If I could tell the world just one thing
It would be that we're all ok
And not to worry because worry is wasteful
And useless in times like these
I will not be made useless
I won't be idled with despair
I will gather myself around my faith
For light does the darkness most fear

My hands are small, I know,
But they're not yours they are my own
But they're not yours they are my own
And I am never broken

Poverty stole your golden shoes
But it didn't steal your laughter
And heartache came to visit me
But i knew it wasn't ever after

We will fight, not out of spite
For someone must stand up for what's right
Cause where there's a man who has no voice
There ours shall go singing

My hands are small, I know,
But they're not yours they are my own
But they're not yours they are my own
And I am never broken

In the end only kindness matters
In the end only kindness matters

I will get down on my knees and I will pray
I will get down on my knees and I will pray
I will get down on my knees and I will pray

My hands are small, I know,
But they're not yours they are my own
But they're not yours they are my own
And I am never broken

My hands are small, i know,
But they're not yours they are my own
But they're not yours they are my own
And I am never broken
We are never broken

We are God's eyes God's hands God's mind
We are God's eyes God's hands God's heart
We are God's eyes God's hands God's eyes God's hands
We are God's hands God's hands We are God's hands


Lyrics submitted by whitknee

Hands Lyrics as written by Patrick Leonard Jewel Kilcher

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Hands song meanings
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49 Comments

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  • +3
    General Comment

    I went to her concert last night (2nd row - it was beyond unbelievable .. thank you Michelle) and Jewel told us what this song was about. She wrote it to remind herself to have faith in herself. That no matter what challenges she had been given or faced, that SHE had control of her hands and what they did or did not do! And it really came after she very desperately wanted a $34 sundress that at the time she could not afford .. and as she contemplated stealing it (which she ultimately did not), she had an ephiphany -- She thought "how sad, I don't trust myself and my own hands enough to do something productive so that I can afford to buy this dress." So she wrote it to reminder herself to trust in her and her abilities. Needless to say, she "did good" in using her hands and her unbelievably talented voice so that she could afford the dress, but more importantly help to inspire others. And I think it is a great challenge to all of us -- can you use your hands to do good? To positively inspire? To lift yourself up? {Do you REALLY think you're sitiuation is SOOOO much worse than Jewel's that you can't use your hands to lift yourself up?? She came from poverty, food stamps and singing in bars at age 8 .. yet look at what her "hands" have done!} A friend whom I lost last year gave me this saying "All the happiness there is in the world comes from thinking about others, while all the suffering comes from preoccupation with ourselves" So we must all challenge ourselves and our "hands" to be the best we can be and to believe that our "hands" are our own and that in the end only kindness matters.

    Pmcdadon November 20, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I think this song means that we are in charge of the world. Of what happens, of what doesn't happen. Like in the part that says "We are God's hands". And when she says, "My hands are small I know, but they're not yours they are my own. " I think that part means that she's only concerned with the things she needs to do, her part in life.

    xbrowneyedgirlxon August 06, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I LOVE this song!!! and i agree with dblbassmike we are here to make a change, do something positive, love one another. i think they grasped the total poist of the song. Jewel sings a lot better when this song came out then now. shes a lot better a while ago! come back to us jewel!

    pink_n_bootyliciouson October 27, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i think this song is about being the change you want to see in the world, i think this is a very wise and meaningful song.

    specialK37on August 23, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is such a wise song. It's one of my favourites. I think she wants to say that we are responsible for ourselves and what another one thinks about us doesn't matter (--> they're not yours, they are my own) And that you can't posess a person. It says to me that life isn't senseless, that everything has a meaning in a sort of plan... It tells you to relativate bad things that happen to you, "it's just a moment, this time will pass" as U2 sings

    juttefruton August 01, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think that this song means that for the time we are here to make a change, do something positive, love on another. I really love this song. I think jewel is awesome.

    dblbassmikeon September 12, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I know that this song is based off of a poem from Pablo Neruda's book of poetry The Captain's Verses. The poem is called Poverty.

    ars musicaon April 23, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song hits home on so many different levels.

    It's especially powerfully when accompanying the pictures of Rachel Joy Scott and other Columbine victims in the Rachel's Challenge presentation.

    But it also makes us realize that there is something more powerful out there, something more meaningfull. I'm on the shorter side, and that's become sort of, my trade mark....and it doesn't bother me half as much as it used to...especially when listening to a lyric like:

    "my hands are small I know but they're not your's, they are my own"

    you've got to love it.

    WeezerHunnion April 20, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I love how jewel is so outspoken. I love the first verse of this song. You guys are right pink n bootylicious and dblbassmike we are only here for a certain time and we should make something of it!

    Sk8trgirl3221on November 27, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Perhaps she wrote this song when she was sad... And she wanted at that moment to say to the world, I'm myself, and I can!! do it, I can make it myself. Everyone is unique and should realise that. Don't give up hope! so then I agree on what dblbassmike says:)

    slaapmutske_1on December 30, 2004   Link

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