"Disappear"

"Disappear" was a song that went through a series of musical changes. I remember writing it, thinking it was one of the most straightforward songs Jars had ever written. I had the image of a girl standing on a stage looking very much in control, and another image of faded, running mascara surrounding a set of fearful eyes kept creeping in—a reflection in a private vanity mirror in the basement of some beautiful theatre. This seemed to personify so thoroughly the worst fear we all seem to possess. That is the fear of being found out, of somehow being confronted with a Judas, betraying our true nature, the one we have fought to keep secret, the one that keeps us only accepting very conditional love. It is the fear that keeps us from believing that someone does know all our dirt and dark black, yet willfully pursues us to the core of our souls.

"Something Beautiful"

"Something Beautiful" started as an instrumental piece of music. It was more of an exercise writing a song that may have been on the first Jars record. The lyric "If you put your arms around me, could it change the way I feel?" was the first written for this song. It started out to be about someone looking to find worth in someone else. It was like a person could wear someone else, and like a king’s robe, it would change the person from peasant to royalty. It became much more than that as the writing progressed. At one point we stopped working on the song because we could not agree on the best way to finish the song. We knew it had to be finished—we were so struck by the lyrical concept and how it hit each of us close to home. Eventually we found the missing pieces and found the prayer hidden in the question.

"Revolution"

"Revolution" was written after we had finished writing all the songs for the new record. We had a meeting where we picked 15 songs from the 40 or so songs we had written and made the decision to focus on those 15 songs for the record. After a few days, we all had the feeling that God was not done filling us with what he had to say on this record. We wrote again and came up with three songs, "These Ordinary Days," "I Need You" and "Revolution." I can’t remember ever having so much fun recording a song. It turned out to be an anthem or a call to action away from the apathy that has plagued our generation. The lyrics were written as they were sung from the first time we recorded the demo—we never changed them…for better or worse.

"Fly"

"Fly" was one of the most difficult songs to write—not because it was musically complex, but mostly because it was inspired by true events in the lives of people close to us. It is the story of a man and a woman, and who, shortly after they were married, found out the once dormant cancer had returned to destroy her body. The couple spent their entire marriage in the hospital. Until one evening, while holding hands, he let her go. "Fly" is about that moment. It is a song about hope—the hope we can only begin to explore when we are on the verge of eternity.

"I Need You"

"I Need You" has become a favorite of the band’s. We had the musical idea for the song written while making Much Afraid. Every time we wrote for a record, we would try to finish it. Nothing ever seemed to work. We always loved the music, but the lyrics and melodies we came up with never did the music justice. So finally we took one last go at it, but it was not one of the songs on the record. While we were mixing the record, we went into a studio and wrote what is now "I Need You." The words were written with the same approach that "Love Song For A Saviour" was written. We simply wanted to write something about our unquenchable lifelong desire for God.

"Silence"

"Silence" is where the questions come out. In the eerily quiet expanses of time, we begin to wonder if God is there. God is not afraid of our questions, and we were not afraid to write about the incredible depth doubt can reach in the midst of our present struggles. This is a song that has taken on greater meaning since September 11.

"Scarlet"

"Scarlet" has widely been known as the color of adultery and at the same time, of the blood that washes us clean. In this song we are confronted with a vivid image of sacrificial love. Often I find myself awed by the reach of salvation and the persistence of grace.

"Whatever She Wants"

"Whatever She Wants" may be the most confrontational song we have ever written. The topic is co-dependency. It can suck the life out of the best relationships. There’s nothing like vampires and superheroes to liven up a record.

"The Eleventh Hour"

"The Eleventh Hour" is known as the end of the line, the final breath before dying, or the last chance to make something happen. More importantly it is the time when we are challenged to take God at His word. Is He trustworthy or is He a liar? If we believe God is who He says He is, then the eleventh hour can pass us by. God will find us in His time.

"These Ordinary Days"