Their first full-length CD was Scenes One Through Thirteen (2001) which comprised all of the three prior EPs released to that point. In Spring of 2002, the band released another EP entitled Knock Knock Knock, with Steve Bays taking over vocals, and Dante DeCaro adding guitars to the previously synth-heavy sound. That same year, the band entered the studio to record their second full length album, Make Up The Breakdown, for Sub-Pop Records which propelled Hot Hot Heat into greater popularity and provided the band with a strong fan-base. The video for their song "Bandages" off of Make Up the Breakdown even received rotations on channels such as MTV.
In 2005 the band released their second album, Elevator, this time with Sire Records. This was a critical time for the band, because Dante DeCaro (guitar) decided to leave Hot Hot Heat. As one of the innovators of Hot Hot Heat's sound, the band considered breaking up. Wanting to continue the band, Luke Paquin was added as DeCaro's replacement. And although Elevator was recorded with DeCaro, Paquin is featured on the album art.
In 2007, Hot Hot Heat released their third studio album, Happiness Ltd. to eagerly awaiting fans. The band decided to add new elements to their music, including an orchestra. "Vibe" is constantly used by the band to describe everything about the album.
Hot Hot Heat is currently signed with Los Angeles indie label Dangerbird Records, and released their latest album, Future Breeds, in the summer of 2010.
On April 28, 2016, Steve Bays sent an email to fans confirming that the group was disbanding . His message read:
"Dearest friends, fans and supporters (new and old),
It is with much gratitude and respect to all of you that I confirm the end of the band. I didn't want to make a big deal about it, as I can't help but think that an emotional 'final letter' might feel big-headed (and very un-Canadian)! But after reading your descriptive and heartfelt comments, I realize the importance of not leaving any of you (or ourselves, for that matter) hanging any longer, and addressing that this newest, self-titled record is the final collaborative project for Hot Hot Heat.
When people ask me why the band isn't continuing, the thought that comes to mind is that an explosive fire can only burn for so long. Hot Hot Heat felt like harnessing lightning in a bottle. There were four A-type personalities, on and off the stage, all freaking out at the same time - for years! That's what made the personality in the songwriting jump out, and the live-show chemistry so shocking. I wouldn't / couldn't have had it any other way. I love them all, and will never spend that much time that closely with anyone else. I feel like I could write a book on each one of those guys. There was so much (beautiful and crazy) personality and energy in the band... and harnessing and guiding it in the same direction for 17 years is way longer than any of us ever thought we would have. So thank you for letting us do that.
It’s not that there isn’t part of me that wants to keep going, it’s just that I don’t want to continue to the band without the same ferocity and passion. That’s not what HHH was about. It was an all-consuming all-or-nothing thing, and it wouldn’t make sense to keep going at half-speed. The desire to leave our mark on pop music was what fueled us to give up our entire lives. I feel like we made our musical statement, and are ready to move on to new creative endeavors now. Hot Hot Heat changed and molded all of us. I think we squeezed all of the crazy incredible experiences and good times we possibly could’ve out of it. 17 years is a long time, and we’re all ready to continue on with our lives, meanwhile carrying forward with us all the experiences and love that was enabled by our journey as HHH.
Although it's been a gradual crossfade from active to non-active for us, marking it as the end feels realistic at this point. It’s also a good opportunity to acknowledge our appreciation for the love and support and - to be honest - just reeeally good times we've been lucky enough to experience on and off-stage, all over the world, since we formed in a basement in 1999. From freaking people out at house parties in the early days to seeing a larger audience react to the fact that weird music was somehow getting on the radio (and people were actually supporting and encouraging it) -- even just as a fan of music, it seemed too good to be true! I could never relate to the seriousness of the mainstream music of my childhood, which seemed to default to romanticizing depression and struggle. After living through that era of music in the 90’s, it felt way more rebellious and punk rock to not be afraid to have fun and run around and dance and freak out.
We were lucky enough to hang together for years. From living in shitty punk houses where we would jam all night and put on gigs with touring bands, to touring in vans that broke down in the mountains, then barely making it in time to a 15-person house-party gig and sleeping on floors... to eventually jumping between festivals and tours in Europe, Australia, Japan, etc. like it was no big deal... It was a huge trip. And none of it would’ve been possible without the support of so many different people behind the scenes -- I hope you know that YES I am talking to YOU -- and passionate fans who always showed up and weren't afraid to leave the heaviness of the real world behind, so they could throw down and have a good time with us.
I hope that our earlier records live on, as we always tried to not be bound too closely by current trends, hoping to achieve some sense of timelessness. And I feel that this final record is no exception. It is an assimilation of all of our varying, evolving musical mantras that we’ve kept to ourselves, but stuck closely to over the years. It has all the things I would want from a HHH record. It’s been a long time coming, and I’m genuinely excited to put it out!
What started as a late-night basement experiment after Paul traded a cheap guitar for a cheap synth from his dad's bandmate, Hot Hot Heat became the most important creative endeavor of our lives. Apologies for the melodrama, but looking back, man… it's true. It was so big for us all. It was all-consuming. All day, all night. We really took our work home with us and it was so cool having support from so many people encouraging us to just keep on truckin. I’m proud of every song we ever released – they all meant something sincere to me. The Hot Hot Heat family has always been the most loyal and supportive group of people, and I never would’ve imagined in a million years that we’d gain the love that we did. I can’t believe you gave your all for so long; I’m eternally grateful.
From the nerves before going on, to the euphoria of feeling completely out-of-body onstage, to the high I felt after every show that seemed to last for weeks, I will miss being in Hot Hot Heat. I’m proud of what we did. I’m proud of the people we connected with. Together, we managed to push pop music in a different direction.
Thank you for that.
- Steve Bays
Let Me In
Hot Hot Heat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Had a lie with a stranger
5 dozen photographs
solemn burnt up in anger
Am I asleep still?
Tell me, I could have been
Don't let it tear us apart again limb from limb
[Chorus:]
But I don't want to look at you this way
I'm staring through your window
I don't want to think of you this way
I'm begging, baby, Let me in
Baby, just let me in
I'm begging at your door just let me in
Just let me in
I drink the wine of youth
Ended up in a coma
Your wicked silver tounge
No wonder nobody told you
That I'm awake now
First time I've ever been able to see what I should have seen
way back when you let me in
[Chorus]
It's my fault for waiting
Just won't end up saving
Guess this is farewell
Somehow, you let me in
hey
See, I'm awake now
First time I've ever been able to see what I should have seen
Way back when you let me in
[Chorus]
There's fault for waiting
Just won't end up saving
Guess this is farewell
Somehow, you let me in
The lyrics of Hot Hot Heat's song "Let Me In" appears to be about a tumultuous relationship that has experienced a lot of ups and downs. The opening line wakes us up from a dream-like state of smoke and flames that is a metaphor for the turmoil in the relationship. The singer has been unfaithful to his partner and had a lie with a stranger, as shown in the second line. The following line of "5 dozen photographs solemn burnt up in anger" depicts a situation where there was an outburst, maybe as a result of discovering that the singer was unfaithful. The photographs symbolize tangible evidence of the relationship, memories and experiences that have literally gone up in smoke.
The chorus of the song is a plea for the partner to forgive and let the singer back into their life. The singer is outside the partner's window, looking in, and begging to be let in, which shows how much effort he is willing to put in to make amends. The singer acknowledges that he doesn't want to see or think of the partner this way since he has hurt them. He admits that it was his fault for waiting and that's why he won't end up saving himself. He is leaving but acknowledges that the partner let him in, believing that even though the relationship wasn't successful, he gained something.
In summary, the lyrics of "Let Me In" showcase a person coming to terms with the end of a failed relationship but still grappling with the emotions surrounding it. The singer acknowledges their mistakes while acknowledging the partner's goodwill, and while he acknowledges that the relationship will end, he still feels that it was worthwhile.
Line by Line Meaning
Woke up in smoke and flames
The singer woke up in a chaotic and destructive situation.
Had a lie with a stranger
The singer engaged in dishonesty with an unfamiliar person.
5 dozen photographs solemn burnt up in anger
The singer lost important and meaningful memories in a fit of rage.
Am I asleep still?
The artist questions the reality of the situation.
Tell me, I could have been
The artist regrets not taking action to prevent the current situation.
Don't let it tear us apart again limb from limb
The singer is pleading for someone to prevent their relationship from falling apart.
please let me in
The singer wants to be let in to someone's life or emotions.
But I don't want to look at you this way
The artist is uncomfortable with their current view of the person they're speaking to.
I'm staring through your window
The artist is observing the person they're speaking to from afar.
I don't want to think of you this way
The artist doesn't want to have negative thoughts or perception of the person they're speaking to.
I'm begging, baby, Let me in
The singer is pleading for someone to let them in emotionally or otherwise.
Baby, just let me in
The artist continues to ask someone to let them in.
I'm begging at your door just let me in
The singer is asking for someone to let them in to their life or emotions.
I drink the wine of youth
The singer is living life to the fullest.
Ended up in a coma
The singer experienced a traumatic event.
Your wicked silver tounge
The person being addressed is deceitful and manipulative.
No wonder nobody told you
It's not surprising that no one warned the person being addressed about their behavior.
That I'm awake now
The singer is now aware of the truth.
First time I've ever been able to see what I should have seen
The singer is recognizing things they should have noticed earlier.
way back when you let me in
The artist is reflecting on when they were first allowed into the person's life or emotions.
It's my fault for waiting
The artist takes responsibility for not acting sooner.
Just won't end up saving
The artist knows it's too late to fix things.
Guess this is farewell
The singer is saying goodbye.
Somehow, you let me in
The artist acknowledges that they were allowed into the person's life or emotions.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEVEN AARON BAYS, PAUL GRANVILLE SCOTT HAWLEY, DUSTIN PATRICK HAWTHORNE, LUKE PAQUIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@vitoscaletta4862
La conocí por Saints Row 2 pero encerio esta canción está jodidamente infravalorada, pegajosa y coreable
@blackstrippedkitten3709
His voice is incredible! ♥
@kizziastamp7111
Who else is here because of Saint Row 2?
@TheGhostarchon
I cried when Carlos died sorry if your still playing sr2 lol just really sad tho :(
@Anthony-ys8rx
Me
@bxbychopbeatz5955
+kizzia Stamp yuppp
@ned8896
+kizzia Stamp Me me me me!
@bigman10239
ikr, it's like it unavoidable, i hear this song often ingame. kinda like horse with no name in gta sa. but we all know that. i bet hot hot heat loves sr2 for this reason!
@cameronfuchs9516
Most underrated song of all time.
@ShaNxtDoor
Cameron Fuchs facts