Story Behind The Song

This song was written late one evening in the winter of 2007, while I was visiting family on the West Coast. I had been thinking about writing something with the dual themes of love having been lost and what one does when the dreams that he or she once held and the truths they believed have been destroyed. I started playing this simple chord progression on acoustic guitar thinking that I was writing a fairly laid back song, but then decided to juxtapose the peaceful melody with lyrics that were somewhat sad and introspective. And that's "Hold Back The Fire."

Song Description

"Hold Back The Fire" is a simple acoustic song about a relationship between two people that seemed like it would last forever having ended. Furthermore, it's also meant to serve as a metaphor for how one feels when truths and certainties that he or she believed were definite have been challenged or shown to be false.

Lyrics

I'll take it easy
I'll take it slow
Since the direction in which we are moving
I'm not sure that I want to know
Seriously baffled by all that has come forth
Feeling deeply wounded and sadly certain of the source

Against this result I stridently fought
But I don't have any credible evidence
To suggest that this is what I should wrought
As you were all that I longed for
I'm unclear as to why I'm left alone in this place
Feeling like I can't retrieve myself
Or the splendor of our days
Chorus:
In all my distant pictures
In all my distant thoughts
I couldn't have imagined that this is what you would have brought
With little else being sought
I can't believe that I won't get what I want

Hold back the fire as you hold onto me
You spoke those words
Everybody knows that I toiled endlessly
To live up to that decree
As you are leaving
These questions swirl around me
Though it will not be immediate
Possibly one day their answers I will see
Chorus
Coda