Released: 2017
“There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” by Shawn Mendes is a potent pop anthem detailing the joys of surrendering to love. It’s a roller coaster ride through all-consuming affection, where the protagonist is unafraid to throw caution to the wind, driven by the magnetic allure of his lover.
In the song, “I wanna follow where she goes, I think about her and she knows it”, Mendes is besotted with this girl. He’s so into her that he can’t hide his feelings. The gravity of his crush is such a compelling force that he willingly surrenders control to her.
When he sings, “She pulls me in enough to keep me guessin’, And maybe I should stop and start confessin’, it’s clear he’s in the dark, yet savors the uncertainty. It’s like he’s playing a game of tug of war with his emotions, caught between keeping his feelings hush or spilling the beans about his ever-growing fondness.
Mendes really cranks up the intensity with the chorus, “Oh, I’ve been shakin’ I love it when you go crazy, You take all my inhibitions, Baby, there’s nothing holdin’ me back”. This simply means that his love for this girl is so intense, it’s got him shaking with excitement. She sweeps him into a whirl of passion that sheds his fears and self-restraint – love on the wild side!
The lines, “You take me places that tear up my reputation, Manipulate my decisions, Baby, there’s nothing holdin’ me back” describe how this girl leads him into scenarios that could potentially tarnish his reputation. But he doesn’t care – he’s all in, even if it means acting out of character.
As the song climaxes, we see Mendes in a state of euphoria, “‘Cause if we lost our minds and we took it way too far, I know we’d be alright”. In other words, even if they go overboard and lose sight of reality, he has unwavering faith that they’ll be just fine as long as they have each other. How’s that for head-over-heels love?
So, in a nutshell, “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” is Mendes sharing his thrilling journey of falling in love and being unafraid to express it – even if that means shaking up the status quo.
