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.
HEADSTRONG
Jars of Clay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Aware and openly perfect,
To know everything
And not see anything
Ingest completely impressive,
You wear the law as a jacket
It keeps you warm,
And I don't know what you've been told but it's wrong
And I can't hold you when you fall so headstrong
Headstrong, Headstrong
Good enough, how sure a foundation
Trip on, your graceful emotion
You remember it all,
Then cover it all
And I don't know what you've been told but it's wrong
And I can't hold you when you fall so headstrong
Headstrong, Headstrong
And I don't know what you've been told but it's wrong
And I can't hold you when you fall so headstrong
Headstrong, Headstrong
Good enough, how sure a foundation
Trip on, your graceful emotion
You remember it all,
Then cover it all
And I don't know what you've been told but it's wrong
And I can't hold you when you fall so headstrong
Headstrong, Headstrong
The lyrics of Jars of Clay's song Headstrong describe the struggle of a person trying to maintain control by being moderate and plastic in their behavior. The person is aware of everything and presents a perfect image, but they do not see the reality of their emotions and actions. They consume impressive things and wear the law as a jacket to feel warm and secure. However, the singer of the song sees through this facade and knows that all they have been told is wrong.
The second verse speaks of how the person might remember everything and cover it up. They might have a strong foundation and an emotion that is graceful, but they still fall headstrong. This could refer to their inability to let go of the facade or their fear of being vulnerable. The chorus repeats the idea that the singer cannot hold them when they fall because they are too headstrong.
In summary, the song is about the struggle of maintaining control and presenting a perfect image while also being true to oneself and recognizing one's weaknesses. The chorus echoes how difficult it can be to help someone who is too headstrong to accept support or help.
Line by Line Meaning
Controlled, moderate, plastic
You try to maintain control at all times by being moderate and plastic; unyielding and inflexible.
Aware and openly perfect,
You are aware of your own perceived perfection, and you are not shy about showing it.
To know everything
You have a desire to know everything, but you often miss out on truly seeing what is in front of you.
And not see anything
Your intense need to know everything often blinds you from seeing things that are right in front of you.
Ingest completely impressive,
You are impressed by anything that you see as impressive and feel a need to consume and possess it completely.
You wear the law as a jacket
You use your own interpretations of the law as an external way to wrap yourself up and show others that you are always right because you follow the law.
It keeps you warm,
This use of the law as a way to shield yourself from criticism or vulnerability makes you feel safe and secure.
And I don't know what you've been told but it's wrong
The artist is questioning the other person's beliefs and saying that they are wrong, but does not know where the other person's beliefs come from.
And I can't hold you when you fall so headstrong
The artist acknowledges that they cannot stop the other person from making mistakes in their stubbornness.
Headstrong, Headstrong
The repeated refrain emphasizes the other person's stubbornness and refusal to listen.
Good enough, how sure a foundation
The singer is acknowledging the other person's strong foundation, but is questioning why it needs to be so rigid and inflexible.
Trip on, your graceful emotion
The artist is suggesting that the other person embrace their emotions and not always try to keep everything under control.
You remember it all,
The other person has a good memory and often holds onto past events or emotions.
Then cover it all
However, the other person often covers up these memories and emotions, not wanting anyone to see their vulnerability or weakness.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHARLIE LOWELL, DAN HASELTINE, MATT ODMARK, STEPHEN DANIEL MASON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
vakhuma chenkual
loved this album