Hold On (En Vogue song)

"Hold On"
Single by En Vogue
from the album Born to Sing
B-side"Lies"
ReleasedMarch 5, 1990 (1990-03-05)
RecordedAugust – September 1989[1]
StudioStarlight Sound (Lake City, Florida)
Genre
Length
  • 5:03
  • 4:23 (7-inch edit)
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Denzil Foster
  • Thomas McElroy
En Vogue singles chronology
"Hold On"
(1990) 		"Lies"
(1990)
Music video
"Hold On" on YouTube

"Hold On" is a song by American girl group En Vogue, released in early 1990 as the first single from their debut album, Born to Sing (1990). It was produced by Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy, and written by the former two and all members of the group. It peaked at number five in the United Kingdom and number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. In the latter country, the song reached number one on the Billboard Dance Club Play, 12-inch Singles Sales, and Hot Black Singles charts. En Vogue performed "Hold On" at the 2008 BET Awards with Alicia Keys. In 2017, it was ranked number four on Spin magazine's ranking of "The 30 Best '90s R&B Songs".

Production

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.

Critical reception

David Taylor-Wilson from Bay Area Reporter complimented the song as "sexy and gentle, with a teasing, downtempo dance beat."[3] Bill Coleman from Billboard commented, "Step back and give 'em some room! Quartet of future divas fresh from the Foster/McElroy stable deliver intricate, tight harmonies with a dash of sass on this groove-laden debut. Can't wait for the album."[4] He also noted its "lazy and hypnotic R&B pulse [that] serves as the perfect bed for the members' on-the-money styling; you would be doing your dancefloor a great disservice if you ignored it..."[5] Jan DeKnock from Chicago Tribune felt that En Vogue's "tasty harmonies are supported by an equally intoxicating groove."[6] A. Scott Galloway from The Network Forty wrote, "Gold single, golden girls! What more do you need to convince you to spin this hardcore dance floor jam."[7] Gerald Martinez from New Sunday Times declared it as "gospel-funk" with "stunning vocal arrangements."[8]

In his album review, Edward Hill from The Plain Dealer remarked that "Hold On" "is already famous for its no-holds-barred a cappella opening and sluggishly powerful bassline. On 12-inch it's pepped up with bonus beats and a slightly faster rhythm track."[9] David Quantick from Smash Hits complimented it as "lithe and lovely".[10] Steve Daly, writing for Spin magazine, said the song is "perfect for those warm evening on the stoop", and felt that the "exotic melody takes its cue from Soul II Soul, while the rhythm section does a slow grind in 95 percent humidity with no AC."[11] Cheo H. Coker from Stanford Daily wrote, "It was the first song in a long time that featured real singing, perfect four-part harmony (a capella no less), and a mother lode of hip-hop attitude and feeling."[12] A reviewer from Wells Journal called it "a moody but repetitive song with mellow backing track".[13]

Retrospective reviews

Retrospectively, AllMusic editor Jose F. Promis described the song as a "cool, shuffling, timeless hip-hop R&B track".[14] Another editor, Stephen Thomas Erlewine, described it as "yearning".[15] In 2007, Laura Checkoway from Vibe declared it as "an answer of sorts" to 1962's "Who's Lovin' You" from Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.[16]

Commercial performance

Following its release, "Hold On" peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot Black Singles chart, number two on Billboard's Hot 100 on July 21, 1990, and number one on Billboard's Dance Club Play and 12-inch Singles Sales charts. "Hold On" was also a hit in several countries worldwide, reaching number five in the United Kingdom and New Zealand, number six in Germany, number 10 in the Netherlands, and number 12 in Austria. It was the top R&B hit on the Billboard Year-End chart for 1990 and was the eighth most-successful pop hit on the Billboard Hot 100 Year-End chart.[17][18]

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by Indian director Tarsem Singh.[citation needed] It begins with a close-up of Terry Ellis singing the lead vocal of the intro, with the three other girls singing background vocals and standing either behind her or in front of her. They are all dressed in black. When the rhythm kicks in, several male dancers appear. Cindy Herron then takes over the lead vocal, standing in the front, with the three others backing her. The background dancers were filmed performing their dance moves slowly, and the footage was then sped up in the editing to match the song's rhythm. The effect gave the dancers a surreal sped-up quality. Actor/model Djimon Honsou appears in the video as a trumpet player.

Impact and legacy

The Daily Telegraph ranked "Hold On" number 47 in their "Top 50 Dance Songs" list in 2015, adding:

"R&B girl group En Vogue broke through with this club classic. A sharp acapella rendition of Motown standard Who's Lovin You leads into a hip-hop beat with a funky bass line, horn and piano sounds. "You've got to hold on, to your love", the girls proclaim, and it is their powerful singing that carries this one."[19]

Spin placed the song at number four in their list of "The 30 Best '90s R&B Songs" in 2017. They wrote:

"Producers Foster & McElroy deliver a slow-burning rhythm with a James Brown drum kick, but "Hold On's" greatest element is Herron, Terry Ellis, Dawn Robinson, and Maxine Jones blending their voices into a sound that shifts the culture."[20]

In 2019, Billboard listed it at number 130 in their ranking of "Billboard's Top Songs of the '90s".[21]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Album / Track Result
1990 Billboard Music Award R&B Single of the Year "Hold On" Won
1991 Grammy Award Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group "Hold On" Nominated
1991 Soul Train Music Award Best Single by a Duo/Group "Hold On" Won

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Born to Sing.[27]

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[50] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. ^ "WebVoyage Record View 1". Cocatalog.loc.gov. October 2, 1989. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  2. ^ uDiscover Team (February 17, 2021). "Best New Jack Swing Songs: 40 Party Starting Jams". uDiscoverMusic. Universal Music Group. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  3. ^ Taylor-Wilson, David (May 10, 1990). "Patti's Gonna Getcha". Bay Area Reporter. p. 34. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  4. ^ Coleman, Bill (March 17, 1990). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 93. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  5. ^ Coleman, Bill (April 21, 1990). "Dance Trax: R&B Tracks Provide A Slice Of 'Ghetto Heaven'" (PDF). Billboard. p. 25. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  6. ^ DeKnock, Jan (June 28, 1990). "Home Entertainment: Recordings". Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
  7. ^ Galloway, A. Scott (May 25, 1990). "Crossover: Retail Sales" (PDF). The Network Forty. p. 38. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  8. ^ Martinez, Gerald (November 15, 1998). "Top notch hits from Collins". New Sunday Times. p. 13. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  9. ^ Hill, Edward (May 4, 1990). "En Vogue can wail with best girl groups". The Plain Dealer.
  10. ^ Quantick, David (May 30, 1990). "Review: LPs". Smash Hits. No. 300. p. 60. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  11. ^ Daly, Steve (August 1, 1990). "Singles". Spin. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  12. ^ Coker, Cheo H. (April 16, 1992). "Hip-hop's four funky divas". Stanford Daily. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  13. ^ "Sounds of the studio". Wells Journal. July 5, 1990. p. 72.
  14. ^ Promis, Jose F. "En Vogue - Born to Sing". AllMusic. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  15. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "En Vogue - The Very Best of En Vogue". AllMusic. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  16. ^ Checkoway, Laura (June 1, 2007). "ESSENTIAL EN VOGUE". Vibe. p. 134. Retrieved March 17, 2020.[permanent dead link‍]
  17. ^ a b "The Year in Music 1990: Top R&B Singles". Billboard. Vol. 102, no. 51. December 22, 1990. p. YE-22.
  18. ^ a b "Billboard Top 100 – 1990". Archived from the original on July 6, 2009. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
  19. ^ "Top 50 dance songs". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  20. ^ "The 30 Best '90s R&B Songs". Spin. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  21. ^ "Greatest of All Time: Billboard's Top Songs of the '90s". Billboard. 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  22. ^ Hold On (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). En Vogue. Atlantic Records. 1990. 0-86234.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  23. ^ Hold On (US cassette single sleeve). En Vogue. Atlantic Records. 1990. 4-87984.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. ^ Hold On (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). En Vogue. Atlantic Records. 1990. A 7908, 7567-87908-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  25. ^ Hold On (UK CD single liner notes). En Vogue. Atlantic Records. 1990. A7908CD, 7567-86178-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  26. ^ Hold On (UK cassette single sleeve). En Vogue. East West Records. 1990. E3796C.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  27. ^ Born to Sing (US CD album liner notes). En Vogue. Atlantic Records. 1990. 7 82084-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  28. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  29. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9879." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  30. ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 7980." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  31. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 23. June 9, 1990. p. IV. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  32. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "En Vogue". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 73. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  33. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Hold On". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  34. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – En Vogue" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  35. ^ "En Vogue – Hold On" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  36. ^ "En Vogue – Hold On". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  37. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  38. ^ "En Vogue Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  39. ^ "En Vogue Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  40. ^ "En Vogue Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  41. ^ "En Vogue Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  42. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  43. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  44. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  45. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  46. ^ "Top 50 Dance Tracks of 1990". RPM. Retrieved April 23, 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  47. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1990" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
  48. ^ "End of Year Charts 1990". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
  49. ^ "1990 Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London, England. March 2, 1991. p. 41.
  50. ^ "American single certifications – En Vogue – Hold On". Recording Industry Association of America.

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