"Hold On" (John Lennon)

"Hold On" is such a brief song that it's kind of easy to overlook the track when thinking about the totality of John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970), a raw, sometimes ragged collection of songs steeped in brutal honesty and pure emotion.  Actually, "Hold On" is almost less of a song and more of a mantra: its repeated invocation for himself, Yoko, and the world to "hold on, it's gonna be alright" feels like a prayer, spoken in deep meditation.  The words brim with hope and are framed perfectly by the understated rhythm guitar.  (The moment I hear those opening chords and that warm tone, I know it's Lennon, through and through.)  
And if nothing else, it has Lennon throwing in a little homage to Cookie Monster during the bridge.  It's impossible not to crack a smile when you hear it.