If I Left the Zoo
Encyclopedia
If I Left the Zoo is the third album
of the band Jars of Clay
. It was released November 9, 1999 by Essential Records
.
and drummer Ben Mize, this album had more of a Counting Crows
influence.
This album produced several Christian radio singles, most notably "Unforgetful You
", which also appeared in the soundtrack to the 1999 film Drive Me Crazy
.
title of the same name.
Roaring Lambs
, is an outtake from the If I Left the Zoo recording sessions. The song was set to be released on If I Left the Zoo since it appeared as the album's eleventh track on several internet sites before its release. The version that appears on Roaring Lambs is the version that would have made the album cut as it was also produced by Dennis Herring. The demo version
of "Headstrong" appears on The White Elephant Sessions
.
The name of the recording sessions for If I Left the Zoo was called the Tweed Horse Sessions. Many of the songs that made the final track listing were recorded in raw form during these sessions. However, only "Collide" and "Can't Erase It" appears on The White Elephant Sessions.
for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
of the band Jars of Clay
Jars of Clay
Jars of Clay is a Christian rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. They met at Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois.Jars of Clay consists of Dan Haseltine on vocals, Charlie Lowell on piano and keyboards, Stephen Mason on lead guitars and Matthew Odmark on rhythm guitars...
. It was released November 9, 1999 by Essential Records
Essential Records (Christian)
Essential Records is a Contemporary Christian record label based in Franklin, Tennessee. It is a division of a major label, Sony Music Entertainment.-History:...
.
Overview
The band's third album brought about another stylistic shift, away from the lush sound of Much Afraid and into more of a raw and quirky pop/rock sound with occasional folk overtones. Keyboard player Charlie Lowell was featured much more prominently on this album. Due to the influence of producer Dennis HerringDennis Herring
Dennis Herring is an American record producer, engineer, mixer, and musician. Herring has produced for The Hives, Elvis Costello, Counting Crows, Modest Mouse, Camper Van Beethoven, and Jars of Clay. Herring owns a 24-track recording studio, Sweet Tea Studios, which is located in Oxford, Mississippi...
and drummer Ben Mize, this album had more of a Counting Crows
Counting Crows
Counting Crows is an American rock band originating from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1991, the group gained popularity following the release of its debut album in 1993, August and Everything After, which featured the hit single "Mr. Jones"...
influence.
This album produced several Christian radio singles, most notably "Unforgetful You
Unforgetful You
"Unforgetful You" is a song written and performed by Jars of Clay. It was the first mainstream and Christian radio single from their 1999 studio album, If I Left the Zoo. As the track was produced by Dennis Herring, many similarities in the sound and production styles are noticed with tracks from...
", which also appeared in the soundtrack to the 1999 film Drive Me Crazy
Drive Me Crazy
-Tracklisting:# " Crazy " - Britney Spears# "Unforgetful You" - Jars of Clay# "I Want It That Way " - Backstreet Boys# "It's All Been Done" - Barenaked Ladies# "Stranded" - Plumb...
.
Album Title
The band found a picture in a stock book of an elephant whom they have affectionately named Agnes. They bought the picture for the album cover and then had to come up with a title. Before landing on the name If I Left the Zoo, the band tried working the titles Already, Not Yet and If I Ran the Zoo for the album. However, the latter title ran into copyright issues with a Dr. SeussDr. Seuss
Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen names Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg and, in one case, Rosetta Stone....
title of the same name.
Outtakes
The song "Headstrong", which appears on the compilation albumCompilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
Roaring Lambs
Roaring Lambs (album)
Roaring Lambs is a colaborative album based on the book, Roaring Lambs: A Gentle Plan to Radically Change Your World, by Bob Briner. Conceived and directed Dave Palmer, and produced by Steve Taylor, the recording includes a number of CCM artists' musical interpretations of Briner's message about...
, is an outtake from the If I Left the Zoo recording sessions. The song was set to be released on If I Left the Zoo since it appeared as the album's eleventh track on several internet sites before its release. The version that appears on Roaring Lambs is the version that would have made the album cut as it was also produced by Dennis Herring. The demo version
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
of "Headstrong" appears on The White Elephant Sessions
The White Elephant Sessions
The White Elephant Sessions is a rarities and demo version album by American Christian band Jars of Clay, released in conjunction with the band's third studio album If I Left the Zoo...
.
The name of the recording sessions for If I Left the Zoo was called the Tweed Horse Sessions. Many of the songs that made the final track listing were recorded in raw form during these sessions. However, only "Collide" and "Can't Erase It" appears on The White Elephant Sessions.
Accolades
This album was their second in a row to earn a Grammy AwardGrammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album.
Reception
Track listing
Note: All songs written by Dan Haseltine, Matt Odmark, Stephen Mason, Charlie Lowell; except "Grace" by Dan Haseltine, Matt Odmark, Stephen Mason, Charlie Lowell, Mark Hudson & Greg WellsGreg Wells
Greg Wells is a multiple Grammy nominated musician, record producer and songwriter based in Los Angeles. Wells has produced and written hits with Adele, Weezer, Pink, Theophilus London, Deftones, Katy Perry, Rufus Wainwright, The All American Rejects, OneRepublic, Mika, Aerosmith, Burt Bacharach,...
- "Goodbye, Goodnight" – 2:53
- "Unforgetful YouUnforgetful You"Unforgetful You" is a song written and performed by Jars of Clay. It was the first mainstream and Christian radio single from their 1999 studio album, If I Left the Zoo. As the track was produced by Dennis Herring, many similarities in the sound and production styles are noticed with tracks from...
" – 3:20 - "CollideThe Singles (Jars of Clay)"The Singles" is the title of the promotional release from Jars of Clay in support of their radio singles "Collide" and "No One Loves Me Like You", from their third album, If I Left the Zoo. "Collide" was intended for airplay on Christian Hit Radio and Christian Rock formats, while "No One Loves Me...
" – 4:46 - "No One Loves Me Like YouThe Singles (Jars of Clay)"The Singles" is the title of the promotional release from Jars of Clay in support of their radio singles "Collide" and "No One Loves Me Like You", from their third album, If I Left the Zoo. "Collide" was intended for airplay on Christian Hit Radio and Christian Rock formats, while "No One Loves Me...
" – 3:48 - "Famous Last Words" – 3:26
- "Sad Clown" – 4:27
- "HandHand (song)"Hand" is a song recorded and performed by Jars of Clay. It is the fifth of six radio singles from the band's 1999 studio album, If I Left the Zoo. The single was sent only to Christian adult contemporary radio stations. The song was a writing collaboration between the band's Dan Haseltine and...
" – 3:36 - "I'm Alright" – 3:40
- "Grace" – 4:31
- "Can't Erase ItCan't Erase It"Can't Erase It" is a song written and performed by Jars of Clay. The song was the sixth and final radio single in promotion of the band's third studio album, If I Left the Zoo...
" – 3:35 - "River Constantine" – 4:48
Main band
- Dan HaseltineDan HaseltineDaniel Paul "Dan" Haseltine is an American singer best known as lead vocalist for Christian alternative folk rock group Jars of Clay. Haseltine has performed vocals, piano, accordion, percussion and most recently, melodica, while with Jars of Clay...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
and percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - Matt OdmarkMatt OdmarkMatthew Odmark is an American musician most known for being a guitarist for Christian alternative folk rock group Jars of Clay.At times, Odmark's first name is noted as "Matthew" instead of "Matt"...
– Acoustic guitars - Stephen Mason – Electric guitarsElectric GuitarsElectric Guitars were formed early in 1980 by Neil Davenport and Richard Hall who were both studying English at Bristol University. The band soon increased to a five-man line-up, with Andy Saunders , Matt Salt and Dick Truscott , they also later added two backing singers: Sara and Wendy...
- Charlie LowellCharlie LowellCharlie Lowell is an American pianist most known for being the pianist and keyboardist for Christian alternative folk rock group Jars of Clay.-Biography:...
– PianosPianosPianos is a two-story bar/restaurant/live music venue in the Lower East Side section of Manhattan at 158 Ludlow Street.Its stage attracts local and national alternative rock groups as well as DJs, though a more typical performance consists of smaller name local and touring acts...
and keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
Additional musicians
- Ben Mize – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Joe Porter – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
on "Collide" - Aaron Sands – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Ned Henry – violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
on "Goodbye, Goodnight" - David Henry – celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
on "Goodbye, Goodnight" - Clay JonesClay JonesClay Jones, , was a horticulturist and broadcaster best known as the Chairman of the BBC Radio 4 programme Gardener's Question Time....
– mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, acoustic guitar on "No One Loves Me Like You" - Dennis HerringDennis HerringDennis Herring is an American record producer, engineer, mixer, and musician. Herring has produced for The Hives, Elvis Costello, Counting Crows, Modest Mouse, Camper Van Beethoven, and Jars of Clay. Herring owns a 24-track recording studio, Sweet Tea Studios, which is located in Oxford, Mississippi...
– acoustic guitar on "No One Loves Me Like You" - Ben Egan – lap steel in "Sad Clown"
- Jonathan Noel – background vocals in "Hand"
- Gospel choir in "I'm Alright":
- Sherrie Kibble
- Darwin Hobbs
- LeAnne Palmore
- Gale Mayes West
- Duawne Starling
- Angela Y. Primm
Production and technical
- Dennis HerringDennis HerringDennis Herring is an American record producer, engineer, mixer, and musician. Herring has produced for The Hives, Elvis Costello, Counting Crows, Modest Mouse, Camper Van Beethoven, and Jars of Clay. Herring owns a 24-track recording studio, Sweet Tea Studios, which is located in Oxford, Mississippi...
– producer - Robert BeesonRobert BeesonRobert Beeson is a music executive. He founded Essential Records in 1992, home to artists Jars of Clay and Third Day, along with Caedmon’s Call, Bebo Norman and FFH. He also created the City On a Hill series. He became Senior VP A&R for Provident Music Group after they bought Essential, working...
– executive producerExecutive producerAn executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production... - Michael Tedesco – executive producer
- Bob LudwigBob LudwigBob Ludwig is an American mastering engineer.He is a well known and respected figure within the music industry. His name is credited on the covers of albums released across the world, and he has won numerous awards....
– mastering - Clay Jones – mixer
- Rich Hasal – engineer
- Rob Cooper – second engineer
- Ted Gainey – second engineer
- Lee Groitzsch – second engineer
- Shawn McLean – second engineer
Charts & RIAA Certifications
| Release Year | The Billboard 200 Chart Position |
RIAA Certification RIAA certification In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards... |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 44 | Gold |