[Verse 1]
In the middle of the night when everyone's sleeping
Once the bands have died down
And our brothers and our sisters have gone
I feel the shaking in my sides, conscious and familiar
I pace some unfamiliar street
Until I pass out or calm down enough
And I can't tell you how desperate some times have gotten

[Chorus]
You gotta just hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on Maria
You gotta just hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, I'm coming home
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, I nearly lost you
You gotta just hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, I'm coming home

[Verse 2]
And in the middle of the day when the heat keeps on rising
The fear of sickness or breakdown or infidelity
Makes its rounds
And in the drag of the late afternoon settling in to evening
Well, that I just can't describe with a dry eye or American words
And I can't tell you how many times I just want to lie down

[Chorus]
You gotta just hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on Maria
You gotta just hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, I'm coming home
You gotta just hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, I nearly lost you
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, I'm coming home
[Bridge]
You and your high-top sneakers and your sailor tattoos
And your old fifty-five that you drove through the roof
Of the sky up above these indifferent stars
While you just kept coming apart
Hold on, hold on, hold on!

[Chorus]
You gotta just hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on Maria
You gotta just Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, I'm coming home
These records and these bands and electric guitars really matter
To these hands and these arms and this tired Irish heart made of stone

[Outro]
You gotta just hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
You gotta just hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
You gotta just hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on