Thoughtless

Poor Old Lu

Much of the songwriting for 'Sin' can be broken up into three parts. A few songs were written shortly after Mindsize was recorded, during various tours, etc.. A large majority of the songs were written in the two weeks preceding our recording dates - in our church youth room. The final few songs were written in the studio, "on-the-fly" or something like that. This song is one of the few that I have distinct memories of us writing in the two weeks before recording started. It came like a shot. The guys came up with the music - moody and powerful, and I slipped out of the room to write some lyrics. Like many of our songs, I don't remember *actually* writing the lyrics, but I know that these words came quickly - very quickly. Maybe that's part of the reason that I've always liked this song so much.

I think that the words of this song flow as good as any that we have. I don't think there was much mystery as to the message here - at least I hope not. What does it boil down to? Simple. No matter what material possessions we have, excessive smarts that we claim, or good acts that we have made - it means nothing without Christ. The chorus is interesting in that it can almost represent how someone might take stock of their own life and their own actions - a dime for my good actions, a nickel for the good things that I could do, and a quarter for my good intentions! In the end, we're left poor despite all of these things if we do not have the Savior.

in my money, I was at home
To the beggar, I was so cold
In my pockets, all that I could hold
As I left here, this was all I was told...

well, I get a dime for all of my good
A nickel for all that I could
And a quarter for all I said I would
And I was left poor, poor, poor
Oh my, how poor

as a thinker, I was so loud
In my wisdom, I was profound
As I left here, this was the sound...

well, I get a dime for all of my good
A nickel for all that I could
And a quarter for all I said I would
And I was left poor, poor, poor
Oh my, how poor
Oh my Lord

by my own way, I felt very near
When it shook me, this was all
I could hear...