C        | C        | Am        | Am        |
F        | G        | C         | C         ||

[Verse 1]
       Em          Am
How it hurts me to see you cry
      Dm                            Gsus4 G
and I   can't think of something to say.
           Em            Am
Everything passes, my darling child,
       Dm                       Gsus4 G
and better days are coming your way.
             E            Am
Boys will be ruthless and girls will be mean,
         Dm                     Gsus4 G
that's a story that's as old as time.
              Em                     Am
But when they catch you be sure they catch your smiling,
    Dm                         F/G             G
oh, darling, keep your head up high.

[Chorus]
          C    C             Am   Am
You gotta hold on, you gotta hold on,
             F                      G                       C          C
you've got a life to live, got your love to give, you gotta hold on.
          C    C             Am   Am
You gotta hold on, you gotta hold on,
                F                     G
you've got your life to live, so much love to give,
          F    C/E    Dm        F/G  C           C
you gotta hold on, oh-oh, gotta hold on.

[Verse 2]
             Em                   Am
When you get older you'll see the world's great wonders
              Dm                           Gsus4 G
and how their beauty's in the palm of your hand.
                 Em                Am
It's not in your schoolbooks and no one can teach you,
       Dm                           G
it's a thing you gotta feel for yourself.

[Pre-Chorus]
    Em  F      G  Am          Em  F    G
But now you're crying, let me dry your   eyes.
    Em   F         G  Am             Em   F  Gsus4    G
Let them catch you smiling with your head up high.

[End-Chorus]
          C    C             Am   Am
You gotta hold on, you gotta hold on,
             F                      G                       C          C
you've got a life to live, got your love to give, you gotta hold on.
          C    C             Am   Am
You gotta hold on, you gotta hold on,
                F                     G
you've got your life to live, so much love to give,
          F    C/E    Dm        F/G  C       Dm       G    C
you gotta hold on, oh-oh, gotta hold on. Oh, darling, hold on.