‘Hold the Line’ is a song by American rock band Toto from their 1978 eponymous debut studio album. Written by the band's keyboardist David Paich, the lead vocals on the song were performed by Bobby Kimball. ‘Hold the Line’ was released as the band's debut single and lead single from the Toto album on October 2, 1978, by Columbia Records. It became an international hit for the band, reaching number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 14 on the UK Singles Chart.
The hit song was the first single by Toto, a group made up of six very talented session musicians who had backed up artists like Boz Scaggs, Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand and Jackson Browne. Written by their keyboard player David Paich with lead vocals by Bobby Kimball, it deals with the mysteries of love. In a 2015 interview, Paich said: "When I was in high school, all of a sudden the phone started ringing off the hook, and I had a situation where I was at the dinner table and I had three girls all call at the same time, so all the lights were flashing. I was kind of juggling girlfriends, and that's how that came about."
Several of the band members recall hearing ‘Hold the Line’ for the first time on the radio: Guitarist, Steve Lukather said "I flipped the first time I heard myself on the radio. My mom called me up and said, "Turn on KLOS." It was the song "Hold the Line," and I started running around the house in my underwear, screaming, "I'm on the radio!" My wife was cracking up. It was just a thrill." Bobby Kimball had a similar experience when he heard Toto for the very first time on the radio: "I was asleep, I had my alarm clock set for noon because we were gonna do something in the studio, some promo and when the alarm came on there was the radio and ‘Hold The Line’ was playing. And my room was totally black and I was looking for the telephone and I called Paich and I heard him scream, he was living over there with his girlfriend and he was screaming around and falling over trying to get to the radio."
Billboard said that "Kimball's exciting vocals and the scorching instrumentals highlight this tune that also boasts a scorching mix and a solid hook.”
Label – Columbia
Songwriter – David Paich
Producers – Toto
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]It's not in the way that you hold me
It's not in the way you say you care
It's not in the way you've been treating my friends
It's not in the way that you stayed 'til the end
It's not in the way you look or the things that you say that you'll do
[Chorus]
Hold the line
Love isn't always on time
Hold the line
Love isn't always on time
[Verse 2]
It's not in the words that you told me
It's not in the way you say you're mine
It's not in the way that you came back to me
It's not in the way that your love set me free
It's not in the way you look or the things that you say that you'll do
[Chorus]
Hold the line
Love isn't always on time
Hold the line
Love isn't always on time
[Instrumental Break]
[Verse 3]
It's not in the words that you told me
It's not in the way you say you're mine
It's not in the way that you came back to me
It's not in the way that your love set me free
It's not in the way you look or the things that you say that you'll do
[Outro]
Hold the line
Love isn't always on time
Hold the line
Love isn't always on time
Love isn't always on time
Hold the line
Love isn't always on time
Love isn't always on time
Love isn't always on time
Hold the line
Love isn't always on time
Love isn't always on time
Love isn't always on time
Love isn't always on time
Whoah-ooh-ooh