“Hold Up” is Beyoncé’s salacious and assertive ode to her partner. In it, she verifies that she loves him physically and emotionally, but also states her intention to figure out where his loyalties lie, even if it means losing her sanity. The lighthearted and upbeat instrumental juxtaposes the actu...
[Chorus]
Hold up, they don't love you like I love you
Slow down, they don't love you like I love you
Back up, they don't love you like I love you
Step down, they don't love you like I love you
Can't you see there's no other man above you?
What a wicked way to treat the girl that loves you
Hold up, they don't love you like I love you
Oh, down, they don't love you like I love you
[Verse 1]
Something don't feel right because it ain't right
Especially comin' up after midnight
I smell your secrets, and I'm not too perfect
To ever feel this worthless
How did it come down to this? Scrolling through your call list
I don't wanna lose my pride, but I'ma fuck me up a bitch
Know that I kept it sexy, you know I kept it fun
There's something that I'm missing, maybe my head for one
[Refrain]
What's worst, lookin' jealous or crazy? Jealous or crazy?
Or like being walked all over lately, walked all over lately
I'd rather be crazy
[Chorus]
Hold up, they don't love you like I love you
Slow down, they don't love you like I love you
Back up, they don't love you like I love you
Step down, they don't love you like I love you
Can't you see there's no other man above you?
What a wicked way to treat the girl that loves you
Hold up, they don't love you like I love you
Slow down, they don't love you like I love you
[Verse 2]
Let's imagine for a moment that you never made a name for yourself
Or mastered wealth, they had you labeled as a king
Never made it out the cage, still out there movin' in them streets
Never had the baddest woman in the game up in your sheets
Would they be down to ride? No
They used to hide from you, lie to you
But y'all know we were made for each other
So I find you and hold you down
Me sing se
[Chorus]
Hold up, they don't love you like I love you
Slow down, they don't love you like I love you
Back up, they don't love you like I love you
Step down, they don't love you like I love you
Can't you see there's no other man above you?
What a wicked way to treat the girl that loves you
Hold up, they don't love you like I love you
Slow down, they don't love you like I love you
[Bridge]
Hey, this such a shame
You let this good love go to waste
I always keep the top tier, five-star
Backseat lovin' in the car
Like make that wood, like make that wood
Holly like a boulevard
[Refrain]
What's worse, lookin' jealous or crazy? Jealous and crazy?
Or like being walked all over lately, walked all over lately
I'd rather be crazy
[Chorus]
Hold up, they don't love you like I love you
Slow down, they don't love you like I love you
Back up, they don't love you like I love you
Step down, they don't love you like I love you
Can't you see there's no other man above you?
What a wicked way to treat the girl that loves you
Hold up, they don't love you like I love you
Oh, down, they don't love you like I love you
[Outro]
I hop up out my bed and get my swag on
I look in the mirror, say, "What's up?"
What's up, what's up, what's up
I hop up out my bed and get my swag on
I look in the mirror, say, "What's up?"
What's up, what's up, what's up
Hold Up was written by Nick Zinner & Karen O & Brian Chase & Soulja Boy & Mort Shuman & Emile Haynie & Doc Pomus & MeLo-X & MNEK & Ezra Koenig & Beyoncé & Father John Misty & Diplo.
Hold Up was produced by Ezra Koenig & Beyoncé & Diplo.
Koenig and producer Diplo made the original demo of the song. Koenig wrote the hook, which was written as a play off of the hook of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s song “Maps.”
“Can’t Get Used To Loving You”, originally released in 1963 by Andy Williams but covered in 1980 by The Beat.
Our friend Amil played her some of my music. He was having a meeting with them and played her some of my stuff and I guess she really loved it. Sent me an email and said she wanted me to write. With “Hold Up” they just sent me the beat and the hook. I wrote that first verse and the ‘jealous and craz...
I was on the subway around that time. That Saturday night, I was still in the city, on a really crowded subway, and there was a girl listening to it and singing along with it. She had a good voice too, singing a capella. Just hearing her singing it on the subway — that’s a New York moment for me.
Yo...
On August 8, 2022, “Hold Up” was certified 2x multi-platinum by the RIAA.