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Ray of Light
"To Have and Not to Hold"
Length 5:23
Writer(s) Madonna
Rick Nowels
Producer(s) Madonna
William Orbit
Patrick Leonard

Ray Of Light (2) track listing

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The Power of Good-Bye
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Little Star

"To Have and Not to Hold" is a song by Madonna from her seventh studio album Ray of Light.

Background[]

In this song Madonna speaks about a lover who is emotionally not close enough for Madonna to have in a loving way, there’s a distance metaphorically between them. It stops any growth in a relationship way

Composition[]

The song is superficially vibrant but with underlying subtlety and restrained arrangements prevailing.

Lyrics[]

To have and not to hold
So hot, yet so cold
My heart is in your hand
And yet you never stand
Close enough for me to have my way

To love but not to keep
To laugh, not to weep
Your eyes, they go right through
And yet you never do
Anything to make me want to stay

Like a moth to a flame, only I am to blame
Ba ba da ba ba ba, what can I do?
Ba ba da ba ba ba, I go straight to you
Ba ba da ba ba ba, I've been told
You're to have, not to hold

To look but not to see
To kiss but never be
The object of your desire
I'm walking on a wire
And there's no one at all to break my fall

Like a moth to a flame, only I am to blame
Ba ba da ba ba ba, what can I do?
Ba ba da ba ba ba, I go straight to you
Ba ba da ba ba ba, I've been told
You're to have, not to hold

You're to have, not to hold
You're to have, not to hold

Like a moth to a flame, only I am to blame
Ba ba da ba ba ba, what can I do?
Ba ba da ba ba ba, I go straight to you
Ba ba da ba ba ba, I've been told
You're to have, not to hold

You're to have, not to hold
You're to have, not to hold
You're to have, not to hold
To break my heart


Ray Of Light (2)
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