The band played independently in Peterborough, Ontario for a few years before they signed with Tooth and Nail Records, largely on the recommendation of Trevor McNevan, the lead singer of fellow Tooth and Nail bands Thousand Foot Krutch and FM Static. McNevan, also from Peterborough, is credited with discovering the band. In July of 2004, Hawk Nelson released their major label debut Letters to the President. It was produced by Aaron Sprinkle and McNevan, who also co-wrote the album's fourteen songs. He has also appeared on some of the band's songs, as well as in their video for the song "California". In October 2005, the band re-released Letters to the President, with new material including their cover of The Who's My Generation, three acoustic versions of some of their hits, and a limited edition cover. Dave Clark was replaced by Jonathan Steingard on guitar in 2004.
The band released their second studio album, titled Smile, It's The End of the World, on April 4, 2006. The album's first single, "Everything You Ever Wanted", went on to hit #1 for 9 weeks on the R&R Christian CHR chart, and was the fourth most played song of 2006. Hawk Nelson released a 3-track Christmas EP titled Gloria on November 21, 2006.
In 2007, Aaron Tosti (who had joined the band to replace Matt Paige on drums) left the band to pursue other musical ventures and was replaced by Justin Benner. Justin had previously toured with Hawk Nelson before with The Send. Hawk Nelson's third full album, Hawk Nelson Is My Friend was released on April 1, 2008, and featured songs co-written by Trevor McNevan of Thousand Foot Krutch, Raine Maida of Our Lady Peace, and Richard Marx. The album was nominated for a 2009 Grammy Award in the category for Best Recording Package.
On July 21, 2009, Hawk Nelson released their second single from their fourth album Live Life Loud called "The Meaning Of Life", and on August 8, the song "Alive" began to be played on Christian Radio. They released the album in September of the same year.
Their fifth studio album, Crazy Love, which was released in stores February 8, 2011.
On February 1, 2012, lead vocalist Jason Dunn announced he would be leaving the band, in order to pursue his solo project, Lights Go Down. He is currently recording an album tentatively titled Abandon Progress. On March 11, 2012 in Fresno, California, frontman Jason Dunn performed his final US show with Hawk Nelson.
On December 11, 2012, Hawk Nelson announced they had signed with Fair Trade Services. Made was released on April 2, 2013. The album's release was preceded by the release of the album's debut single on January 15, 2013, "Words", featuring Bart Millard of MercyMe,while "Faithful" was released on September 12, 2013.
Tours
The band spent the summer of 2006 touring the major Christian music festivals. In the winter of 2006, they toured with TobyMac's Winter Wonder Slam tour along with The Afters, Family Force 5, and Ayiesha Woods. In 2007, Hawk Nelson performed at Winter Jam with a wide variety of other Christian bands, which were Newsong, Jeremy Camp, Steven Curtis Chapman, Sanctus Real, and Britt Nicole. Also, Hawk Nelson toured with MxPx, Run Kid Run, Project 86, The Fold, and The Classic Crime. In January 2008, the band headlined their own tour, that they called the Green T Tour, which also featured Capital Lights and Run Kid Run. In the summer of 2008, Hawk Nelson played their second annual Faith Nights Baseball Tour.
Mainstream Success
The band has achieved some success in the mainstream as well. They portrayed The Who on an episode of the NBC drama American Dreams, and they recorded a song named "Bring 'Em Out" for the 2005 motion picture Yours, Mine, and Ours featuring Drake Bell. This song and another hit song "The Show" were used on Sunday Night Football commercials. "Things We Go Through" from Letters to the President was also featured in Yours, Mine, and Ours. Bulletproof Records and Producer Ralph Sall have assembled the compilation Charlotte's Web (Music Inspired By The Motion Picture) in December 2006, which features "Everything You Ever Wanted" by Hawk Nelson, as well as music by Amy Grant and Billy Ray Cyrus. In 2008, the band also contributed a cover of "Don't You (Forget About Me)", originally by Simple Minds, off the JCPenney Presents: Don't You Forget About Me. The Covers (EP). The song was also featured in back-to-school commercials for J.C. Penney. The song "Live Life Loud" was featured in the trailer for the movie, "Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules," and was available in the Rock Band store during the first week of April 2010.
Bring 'Em Out
Hawk Nelson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And people making noise
Just let me hear you shout,
Bring 'em out! bring 'em out!
Pump up your fist
If you twist like this
'til the lights go out,
Bring 'em out! bring 'em out!
All the girls and the boys
And people making noise
Just let me hear you shout,
Bring 'em out! bring 'em out!
Pump up your fist
If you twist like this
'til the lights go out,
Bring 'em out! bring 'em out!
Katie,
I don't know why I even try
'cause lately
You're always out with other guys
Pretty baby
Don't you know I'll treat you right
I'll go crazy
If you pass me up tonight
Hey, hey, hey hey!
Hey, hey, hey hey hey!
All this time can't get it off my mind
Dance the night away
Keep rocking with me
When the grooves alright
Rocking all night
I want to hear you say
All the girls and the boys
And people making noise
Just let me hear you shout,
Bring 'em out! bring 'em out!
Pump up your fist
If you twist like this
'til the lights go out,
Bring 'em out! bring 'em out!
Wake up
I'm calling you up I need a ride
We're gonna shake up
So hurry it up no wasted time
The girls in their makeup
In black and white
Exchanging looks tonight
I just ran into some other friends of mine
Someone's coming 'round to pick them up at nine
Hey, hey, hey hey!
Hey, hey, hey hey hey!
All this time can't get it off my mind
Dance the night away
Keep rocking with me
When the grooves alright
Rocking all night
I want to hear you say
Hey hey hey!
All this time can't get it off my mind
Dance the night away
Keep rocking with me
When the grooves alright
Rocking all night
Shake it shake it up until we break it
We won't stop till we just can't take it
Everybody move to the beat
Come on
Everybody move to the beat
Come on
Everybody rock to the break of dawn
Everybody else just sing along
Everybody move to the beat
Come on
Everybody move to the beat
Come on
Everybody rock to the break of dawn
Everybody else just sing along
Everybody move to the beat
Come on
Everybody move to the beat
Come on
Everybody rock to the break of dawn
Everybody else just sing along
Go!
All this time can't get it off my mind
Dance the night away
When the grooves alright
Rocking all night
Wanna hear you say
All this time can't get it off my mind
Dance the night away
When the grooves alright
Rocking all night
Wanna hear you say
All the girls and the boys
And people making noise
Just let me hear you shout,
Bring 'em out! bring 'em out!
Pump up your fist
If you twist like this
'til the lights go out,
Bring 'em out! bring 'em out!
All the girls and the boys
And people making noise
Just let me hear you shout,
Bring 'em out! bring 'em out!
Pump up your fist
If you twist like this
'til the lights go out,
Bring 'em out! bring 'em out!
The lyrics of Hawk Nelson's "Bring 'Em Out" ft Drake Bell are a call to action for fun and excitement. The opening lines urge everyone to make noise and shout out, encouraging them to "bring 'em out," meaning bring out the energy and enthusiasm within them. The song is vibrant and joyful, intended for people to dance to and let go of their inhibitions. The next section of the song shifts from the general excitement of the opening lines to Drake Bell's story of heartbreak. He sings about a girl, Katie, who he has been trying to win over, but who is always with other guys. He expresses his desperation to have her attention, saying that he would go crazy if she passes him up that night.
Despite the somber tone of Bell's verse, the song's overall message persists with a focus on bringing people together to have fun and dance the night away. The chorus repeats the line, "all the girls and the boys, and people making noise... Bring 'em out! Bring 'em out! "and encourages everyone to pump up their fists and twist until the lights go out. The bridge is a rallying call for everyone to move to the beat, rock to the break of dawn, and sing along.
Overall, "Bring 'Em Out" is a perfect party anthem that keeps everyone engaged and enthusiastic throughout its duration.
Line by Line Meaning
All the girls and the boys
Everyone in the room
And people making noise
People being loud and enthusiastic
Just let me hear you shout,
Make some noise and show your excitement
Bring 'em out! bring 'em out!
Encourage everyone to come out and have fun
Pump up your fist
Raise your fist in excitement
If you twist like this
If you dance and move to the music
'til the lights go out,
Until the party ends
Katie,
Direct address to a girl named Katie
I don't know why I even try
Feeling uncertain about pursuing a relationship with Katie
'cause lately
Recently
You're always out with other guys
Katie is spending time with other men
Pretty baby
Term of endearment for Katie
Don't you know I'll treat you right
Promising to treat Katie well if she chooses to be with him
I'll go crazy
He will be upset if he doesn't get to be with Katie
If you pass me up tonight
If Katie chooses to spend time with someone else instead of him
All this time can't get it off my mind
Thinking about Katie and their relationship
Dance the night away
Let's have fun and dance
Keep rocking with me
Keep dancing and enjoying the music with me
When the grooves alright
When the music is good
Rocking all night
Dancing and having fun for hours
I want to hear you say
Encouraging everyone to join in and have fun
Wake up
Addressing someone, possibly a friend
I'm calling you up I need a ride
Asking for a ride to the party
We're gonna shake up
We're going to have a good time
So hurry it up no wasted time
Don't waste time, let's go to the party
The girls in their makeup
Referring to girls at the party
In black and white
Wearing black and white clothing
Exchanging looks tonight
Flirting and making eye contact with each other
I just ran into some other friends of mine
Met some other friends at the party
Someone's coming 'round to pick them up at nine
Someone else is coming to pick up his friends later
Shake it shake it up until we break it
Dance and have fun until the party ends
We won't stop till we just can't take it
Keep dancing until they are too tired to continue
Everybody move to the beat
Everyone should dance to the music
Come on
Encouragement to join in and have fun
Everybody rock to the break of dawn
Dance until the next morning
Everybody else just sing along
Everyone should participate and enjoy the music
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KASSEEM DEAN, THOMAS RANDOLPH BELL, SHAWN C. CARTER, KENNETH GAMBLE, ROLAND LAWRENCE CHAMBERS, CLIFFORD J. HARRIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cosmic Giggler
2019 anyone?? Randomly had this song pop in my head today so had to come enjoy it :) this kind of music made my church upbringing much more pleasurable. ThAnks Hawk!!
The Ironflash-guy
2020!
Kayla White
As soon as I clicked this song YouTube asked me how old I was 😂
Nehemiah Zoller
I’m watching Yours, Mine, and Ours rn. That’s why I’m here LMAO. Great song, love punk rock to death
Gabriel Zwyghuizen
This was my youth group’s starting song to let us know it was time to gather around the stage!! Hahaha
mallory germany
2022 and I somehow had this song randomly pop into my head. I still know all the lyrics
Aniyah Johnson
Its 2020 and I still love this song 😁😁😁
Monty
Me too
Daniel Kinsey
I remember going to their concert when this song came out. Awesome guys and super nice!
Melissa Rea
2021 and still jamming to this classic