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.
Two Hands
Jars of Clay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I?ve been splitting hairs and blurring lines
I am a house that is divided
In my heart and in my mind
I use one hand to pull closer
The other to push you away
If I had two hands doing the same thing
I have a broken disposition
I?m a liar who thirsts for the truth
And while I ache for faith to hold me
I need to feel the scars and see the proof
And if we just keep digging we can reach the foundation
Of our souls
And if we just keep cutting all the chains from our hearts
We?ll lose control
And it feels like giving in
It feels like starting over
It feels like waking up, and you know it?s coming
It feels like a brand new day
Open your eyes
The song Two Hands by Jars of Clay is a poignant exploration of internal turmoil and the struggle to reconcile conflicting emotions. The opening lines speak to a sense of disconnection from reality, as the singer describes living "out of sanity" and feeling like his heart and mind are at odds with one another. This creates a sense of fragmentation and confusion, as exemplified through the metaphor of being "a house that is divided."
The central imagery of the song revolves around the conflict between using one hand to pull someone closer and the other to push them away. This speaks to the complexity of human relationships, especially romantic ones, in which we may simultaneously crave intimacy and push it away due to fear or insecurity. The lyrics suggest that if we could unite both of our "hands" in this way- by embracing both our fears and our desires with honesty and authenticity- we could "lift them high," transcending our limitations and reaching new heights of emotional connection.
The song continues with themes of brokenness, falsehood, and the search for meaning and faith. The singer describes himself as a "liar who thirsts for the truth," suggesting a deep sense of self-awareness and a desire to grow and change. He also acknowledges the need for tangible evidence of faith, "feel[ing] the scars and see[ing] the proof," rather than simply relying on abstract ideas or beliefs.
Line by Line Meaning
I’ve been living out of sanity
I have been trying to maintain my sanity while living in chaos.
I’ve been splitting hairs and blurring lines
I have been overthinking and making things more complicated than they need to be.
I am a house that is divided
I am conflicted and have conflicting desires and emotions.
In my heart and in my mind
My internal conflicts are affecting both my emotions and thoughts.
I use one hand to pull closer
I am attempting to bring someone closer.
The other to push you away
While trying to get closer, I am also pushing someone away.
If I had two hands doing the same thing
If I could focus my efforts in one direction.
Lifted high, lifted high
I could make real progress in overcoming my internal battles.
I have a broken disposition
I am flawed and have an incomplete understanding of myself.
I’m a liar who thirsts for the truth
I struggle with being honest, but desire the truth.
And while I ache for faith to hold me
I want to have faith to rely on.
I need to feel the scars and see the proof
But I also need to experience things for myself, and see evidence.
And if we just keep digging we can reach the foundation
If we keep exploring and discovering new things about ourselves, we can find answers to our conflicts.
Of our souls
And achieve a deeper understanding of who we are.
And if we just keep cutting all the chains from our hearts
If we let go of our emotional baggage and baggage from past experiences,
We’ll lose control
We may feel like we’re losing control, but it’s necessary for growth and progress.
And it feels like giving in
It may feel like surrendering or giving up,
It feels like starting over
But it’s really an opportunity to begin anew.
It feels like waking up, and you know it’s coming
It’s a transformative experience that brings newfound clarity.
It feels like a brand new day
It’s a fresh start, and a chance for growth and change.
Open your eyes
Be aware and open to the opportunities for growth and change around you.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHARLIE LOWELL, DAN HASELTINE, GABE RUSCHIVAL, JEREMY LUTITO, MATT ODMARK, STEPHEN DANIEL MASON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jan Kriegel
I really dont understand how can band like Jars of Clay have only few thousands of views. For me it is one of the best bands!!!
Selena Lamothe
+Jan Kriegel i know right. but a lot of times people dont want to see the truth so since they are true a lot of people dont want to watch them ;)
James Vander Vegt
This does deserve more views.
Newsky79
Agreed!! Seriously! This band is the reason i'm a musician! lol
Kekistani Kekfrog
Reason: They are too far to the Right for YouTube's owners. Check out anything progressive and they'll have several million views, not because anyone listens to it but because YouTube purposefully takes sides and pushes content that is progressive.
Antnj81
Jan Kriegel I think the reason is is because their market and their rise was almost entirely based on Christians. Jars of Clay hasn't been making Christian music lately, but rather generic empty and facile sounding songs in a desperate attempt to market their sound to a secular audience. By doing so, they've alienated their core fan base and put themselves into a place where they will eventually fall into obscurity
Brenna Buck
Jars of Clay rocks. This song is so true. If we as people would strive to become closer to God the world would be a better place but we live in both the spiritual and the natural some of us strive to become closer with one hand but then we are pulled back to the world by the other. This song summed it all up nicely. Jars of Clay has such a passion for God and his kingdom. Plan and simple amazing song.
drfenderfunk
I love Jars of Clay so much that my friends make fun of me for it, lol. Praise God for revealing His glorious voice through such talented individuals.
Green Snipes
Never be ashamed of the Gospel or liking Worship music
Jane Bowser
I cant belive this doesnt have more "likes!" It doesnt matter when it was written, its timeless. I think a lot of people struggle with commitment to their faith. For me personally, I wonder what would happen if i were more dedicated to christ... This is my feel good song when I am feeling discontent with turmoils in my own life. It speaks to me. LOVE IT!