“Holding Back the Years” is the 7th track on Simply Red’s debut studio album Picture Book. The song was a huge success for the group and quickly rose to the top of charts across the world.
The single is one of two Simply Red songs (the other being their cover of “If You Don’t Know Me by Now”) to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100, for the week ending July 12, 1986. It also reached #2 in the UK and was a worldwide hit. It had initially been released in the UK the year before, but only reached #5. The song was nominated in the category of Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals at the 29th Annual Grammy Awards.
The music video focuses on Mick Hucknall, who, while singing the song, walks through the English countryside and Whitby Abbey carrying luggage and thinking about his childhood memories and the difficult relationship he had with his mother. In the last part of the song he is seen riding a train, the scenes for which were filmed at and around Goathland railway station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
Holding Back the Years (1985)
Holding back the years
Thinking of the fear I’ve had so long
When somebody hears
Listen to the fear that’s gone
Strangled by the wishes of pater
Hoping for the arms of mater
Get to me the sooner or later
Holding back the years
Chance for me to escape from all I’ve known
Holding back the tears
Cause nothing here has grown
I’ve wasted all my tears
Wasted all those years
And nothing had the chance to be good
Nothing ever could yeah
I’ll keep holding on
I’ll keep holding on
I’ll keep holding on
I’ll keep holding on
So tight
I’ve wasted all my tears
Wasted all of those years
And nothing had the chance to be good
Cause nothing ever could oh yeah
I’ll keep holding on
I’ll keep holding on
I’ll keep holding on
I’ll keep holding on
Holding, holding, holding
That’s all I have today
It’s all I have to say
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