The following albums saw large shifts in style. Much Afraid saw them releasing gorgeous - sometimes brittle - music, which the Band intended to have a "timeless" sound, while If I Left the Zoo is a quirkier but musically brilliant album, featuring considerably more keys and experimentation. The Eleventh Hour is their first true "rock" album. They returned to acoustic guitars for the "Furthermore" project, which featured two EPs - a live disc and an acoustic disc. The band's 5th album, Who We Are Instead continued some of the band's earlier sonic experiments and showcased some new gospel, bluegrass, and hymnsong influences. The hymnsong approach was continued on an album of new arrangements of classic hymns - Redemption Songs.
Good Monsters was released on Sept. 05, 2006. The album was hailed by CCM Magazine as "Album of the Year" - a controversial move considering that this announcement was made in August. "Good Monsters" further showcases the diverse style of the venerable quartet and is considered by the band to be their first true "rock" record. It is a rock driven record with electric guitars having prevalence on more of the songs than any previous albums. The album also has other stylistic influences and even includes a choir of African school children, while lyrically, it hits the darker side of their self-shaped genre.
In 2007, Jars of Clay announced that they were leaving Essential Records and were creating their own record label, Gray Matters. Jars of Clay released Christmas Songs through Gray Matters in 2007, and the Closer EP was released in the Summer of 2008.
April 21, 2009 marked the release of The Long Fall Back to Earth, containing two tracks from the Closer EP and 12 additional tracks. Two Hands is the first single from that release.
Eyes Wide Open
Jars of Clay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Help me get these thoughts out of my own head
I don't believe, most days I don't believe
Mercy is true, it's hard to live with the things I do
So God bruise the heels we've dug in the ground
That we might move closer to love
Pull out the roots we've dug in so deep
Help us to believe
Keep our eyes wide open
(Love is kind and love is daring everything we need to keep our eyes)
Keep our eyes wide open
(Love is kind and love is daring everything we need to keep our eyes)
We can't go on, seems this conversation's done
It's so hard to win these fights and love You at the same time
So take my hand 'til grace makes a way to bend
'Til the things I said to ruin only lead to my own end
So God bruise the heels we've dug in the ground
That we might move closer to love
Pull out the roots we've dug in so deep
Finish what You've started
Help us to believe
Keep our eyes wide open
(Love is kind and love is daring everything we need to keep our eyes)
Keep our eyes wide open
(Love is kind and love is daring everything we need to keep our eyes)
Keep our eyes wide open
(Love is kind and love is daring everything we need to keep our eyes)
Keep our eyes wide open
Draw us in, send us out
Draw us in, send us out
Draw us in, pull us out
Help us to (believe)
Keep our eyes wide open
(Love is kind and love is daring everything we need to keep our eyes)
Keep our eyes wide open
(Love is kind and love is daring everything we need to keep our eyes)
Keep our eyes wide open
(Love is kind and love is daring everything we need to keep our eyes)
Keep our eyes wide open
Help us to believe
The song "Eyes Wide Open" by Jars of Clay is a heartfelt plea for help and guidance in trying to live a life in accordance with God's word. The lyrics begin with the singer admitting that they've been talking to themselves and struggling to sort through their own thoughts. They question their own faith, confessing that most days they don't believe that mercy is true, and that it's difficult to live with the things they do. This sets the tone for the rest of the song, which seeks God's help in overcoming these doubts and struggles.
The chorus repeats the plea to "keep our eyes wide open", which is a metaphor for staying focused on God and his teachings. The lyrics acknowledge that it's hard to live up to these ideals, and that sometimes it feels like the conversation with God is at a standstill. But the singer asks for grace and guidance, urging God to "bruise the heels we've dug in the ground" and remove the stubbornness that keeps us from growing closer to love.
Throughout the song, the singer acknowledges their own shortcomings, mistakes, and doubts, but ultimately puts their faith in God and seeks his help in overcoming these challenges. "Eyes Wide Open" is a poignant and relatable depiction of the struggles of faith, and the desire to live a life that is true to God's teachings.
Line by Line Meaning
Talk to me 'cause I've been talking to myself
I need someone to talk to because I find myself talking to myself.
Help me get these thoughts out of my own head
I need help expressing my thoughts out loud.
I don't believe, most days I don't believe
Most days, I struggle with unbelief.
Mercy is true, it's hard to live with the things I do
I know mercy is real, but it's hard to reconcile it with my own actions.
So God bruise the heels we've dug in the ground
I pray that God would break down the barriers we've put up.
That we might move closer to love
In doing so, we can move closer to love.
Pull out the roots we've dug in so deep
We need God to help us remove the deep roots that are keeping us from Him.
Finish what You've started
God, please complete the work that You've started in us.
Help us to believe
We need God's help to believe in Him.
Keep our eyes wide open
We need to stay alert and vigilant.
(Love is kind and love is daring everything we need to keep our eyes)
The power of love keeps us strong.
We can't go on, seems this conversation's done
I feel like this conversation has reached a dead end.
It's so hard to win these fights and love You at the same time
I find it difficult to fight my battles and love God at the same time.
So take my hand 'til grace makes a way to bend
God, please hold my hand until I can find a way to be more flexible with Your grace.
Til the things I said to ruin only lead to my own end
Help me not to speak words that will harm me in the future.
Draw us in, send us out
God, please bring us closer to You so that we can go out and fulfill Your mission.
Help us to (believe)
God, we need You to help us believe in You.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing, CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
Written by: CHARLIE LOWELL, DAN HASELTINE, MATT ODMARK, PHILLIP PAUL LA RUE, STEPHEN DANIEL MASON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind