Awakening (song)
Encyclopedia
"Awakening" is the second single off Switchfoot
's sixth studio album, Oh! Gravity.
. The single was released to radio in March 2007. It hit Hot AC radio stations with an impact day of March 26, 2007 and eventually peaked at No. 54 on that format's charts. It was also slated for release to Top 40, Alternative, and Active Rock stations, http://footsoldiers.bandfarm.com/fs_radiopromo.htm but saw virtually no play on any of those formats.
. "We had two or three weeks off tour in January of this last year," bassist Tim Foreman
said. "We were touring in support of 'Nothing is Sound' and we had some time to go into the studio. "We didn't really have a plan," noted Switchfoot singer/songwriter Jon Foreman
about that time in the studio. This lack of deadline pressure allowed the band to write music freely, and out of those sessions came "Awakening."
It was the first official track recorded when it came time to begin actual recording for Oh! Gravity.
and was produced by Steve Lillywhite
, whose credits include U2
and Dave Matthews Band
. "We just love his big-picture input on the song 'Awakening.'” said Tim.
About the song itself, songwriter Jon Foreman
said, "Perhaps to be truly reborn death is not optional. Here’s a firsthand story about new life, it always starts at the bottom."
for this song was filmed February 28, 2007 in Toronto, one of the stops on the band's Winter/Spring Tour. Brandon Dickerson
(director of "You Already Take Me There" and "New Way to Be Human
" videos) directed the Awakening music video. It was released leaked, April 5 by the band's web content designer, Dale Manning on YouTube
.
The official release date for the music video was Tuesday, April 10th. It premiered on the band's official Youtube account and on the website. The video is different from the band's previous videos because the video is not overtly related to the song or the meaning of the song. It is also different in the fact that the band funded the video out of their own pockets, without support from their record label.
The creation of the video also was unique in the fact that Dickerson used a never-before-used technique dubbed "paper-mation." Instead of using clay in the more common technique of "claymation," the band employed paper print-outs of their performances, and were able to achieve the effect of animation.
and Adam Campbell
), who first step out of an elevator and play a cardboard version of Guitar Hero in their apartments. As they play, they lip-synch the words to the song. Later on in the video, a woman (Jayma Mays
) is seen playing Dance Dance Revolution
along with the other two gamers. The only clips of the band playing the song in live action are shown early in the video as the guitars kick in. The band are later shown throughout the rest of the video as animated characters in a cardboard television. (Jon Foreman is seen playing Guitar Hero near the end of the video).
/SonyBMG put out very little support for the single. The video was completely funded by the band, with no help from the label, and by all accounts, the radio single was not promoted to radio stations at all. Whether this incident was the cause or not, Switchfoot and Sony parted ways shortly after the release of this single.
In response to the lack of label-side support, the band's fans took it upon themselves to help promote the video in more of a grassroots marketing way. The website We're Awakening was originally created with the intent of promoting the song.
Switchfoot
Switchfoot is an American rock band from San Diego, California. The band's members are Jon Foreman , Tim Foreman , Chad Butler , Jerome Fontamillas , and Drew Shirley .After early successes in the Christian rock scene, Switchfoot first gained mainstream...
's sixth studio album, Oh! Gravity.
Oh! Gravity.
Oh! Gravity. is the sixth album by the San Diego based alternative rock band Switchfoot. It was released on December 26, 2006.To give fans a preview of the new material, Switchfoot released the downloadable single "Dirty Second Hands" to major online music stores on September 26...
. The single was released to radio in March 2007. It hit Hot AC radio stations with an impact day of March 26, 2007 and eventually peaked at No. 54 on that format's charts. It was also slated for release to Top 40, Alternative, and Active Rock stations, http://footsoldiers.bandfarm.com/fs_radiopromo.htm but saw virtually no play on any of those formats.
Song history
The song was written during some time off between tours supporting the band's fifth record, Nothing Is SoundNothing Is Sound
Nothing Is Sound is the fifth studio album by American alternative rock band Switchfoot. It was released on September 13, 2005, and début at number three on the Billboard 200. The first single from this album was "Stars," which was the number one most-added song on Modern Rock Radio, and received...
. "We had two or three weeks off tour in January of this last year," bassist Tim Foreman
Tim Foreman
Timothy David Foreman is the bassist for the band Switchfoot. He was born in Lake Arrowhead, California but grew up in Boston, Massachusetts and Virginia Beach, Virginia...
said. "We were touring in support of 'Nothing is Sound' and we had some time to go into the studio. "We didn't really have a plan," noted Switchfoot singer/songwriter Jon Foreman
Jon Foreman
Jonathan Mark Foreman is the lead singer, lead guitarist, main songwriter and co-founder of the alternative rock band Switchfoot. He started Switchfoot in 1996 with drummer Chad Butler and bassist Tim Foreman ....
about that time in the studio. This lack of deadline pressure allowed the band to write music freely, and out of those sessions came "Awakening."
It was the first official track recorded when it came time to begin actual recording for Oh! Gravity.
Oh! Gravity.
Oh! Gravity. is the sixth album by the San Diego based alternative rock band Switchfoot. It was released on December 26, 2006.To give fans a preview of the new material, Switchfoot released the downloadable single "Dirty Second Hands" to major online music stores on September 26...
and was produced by Steve Lillywhite
Steve Lillywhite
Steve Lillywhite is an English Grammy Award winning record producer. Since he began his career in 1977, Lillywhite has been credited for working on over 500 records and has collaborated with a variety of musicians including XTC, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Dave Matthews Band, U2, Peter Gabriel,...
, whose credits include U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
and Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
. "We just love his big-picture input on the song 'Awakening.'” said Tim.
About the song itself, songwriter Jon Foreman
Jon Foreman
Jonathan Mark Foreman is the lead singer, lead guitarist, main songwriter and co-founder of the alternative rock band Switchfoot. He started Switchfoot in 1996 with drummer Chad Butler and bassist Tim Foreman ....
said, "Perhaps to be truly reborn death is not optional. Here’s a firsthand story about new life, it always starts at the bottom."
Release and making of
A music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for this song was filmed February 28, 2007 in Toronto, one of the stops on the band's Winter/Spring Tour. Brandon Dickerson
Brandon Dickerson
Brandon Dickerson is an award-winning American music video, documentary film, and television commercial director who has also moved into directing theatrical films. He is currently signed with for commercials and for music videos....
(director of "You Already Take Me There" and "New Way to Be Human
New Way to Be Human
New Way to Be Human is the second studio album by the band Switchfoot. It was released on March 11, 1999 under independent label re:think Records, which was distributed by Sparrow Records...
" videos) directed the Awakening music video. It was released leaked, April 5 by the band's web content designer, Dale Manning on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
The official release date for the music video was Tuesday, April 10th. It premiered on the band's official Youtube account and on the website. The video is different from the band's previous videos because the video is not overtly related to the song or the meaning of the song. It is also different in the fact that the band funded the video out of their own pockets, without support from their record label.
The creation of the video also was unique in the fact that Dickerson used a never-before-used technique dubbed "paper-mation." Instead of using clay in the more common technique of "claymation," the band employed paper print-outs of their performances, and were able to achieve the effect of animation.
Video plot
The Awakening music video mainly focuses on two men (Tony HaleTony Hale
Tony Hale is an American actor, best known for his role in the Fox comedy series Arrested Development as the neurotic Byron "Buster" Bluth.-Early life:...
and Adam Campbell
Adam Campbell (actor)
Adam Campbell is an English actor. Among his credits are roles in the American film parodies Date Movie, Epic Movie, and portrayed Cal Vandeusen in the horror miniseries Harper's Island.-Career:...
), who first step out of an elevator and play a cardboard version of Guitar Hero in their apartments. As they play, they lip-synch the words to the song. Later on in the video, a woman (Jayma Mays
Jayma Mays
Jayma Suzette Mays is an American television and film actress, and singer. Mays' most prominent roles include that of Emma Pillsbury on the American television series Glee, recurring appearances on Ugly Betty and on Heroes as characters named Charlie.- Life and career :Mays was born Jamia Suzette...
) is seen playing Dance Dance Revolution
Dance Dance Revolution
Dance Dance Revolution, abbreviated DDR, and previously known as Dancing Stage in Europe and Australasia, is a music video game series produced by Konami. Introduced in Japan in 1998 as part of the Bemani series, and released in North America and Europe in 1999, Dance Dance Revolution is the...
along with the other two gamers. The only clips of the band playing the song in live action are shown early in the video as the guitars kick in. The band are later shown throughout the rest of the video as animated characters in a cardboard television. (Jon Foreman is seen playing Guitar Hero near the end of the video).
Promotion
Switchfoot's major label ColumbiaColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
/SonyBMG put out very little support for the single. The video was completely funded by the band, with no help from the label, and by all accounts, the radio single was not promoted to radio stations at all. Whether this incident was the cause or not, Switchfoot and Sony parted ways shortly after the release of this single.
In response to the lack of label-side support, the band's fans took it upon themselves to help promote the video in more of a grassroots marketing way. The website We're Awakening was originally created with the intent of promoting the song.
Public and critical response
- On YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, "Awakening" has reached as high as the 67th "most linked to" entertainment video of all time on the site. - The official YouTube music video reached over 1,000,000 views in under three months,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHTU2i8RhH8. Despite its success, the record company (ColumbiaColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
/Sony BMG) failed to capitalize, leading to major disappointment among the band's fans and musical enthusiasts alike. - "Awakening" Hit FUSE TV's No. 1 Countdown as the top "Guilty Pleasure," knocking out EvanescenceEvanescenceEvanescence is an American rock band founded in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1995 by singer/pianist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody. After recording private albums, the band released their first full-length album, Fallen, on Wind-up Records in 2003. Fallen sold more than 17 million copies worldwide...
's Sweet SacrificeSweet Sacrifice"Sweet Sacrifice" is a song by American rock band Evanescence. It was released on May 25, 2007, as the third single from their second studio album, The Open Door. It was written by Amy Lee and Terry Balsamo while the production was handled by Dave Fortman. "All That I'm Living For" was initially...
, and retaining the top spot for 4 months. It was retired September 18, 2007. - The song peaked at #54 on Hot AC/Adult Top 40 Radio.
- The song reached #3 on the Christian CHR charts.
- The song reached #16 on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart.
- The song was #37 on the Billboard Year-End Christian Songs Chart.