"Quicksand" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears, taken from her sixth full-length studio album, Circus. It was released on November 28, 2008, and appears as the fourteenth track on the European iTunes Store deluxe edition of the album.
Background[]
"Quicksand" was written and produced by Fernando Garibay, with additional writing from Lady Gaga.
The song is listed in the BMI repertoire, crediting Spears as a performer.[1]
Composition[]
"Quicksand" is characterized as a ballad with electronic and pop influences, running four minutes and five seconds in length. It is composed in the key of F major with 120 beats per minute, corresponding to 7B in the Camelot system.
Lyrical theme[]
"Quicksand" is about the struggle of refusing to let go of a love that is dragging you down, using quicksand as a metaphor for emotional entrapment and inevitable decline.
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
I still see your coat hanging on the door
Never let anybody put one there before
My pillow's got your head printed on it
Baby, of all the guys, you were my favorite
[Pre-Chorus]
Don't ask me why
I just can't say goodbye
No, not tonight
No, I just can't say it
[Chorus]
'Cause I'm gonna hold on, yeah, I'm gonna hold on
Baby, gotta keep holding onto what we have
'Cause I don't wanna move on, so I gotta hold on
Baby, because you and me are sinking like quicksand
(Like, like) Like quicksand
(Like-like-like) Like quicksand
(Like, like) Baby, because you and me are sinking like quicksand
(Like, like) Like quicksand
(Like-like-like) Baby, like quicksand
(Like, like) Baby, because you and me are sinking like quicksand
[Verse 2]
You came along, I didn't know of love
But now I know that sometimes it's just not enough
I hear your footsteps in my corridor
But it is just my heart, it's pounding like before
[Pre-Chorus]
Wish I could try
But I just can't say goodbye
No, not tonight
No, I just can't say it
[Chorus]
'Cause I'm gonna hold on, yeah, I'm gonna hold on
Baby, gotta keep holding onto what we have
'Cause I don't wanna move on, so I gotta hold on
Baby, because you and me are sinking like quicksand
(Like, like) Like quicksand
(Like-like-like) Like quicksand
(Like, like) Baby, because you and me are sinking like quicksand
(Like, like) Like quicksand
(Like-like-like) Baby, like quicksand
(Like, like) Baby, because you and me are sinking like quicksand
[Bridge]
'Cause the ground is breaking, I can feel it shaking
Wish it was that easy, but it's not that easy
(Like, like) Gotta hold my hands out
(Like, like) Gotta keep my head up
(Like, like) Gotta keep on breathing
Baby, even if we're sinking
Even if we're sinking
Baby, even if we're sinking
Even if we are sinking
'Cause I just-just gotta, gotta hold
[Chorus]
'Cause I'm gonna hold on, yeah, I'm gonna hold on
Baby, gotta keep holding onto what we have
'Cause I don't wanna move on, so I gotta hold on
Baby, because you and me are sinking like quicksand
('Cause I just-just gotta, gotta hold)
[Outro]
Only got one life to hold on (Like quicksand)
We don't even need to be so strong (Like quicksand)
Only you and me, we need to hold on, and hold on
(Baby, because you and me are sinking like quicksand)
Only got one life to hold on (Like quicksand)
We don't even need to be so strong (Like quicksand)
Only you and me, we need to hold on, and hold on, and hold on
(Baby, because you and me are sinking like quicksand)
And hold on
And hold on
And hold on, on-on-on
(Baby, because you and me are sinking like quicksand)
And hold on, hold on
And hold on, and hold on
And hold on, hold on, and hold on, and hold on
(Baby, because you and me are sinking like quicksand)
And hold on, hold on
And hold on, and hold on
And hold on, hold on, and hold on, and hold on
(Baby, because you and me are sinking like quicksand)
Credits[]
Credit list for "Quicksand";
- Britney Spears - lead vocals
- Lady Gaga - songwriter, background vocals
- Fernando Garibay - producer, instrumentation, programmer, arranger
- Christian Delano - recording engineer
Published by Garibay Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Songs LLC and House of Gaga Publishing LLC.
Availability[]
A demo version of the song performed by Spears leaked online. A snippet of the demo by Gaga also leaked.
