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.
Loneliness
Jars of Clay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Left in the wild like a tree pulled from the dirt
You fill the sky with burning arrows from your heart
Throw your bottles out to sea and watch them float away
Tell me of the world you're leaving
While you're swinging like a wrecking ball
You bury all your love in secrets
Hide your diamonds in the dirt in careful rows
Let your doubt unravel all their, all their pretty bows
'Cause your heart is broken by the things you love
And your light, it carries but it's not enough to change the weather
Tell me of the world you're leaving
While you're swinging like a wrecking ball
Bury all your love in secrets
And loneliness in alcohol
You get buried under all these lines, all this light, all these lies
You get buried under all these lines, all this light, all the time
Tell me of the world you're leaving
While you're swinging like a wrecking ball
Bury all your love in secrets
And loneliness in alcohol
Tell me of the world you're leaving
While you're swinging like a wrecking ball
Bury all your love in secrets
And loneliness in alcohol
The lyrics of "Loneliness and Alcohol" by Jars of Clay depict the struggles of a person dealing with loneliness and a broken heart. The first verse alludes to the isolation felt by an individual in their own home, with the sound of the television creeping through the halls. The second line emphasizes this loneliness by comparing the person to a tree pulled from the dirt and left to wither away. The following line suggests that the person is shooting arrows of pain into the sky, perhaps as a way of coping with their emotions. The final line describes the person throwing their bottles out to sea, hoping to find some solace in watching them float away.
The second verse delves deeper into the person's pain, describing how they bury their love in secrets while drowning their sorrows in alcohol. The line "hide your diamonds in the dirt in careful rows" suggests that the person is keeping their true feelings buried and hidden from the world. The chorus repeats the theme of the person swinging like a wrecking ball, as if they are destroying everything in their path due to their pain. The final lines of the song emphasize the weight of the person's struggles, feeling buried and suffocated under the lies and light of the world around them.
Line by Line Meaning
The sound of television creeping through the halls
The noise from the TV is heard all over, filling the emptiness and silence of the place.
Left in the wild like a tree pulled from the dirt
Feeling uprooted and abandoned, as if wandering aimlessly with no sense of purpose or belonging.
You fill the sky with burning arrows from your heart
Your emotions are so strong they shoot like arrows, causing pain and destruction to those around you.
Throw your bottles out to sea and watch them float away
Trying to escape and forget your problems by drinking and tossing your bottles to the ocean, watching them disappear in the distance.
Tell me of the world you're leaving
Share with me what's going on in your mind, tell me about your struggles, your fears, your doubts.
While you're swinging like a wrecking ball
But at the same time, you're acting recklessly, hurting yourself and others, unable to control the chaos of your life.
You bury all your love in secrets
Instead of revealing your true feelings and opening up to others, you keep them hidden, locked away like a secret.
And loneliness in alcohol
You turn to drinking to numb the pain of loneliness, seeking temporary relief from the suffering.
Hide your diamonds in the dirt in careful rows
Your precious things, your hopes and dreams, are buried deep inside, hidden away from the world in an orderly fashion.
Let your doubt unravel all their, all their pretty bows
But your constant doubts and insecurities eventually unravel your dreams and ambitions, destroying the beauty of what could have been.
'Cause your heart is broken by the things you love
Your heart is fragile and easily hurt, often shattered by the very things you hold dear and cherish.
And your light, it carries but it's not enough to change the weather
Although your spirit is strong and powerful, it's not strong enough to overcome the storms and difficulties of life.
You get buried under all these lines, all this light, all these lies
You feel trapped and overwhelmed by the complexities of the world, surrounded by false illusions and deceptions.
You get buried under all these lines, all this light, all the time
These feelings never fade, they persist day and night, consuming your thoughts and emotions.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CHARLES LOWELL, DANIEL HASELTINE, MATTHEW ODMARK, STEPHEN MASON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Abhiyanthdarsi
Nice lyrics
The sound of television creeping through the halls
Left in the wild like a tree pulled from the dirt
You fill the sky with burning arrows from your heart
Throw your bottles out to sea and watch them float away
Tell me of the world you’re leaving
While you’re swinging like a wrecking ball
You bury all your love in secrets
And loneliness in alcohol
Hide your diamonds in the dirt in careful rows
Let your doubt unravel all their, all their pretty bows
‘Cause your heart is broken by the things you love
And your light, it carries but it’s not enough to change the weather
Tell me of the world you’re leaving
While you’re swinging like a wrecking ball
Bury all your love in secrets
And loneliness in alcohol
You get buried under all these lines, all this light, all these lies
You get buried under all these lines, all this light, all the time
Tell me of the world you’re leaving
While you’re swinging like a wrecking ball
Bury all your love in secrets
And loneliness in alcohol
Tell me of the world you’re leaving
While you’re swinging like a wrecking ball
Bury all your love in secrets
And loneliness in alcohol
@john-qz3fu
I'm an alcoholic, it is lonely, even after being sober for years. Thanks for writing this song.
@fractaljack
Hang in there, John.
@ce1652
Thank You Lord Jesus for You delivered us from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light
@ericthoms213
This band has been great for over a decade.
Keep it up JOC
@ncemt
Just a decade? I started listening to them in 1997 at the age of 11.
@1980keb
3 decades of awesomeness.
@danielpaz623
Saw them in 97. Still very much relevant today...
@michaelshelton3910
I’ve loved this band for what seems to be an eternity. Lyrics beyond compare and the musicianship is unbelievable.💙🙏🏻
@chriskato76
This acoustic version is awesome. Love this song. Love JOC.
@hensly77
Your heart is broken by the things you love such great line