User:FacesSmall/Hold My Hand

"Hold My Hand" (known as either "Hold (My Hand)" or "(Hold) My Hand" on later reissues) is a song written by Victor Friberg, first recorded by his band The Prelude. Initially intended to be the B-Side of their scheduled single "I Must Be In Love", that single was instead never released, and was substituted by "Louie Louie" instead. It later appeared on the group's debut EP Louie Louie later in 1964. Though not released as a single, it recieved significant airplay on Swedish Radio, prompting their record company Olga Records to attempt to release it as their second single, which the group objected.

Nonetheless, Friberg has since has a nostalgic view of the song, stating that it is among the earlier songs he was proud of. Critics has since compared the song to recordings by the Beatles, most notably "All My Loving". It was labeled among the first songs to feature instruments not prevailent in western music; a bongo drum played by drummer Brazer Özel. The song was the second most succesful single for American rock group People! after "I Love You"; reaching number 20 on Billboard Hot 100.

Composition
Friberg claims he wrote "Hold My Hand" in early 1963, when he was in The Widgets. While the songs was not recorded, nor rehearsed with them, he offered them the song, which they declined. At the time, it had no lyrics; they were added later by him when he was with his girlfriend at the time. Friberg, was at the time a novice in songwriting with "Hold My Hand" being his first solo composition; all previous songs he contributed to had been credited to the entire band.

"Oh, Yeah! "Hold My Hand", I wrote that in February 1963 I believe, our group needed a new song for the repertoire, but it was declined once I offered it. So I wrote it down. It needed lyrics. In that, I was completely clueless, until I visited my girlfriend. She was nagging at me and threatened to dump me, and the lyrics spontaneously just popped up in my head."

Lyrics
The lyrics combines a bit of Friberg's humor with a serious undertone, referring to heartbreak multiple times. This is especially notable in the first verse; "I'm not the kind of guy who likes to play, Big Brother", which was a satirical line Anton Wihlborg used to shout after live performances, originally as a rumor which was eventually proved by Wihlborg in a Tweet he made: "Enough questions regarding "Hold My Hand". It was written by him [Victor Friberg] as sort of a response to an Inside-joke I used to pull occasionaly, much to the band's approval." The following line: "But I've just seen your date outside, he's with, Another, I saw you both come in, And clearly, you're not meant for him, so, Please, please, hold my hand." also refers to an incident that occured during a recording session with the group, in which Wilhborg broke up with his girlfriend in the studio, after seeing her with another man.

Lindsay Planer of AllMusic identifies "Hold My Hand" as an odd one in the Prelude's vast discography, as it is about heartbreak rather than love, which was a prevalent theme in his songwriting at the time, as opposed to his retrospective and introspective style later in his career. He also states that "the song is about a man who is feeling shallow over life, and can't make up his mind as what to do; that is why he dreams about being together with his ex-girlfriend."

Recording
"Hold My Hand" was first attempted by the group in a 10 AM session on 10 June, which resulted in seven takes; five backing tracks (comprising of drums and bass guitar) along with two guitar overdubs. The group was unsatisfied with the final product and considered it "unpolished" and tried cultivating it to no avail. According to producer Tim Blomberg the group had attempted a fade-in, as opposed to the contemporary fade-out found in popular music. Critics cite this as among the first attempts in a fade in in popular music. Ultimately, the group did not manage to achieve it as the studio was unacustomed to accompany a fade-in box. The Beatles would later use it for their song "Eight Days a Week", released in December of 1964.

Despite this, the band returned to the studio on 24 June instead to finish up, shortly after recording "I Must Be In Love". The track was still missing an introduction, which led the group straight into a dead end. However, Åke Gerhard, the owner of Olga Records, suggested to the group that they'd open the song with a strumming guitar, similar to their later track "Anyway, Anyhow, Anyway". They then cut five more takes: all of them with guitar (two of them had false starts, and one had Wihlborg shouting "FUCK!" in the middle, since he broke a string on the guitar.) The fourth one was the master takes.

"Hold My Hand" was the first song recorded by the group that doesn't feature Friberg on his Rickenbacker 4001. The instrument was attempted several times in the recording, but was accidentally broken during the second take when Friberg dropped it on the ground. Instead he utilized a Fender Bass VI, a six-string bass that was rarely used during that era. He would later comment this: "I recorded "Hold My Hand" with a Fender Bass VI because my Rickenbacker broke. I remember it too, I had just finished the second take when I accidentally dropped it on the ground. I shouted some obscenities but Gerhard came up to me and handed me the Fender and told me to try it. I like that guitar alot." Friberg would use it as his primary bass in 1971 for the recording of Holes In Locked Doors.

Release and Reception
Upon request by the band, the recording was shelved for later use under the possesion of Gerhard. The song was originally planned to be issued as the B-side to "I Must Be In Love", the group's designated debut single in Sweden on 30 June 1964. The acetate of the single was already in the possesion of producer Blomberg who sent it in to Olga Records. Anticipated and heavily advertised, the single was never issued for unknown reasons. Instead, Olga apted for releasing "Louie Louie" (which the band recorded as a sound test, and therefore despised), with "Baby, Please Don't Go" on the B-Side. The single did not manage to break the charts, and only placed number 26 on Tio I Topp. Blomberg and the band were uninformed of the unauthorized release, and only learnt of it while touring Northern Sweden.

"We were in the car on our way to Umeå, bored out of our minds since we'd been driving since about six o'clock. He [Tim Blomberg] gets the idea to turn on the radio, and tunes into Tio I Topp, with Klas Burling as the host. Nobody really paid it any mind until he spoke about "Louie Louie", and everybody shouted "WHAT?". Apparently it managed to reach number 26, surprisingly. We took it to Olga Records and they told us it was a better song. I mean, what else can you do?"

The song was instead handed to manager Blomberg following the release of "Louie Louie", and the group decided to not release "I Must Be In Love" as the follow up single. Instead they recorded "Zoot Suit" and released that instead. Following their national breakthrough, the group was adament in recording an album. Olga Records refused, but offered them to release an extended play of previously recorded material, which they accepted. It was compiled by Blomberg assisted by Friberg, who decided to include "Hold My Hand" on it. The EP was released on 4 October 1964 under the title Louie Louie, which featured the title track. While heavily marketed around clubs, it failed to chart on Kvällstoppen.Upon the EP's release, the original compositions were heavily praised by critics for originality. A review by Aftonbladet dated 14 November 1964 reads as following: "Louie Louie heavily features power chords throughout. It is mostly about love, mostly notable in "Hold My Hand", where band member Victor Friberg expresses his feelings towards a girl. Expressen did individual reviews of the songs and gave "Hold My Hand" a positive review, stating that it heavily centers around a single chord, and is similar to a Beatles composition (most notably "All My Loving") but features an overall good aura around it. The review also mentions that "Hold My Hand" is the second best song on the album, following "I Must Be In Love". In a retrospective review by AllMusic, critic Ron Fauger considers it rather mediocre compared to their later work, but features an authenticity that their later records don't display.

Personnel

 * William Hoang – Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar
 * Victor Friberg – Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
 * Anton Wihlborg – Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals
 * Brazer Özel – drums, bongo

People! version
American rock group People! were known fans of the Prelude going as far as to record "I Love You" (a song by the Zombies that was part of the Prelude's repertoire between mid-1965 and early 1967). "I Love You" reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. The group's lead singer Larry Norman stumbled upon an re-release of the Prelude's US studio album Introducing... The Prelude! which feature "Hold My Hand". Perplexed by it, he informed the band that he planned to record it as their next single. It sat well with everyone except Robb Levin who left the group shortly before the recording. In a 2000 interview he stated that the reason he wanted to release "Hold My Hand" as a single was that it had commercial value and could easily been drawn out.

While on performance, Norman booked studio time at Capitol Studios in California to record the song on 9 October. He informed the group to come, but their tour bus had broken down. Norman had traveled in his personnal car along with guitarist Geoff Levin, who headed to the studio. The song was cut in only three takes, featuring Small Faces members Ronnie Lane and Ian McLagan as session musicians. Levin and Norman were the only band members to appear on "Hold My Hand". The B-Side "Buses", which only features Levin on aocustic guitar was also recorded in the same session. A demo of a song titled "Tell All The People" was recorded, but never released.

"Hold My Hand" was released on 13 December 1968 as the group's fourth single on Capitol Records. It became the group's second top twenty hit after "I Love You!", and their longest on Billboard. It was first seen on Billboard Hot 100 on 4 January 1969 at a position of number ninety-three. The following week it had climbed the charts signficantly to number thirty-five, where it stayed for two weeks. On 25 January, it reached number twenty three, where it stayed for three weeks. On 15 February it reached its peak position of number twenty where it stayed for four weeks, and was last seen on the charts on 7 June that year. It was later released on their second studio album Both Sides Of People and following its' use in Good Man, it hit the Billboard chart once again, reaching number thirty in January of 1970.

Personnel

 * Larry Norman – lead vocals, drums
 * Ronnie Lane – bass guitar
 * Ian McLagan – keyboards
 * Geoff Levin – guitar, backing vocals