The Petra Zone

Does anyone else share the view on the song "What's in a name" that the intro is not suited to the song?

I love the intro & the song but the two don't fit for me?

Actually, I like it that way. I think it goes with it perfectly ...

It's a really, really awesome intro. I understand how you feel though - this song has so many key changes. The intro is in the key of C minor, which is very unrelated to the other keys of the song - the stanzas are in B major and E major (which are very far away from C minor on the circle of fifths) the choruses are in F major (which is somewhat close to C minor but very far from the stanza keys). The song never returns to the intro key, which is probably why it almost doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the song. I think one of the aspects which made Bob's mid-80's to mid-90's songwriting so clever and exciting, is his frequent use of key changes. Most of the Petra songs from the past 8 years remain stagnant in 1 or 2 keys, which can make a song feel like it's hardly going anywhere.

Yes Seichu it is a great song but has been a mystery since I was a child.
Thanks for the technical view on this song.

You know, I'd never really thought about it, but the intro is a bit unusual. But while we are on the subject of intros, am I the only one who thinks the intro to "The Noise We Make" sounds like it should be the intro to a song called "Oasis" more than "The Noise We Make"?

I always wondered how that lady at the beginning of the noise we make fit into the song.


the song Last Daze has always been one of my favs on Beyond Belief, that whole album was very strong. Listening to John hit those high notes on What's In A Name is just amazing.

HA HA HA I thought that was JS's voice

I'm sure it is - just run through a 'voice mangler'

I can do a real wicked imitation of that sound.... simply direct your air up through your nasal passages - and you got it! lol!

It sounded kind of arabian to me.

Speaking of Arabian's is that Bob Hartman dressed as an Arabian at the begining of the Think Twice video clip?.

Let me look into my secret ball..... my sources say YES.
(anyone remember those black 8 balls that had all those answers to questions? or am I dating myself again?!)

Remember when Milhouse got the magic 8-ball on the Simpsons, and asked it, "Will I get beat up today?" and the ball said "Yes." And then Nelson reached over the seat and punched him and said, "That ball knows everything."

Remember that, Sue?

So, yeah, "What's In a Name"...I think they were just being progressive. If you listen to Mendelssohn's Concierto in D, the second and third movements sound nothing like the first. And Mendelssohn used to bug me by doing that, but I realized that they are all equally as compelling and emotional.

Your Managers Don't Have Expertise They Have This. (click for the 'toon)