1. A pop … Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two artists which have used the name Hanson
1. A pop rock group from Oklahoma, United States
2. A funk rock group from the United Kingdom active in the 1970's.
1. Hanson is an American pop rock band from Tulsa, Oklahoma. The band consists of guitarist and vocalist Isaac Hanson (born November 17, 1980) pianist and vocalist Taylor Hanson (born March 14, 1983), and drummer and vocalist Zac Hanson (born October 22, 1985). Their work has spanned many different genres, including rock, blues, folk, and pop. They are most noted for their Grammy-nominated 1997 hit single, “MMMBop.” Their 1997 album Middle of Nowhere (the band’s third recorded album and first major studio album, also nominated for a Grammy) was met with critical acclaim and went on to achieve multi-platinum status. The group’s subsequent major effort, This Time Around showcased the brothers’ considerable talent and artistic growth, receiving wide critical acclaim for its bluesy/classic-rock and soulful pop harmonies. The album failed to repeat the commercial success of Middle of Nowhere however, only achieving gold status. The album has since been considered a trend-setter and precursor for such acts as Michelle Branch, John Mayer, Avril Lavigne, Paramore, Vanessa Carlton and Eisley.
After many promotional and artistic conflicts with Island/Def Jam, Hanson split from the label in 2003 and started their own label, 3CG Records. In 2004, they released their third major studio album, Underneath, independently. The album reached #1 on Billboard’s Independent Album Chart and has since been noted as one of the biggest-selling independent albums of all time. The single “Penny & Me” reached #2 on Billboard’s Top 200. Like This Time Around, Underneath was well-received and well-reviewed for its more mature classic rock/pop sound.
The band continues to have a dedicated fan base and Internet presence, and recently completed a tour of college campuses, showing a documentary, Strong Enough to Break, made about their struggle to form their own label and release Underneath. The documentary http://www.last.fm/music/Hanson was also shown at the Hollywood Film Festival in October 2006.
A live album (The Best of Hanson; Live & Electric), recorded in Melbourne on the Australian leg of the “Underneath: Live & Electric” tour was released in October 2005.
The band released of their fourth major studio album, The Walk in North America on July 24th, 2007. They have released a second documentary, titled Taking The Walk as a continuation of their struggles and successes of writing, recording and producing their own album. After spending some time in Africa, Hanson released a single “Great Divide” for World AIDS Day, with 100% of the download proceeds going to the Perinatal HIV Unit at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, South Africa.
During the making of The Walk, Hanson made a trip to Africa to record some tracks with the African Children's Choir. They were so inspired by their experiences there that they have since teamed up with TOMS Shoes--a california-based company who donates a pair of shoes for each pair sold to a child in poverty who does not have shoes.
In order to raise awareness for this charity and the daily things we take for granted, as well as small and impactful ways to help those in need, Hanson organizes one mile barefoot walks before each of their shows. As of 10/30/08 they have walked a total of 100 miles together with their fans. They are donating $1 for each person who walks with them to one of 5 causes to help children and monthers in Africa battling AIDS and poverty. The fans are invited to organize their own walks and Hanson will also donate a dollar to whatever cause they are walking for. The goal is to Walk around the World and as of 2/4/2009 have walked 19,236 miles and have 5,666 to go.
More information is available at www.takethewalk.net
Hanson released their 5th studio album entitled "Shout It Out" on June 8, 2010. Leading up to this release they performed all of their albums at 5 sold out shows at the Gramercy Theater in New York City.
2. Hanson is a funk rock band formed in 1973 by reggae musician Junior Marvin. The group released two albums - "Now Hear This" (1973) and "Magic Dragon" (1974) before disbanding in 1974.
Lay Me Down
Hanson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll pull you closely to my chest
With a father's breaking heart
I'll walk you one last time into the dark
There are no reasons to explain
A silent killer bears no blame
There are no answers though I pray
And I lay you down
Lay you down
I'll carry you child
To a place where you can rest
Sweet tears that seep into the linens
As I put you down to bed
It tears me into pieces watching you
Fight to fill your lungs with breath
There's no need to struggle
There's no need to struggle
I lay you down
Lay you down
Don't you cry no more
I'll lay me down
Lay me down
Well, I'm not ready
I'm not ready for this
Oh, well, I'm not ready
I'm not ready for this
There are no branches from this soil
My broken spirit steals my voice
I have no secrets to my name
Only the shadows hide my shame
And so I lift you upon my shoulder
Inside a splintered wooden chest
To Avalon we line the streets
I only hope that you'll finally rest
I'm not ready for this
I'll lay you down
Lay you down
Don't you cry no more
I'll lay me down
Lay me down
I'd gladly lay me down
Lay me down
The song 'Lay Me Down' by Hanson is a poignant and emotional track about a father who has lost his child. The lyrics are a poignant and powerful tribute to the child as the father is carrying out his final act of saying goodbye. The opening stanza of the song is heart-wrenching as the father expresses his deep love for his child and his willingness to hold onto them closely to his chest, even during their final moments. The heartbroken father then proceeds to walk his child one last time into the dark, a metaphor for them passing away.
The following stanza invokes melancholy and begs for understanding as the father states that there are no explanations for the death of his child, as it was an unfortunate silent killer. The words of the stanza acknowledge that he has prayed for answers, but knows that his child's passing was not his fault; it was just something that happened. The father then slowly lays his child down and begins to cry.
The final stanza shows the father's realisation that he must set his child free and let their soul rest. He acknowledges that he is not ready for his child's passing but knows that wherever his child is, they will be at peace. The overall message for this song is one of acceptance, that sometimes life can be harsh even to those who least deserve it, and it is up to us to find the strength and resilience to carry on.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll never walk away from this
I am committed to facing this situation and will not simply abandon it.
I'll pull you closely to my chest
I will hold you tightly and comfort you in this difficult time.
With a father's breaking heart
Though it is difficult for me, I am approaching this situation with the love and care of a father.
I'll walk you one last time into the dark
I will be with you until the very end, even as we face the unknown.
There are no reasons to explain
Sometimes, tragedy strikes without any clear explanation.
A silent killer bears no blame
The cause of this situation could not have been predicted or prevented.
There are no answers though I pray
Despite my best efforts, I cannot understand or fix what has happened.
I die though this is not my grave
This experience is painful enough to feel like a kind of death, even though I myself am still alive.
And I lay you down
I am putting you to rest for the final time.
I'll carry you child
I will bear the weight of this loss and help you find peace.
To a place where you can rest
I will do everything in my power to create a peaceful and comforting environment for you.
Sweet tears that seep into the linens
I am crying as I say goodbye to you, and my tears are falling onto the linens where you will be laid to rest.
As I put you down to bed
This is the final act of care and love that I can give you.
It tears me into pieces watching you
Seeing you struggle and suffer is causing me intense emotional pain.
Fight to fill your lungs with breath
You are fighting for your life, but it is a battle you cannot win.
There's no need to struggle
There is no hope left for recovery, so there is no need to keep fighting.
Don't you cry no more
You can let go of your pain and suffering now that you are at peace.
Well, I'm not ready
I feel overwhelmed and unprepared for the magnitude of this loss.
There are no branches from this soil
This difficult situation has no potential for growth or positive outcomes.
My broken spirit steals my voice
My emotional pain is so great that I am unable to express myself.
I have no secrets to my name
I have nothing to hide and am being completely honest about the depth of my pain.
Only the shadows hide my shame
I feel ashamed that I am unable to prevent or control this situation, and the only place where I can hide those feelings is in the shadows.
And so I lift you upon my shoulder
I am carrying you towards your final resting place, as a symbolic act of respect and honor.
Inside a splintered wooden chest
I have made a humble and functional container to hold you, out of the materials I have available.
To Avalon we line the streets
As we carry you towards your final resting place, the community is lining the streets in recognition and honor of your life.
I only hope that you'll finally rest
My greatest hope is that you will find peace and rest now that your struggle is over.
I'd gladly lay me down
If it were possible, I would be willing to trade places and offer myself up to be laid to rest in your place.
Lay me down
In the face of this great loss, all I can do is surrender and offer myself up to be laid to rest beside you.
Contributed by Camden S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
mandee hess
One of my favorite songs of theirs ... I always hoped it would make it on a studio album. Isaac has such an underrated voice. Dude can croon and rock. 😍
areyoulistening1
with this song, I can only start to imagine how hard it is for parents, having to bury their child. This song is extra touchy today, as over 90 people most of them teenager were killed Friday in Norway. My heart goes out to their parents, family and friends, who has to say their goodbyes way too soon! No one should ever have to bury their children! Such a sad time for Norway!
Moises Lopez
Isaac should sing lead on more songs enough said.... such a powerful song
Julie Walshaw
I lost 3 beautiful babies...2 boys & a girl. these lyrics break my heart & tell the story better than i could ever hope for. thank you Hanson, for capturing my heart & soul xoxo
Julie Marion
💔💔💔💔hard to listen to this without crying. Such beautiful words
JessWoodHere
I love this song!!
Marisa
this song makes me cry
Anna Rodriguez
i wonder if this is going to be on the new album?! hope so!! :)
judycaneline
It's on the 'Take the Walk" EP that comes with the Take the Walk book.
Wendy B
I dedicated this song to my pet tree frog "Champ" who was just burried this morning.