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.
I Need You
Jars of Clay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a light filling this room
Where none would follow before
I can't deny it burns me up inside
I fan the flames to melt
Away my pride
Do I want shelter from the rain
Or the rain to wash me way?
[Chorus]
I need you, I need you, I need you
I need you, I need you, I need you
You're all I'm living for
I might sound like a fool
But I think I felt you moving
Closer to me
Face to the ground
To hide the fatal cut
I fight the weight
I feel you lift me up
You are the shelter from the rain
And the rain to wash me away
I need you, I need you, I need you
I need you, I need you, I need you
(All I'm living for)
I need you, I need you, I need you
You're all I'm living for
All I'm living for
You're all I'm living for
Face to the ground
To hide the fatal cut
I fight the weight
Feel you lift me up
Can't deny it burns me up inside
I fan the flames to melt away
My pride
Only had a second to spare
But all the time in the world
To know you're there
You are the shelter from the rain
And the rain to wash me away
[chorus]
I need you, I need you, I need you
(All I'm living for)
I need you, I need you, I need you
(All I'm living for)
& I need you, I need you, I need you
You're all I'm living for
All I'm living for
All I'm living for
All I'm living for
You're all I'm living for
The lyrics of Jars of Clay's "I Need You" is a profound exploration of vulnerability and reliance on a higher power. The opening lines, "Strangely out of place, there's a light filling this room where none would follow before," creates a vivid imagery of a sudden realization that what was once dark and bleak now holds a glimmer of hope. The singer acknowledges his inner turmoil, admitting that the newfound light "burns" him up inside. He struggles with the idea of seeking shelter from the rain or letting it wash him away, symbolizing the dichotomy of wanting to hold onto his pride versus surrendering to a higher power.
The chorus of the song serves as a plea and affirmation of faith as the singer repeatedly sings, "I need you, I need you, I need you, you're all I'm living for." The repetition of the phrase emphasizes the necessity of the divine in his life and how it has become his sole reason for being. The second verse delves deeper into the inner conflict of the singer and how he is fighting to hide a "fatal cut." Still, he is lifted up by the presence of the divine.
The final lines reveal how the singer had only a second to spare, but with the knowledge that the divine was there, he was able to face the challenge head-on. The ending repetition of "you're all I'm living for" reinforces the message that the divine is the sole source of hope and purpose for the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
Strangely out of place
Despite feeling like something is not right, there is a new and comforting presence in the room.
There's a light filling this room
The presence has brought a new light and positivity to the room.
Where none would follow before
The presence has created this light where there was once darkness and negativity.
I can't deny it burns me up inside
Even though the presence is comforting, it also brings up difficult emotions.
I fan the flames to melt away my pride
The artist recognizes their own shortcomings and tries to let go of their ego.
Do I want shelter from the rain or the rain to wash me away?
The singer is questioning whether they want to be protected from difficult situations or if they want those experiences to change them.
I need you, I need you, I need you
The singer is expressing their deep need and dependency on the presence they've felt.
You're all I'm living for
The presence is the source of the artist's hope and motivation for life.
I might sound like a fool
The artist recognizes that others may judge them for their dependence on this presence.
But I think I felt you moving closer to me
The artist is convinced that the presence is getting closer and more tangible.
Face to the ground to hide the fatal cut
The singer is in a state of vulnerability and hiding their pain and wounds.
I fight the weight
The artist is trying to overcome the heaviness of their struggles and pain.
I feel you lift me up
The singer is comforted by the presence helping them through their struggles.
Only had a second to spare, but all the time in the world to know you're there
Even though their experiences have been brief, the singer has an unshakable belief in the presence's existence.
You're all I'm living for
Repeating this chorus emphasizes the importance of the presence and how it shapes the singer's life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: FRANCESCO CONTADINI, JURIJ GIANLUCA RICOTTI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind