“Hold On, We’re Going Home”
Writers: Aubrey Graham, Noah Shebib, Majid Al Maskati, Jordan Ullman
Original Release Date: August 7, 2013
The name “Drake” isn’t exactly synonymous with ideas of a traditional wedding song, but with 2013’s “Hold On, We’re Going Home”, that’s exactly what he was going for.
It’s smooth and dreamy, with Drake appealing to his “good girl” to give him a chance. And compared to the rest of the album, it’s a poppier offering that has seen great mainstream success. The rapper has said the song was his attempt to create something that would played at weddings years after the record was released. It was also a chance for him to “channel [his] Quincy Jones/Michael Jackson production duo” with the album’s producer Noah Shebib.
Because of the song’s popularity it has been covered many times, by everyone from Fall Out Boy (on their Save Rock & Roll Tour), to Foster the People, to The Maine. Since I’ve recently become obsessed with Arctic Monkeys, I was immediately drawn to their version. It’s a faster take: if Drake’s version is a traditional wedding song, the AM cover is what you’d expect to hear at a backyard wedding. While neither video has anything to do with the song lyrics, they’re both worth watching: Drake’s for the drama (kidnapping! Rival gangs! Mobsters!) and Arctic Monkeys for singer Alex Turner’s sick dance moves (exactly how you picture people dancing at outdoor weddings).