Ball of Wax 62 Songs: Joshua Dennis – “Hold On Till Dawn”

Joshua Dennis – who has appeared on Ball of Wax under a few different monikers over the years – wrote this song the day after election day, after a restless night/morning. He’s based on the east coast now, so it was around dawn for him that it started to look like the election might turn out okay and he was able to sleep. With its lush production and Josh’s soothing voice and vulnerable lyrics, “Hold on Till Dawn” beautifully captures the contrasting terror and hope that have infused this moment (a moment that, as I write, a month and a half after election, continues to ooze its way toward some kind of resolution). In the verses, as many of our BoW 62 artists have, Josh expresses frustration and anger, disbelief that this is the moment we’ve arrived at. The chorus, with the refrain “Hold on till dawn . . . it’s a brand new day,” offers some hope, but it’s tempered by the knowledge we’ve all gained, or relearned – that we’re far too close to the edge, and that’s not changing any time soon.