There are at least two artists which have used the name Hanson
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.

Magic Carpet Ride
Hanson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I like to dream yes, yes, right between my sound machine
On a cloud of sound I drift in the night
Any place it goes is right
Goes far, flies near, to the stars away from here

Well, you don't know what we can find
Why don't you come with me little girl
On a magic carpet ride

You don't know what we can see
Why don't you tell your dreams to me
Fantasy will set you free
Close your eyes girlLook inside girl
Let the sound take you away

Last night I held Aladdin's lamp
And so I wished that I could stay
Before the thing could answer me
Well, someone came and took the lamp away
I looked around, a lousy candle's all I found

Well, you don't know what we can find
Why don't you come with me little girl
On a magic carpet ride
Well, you don't know what we can see
Why don't you tell your dreams to me
Fantasy will set you free
Close your eyes girl

Look inside girl
Let the sound take you away

Overall Meaning

In Hanson's song "Magic Carpet Ride," the lyrics describe the feeling of being lost in a dreamlike trance. The singer of the song visualizes himself riding a magic carpet in his sound machine, feeling light as a feather as he floats above the clouds. The idea is to escape the mundane reality and explore distant lands, where everything is possible. The verse "Any place it goes is right" indicates that the ride is non-judgmental, and everything is uninhibited.

The chorus of the song invites the listener to join the journey and forget about their worries. The singer tells the listener that they have no idea what they might find on this journey, but they should come along anyway. The metaphorical magic carpet ride is a representation of the expansive unknown that awaits us when we let ourselves be free of our fears and inhibitions. By telling the singer their deepest desires, the listener allows their mind to wander without boundaries and limitations.

Towards the end of the song, the singer tells us about his encounter with Aladdin's lamp, which he had wished to stay with, but before the genie could grant his wish, someone stole the lamp away. The metaphor here is that sometimes, just when we think we have what we want, someone else takes it away from us, leaving us stranded in a world we don't recognize. The song concludes with the singer inviting the listener to join him on another adventure, and together, they will find a way to overcome any obstacles that lie ahead.

Line by Line Meaning

I like to dream yes, yes, right between my sound machine
I enjoy dreaming and getting lost in my thoughts, especially while listening to music.

On a cloud of sound I drift in the night
I feel like I'm floating in a sea of music and my thoughts while lost in my dreams at night.

Any place it goes is right
No matter where my dreams take me, I know it's the right place for me to be in that moment.

Goes far, flies near, to the stars away from here
My dreams can take me anywhere, even to the stars, far away from my current reality.

Well, you don't know what we can find
There are endless possibilities and adventures waiting for us if we're willing to explore and take chances.

Why don't you come with me little girl
I'm inviting someone to join me on this magical journey through my thoughts and dreams.

On a magic carpet ride
Together, we can explore and experience an imaginative and fantastical journey.

You don't know what we can see
There's a whole new world of possibilities and experiences waiting for us outside of our current reality.

Why don't you tell your dreams to me
I want to hear about your dreams and hopes so we can share and explore them together.

Fantasy will set you free
Imagination and dreaming can liberate us from our everyday worries and problems.

Close your eyes girl
Shut out the world and let yourself get lost in the journey through your thoughts and dreams.

Look inside girl
Explore the depths of your own imagination and consciousness to discover new ideas and experiences.

Let the sound take you away
Let the music and your imagination transport you to new and exciting places.

Last night I held Aladdin's lamp
I had a moment of wonder and magic, just like in the story of Aladdin.

And so I wished that I could stay
I wanted that magical moment to last forever.

Before the thing could answer me
Before I even had the chance to make a wish, my moment of magic was cut short.

Well, someone came and took the lamp away
Someone or something took away my moment of magic and wonder, leaving me feeling disappointed and let down.

I looked around, a lousy candle's all I found
In the aftermath of my moment of magic, all I'm left with is disappointment and a sense that reality doesn't measure up to our dreams.

Contributed by Lillian M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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