1992 | #1
Man calls doctor. His ailment?
“My hands are sweaty and my knees are weak/ I can’t eat, and I can’t sleep/ It’s turning me every way but loose…”
Diagnosis: “Sounds like love’s got a hold on you.”
Alan Jackson’s fifth number-one single is, for the most part, pure novelty. It’s the kind of campy little tune that could either go very right or horribly wrong. Fortunately, Jackson’s recording never sounds like it’s taking itself too seriously. The light jaunty arrangement creates just the right mood for the silly lyrics, while Jackson’s laid-back delivery fits the song like a glove. The result is that Jackson creates an infectious singalong-friendly earworm out of a song that could have been a grating annoyance in the wrong hands.
It might not be one of Jackson’s most essential efforts, but “Love’s Got a Hold On You” makes for a fun and enjoyable detour in his storied hit catalog.
Written by Carson Chamberlain and Keith Stegall
Grade: B+
Listen: Love’s Got a Hold On You
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