To Hold Hands and Love

(Hold my hand)

Want you to hold my hand

(Hold my hand)

I'll take you to a place where you can be

(Hold my hand)

Anything you wanna be because

I wanna love you the best that,

The best that I can...

-- "Hold My Hand", Hootie and the Blowfish

Continuing the "Rocking for Pokémon" series, after a bit of a somber song, it seems wise to follow it up with a more uplifting one. It also happens to be the oldest song out of all the songs I've discussed or about to discuss, and its release even predates Pokémon by a few years. In making the discussion, therefore, I'm in a way bringing it back to "contemporary awareness" while of course relating it to the Pokémon experiences of me as well as others.

Essentially, the song is about someone offering compassion and cooperation to another party, most likely someone who is not feeling that great. That could be in the form of love (as stated in the chorus above) or perhaps, at the most basic level, a relation of friendship. The outreach is certainly symbolized with hands as well as movement to where both parties can become what they can or need to be, even if the results may not be as spectacularly as expected.

The further relation of this to Pokémon and in particular my experiences with it does implicate the relationships of people and Pokémon with one another and across the two. As they link hands, they can bring each other to better places where they can be all they can be; that may or may not involve love, but at least it could for some lucky souls. It may just be something that current Pokémon fans may need to be reminded of, including me and others close to me.

It so happens that the song is spiritually connected (and similar) to another song I discussed many years ago, though of a different genre. The timeframe of reference is also similar, though this one is admittedly a bit early in comparison. Still, it affirms that the message is universal regardless of how it's conveyed, and that's a wonderful thing, as is the message itself. 

Being able to hold hands with another is arguably a basic human emotion, which extends to sentient beings like Pokémon, as is demonstrated in all media forms related to the franchise. It doesn't take a retro song like the above - which it is now - to remind contemporaries of the message, but it does help somewhat, and so does the consideration of fitting in Pokémon.

One year ago: What Lurks in the Pokémon Night

Two years ago: Cosplay: Unity, The Story of Us

Three years ago: Let's Talk About Challenges in Connecting

Four years ago: Making the Case for Open-World

Five years ago: Possibility of a "Basic League"?

Six years ago: Beta Testing

Seven years ago: Taking the Go Train

Eight years ago: Worldly Inspirations for a Small World