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.
Liquid
Jars of Clay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are you telling me something?
Eyes turned out
Are you looking for someone?
[Chorus]
This is the one thing
The one thing
Blood stained brow
Are you dying for nothing?
Flesh and blood
Is it so elemental?
[Chorus ]
Blood stained brow
He wasn't broken for nothing.
Arm nailed down
He didn't die for nothing
He didn't die for nothing
[Chorus]
The lyrics to Jars of Clay's song Liquid seem to be about someone questioning the significance and purpose of Jesus Christ's death on the cross. The first verse asks whether the arms being nailed down and the eyes being turned out are indications of something important or meaningful. The chorus declares that the one thing the songwriter knows is that Jesus' death holds incredible significance. The second verse contemplates the blood-stained brow of Jesus and questions if his death was in vain or if it was an essential part of humanity's existence.
The final chorus is where the songwriter seems to reach a moment of clarity and conviction. The repeated refrain that "He didn't die for nothing" affirms that Jesus' death was not meaningless, but rather that it held a powerful purpose. The song is a contemplation of the Christian belief in the significance of Jesus' death and what it means for humanity.
Line by Line Meaning
Arms nailed down
Jesus being crucified on the cross
Are you telling me something?
The crucifixion is a message or symbol for something greater
Eyes turned out
Jesus looking to the heavens or beyond earthly things
Are you looking for someone?
Jesus is seeking someone or something beyond this world
This is the one thing
The crucifixion represents one thing that is certain and true
The one thing
The certainty and truth of the message behind the crucifixion
The one thing that I know
The only truth or certainty that the singer can rely on
Blood stained brow
Jesus' suffering and sacrifice on the cross
Are you dying for nothing?
Questioning the purpose or significance of Jesus' death
Flesh and blood
Jesus' physical body and humanity
Is it so elemental?
Reflecting on the basic yet profound nature of Jesus' sacrifice
He wasn't broken for nothing.
Jesus' death had a purpose and meaning
Arm nailed down
Symbolizing the extent of Jesus' sacrifice and suffering
He didn't die for nothing
Reiterating the importance and significance of Jesus' death
The one thing
Still referring to the certainty and truth represented by Jesus' crucifixion
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: CHARLIE LOWELL, JOSHUA MICHAEL COUGLE, MATTHEW RYAN BRONLEEWE, MIGUEL A. JR. DE JESUS, STEPHEN DANIEL MASON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind