Andrew Peterson has earned a place as one of Christian music’s most respect… Read Full Bio ↴Andrew Peterson has earned a place as one of Christian music’s most respected singer/songwriters, crafting music that splits the difference between groundbreaking folk-rock band Caedmon’s Call and the late, great Rich Mullins. His string of artistically excellent records began with the top 10 radio single “Nothing To Say,” and includes the lush Love & Thunder, Easter-themed Resurrection Letters, Vol. 2, and his newest masterwork Counting Stars, which took the number one spot on the iTunes Christian chart on its release. He tours the globe with his musical cohorts the Captains Courageous, a.k.a. pianist/producer Ben Shive and guitarist Andy Gullahorn. But music is only part of Peterson’s artistry: he's published three books, most recently launching a Christy Award-winning series of young adult fantasy novels called The Wingfeather Saga, inspired by Tolkien, Lewis, and Peterson’s own three children.

Peterson’s artistic successes may be surpassed by his skill in connecting people, embodied in the Rabbit Room online community (RabbitRoom.com), which gathers contributions from authors, songwriters, and pastors, encouraging creativity and referencing its ultimate source. The thread of community, also a theme of Counting Stars, imbues his beloved annual Christmas show, Behold The Lamb Of God, a long-running multi-artist tour based on Peterson’s original Christmas album of the same name. In all of these works, Peterson’s listeners can hear reminders that community, beauty, and hope all point back to the God “who gave music the power to carry his light into the darkness.” Andrew, his wife Jamie, and their three children make their home in Nashville.

Loose Change
Andrew Peterson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'd give you all of me to know what you were thinking
And if I had one wish I'd wish I wasn't sinking here
Drowning in this well, oh can't you tell?

I can't pick myself up off the ground,
Well I've been face down and pushed aside.
Well you know I'd rather just turn tail and run
than lie here in the sun and watch you pass me by

Cause I ain't worth a dime.
(yeah yeah, oh yeah) Yeah, yeah (yeah yeah)

But If only I could stand up straight, I wouldn't have to lie and wait,
I could up and roll away, never be ignored
I've got a feeling that I'm something more
than just a piece of copper ore, turning green and looking for
The reason I was born.

I've been around since 1964, in banks and bottom drawers
And on railroad ties. I've been passed around and cast aside
Skipped and flipped and flattened wide, Spun around
And thrown away and left alone to lie

But If only I could stand up straight, I wouldn't have to lie and wait,
I could up and roll away, never be ignored
I've got a feeling that I'm something more
than just a piece of copper ore, turning green and looking for
The reason I was born.

(yeah yeah, oh yeah) Yeah, yeah (yeah yeah) na na na na na

But I heard about a penny found, lying underneath the couch
By a woman who was kneeling down, looking for some change.
Then the woman danced around and called her friends all over town
Told them what was lost is found, it's another penny saved.
And so I find that all this time beneath the surface I could shine
Like all the gold a king and queen could measure
You see even a penny is a treasure

(yeah yeah, oh yeah) Yeah, yeah (yeah yeah) na na na na na

Overall Meaning

The song "Loose Change" by Andrew Peterson is a heartfelt expression of feeling undervalued, overlooked and forgotten. The first verse expresses a desire to know what someone is thinking, highlighting the sense of disconnection and distance Peterson feels. He wishes he wasn't sinking and drowning in a well, hoping the person would notice and reach out to him. However, despite this despair, he can't seem to pick himself up or turn things around as he feels unworthy, with no value or purpose.

The second verse of the song shares the perspective of a penny, which has been around for a long time, passed around, cast aside and left alone to lie. Despite the changes and challenges that the penny faces, it longs to shine like gold, be valued and appreciated. The song speaks to the idea that even something as small and insignificant as a penny is a treasure and can be valued, celebrated and saved.

Overall, "Loose Change" is a song that speaks to the human struggle to find value and meaning in life. It reflects the feeling of being overlooked and undervalued, but offers hope that even the smallest things can hold great worth.

Line by Line Meaning

I'd give you all of me to know what you were thinking
I am curious about your thoughts to the extent that I'm willing to give everything of mine.

And if I had one wish I'd wish I wasn't sinking here
At this moment, I feel like I'm drowning, and if I had a chance, I would want to free myself from this feeling.

Drowning in this well, oh can't you tell?
It's evident that I'm struggling with my inner feelings, but I can't break free on my own.

I can't pick myself up off the ground,
I lack the strength to get up from where I am.

Well I've been face down and pushed aside.
People have disregarded and dismissed me.

Well you know I'd rather just turn tail and run than lie here in the sun and watch you pass me by
I'm inclined to run away from situations that bring out my worthlessness than watching others succeed where I couldn't.

Cause I ain't worth a dime.
I don't think I hold any value, and this belief is holding me back in life.

But If only I could stand up straight, I wouldn't have to lie and wait,
If I had the confidence to face my struggles, I wouldn't have to wait for opportunities to come by.

I could up and roll away, never be ignored
I could leave my past struggles behind and become someone who wouldn't be invisible to others.

I've got a feeling that I'm something more than just a piece of copper ore, turning green and looking for
I believe that there's more to me, similarly to how there's more value in a penny than just its copper content.

The reason I was born.
The purpose of my existence goes beyond what I previously thought.

I've been around since 1964, in banks and bottom drawers and on railroad ties.
I've been present and passed around for a long time like a penny.

I've been passed around and cast aside, skipped and flipped and flattened wide, spun around and thrown away and left alone to lie
People have thrown me away or deemed me insignificant, like how pennies get passed around and used.

But If only I could stand up straight, I wouldn't have to lie and wait,
Like before, if I had the confidence to stand for myself, my life would be distinctively different.

I could up and roll away, never be ignored
I could leave my struggles behind and move on with the newfound courage.

I've got a feeling that I'm something more than just a piece of copper ore, turning green and looking for
My belief in myself has grown, and I think that people and things have hidden value like pennies.

The reason I was born.
I'm beginning to think that the purpose of my being goes beyond what I've previously envisioned.

But I heard about a penny found, lying underneath the couch by a woman who was kneeling down, looking for some change.
Even a penny that people cast away can still hold meaning and worth to someone who needs it.

Then the woman danced around and called her friends all over town, told them what was lost is found, it's another penny saved.
To that woman, the penny was important enough that she called attention to it and made a celebration out of finding it.

And so I find that all this time beneath the surface I could shine like all the gold a king and queen could measure
Just like people might overlook a penny's value, I might not see my self-worth, but it's still present.

You see even a penny is a treasure
This line becomes a refrain, indicating that even something as small as a penny holds immense value to someone else.

Contributed by Avery P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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