A performer since the age of seven (the age at which he joined the Broadway cast of Annie Get Your Gun), Nicholas made his songwriting debut in 2002, when a holiday tune he'd co-written with his father found its way onto a Broadway Christmas album. A contract with Columbia Records followed two years later. Nicholas began prepping for his solo career by writing material with his older brothers, Kevin and Joseph, who eventually climbed aboard as permanent partners. Nick's solo project thus blossomed into a full-fledged band, and the siblings aptly named themselves the Jonas Brothers.
It took several years for the Jonas Brothers to find an adoring audience. It's About Time, the band's 2006 debut, was a commercial flop, and Columbia Records dropped the group one year later. Signing with Hollywood Records in 2007, the band began attracting new fans -- most of them young and female -- by establishing a presence in the Disney world. They appeared on the network's television shows, earned their own series, starred in a made-for-TV movie with Disney starlet Demi Lovato, and sold close to two million copies of their self-titled sophomore album. They replicated that feat one year later with A Little Bit Longer and returned in 2009 with Lines, Vines and Trying Times. All of the albums featured heavy contributions from Nick, who not only led the songwriting process but also played a wide variety of instruments, from drums to keyboard to guitar.
Taking a rare break from the band, Nick Jonas began working with several other musicians on a side project in late 2009. Members from Prince's New Power Generation were recruited to join the lineup, including Michael Bland and Tommy Barbarella, and the group dubbed itself Nick Jonas & the Administration before making its debut in early 2010 with the album Who I Am. The record performed respectably, peaking at three on the U.S. charts on its way to sales of 151,000, but there were soon suggestions that Nick was planning to return to the Jonas Brothers fold. This didn't happen. A 2013 tour was scrapped just prior to its October launch and, soon afterward, the band split. Nick Jonas regrouped with a 2014 solo tour followed by the November release of an eponymous album. Over the course of 2014, Jonas gained momentum, generating the Top 10 single "Jealous," which also topped Billboard's dance charts, as did "Chains " and "Levels," a bonus track from 2015's Nick Jonas X2.
In the Summer of 2016, Jonas returned with a new full-length effort, Last Year Was Complicated, featuring production by Jason Evigan, Mattman & Robin, Sir Nolan, and others. Included on the album was "Close," a duet with Tove Lo, and "Bacon," featuring Ty Dolla $ign. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200. Also around this time, Jonas returned to acting, starring in the erotic thriller Careful What You Wish For and the fraternity hazing drama Goat. In 2017, he released the singles "Remember I Told You," featuring Anne-Marie and Mike Posner, and "Find You." Also that year, he collaborated with Nicki Minaj on the track "Bom Bidi Bom" off the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack.
Warning
Nick Jonas Lyrics
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From this cage that I live in
This prison in my head, oh I
Own many mistakes
From all the things, I never did
I carry my defense
Now I'm running for the fences on my own
And I can see the warning
Yeah I can see the warning, warning
It's brighter than the morning, morning
Keeps trying to turn me right around
And it's all I ever wanted
It's all I ever wanted, wanted
I'm breaking the warning down, down
I, I got something inside
It keeps burning my body til it's sore
Keeps wanting more and more oh and I
I'm gonna find
I'm gonna find what I had lost
On the label what I was taught
That I'm running for the fences on my own
And I can see the warning
Yeah I can see the warning, warning
It's brighter than the morning, morning
Keeps trying to turn me right around
And it's all I ever wanted
It's all I ever wanted, wanted
I'm breaking the warning down, down
I'm breaking the warning (I'm breaking the warning)
I'm breaking the warning (I'm breaking the warning down)
Now I'm running for the fences on my own
And I can see the warning
Yeah I can see the warning, warning
It's brighter than the morning, morning
Keeps trying to turn me right around
And it's all I ever wanted
It's all I ever wanted, wanted
I'm breaking the warning down, down
I'm breaking the warning
(Warning and I can see the warning, warning)
(It's brighter than the morning) I'm breaking the warning
(Morning) keeps trying to turn me right around
I'm breaking the warning yeah (and it's all I ever wanted)
(It's all I ever wanted) (morning)
I'm Breaking the warning down, down
I'm breaking the warning down, down
The lyrics of Nick Jonas’s song “Warning” are an overt representation of his personal journey through the music industry. “I keep trynna to escape from this cage that I live in” portrays his career, where he feels trapped to conform to the normative standards of the industry, leading to “many mistakes from all the things, I never did.” Jonas carries his defense, holding back his potential and true self-expression. The chorus, “Now I'm running for the fences on my own, and I can see the warning,” indicates his efforts to break free from these restrictions, acknowledging the consequences that come with it. The warning, “keeps trying to turn me right around,” refers to the pressure and expectation that he faces. However, he is willing to “break the warning down” to achieve what he has always been seeking.
The second verse continues to express Jonas's desire to achieve his true potential. The lyric, “I got something inside, it keeps burning my body 'til it's sore, keeps wanting more and more," signifies his inner passion for music, driving him towards his goals. He aims to find what he has lost and break free from the labels he was taught. “Breaking the warning” is both a call to arms for others to follow in his pursuit of self-discovery and an anthem about self-accomplishment.
Line by Line Meaning
I, keep trynna to escape
Nick is constantly trying to break free from his limiting mental state and live without barriers.
From this cage that I live in
He feels trapped and confined by the constraints of his mind, preventing him from truly living his life to the fullest.
This prison in my head, oh I
He's expressing a state of mental entrapment which is impeding his life progress.
Own many mistakes
Nick recognizes that he's made several wrong decisions and regrets not doing certain things in the past.
From all the things, I never did
He has remorse for certain things he didn't act on, allowing for opportunities to pass him by.
I carry my defense
Nick has built up defensive mechanisms to protect himself from any form of mental or external harm caused by his past mistakes.
Now I'm running for the fences on my own
He's determined to take charge of his life and pursue his goals regardless of the challenges and obstacles he faces along the way.
And I can see the warning
Nick is aware of the risks and negative energy presenting themselves as warnings in his life journey.
It's brighter than the morning, morning
These warnings are glaringly obvious to him and can't be ignored.
Keeps trying to turn me right around
Despite his determination to move forward, these warnings are constantly pulling him in the opposite direction.
And it's all I ever wanted
Nick knows that achieving his goals is all he has ever wanted and is willing to do whatever it takes to break his mental limitations and push forward.
I'm breaking the warning down, down
By acknowledging the warnings and pushing forward with his plans, Nick is breaking the barriers in his life that have been preventing his growth and success.
I got something inside
Here Nick emphasizes the intense drive he has to succeed or accomplish something great.
It keeps burning my body till it's sore
This internal fire is burning so intensely that it is causing physical discomfort which indicates that the urge to succeed is quite fierce.
Keeps wanting more and more oh and I
This fire inside is insatiable and longs for more success and accomplishments. Nick embraces this mindset as it is what is driving him forward.
I'm gonna find
Even with the challenges posed by the numerous warnings, he remains optimistic and committed to finding ways to overcome these challenges in order to succeed.
I'm gonna find what I had lost
He believes that he previously had certain skills or states of mind that are now lost, and he is determined to regain them.
On the label, what I was taught
Nick has implemented values he was taught in the past to help him find what he lost and make an impact in his life journey.
I'm breaking the warning
Nick is so determined to overcome the warnings that he is willing to break them down piece by piece.
Now I'm running for the fences on my own
Nick is practicing independence on his life path, not letting anything or anyone hold him back.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bjorn Erik K Pedersen, Joseph Michael Gil, Sebastian Teigen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind