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Coming in at number 91 on the Ultimate Classic Rock top 100 classic rocks songs is .38 Special "HOLD ON LOOSELY"
With "Hold On Loosely," .38 Special and Survivor's Jim Peterik, who co-wrote the song, captured an emotional tug of war that was instantly identifiable to every single walking, raging pack of hormones who was alive in the ‘80s, both male and female. They also earned a spot on our list.
The situation: You meet that amazing person and fall hard, really hard, for them. So of course from that point forward, you have to make sure that they are aware of your undying love for them, each and every day. The next steps that follow: They either advise you that they’ve taken out a restraining order, or if they’re mellower about things, they just let you know that it would probably be a good idea to back off for a while.
So, rather than get too serious right off the bat, vocalist Don Barnes shares the sage advice given to him by a “girl I left some years ago,” who told him, “Just hold on loosely / But don’t let her go / If you cling too tightly / You’re gonna lose control.”
Don’t get nuts. Just give her that “space to breathe in” and everything will work out just fine.
"Hold On Loosely," the lead track on the band's fourth album, 1981's Wild Eyed Southern Boys, helped create the mold for a string of easy-going hits that the .38 members and Peterik would craft together with similar chart success. Peterik continued to write with the band, working closely on their 2004 studio album Drivetrain.
With "Hold On Loosely," .38 Special and Survivor's Jim Peterik, who co-wrote the song, captured an emotional tug of war that was instantly identifiable to every single walking, raging pack of hormones who was alive in the ‘80s, both male and female. They also earned a spot on our list.
The situation: You meet that amazing person and fall hard, really hard, for them. So of course from that point forward, you have to make sure that they are aware of your undying love for them, each and every day. The next steps that follow: They either advise you that they’ve taken out a restraining order, or if they’re mellower about things, they just let you know that it would probably be a good idea to back off for a while.
So, rather than get too serious right off the bat, vocalist Don Barnes shares the sage advice given to him by a “girl I left some years ago,” who told him, “Just hold on loosely / But don’t let her go / If you cling too tightly / You’re gonna lose control.”
Don’t get nuts. Just give her that “space to breathe in” and everything will work out just fine.
"Hold On Loosely," the lead track on the band's fourth album, 1981's Wild Eyed Southern Boys, helped create the mold for a string of easy-going hits that the .38 members and Peterik would craft together with similar chart success. Peterik continued to write with the band, working closely on their 2004 studio album Drivetrain.
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Posted >1 y ago
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The bass guitarist for 38 Special was Larry Junstrom (now deceased), TSgt Joe C.. We both graduated from Robert E. Lee High School on June 4, 1967. I was acquainted with Larry, but I can’t honestly say we were friends. We just ran in different circles.
He was also a founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd.
SGT Robert Pryor
He was also a founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd.
SGT Robert Pryor
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SGT Robert Pryor
LTC Stephen C., another great backstory share from you, my friend. it's a good assumption that everyone went to school somewhere, and had classmates. So I have another backstory for you. I had a friend that I went to school with and we even worked together after school. He was a janitors' helper and I was groundskeeper at a Jr. high school. I called him Phil and he called me Bober -- a cross between Robert and Bob. We ran in the same circles because we were both poor kids from the poor side of town and our mothers took turns picking us up after work. Phil was the only one of my friends my dad liked -- probably because Phil was active in our neighborhood church and wanted to become a preacher. In my year book he even signed "Philip M. Thomas, (Rev)." After graduation he went off to seminary college while I went in the military. Phil eventually dropped out of college to become and actor. I dropped out of the Army to become a disabled vet (where you meet much higher quality people). He was known professionally by his full name: Phillip Michael Thomas and went on to be on the TV show 'Miami Vice' where he portrayed Detective Ricardo Tubbs. We haven't seen one another since high school but I still pal around with the big brother of the girl Phil dated in high school.
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SGT Robert Pryor
LTC Stephen C. - I watched it twice. I don't do cop shows. I laughed all the way through. I couldn't see Tubbs, just Phil. In one scene he was in bed with a gal, that had me laughing so hard I had tears running down my cheeks. It probably wasn't supposed to be funny.
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Thank you my friend TSgt Joe C. for posting the music video of 38 Special performing Hold On Loosely live in the 1980's.
Thank you my friend LTC Stephen C. for adding your personnel memories.
38 Special band members
Don Barnes – guitar, piano, vocals, background vocals
Steve Brookins – drums
Jeff Carlisi – guitar, steel guitar
Jack Grondin – drums
Larry Junstrom (formerly of Lynyrd Skynyrd) – bass guitar
Donnie Van Zant (brother of Ronnie & Johnnie) – guitar
"Hold On Loosely" written by James Michael Peterik, Jeffrey S. Carlisi, Don Barnes
Lyrics
"You see it all around you
Good lovin' gone bad
And usually it's too late when you
Realize what you had
And my mind goes back to a girl I left
Long years ago who told me
Just hold on loosely
But don't let go
If you cling too tightly
You're gonna lose control
Your baby needs someone to believe in
And a whole lot of space to breathe in
It's so damn easy
When your feelings are such
To overprotect her
To love her too much
And my mind goes back to a girl I left
Long years ago who told me
Just hold on loosely
But don't let go
If you cling too tightly
You're gonna lose control
Your baby needs someone to believe in
And a whole lot of space to breathe in
Don't let her slip away
Sentimental fool
Don't let your heart get in the way
Yeah, yeah, yeah
You see it all around you
Good lovin' gone bad
And usually it's too late when you
Realize what you had
So hold on loosely
But don't let go
If you cling too tightly
You're gonna lose control
Your baby needs someone to believe in
And a whole lot of space to breathe in
So hold on loosely
But don't let go
If you cling too tightly
You're gonna lose it
You're gonna lose control
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
So hold on loosely
But don't let go
If you cling too tightly
You're gonna lose control
Hold on loosely
But don't let go
If you cling too tightly to her
You're gonna lose control, yeah, yeah, yeah
FYI SSG Michael Noll COL Mikel J. Burroughs Col Carl Whicker SFC William Farrell SPC Randy Zimmerman CPT Paul Whitmer SPC Margaret Higgins SGT Cynthia Barnard CPT Paul Whitmer PO3 Lynn Spalding SGT Denny Espinosa SGT Jim Arnold PO1 H Gene LawrenceSSG Franklin Briant 1SG Walter CraigCPL Douglas Chrysler Sgt Albert Castro SGT Gregory Lawritson
Thank you my friend LTC Stephen C. for adding your personnel memories.
38 Special band members
Don Barnes – guitar, piano, vocals, background vocals
Steve Brookins – drums
Jeff Carlisi – guitar, steel guitar
Jack Grondin – drums
Larry Junstrom (formerly of Lynyrd Skynyrd) – bass guitar
Donnie Van Zant (brother of Ronnie & Johnnie) – guitar
"Hold On Loosely" written by James Michael Peterik, Jeffrey S. Carlisi, Don Barnes
Lyrics
"You see it all around you
Good lovin' gone bad
And usually it's too late when you
Realize what you had
And my mind goes back to a girl I left
Long years ago who told me
Just hold on loosely
But don't let go
If you cling too tightly
You're gonna lose control
Your baby needs someone to believe in
And a whole lot of space to breathe in
It's so damn easy
When your feelings are such
To overprotect her
To love her too much
And my mind goes back to a girl I left
Long years ago who told me
Just hold on loosely
But don't let go
If you cling too tightly
You're gonna lose control
Your baby needs someone to believe in
And a whole lot of space to breathe in
Don't let her slip away
Sentimental fool
Don't let your heart get in the way
Yeah, yeah, yeah
You see it all around you
Good lovin' gone bad
And usually it's too late when you
Realize what you had
So hold on loosely
But don't let go
If you cling too tightly
You're gonna lose control
Your baby needs someone to believe in
And a whole lot of space to breathe in
So hold on loosely
But don't let go
If you cling too tightly
You're gonna lose it
You're gonna lose control
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
So hold on loosely
But don't let go
If you cling too tightly
You're gonna lose control
Hold on loosely
But don't let go
If you cling too tightly to her
You're gonna lose control, yeah, yeah, yeah
FYI SSG Michael Noll COL Mikel J. Burroughs Col Carl Whicker SFC William Farrell SPC Randy Zimmerman CPT Paul Whitmer SPC Margaret Higgins SGT Cynthia Barnard CPT Paul Whitmer PO3 Lynn Spalding SGT Denny Espinosa SGT Jim Arnold PO1 H Gene LawrenceSSG Franklin Briant 1SG Walter CraigCPL Douglas Chrysler Sgt Albert Castro SGT Gregory Lawritson
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SPC Margaret Higgins
LTC Stephen F.: My Dear Brother-in-CHRIST, Steve, I thank thee; beyond compare; for mentioning my name; in your very honoring list of names!
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LTC Greg Henning SCPO Morris Ramsey SGT Jim Arnold Sgt Albert Castro SSG William Jones CMSgt (Join to see) SSgt Boyd Herrst Maj Kim Patterson SGT Tim Fridley SGT Quentin Moore LT Ed Skiba SSG Michael Noll SGT (Join to see) CWO3 Dave Alcantara SSG Robert "Rob" Wentworth PO3 Phyllis Maynard SGT (Join to see) PO3 Lynn Spalding SPC Douglas Bolton SPC Nancy Greene
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