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.
Skin & Bones
Jars of Clay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wasting all our breath on things that we don’t think that we’ll need
Love is skin and bones no one else can see
Behind the door we are unhappy that’s between you and me
That’s between you and me
Love is skin and bones, too many mouths to feed
We’ve made an art of neglecting what we don’t want to see
I can feel the pulse is dying in captivity
Someday, someday soon we’re going to open our eyes
Break out the windows and fly, I want to see it
Love is skin and bones screaming inside of me
Like a siren on the crest of the emergency
Love is skin and bones for the world to see
To remind us that the heart will never hold our pity
Look over my love while she sleeps tonight
Look over my love while she sleeps tonight, tonight
Someday, someday we’re going to open our eyes
Break out the windows and fly, I want to see it
Someday, someday when all the words feel wrong
You’ll have a heart beating strong, it will go on and on
Someday, someday when all of the words feel wrong
You’ll have a heart beating strong, it will go on and on
The lyrics to Jars of Clay's song Skin & Bones speak to the idea that love is the essence of who we are, stripped down to our most basic elements - skin and bones. The first stanza acknowledges that sometimes we ignore what really matters and instead focus on things that we believe we need, but love is the foundation of our existence. It is something that only exists within us, invisible to the outside world. The second verse continues this theme, acknowledging that we have become experts at neglecting what doesn't serve us, but this is slowly killing us. The chorus is an optimistic call to action, declaring that someday we will open our eyes and realize that we are capable of so much more than we believe. We will break out of our self-imposed limitations and truly see what love can do.
The bridge of the song is particularly poignant, focusing on the idea that love is something that exists within us even in the darkest moments. It is a beacon of hope that reminds us that we can keep going, even when things seem bleak. The final chorus reinforces this idea, declaring that even when the words we use to describe our feelings fall short, our hearts will continue to beat strong and carry us through.
Overall, the lyrics of Skin & Bones are a powerful reminder that love is the essence of who we are, and that we should strive to always remember this fact. Even when the world around us is dark and challenging, love remains a constant, guiding force that can help us move forward towards a brighter future.
Line by Line Meaning
Love is skin and bones we don’t want to be
Love is an emptiness that we do not wish to experience.
Wasting all our breath on things that we don’t think that we’ll need
We waste our energy on things that we do not believe are necessary.
Love is skin and bones no one else can see
Love is a hidden emptiness that no one else can perceive.
Behind the door we are unhappy that’s between you and me
We are unhappy together, yet we keep it behind closed doors.
Love is skin and bones, too many mouths to feed
Love is a scarcity when there are too many mouths to feed.
We’ve made an art of neglecting what we don’t want to see
We have become experts at ignoring the things that we do not wish to see.
Love is skin and bones trying to set us free
Love is an attempt to liberate ourselves from emptiness.
I can feel the pulse is dying in captivity
I sense that our essence is fading away when confined.
Love is skin and bones screaming inside of me
Love is louder than words in my heart, silently screaming.
Like a siren on the crest of the emergency
The sound of love within me is like a warning siren at a crisis's peak.
Love is skin and bones for the world to see
Love is a vulnerability that the whole world can witness.
To remind us that the heart will never hold our pity
Love demands us to let go of our self-pity because it does not reside in the heart.
Look over my love while she sleeps tonight
I will watch over my beloved as she slumbers this night.
Someday, someday we’re going to open our eyes
One day we will open our eyes to the truth of love.
Break out the windows and fly, I want to see it
We will break barriers and soar towards the vision of true love.
Someday, someday when all the words feel wrong
One day when words fail to convey our deepest feelings,
You’ll have a heart beating strong, it will go on and on
Our hearts will beat strongly and keep going, conveying the love that words cannot express.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, A SIDE MUSIC LLC D/B/A MODERN WORKS MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: CHARLES LOWELL, DANIEL HASELTINE, MATTHEW ODMARK, STEPHEN MASON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Calogero Fanara
I like the lyrics a lot just as much as the music arrangements. Jars of Clay are like a good wine, with the years they deliver music that makes a difference and that challenges us to get out of our comfort zone.
Keb
This is beautiful guys. Thank you for creating this gem.
Solon Vaflor
I like the beat!!
Dr. Kekyll
THIS IS MY FAV SONG BY THEM I ASK MY MOM TO PLAY THIS SONG WHEN WERE LEASING TO THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:)
Decaffeinated
Great!!
Haru Sophia Tacy
<3