“Holding on to Nothin ‘”, a song written by Jerry Donald Chesnut was recorded by the country music duo Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton for the RCA label on January 31, 1968, at RCA Victor Studio, 800 17th Ave. South, Nashville, TN, in the same session also I record: “Slip away today”. In the recording session, Porter & Dolly, were accompanied by: Wayne Moss (electric guitar), George McCormick (Rythm guitar), Buck Trent (banjo), Pete Drake (steel), Roy M. Junior Huskey, Jr. (bass), Jerry Carrigan (drums), Mack Magaha (fiddle), Hargus Robbins (piano), Anita Carter and Dolores Edgin (background vocals). With the production of Bob Ferguson, the song was released in March 1968. On June 1, 1968, it reached # 7 on the charts of US Hot Country Songs, and remained a total of 17 weeks on the charts. On the Canadian Country Singles charts, it reached number # 17.

The song was included in the second studio album of Porter & Dolly, Just the Two of Us (RCA 1968), the album was released on September 9, 1968, on March 9, 1968, reached at number # 5 of the US Top Country Albums charts, and remaining a total of 27 weeks on the charts.

Versions:

Kitty Wells & Johnny Wright 1968 (Decca)
Ernest Tubb & Loretta Lynn 1969 (Decca)
Charlie Louvin & Melba Montgomery 1971 (Capitol Records)
Dale Ann Bradley 2006 (Compass Records)

Dolly Parton & Porter Wagoner – Holding On To Nothing Lyrics

[Intro]
We’re holding on to nothing left to hold onto

[Verse 1]
I’m so tired of holding on to nothin’
The years have shown no kindness
For the hard times we’ve been through
We’ve squeezed the life from every dream
And still go right on bluffin’
With really nothin’ left to hold onto

[Chorus]
Oh, why do we keep holding on with nothing left to hold onto?
Let’s be honest with each other
That’s the least that we can do
I feel guilty when they envy me and you
We’re holding on with nothing left to hold onto

[Verse 2]
We were young and foolishly mistaken
Victims of a passion much too strong to be denied
With only tears to show for all the years that we’ve been fakin’
God only knows how long how hard we’ve tried

[Chorus]
Oh, why do we keep holding on with nothing left to hold onto?
Let’s be honest with each other
That’s the least that we can do
I feel guilty when they envy me and you
We’re holding on with nothing left to hold onto