If I Left the Zoo (CD)

A flower for your vanity, a penny for your thoughts
About the world’s insanity and how we’ve gotten lost
Strike up the band to play a song as we go waltzing by
And fake a smile as we all say goodbye

Goodbye, oh goodbye

Say a prayer for recognition, kiss the ones you love
Gather up the ammunition, sigh for all the lost
Strike up the band to play a song as we go waltzing by
And fake a smile as we all say goodbye

Raise a glass for ignorance, drink a toast to fear
The beginning of the end has come that’s why we all are here
Strike up the band to play a song and try hard not to cry
And fake a smile as we all say goodbye
Goodbye

You never minded giving us the stars
Then showing us how blind and unaware of You we are
You painted me a picture and showed me how to see
Though I just won’t behold it
Unless it pertains to me

Tearful confessions have watered down and broken down
The chance for unrequited love to finally reach its wall
You’re waiting for the ax to fall
Can’t you see it lying on the ground?
You could be the best one at cleaning up this mess
Be the best one, be the best one, be the best one

Took some time to realize I’ve fallen

You say you heard every word, I watched you turn away
You were only waiting

Do I entertain you
Do I preoccupy you with my wit to cover this lie
Are you mesmerized
Do you think me faithful, do you think me a clown
I picked out this shirt, I put on this hat
I wore all this paint just for you

I hear Your voice and follow
So hard to believe, and still I go

So cut below the surface and try hard not to notice
That I could be so foolish thinkin’ I’m alright
I’ve got no one to hold me, I’ve got no one to carry
Everything inside of me that I won’t let you see

God, I admit I’ve loved these chains
And crawling around this cage sometimes has its advantages
I know someday this could get old
And I’ll need Your healing water to find my home

So wrong, can’t embrace it
Wish sometimes for any other you
But you can’t erase it, and you won’t escape it
How long will you face it
Till the wait comes crashing down on you
‘Cause you can’t erase it, and you won’t escape it

Come down, pour out on me
Come down, pour out on me

"We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."

Four years ago, a band of eager, but completely unprepared, young musicians came together in a sort of "dormitory acoustic group" at Greenville Illinois. Not even thinking about an actual career in music, they began to write songs more for the fun of it than anything. For even a little more entertainment, they decided to submit a demo to a national new artist competition. Three million records later, the music of that unassuming group of buddies is heard around the globe. And the band, filling store shelves and the hearts of millions, is Jars of Clay.

Comprised of Dan Haseltine, lead vocals, Stephen Mason, guitar/background vocals, Matt Odmark, electric and acoustic guitars/background vocals, and Charlie Lowell, piano and keyboards/background vocals, Jars of Clay comes together with an excitement and spontaneity that is reflective of their youthful spirit and creative risk.

If I Left the Zoo, the band’s third album for Essential/Silvertone Records, grabs hold of the unexpected and stands it on its head. Incorporating a unique blend of organic and playful music - reminiscent of the group’s self-titled, debut album – with inspirational and witty lyrics, If I Left The Zoo refreshes the spirit and ignites the soul.

"If I Left The Zoo asks the question, ‘What if?’ What would happen if I left this comfortable place? What if I woke up one day and decided to do something completely different?" says Charlie, commenting on the theme of the album.

Practicing what they preach, Jars of Clay left the typical Nashville recording scene behind in order to record with Dennis Herring in Oxford, Miss. near the campus of University of Mississippi. Most of Jars of Clay’s fans are college-aged, yet the fact that the band was in town recording was kept secret. The experience of recording in a small, Southern college town seemed to lend a bit of magic to the process, also evident in the record’s outcome.

"Dennis really made us work hard and do things we weren’t used to doing," recalls Dan. "He reviewed the lyrics, said they were great. But then he told us to go back and write them as if we weren’t Jars of Clay, but individuals exploring the possibilities of a completely new direction of sounds and styles."

"We didn’t want anyone to hear the process of the record because to us it sounded terrible," laughs Stephen. "And then one day it’s like, hey, this is pretty great!"

Another pattern in the making of the album turned out to be "relying on friends." Jars of Clay enlisted the help of some longtime pals, such as bassist Aaron Sands and drummer Joe Porter (another Greenville College alum), and some very important new ones, like producer Dennis Herring (Counting Crows) and drummer Ben Mize (also Counting Crows) to assist their new effort.

Although the If I Left The Zoo project was lengthy and challenging, it was those experiences that the band felt allowed them to make real creative progress. The result is a record infused with enthusiasm, character-adding imperfections, and total personality.

"Dennis made the band explore all the possibilities of music-making. I think there’s more on this record than new songs, there’s a new attitude," shares Stephen. "We were each taken out of our comfort zones and pushed to be more playful and dedicated to being different where we may not have done that before."

Dan continues, "We try to challenge ourselves to not grow as Christians, but to also enjoy the moment we are in. Because what we learn during our experiences, gives us a better understanding of the direction in which we are heading. This recording process has been a tremendous exercise in embracing and learning from the moment."

The first single from If I Left The Zoo, "Unforgetful You," is elevated alternative rock with quirky musical components and dramatic lyrics that express the failed attempts of humanity to handle life’s changes without remembering God’s plan.

"This song serves to remind us of how forgetful we are and how ‘Unforgetful’ God is," reflects Dan. "It’s amazing the extent God will go to in order to show us who He is on a daily basis."

Regarding "I’m Alright," which includes backing vocals from a gospel choir, Matt comments, "Our perceptions of ourselves and why we believe we are alright, and the reality of why we are alright in God’s eyes, are usually polar opposites. It’s important that people remember that God doesn’t make mistakes."

"This is a record that expresses God’s relentless pursuit of us as human beings," remarks Charlie on the overall motivation behind the project. "It’s because of His unconditional love for us that we are allowed to be exactly who we are."

And exactly who is Jars of Clay? They’re still a group of good friends making music for the fun of it and letting God take it from there.

Film Involvement:

• "Unforgetful You," Drive Me Crazy, Fox Pictures
• "Five Candles," Jack Frost, Warner Brothers/Mercury Record
• "Everything in Between" original song for The Prince of Egypt, Dreamworks/Dreamworks Records
• "Flood," Hard Rain, Paramount Pictures
• "The Chair" original song for Long Kiss Goodnight, New Line Cinemas
• Performance at 1999 Sundance Film Festival Music Studio

lyrical insights by Dan Haseltine

Goodbye, Goodnight

…a comical look at the end of the millennium through the eyes of the string players aboard the Titanic.

Unforgetful You

…coming to the realization of difference between God and man. The ways God makes His strength and mercy known, most often through our awareness of our own mortality and human condition.

Collide

…about the struggle and search for the rue meaning of love. A song that takes place in the midst of a wrestling match between the world and the word. What is love and why do I need it? How does it change me?

No One Loves Me Like You

…a metaphoric look at the risks and rewards of loving well.

Famous Last Words

…a serious look at the ways in which we procrastinate in our dealings with others and more importantly our relationships with God. When will our time run out? Who will we have lost the chance to love and be loved with?

Sad Clown

…about light entering into darkness. A friend in the throes of loneliness. The ability of Christ to see into our darkest corners and fill them with light.

Hand

…taken from a quote of Fredrick Buechner, this song is an elaboration of the idea that faith is reaching out for that hand in the darkness and letting it hold us and protect us.

I’m Alright

…a satirical look at denial and its grip on those who believe everything is fine even though the life they live holds no joy, substance or purpose

Grace

…about the grace of God and how it covers over a worlds worth of pain.

Can’t Erase It

…about fighting our deepest desire to be who we are not. No matter what we do or say we are made to be who we are. Coming to grips with our weakness and strength and how God made us.

River Constantine

…a song or even a prayer about the Holy Spirit. Using the image of a river, in this case, paints a picture of something both totally inviting and unsafe at the speed and strength of its current. Our desire to be overtaken and carried by such a force.