The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Baby I guess you know my story
Baby I guess you know my side
It seems I've traded love for glory
But I'm still not satisfied
Given all the years
All the cries and cheers
Don't amount to much more than pride
Take my love for you
Take tomorrow too
There's not much left inside
How we laughed when we first knew love
Singing dum-de-lum-de-lie
I taught you how to see life through love
Then I taught you how to cry
And though I must have known
How easily love is thrown
I took some chances, I don't know why
There's not much you can do
You wish that I'd been true
Darlin' so do I
Now you better hold out
Go on and hold out
Go ahead and hold out
For what you know love can be
Move on and hold out
Don't let your love be sold out
If there's anyone who knows about it
Baby that's me
Ahh you're right
You can't forget the way I lied
Time has seen you grow,
To lead your life alone
Though you tried and tried
Cried and cried
Baby I guess you know my story
Maybe there's not much left to say
You know the more we take the more we
Turn each other's hearts away
Now I'll be leaving in the morning
Leaving half of me behind
To find the pieces life's been torn in
And take whatever love I find
But you better hold out
Go on and hold out
Just walk away and hold out
For what you know love can be
Move on and hold out
Don't let your love be sold out
It's starting to be cold out
For people who live like me
Move on and hold out
And somewhere later no doubt
You'll find another hold out
Someone just like you baby, wait and see..
Baby I guess you know my side
It seems I've traded love for glory
But I'm still not satisfied
Given all the years
All the cries and cheers
Don't amount to much more than pride
Take my love for you
Take tomorrow too
There's not much left inside
How we laughed when we first knew love
Singing dum-de-lum-de-lie
I taught you how to see life through love
Then I taught you how to cry
And though I must have known
How easily love is thrown
I took some chances, I don't know why
There's not much you can do
You wish that I'd been true
Darlin' so do I
Now you better hold out
Go on and hold out
Go ahead and hold out
For what you know love can be
Move on and hold out
Don't let your love be sold out
If there's anyone who knows about it
Baby that's me
Ahh you're right
You can't forget the way I lied
Time has seen you grow,
To lead your life alone
Though you tried and tried
Cried and cried
Baby I guess you know my story
Maybe there's not much left to say
You know the more we take the more we
Turn each other's hearts away
Now I'll be leaving in the morning
Leaving half of me behind
To find the pieces life's been torn in
And take whatever love I find
But you better hold out
Go on and hold out
Just walk away and hold out
For what you know love can be
Move on and hold out
Don't let your love be sold out
It's starting to be cold out
For people who live like me
Move on and hold out
And somewhere later no doubt
You'll find another hold out
Someone just like you baby, wait and see..
Lyrics submitted by mikepauer
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it is self explanatory. Duh.
For a woman I know...
The lyrics are clearly about a romantic relationship that is ending and the singer is acknowledging that he wasn't always faithful to his departing partner. The "holdout' idea is just a way of saying that one party or both are not settling for an unsatisfactory relationship so they're seeking a partner they will feel closer, more connected, and more committed to.
But there's also something worth noticing about the melody -- it's based on one of the great melodies of rock 'n roll -- Procol Harum's "Whiter Shade of Pale." It's not a note-for-note ripoff of the whole Whiter Shade melody but has enough of the same chord progression to be readily recognizable. Browne knew that and talked about it in interviews at the time. .