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.
now
Poor Old Lu Lyrics
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Of seconds came and spent
Don't wish on distant stars
Of worlds come and went
(Oh, what do I see?)
Tripping through the moments
(And to my shame)
(And days)
Don't wait for cloudless skies
When the sun breaks in between
Don't hope on fruitless things
What's in our hands, on what is seen
(Oh, what do I see?)
Tripping through the moments
(And to my shame)
I've longed for years and months and days
(And days)
Don't swim in drowning grief
Anticipating the despair
Don't choke the seeds of joy
Give them life and give them air
(Oh, what do I see?)
Tripping through the moments
(And to my shame)
I've longed for years and months and days
(And days)
Since I held the hands
(That bore my shame)
I count the years and months and days
(And days)
The song "Now" by Poor Old Lu encourages listeners to embrace the present moment and not dwell on the past or worry about the future. The lyrics advise against longing for hours and years gone by, wishing on distant stars, waiting for cloudless skies or swimming in drowning grief. Instead, the listener is urged to focus on what is in their hands and what is seen, to not choke the seeds of joy, and to give them life and air. The repetition of "tripping through the moments" and "years and months and days" highlights the importance of valuing the present moment and recognizing that time is fleeting.
The lyrics also suggest a sense of regret, as the singer acknowledges their shame for having longed for years and months and days instead of living in the moment. However, there is a sense of renewal and a desire to change as the singer counts the years and months and days since holding hands with someone who bore their shame. This could suggest a turning point in their life and a commitment to living in the present.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't dream of hours gone by
Do not dwell on the past and what has already happened
Of seconds came and spent
Of time that has already passed and cannot be regained
Don't wish on distant stars
Do not hope for something that is too far out of reach or impractical
Of worlds come and went
Of things that have already passed and cannot be changed or experienced again
(Oh, what do I see?)
The artist is introspective and questioning their own actions
Tripping through the moments
Moving forward in life somewhat aimlessly, without a clear sense of direction
(And to my shame)
The singer feels guilty or embarrassed about their behavior
I've longed for years and months and days
The artist has spent a lot of time and energy longing for things that may not be attainable or important
(And days)
Reinforces the idea of how much time the artist has wasted hopelessly waiting for things to happen
Don't wait for cloudless skies
Do not wait for the perfect moment, because it may never come
When the sun breaks in between
The singer is referring to brief moments of happiness or opportunity that may come along unexpectedly
Don't hope on fruitless things
Do not hope for things that are unlikely to happen or not worth striving for
What's in our hands, on what is seen
Focus on what is realistically possible and what is directly in front of you
Don't swim in drowning grief
Do not become consumed by sadness or despair
Anticipating the despair
The singer is warning against worrying excessively about potential negative outcomes
Don't choke the seeds of joy
Do not prevent yourself from experiencing happiness or new opportunities
Give them life and give them air
Allow yourself to explore new possibilities and nurture positive experiences
Since I held the hands
A reference to a specific moment in time
(That bore my shame)
The singer feels responsible for a past mistake or wrongdoing
I count the years and months and days
The artist cannot forget or move on from this past event, and is obsessively tracking the time that has passed since then
(And days)
Reinforces the idea of how much time has passed since the artist made a mistake they cannot forget
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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