 From the 1999 album Thornhill, this song was written by the band's singer and lyricist, Jian Ghomeshi, after he read the novel Love in the Time of Cholera. I will provide a review after I have acquired a copy of the CD.
Details about the song's literary genesis may be found in a review with Ghomeshi, published in Toronto's NOW Entertainment Weekly Newsfront section 8/5-8/11/99. The following excerpts have been taken from the band's official Web site:
THE BOOK THAT CHANGED MY LIFE
Ever read something that shocked your soul?
By LEAH RUMACK
It's summertime. You're going to read. This summer, you swear, you're going to read.
But what? You're afraid of the new Chapters. You don't understand the book reviews in trashy alternative weeklies. And, goddammit, The Blair Witch Project doesn't come in paperback.
So to help you in your quest, NOW asked a motley crew of Toronto personalities what their favourite books are and why. This is what they said.
[Other people's books omitted]
JIAN GHOMESHI
It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love.
Gabriel García Márquez
Love In The Time Of Cholera
Jian Ghomeshi is a singer, songwriter and tin-whistle-blower in poppy Toronto sensation Moxy Früvous, who made their name by weaving music, politics and humour into five hit albums. But this professional political satirist admits it: he always writes the sappy love songs. You know, the ones about being on Ferris wheels and holding hands and healing her pain.
Which is why he chose Love In The Time Of Cholera, the story of a man's 50-years-pining heart.
"This makes me madly self-conscious, because maybe I'll be seen as the lightweight romantic I am," he says, "but I remain a hopeless and hopeful romantic to the nth degree. Throw in every bad cliché and that's me. This book provides me with with my empirical blueprint for the notion of true love."
Ghomeshi goes on to suggest that anyone who allows him- or herself to cry during, for example, an "Eight Is Enough" episode should read it.
The band's next album -- Thornhill -- will be released August 24. And all the gushing gal Früheads out there should know that Ghomeshi can only date women who like this book.
I Will Hold On
I'll hold you if you feel you'll fall
I'll hold your hand if you just need a friend
I'll hold the line so you can call
I'll hold the feelings you don't want to end
You know that it's true
When I hold you
There'll be no secrets
I believe it
I'll hold your tears if you must cry
I'll hold your breath if that won't make you blue
I'll hold the truth if you must lie
and I'll hold off choice till you know what to do
You know that it's true
When I hold you
There are no secrets
I believe it
So I will hold on
And if that's not what you're used to
Then I may refuse to
Hold off
well, maybe that's not what you're used to
How can I refuse you?
I'll hold the train till you get on
I'll hold the mirror so you can fix your hair
I'll hold the pain till it is gone
and I'll hold my ground when people stop and stare
You know that it's true
When I've held you
There are no secrets
You must believe it
I'll hold the beating of my heart
I'll hold my breath if you will tell me to
I'll hold the hope that we won't part
and I'll hold off death so I can live with you
You knew it was true
When I held you
There were no secrets
I believed it
So I will hold on
And if that's not what you're used to
Then I may refuse to
Hold off
well, maybe that's not what you're used to
How can I refuse you?
So I will hold on
Thornhill
Moxy Früvous / Audio CD / Released 1999
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