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.
Last Christmas
Hawk Nelson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
But this year
To save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
Once bitten and twice shy
But you still catch my eye
Tell me baby
Do you recognize me?
Well
It's been a year
It doesn't surprise me
Happy Christmas,
I wrapped it up and sent it
With a note saying "I love you"
And meant it
Now I know what a fool I've been
But if you kissed me now
I know you'd fool me again
Last Christmas
I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year
To save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
A crowded room
Friends with tired eyes
I'm hiding from you
And your soul of ice
My God I thought you were
Someone to rely on
Me?
I guess I was a shoulder to cry on
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart
A man under cover but you tore me apart
You tore me apart, ooo-ooo
Now I've found a real love
You'll never fool me again
Last Christmas
I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year
To save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
Hawk Nelson's song "Last Christmas" is a cover of the popular 1984 song of the same name by Wham!. The lyrics depict a story of heartbreak and loss during the holiday season. The song starts with the singer admitting to giving their heart to someone during last Christmas but that person gave it away the very next day. The singer is promising not to repeat the same mistake and will give their heart to someone special this year.
The song then picks up the tempo and the singer is reminiscing about the previous year. They had been hurt and heartbroken, and had decided to keep their distance from the person who betrayed them. Even though they are hiding from the person who hurt them, they still catch their eye, and the singer asks if they recognize them. The singer then confesses that they had wrapped up their heart and sent it with a note that said, "I love you," but now realizes what a fool they had been to trust that person.
Despite the bitterness and anger, the song ends on a hopeful note as the singer declares that they have found a real love and will never be fooled again. Overall, the song captures the complex emotions that can surface during the holiday season, as people look back on the past and strive to find hope in the future.
Line by Line Meaning
Last Christmas
In the past year, during the Christmas season
I gave you my heart
I gave you my love and affection
But the very next day, you gave it away
You quickly ended our relationship after Christmas
But this year
During this year's Christmas season
To save me from tears
To avoid feeling sad or hurt
I'll give it to someone special
I'll give my love to a person who deserves it
Once bitten and twice shy
After being hurt before, I'm hesitant to fall in love again
I keep my distance
I try to avoid getting too close to you
But you still catch my eye
I'm still attracted to you
Tell me baby
Please inform me
Do you recognize me?
Do you remember who I am?
Well
In any case
It's been a year
It has been one year since our last Christmas together
It doesn't surprise me
I expected it to be this way
Happy Christmas,
Merry Christmas
I wrapped it up and sent it
I packaged my love and sent it over
With a note saying "I love you"
I sent a love message along with it
And meant it
I truly meant what I said
Now I know what a fool I've been
I finally realize how foolish I was to give you my love
But if you kissed me now
If we were to kiss at this moment
I know you'd fool me again
I believe you would only be using me again
A crowded room
A place filled with many people
Friends with tired eyes
My friends who are unhappy with my situation
I'm hiding from you
I'm trying to avoid being near you
And your soul of ice
Your cold and unfeeling personality
My God I thought you were
Lord, I believed you to be
Someone to rely on
A person who I could trust and depend on
Me?
But instead, it was the opposite
I guess I was a shoulder to cry on
I suppose I was someone to provide emotional support
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart
I was someone who was deeply in love with you
A man under cover but you tore me apart
I was a person who kept my true feelings hidden, but you ended up hurting me anyway
You tore me apart, ooo-ooo
You caused me immense emotional pain
Now I've found a real love
I have found someone who genuinely loves me
You'll never fool me again
I won't allow you to deceive me like you have done before
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind