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In 1999, Elvis Costello heard “the greatest incomplete couplet” in pop lyric history. Since then, it has been streamed 28,000,000 times
Elvis Costello praised Tom Waits’ “Hold On” for the restraint in its lyrics, calling two lines about dancing in the cold with no music “the greatest incomplete couplet” he could think of. His point was that leaving the expected rhyme unsaid makes the moment more affecting, while the music itself seems to contradict the words.
Costello made the observation in 1999, the year Waits released the song on *Mule Variations*, which was co-written with Kathleen Brennan. The article also notes that “Hold On” later found a wider audience after appearing in *The Walking Dead*; its title cites 28 million streams.
In short
- Costello praised the lyric’s deliberate omission of an expected rhyme.
- He said the song’s music contradicts its words.
- “Hold On” later gained attention through *The Walking Dead*.
Explained simply
Tom Waits is an American singer-songwriter known for distinctive songs that often use vivid characters and unusual sounds. “Hold On” appeared on his 1999 album Mule Variations, which he made with his wife and creative partner, Kathleen Brennan.
Elvis Costello is a British singer-songwriter who has also written and spoken about how songs are made. His comment about “Hold On” refers to a lyric that leaves a rhyme unfinished, letting the listener supply what is missing; the song’s lively music also sits in contrast with its image of dancing in the cold without music.