold On" was also a huge hit in several countries, reaching the top five or top 10; #5 in the UK, #5 in New Zealand, #6 in Germany, #10 in the Netherlands. and #12 in Austrian.
In 1990, the single became one of the biggest hits in the US and overseas. "Hold On" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Year-End chart for 1990 as the top R&B hit, and as the No. 8 pop hit on the Billboard Year-End chart.
En Vogue performed the song at the 2008 BET Awards with Alicia Keys. In 2007, the song's chorus was used and performed by Pharrell on Jay-Z's song "Blue Magic" The song was also sampled in the Terminator X song "Buck Whylin'.
The Daily Telegraph ranked "Hold On" at #47 in their Top 50 Dance Songs list in 2015, adding:
"R&B girl group En Vogue broke through with this club classic. A piercing a cappella rendition of Motown standard Who's Lovin You leads into a hip-hop beat with a funky bass line, horn and piano stabs. "You've got to hold on, to your love", the girls proclaim, and it is their powerful singing that carries this one."