KARLA BONOFF - I CAN'T HOLD ON

I CAN’T HOLD ON

KARLA BONOFF

SONGWRITER: KARLA BONOFF

COUNTRY: U. S. A.

ALBUM: KARLA BONOFF

LABEL: COLUMBIA

GENRE: FOLK ROCK

YEAR: 1977

Karla Bonoff (born December 27, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter. While Bonoff has released a number of albums, she is primarily known for her songwriting. Bonoff's songs include "Home," covered by Bonnie Raitt, "Tell Me Why" by Wynonna Judd, and "Isn't It Always Love" by Lynn Anderson.

Most notably, Linda Ronstadt recorded several Bonoff songs, including three tracks on the 1976 album Hasten Down the Wind ("Someone To Lay Down Beside Me", "Lose Again" and "If He's Ever Near"), which introduced Bonoff to a mass audience, and "All My Life", a 1989 duet with Ronstadt and Aaron Neville.

Karla Bonoff is the RIAA Gold-certified first album by singer/songwriter Karla Bonoff. It includes several of Bonoff's compositions which had previously been prominently recorded: three by Linda Ronstadt ("Lose Again", "If He's Ever Near", "Someone to Lay Down Beside Me") and one by Bonnie Raitt ("Home").

Rolling Stone's Stephen Holder called the album an impressive debut marred only by comparisons to Linda Ronstadt. Saying "Bonoff's approach is softer, plainer and more tentative." But concluding, "[t]he consistency of the material confirms a major writing talent; the performances show a promising singer."

AllMusic's William Ruhlmann noted retrospectively that "despite Bonoff's competent singing, which actually better accentuated the lyrics of her songs than Ronstadt's, it was hard for her to get out from under the shadow of the members of her peer group who had preceded her."

[Verse 1]

Oh baby, this time it's goodbye

And you can be sure that I won't cry

Our love is just a faded story

I'm walking down the road

And you just got to let me go 'cause

[Chorus]

I can't hold on

I can't hold on

I can't hold on anymore

[Verse 2]

Well, what was that sweet lullaby

And were all those promises just lies

Well, I was just a fool to love you

I knew it all along

I can't look down, I know I'm falling

[Chorus]

'Cause I can't hold on

I can't hold on

I can't hold on anymore

[Bridge]

When you act the way that you do

I want to scream and shout

You keep on playing games

I walk around the block and I think maybe you'll change

But just when it seems we've got it all worked out

You start naming names

I don't believe that I was the one to blame

[Verse 3]

And maybe next time you'll cry

When someone like me says goodbye

You'll wake up when she's gone and wonder

How you could let her go

But look at me, I'm going under

[Chorus]

'Cause I can't hold on

I can't hold on

I can't hold on anymore

No

I can't hold on

I can't hold on

I can't hold on anymore