In the summer of 1991, the band officially changed its name to Poor Old Lu, which is taken out of the first book in C.S.Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe. In spring of 1992 the group released their first full-length demo entitled Star-Studded Super Step. After Aaron & Jesse's father passed their demo to Randy Stonehill, the group was signed to Alarma Records in the summer of 1993.
Their first album released with Alarma Records was entitled Mindsize, a critically praised release from the foursome. The next summer the band regrouped to record their second album. Wanting to capture a more raw sound on the record, the group teamed up with engineer & producer John Goodmanson. Simply called Sin, the group released the album to high reviews and a growing fan base.
In the midst of their constant touring at this time, the group took about a month in the late spring of 1995 to record an elusive experimental EP entitled Straight Six. The EP saw new musical steps for the group as well as guest vocals from Jeremy Enigk and a cover of The Swoon's Speak Soft.
After an unsuccessful tour in the summer of 1995, the band's financial status forced the group to gain part-time or full-time jobs to help keep the group and their families afloat. With less time for shows and writing music, the group didn't start to seriously talk again of next album until the spring of 1996. Already the band had started tossing around the idea that this album might be their last album and shutting things down altogether. With a few songs in hand, the group entered the studio with Gene Eugene mixing and co-producing the album. Diverse as their previous albums, A Picture of the Eighth Wonder was released as the band began talking about their impending split. As a way for the band to reminisce once more over the years, in November of 1996 in front of packed house in Wallingford, WA the group played its farewell concert. Recorded and later released the next year, In Their Final Performance captures the memorable evening from a group who knew their time had finally come.
In the years following the disbanding, the group released a self-selected greatest hits disc entitled Chrono: 1993-1998, which featured a number of remixes of fan favorite songs. Five years after the group went their ways, these four high-school friends rejoined for a single album with Tooth & Nail Records. In 2001 the group released their last disc, The Waiting Room. Released to mixed reviews, the group did minimal tour support for the album.
Since Poor Old Lu almost all of the band members have gone on within some musical project in one way or another. In 1997 Nick Barber and Aaron Sprinkle formed the group Rose Blossom Punch with two other friends. Released through Sara Bellum Records, Ephemere was released to good reviews. Yet the group suffered through a number of label issues which not only delayed their next album, but eventually altogether shelved the album entirely. Offered eventually as limited-time download through MP3.COM, by the time the six-song EP entitled Sorry To Disappoint You was released the band had long been disbanded and Aaron Sprinkle had begun his solo career, releasing his debut solo disc Moontraveler. Aaron went on to release three more albums: The Kindest Days, Bareface, and a greatest hits disc Lackluster.
Both Aaron Sprinkle and Jesse Sprinkle released solo discs over the next few years, with Aaron also starting to produce records for Tooth & Nail Records.
In 2006 Nick Barber and Aaron Sprinkle once again rejoined, adding Erick Newbill and Joey Sanchez as the group Fair. The group released their debut album The Best Worst-Case Scenario to solid reviews. To all Poor Old Lu fans out there, the album gives hope that we'll be able to enjoy this favorite group in some form or fashion for the foreseeable future.
Friday To Sunday
Poor Old Lu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Our hope fell in the sand
And there it was
Though for certain we stood still
The earth shook and spilled
Then gave it up
Could we believe our eyes
When life has tossed us aside?
He is given up for dead
And so am I
So give me the light to understand
The fight to comprehend the whys
So give me the mind to step ahead
When I hear what You've said and hide
The night turned to day
The days fade away
And so it was
The hours wouldn't pass
And forever couldn't last
We gave it up
We were fixed on the door
Waiting for… is this a dream?
Tell us how to feel
Can it be that this is real?
What am I?
So give me the light to understand
The fight to comprehend the whys
So give me the mind to step ahead
When I hear what You've said and hide
We once were full of hope to know
He's opened up our eyes
But if He walks across the sea
What does any of it mean
If He has died
But the stone was rolled away
And the angel came to say
He's alive, He is alive
But the stone was rolled away
And we just have to say
He's alive
So give me the light to understand
The fight to comprehend the whys
So give me the mind to step ahead
When I hear what You've said and hide
The song "Friday to Sunday" by Poor Old Lu tells a story of hopelessness, doubt and confusion which eventually give way to a realization of the power of faith. The opening lines, "Darkness fell across the land, Our hope fell in the sand, And there it was, Though for certain we stood still", sets the tone of despair and uncertainty that the singer finds themselves in. The following lines tell of the earth shaking and giving way, which can be seen as a metaphor for the foundation of the singer's beliefs being tested and shattered. The chorus asks for the ability to comprehend and stay steadfast in faith despite the confusion and fear that comes with doubt.
In the second verse, the singer seems to have resigned themselves to the idea that hope is futile and that they must accept their fate. They wait by the door for something to happen, desperate for a feeling or sign that they are not alone in their suffering. However, the mentioning of the possibility of Jesus walking across the sea suggests that the singer still clings to the idea of the miraculous possibilities of faith. The chorus is repeated with an emphasis on the need for understanding and faith before the bridge repeats the words of the Angel that rolled away the stone from Jesus' tomb and the reassurance that Jesus is alive.
Line by Line Meaning
Darkness fell across the land
The situation became hopeless and bleak
Our hope fell in the sand
Our optimism vanished
And there it was
The thing that we feared the most happened
Though for certain we stood still
We were paralyzed with fear and uncertainty
The earth shook and spilled
The world around us changed drastically
Then gave it up
We lost hope
Could we believe our eyes
We were in disbelief
When life has tossed us aside?
When we feel rejected by life?
So turn and hang your head
Be sad and defeated
He is given up for dead
He is presumed dead
And so am I
I feel hopeless and defeated too
So give me the light to understand
Give me clarity to comprehend the situation
The fight to comprehend the whys
The strength to understand why things happened
So give me the mind to step ahead
Give me the courage to move forward
When I hear what You've said and hide
When I hear your words and feel afraid
The night turned to day
The situation improved
The days fade away
Time passed
And so it was
This is the reality now
The hours wouldn't pass
Time seemed to stand still
And forever couldn't last
The unbearable situation couldn't continue forever
We gave it up
We let go of our hopes and dreams
We were fixed on the door
We were waiting for something
Waiting for… is this a dream?
Waiting for something to happen, wondering if it's real
Tell us how to feel
We need guidance on how to feel about the situation
Can it be that this is real?
Is this really happening?
What am I?
I am lost and confused
We once were full of hope to know
We used to be full of optimism
He's opened up our eyes
He showed us a new way of seeing things
But if He walks across the sea
But if He can perform miracles
What does any of it mean
What is the significance?
If He has died
If He is dead
But the stone was rolled away
The thing that was blocking our way was removed
And the angel came to say
We received a message of hope
He's alive, He is alive
He has risen from the dead
And we just have to say
We can't help but declare
He's alive
He is alive!
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Capitol CMG Publishing
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind