Title:   Hold On
Artist:  Sarah McLachlan

First the twangy guitar intro while keyboards hold a long A major chord. Hammer on with 
3rd finger in the last bar:

|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
|--8s10(hold)---|--8s7—8-8(hold)|--8-8-8-(hold)-|---------------|
|--9------------|--7-----9------|--7---7--------|-----------0---|
|--7------------|--9-----11-----|--9---9--------|--------0h2----|
|--0------------|--0-----0------|--0---0--------|---------------|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

Barre the A chord with 3rd finger, strum the rhythm and do the slides with the 3rd 
Then this is easily playable:

  A               Dsus2           Esus4           Dsus2
|-0-------------|-0-------------|-0-------------|-0-------------|
|-2-------------|-3-------------|-5-------------|-3-------------|
|-2-------------|-2-------------|-4-------------|-2---------0---|
|-2--------2s4--|-4--------4s6--|-6--------2s4--|-4------0h2----|
|-0-------------|-0-------------|-0-------------|-0-------------|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

In the third bar barre on the 9th fret with the 3rd finger, and in the last bar barre on 
7th fret with the 1st finger

  A               Dsus2           Esus4
|-0-------------|-0-------------|-0-------9-7---|-10-9-7-9-7----|
|-2-------------|-3-------------|-5-------9--10-|-7----7-7-7-10-|
|-2-------------|-2-------------|-4-------9-----|-7----7--------|
|-2--------2s4--|-4--------4s6--|-6-------9-----|-7----7--------|
|-0-------------|-0-------------|-0-------------|---------------|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

On with the verses. A, Dsus2, Esus4 chord shapes as per the intro. The other chords are 
follows, in order of appearance. Note there are additional A and Dsus2 versions,
denoted an asterisk, use them where indicated for a more authentic sound.
Likewise the non-standard D chord. There is also this little riff, which
is a variation on the Dsus2 chord 
and connects lines of the verse where indicated by (Riff) in the song.

Bm7     x 2 4 2 3 2                    Riff   |---------------|
E       0 2 3 1 0 0                           |-----3-3-------|
D       x 5 4 2 3 2                           |---2-4-2-2-2---|
A*      5 7 7 6 5 5                           |-4-------4-0---|
Dsus2*  x 5 7 7 5 5                           |---------------|
Asus4   x 0 2 2 3 0                           |---------------|

A        Dsus2                   Esus4                   Dsus2
Hold on. Hold on to yourself for this is gonna hurt like hell
A        Dsus2                    Esus4               Dsus2
Hold on. Hold on to yourself. You know that only time can tell,

(Riff)

Bm7                     E
what is it in me that refuses to believe,
           Bm7             D
This isn't easier than the real thing.

A            Dsus2
My love, you know that you're my best friend,
    Esus4                         Dsus2
you know that I'd do anything for you and
A           Dsus2
my love let nothing come between us,
   Esus4                      Dsus2
my love for you is strong and true.  (Riff)

Bm7                    E                Bm7             D
Am I in heaven here or am I. . . at the crossroads I am standing
   Fm                  A*         Dsus2*    E
So now you're sleeping peaceful I lie awake and pray
Fm                      A*              Dsus2*      E
that you'll be strong tomorrow and will see another day
            Bm7    E      Bm7                 D
and we will praise it and love the light that brings a smile
Asus4       A
across your face

Now the Solo. Crank up the gain control.

|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
|-10s12-12-12s14|--14b15r14b15--|17--12s14-14s10|-10s5-5s10-----|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

|12s14—14s17--17--17-----17s5---|4b5r4---4b5r4--|---------------|
|-----------17--17--------------|-----5-------5-|5s7-7s9-7-5h7-5|
|-------------------------------|---------------|---------------|
|-------------------------------|---------------|---------------|
|-------------------------------|---------------|---------------|
|-------------------------------|---------------|---------------|

|---------------|---------------|
|-6-6h7-7s9-----|--7—6s2--------|
|--7------------|---------------|
|---------------|---------------|
|---------------|---------------|
|---------------|---------------|  Overdrive off.

A                 Dsus2
Oh God, if you're out there won't you hear me.
Esus4                       Dsus2
I know we've never talked before and (Riff)
A           Fm
Oh God, the man I love is leaving,
          Dsus2* (stop strumming, vocals only)
won't you take him when he comes to your door.
(resume strumming)
Bm7                    E
Am I in heaven here or am I in hell,
       Bm7        D
at the crossroads I am standing

   Fm                  A*         Dsus2*    E
So now you're sleeping peaceful I lie awake and pray
Fm                      A*              Dsus2*      E
that you'll be strong tomorrow and will see another day
            Bm7    E      Bm7                 D
and we will praise it and love the light that brings a smile
   Fm                  A*         Dsus2*    E
So now you're sleeping peaceful I lie awake and pray
Fm                      A*              Dsus2*      E
that you'll be strong tomorrow and will see another day
            Bm7    E
and we will praise it (slow down)
    Bm7                 D              A           Dsus2
and love the light that brings a smile across your face

Esus4   Dsus2   A    Dsus2   Esus4   Dsus2

Outro:

A        Dsus2                   Esus4
Hold on. Hold on to yourself for this is gonna hurt like
Hell

|---0---0---0---|-----0---------|
|-3---2---0-----|-0h2—----------|
|---------------|-2-------------|
|---------------|-2-------------|
|---------------|-0-------------|
|---------------|---------------| 

 #----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
From: Lee Eugene T 
Subject: CRD: HOLD ON - SARAH MCLACHLAN

Hold On

CAPO 1

G
Hold on
Hold on to yourself
D                             C
for this is gonna hurt like hell
G
Hold on
Hold on to yourself
D                               C
you know that only time will tell

Am                         D
What is it in me that refuses to believe
             Am                C
this isn't easier than the real thing

(SAME AS ABOVE)
My love
you know that you're my best friend
you know I'd do anything for you

my love
let nothing come between us
my love for you is strong & true

Am                     D
Am I in heaven here or am I...
         Am                C
at the crossroads I am standing

Em                    G
So now you're sleeping peaceful
   C         D
I lie awake & pray
     Em                 G
that you'll be strong tomorrow & we'll
C              D            Am    D
see another day & we will praise it
    Am                      C
& love the light that brings a smile
G
across your face

Oh god if you're out there
won't you hear me
I know that we've never talked before

oh god the man I love is leaving
won't you take him
when he comes to your door

Am I in heaven here or am I in hell
at the crossroads I am standing

So now you're sleeping peaceful
I lie awake & pray
that you'll be strong tomorrow & we'll
see another day & we will praise it
& love the light that brings a smile
across your face...

Hold on
hold on to yourself
for this is gonna hurt like hell

GENE
et-lee@ux4.cso.uiuc.edu

feel free to correct or comment at the address above.