The Petra Zone

With the recent ending of Petra's 33 year music ministry I thought it'd be kind of interesting to start a series of polls on favorite songs. Starting with their first album and working to the last. I figured I'd do an album each week.

So for those interested, get out your petra CD's and start listening. Do it now!! Listening is NOT optional!!!

Voting for last weeks album "Petra Praise 2: We Need Jesus" has completed.

Here are the results.

Be Of Good Cheer [6]
Show Your Power [3]
Ancient Of Days [3]
I Waited For The Lord [3]
We Need Jesus [3]
Lovely Lord [2]
(Only By Grace, To Him Who Sits On The Throne, You Are Holy) [1]
Lord, I Lift Your Name On High [1]
The Holiest Name [0]
Song Of Moses [0]
I Love You Lord [0]
Let Our Voices Rise Like Incense [0]

"Be Of Good Cheer" sweeps the poll with a 4 way tie between "Show Your Power', "Ancient Of Days", "I Waited For The Lord", and "We Need Jesus". "Lovely Lord" made it in 3rd place with exactly two votes.

We were short about 13 voters this week. So who knows why they skipped out. I actually missed the vote myself, so mine was added in for "Show Your Power".

Next Up! "God Fixation", released in 1998.

1) Pete Orta, Kevin Brandow, Lonnie Chapin are still in the lineup.
2) Keyboards!! Who needs keyboards?
3) Bob only penned words an music for 1 song, which I know will get at least 1 vote.
4) Bob wrote the lyrics for all the rest except 1.
5) If I didn't know any better, and maybe I don't. I'd think this was a elefante/wooten album.

Who's this Brian Wooten guy? So did wooten tour with petra?

Not sure what to say about this album. When I first heard it I was like.... Huh??

Funny I should see this comment by Michael over on the guide to petra webpage.

and although it is more similar to lead singer John Schlitt's two solo albums than to Petra's other efforts,

cause I actually include the songs on this album on my John Schlitt mix as opposed to my usual Petra mix.

As usual I only had room for ten entries so I had to remove two. Hopefully I didn't trample on anyones favorites. The songs are listed below.

The Invitation


Alrighty then! Have at it!

Note to self: Add in pre-cast vote for "It's A Matter Of Time"

This is probably one of Petra's greatest underrated albums. As like the last few albums I was disappointed at first but have really grown to love this album. The lyrics are more on a personal level than on any other Petra recording and they I feel are really it's strong point, but to counter that I think the music is somewhat bland(like all music today) and really never seems to go anywhere. The one thing I did like about the music was how the bridge connects with chorus and they showcase the talents of the band. Some answers for questions above.

1. No Brian Wooten did not tour with the band; He was in White Heart though from 90-96 I believe.
2. Kevin Brandow played drums on at least one song(Hello Again). I don't remember if they ever gave a reason why.

executioner wrote: 1. No Brian Wooten did not tour with the band; He was in White Heart though from 90-96 I believe.

Ok thanks. That is why I asked cause I know whiteheart called it quits around that time. Now that I think about it though, if Whiteheart and Petra were touring together maybe that is why he had alot of involvement with Petra's songwriting at the time.

I've actually been listening to this album quite a bit in the past few days. I had never thought much of it before. As I listen to it now, it is a very good listen. Although it doesn't seem like a "Petra" album to me, it is still an enjoyable CD. You just have to take it for what it is.

That being said, I have a story. My friend's brother hadn't listened to Petra since the 80s. I actually bought my first two Petra albums from him (MPTY and NOTW). He was listening to a mix I had made for my friend and A Matter of Time came on. His interest was piqued and he thought the song was really good. He was quite surprised when he found out it was Petra. And this is coming from a guy who is quite particular about the music he listens to. I thought it was pretty high praise.

So that's the song my vote goes to: A Matter of Time

It took awahile for this album to grow on me. That said, I still frequently skip by Magnet of the World, Hello Again and The Invitation.

Lyrically, the CD is strong, but the music certainly went in a direction I wasn't happy with.

My top 4 are IIHtDfS, Falling Up, St Augustine's Pears and God Fixation. My favorite was Falling Up. It's one of my favourite ballads from Petra.

I agree with Chilli, this seemed to have a John Schlitt sound, but probably because he was more progressive in his solo albums.

My vote went to If I had To Die For Someone. I also like Hello Again; A Matter Of Time; God Fixation; Shadow Of A Doubt and The Invitation. I've played this CD more, recently. I agree about the lyrics being strong. The music, for me, is a nice change of pace.

Do you really have to ask?

"St. Augustine's Pears" Words and music by Bob Hartman

Late one night I heard a knock at the door
The boys were really painting the town
I was just another bored teenage boy
Kicking up and acting the clown...yeah

One dare led to another dare
Then things were getting out of control
We hopped the fence and we stole the pears
And I threw away a part of my soul
Yes, I threw away a part of my soul...now it's...

Haunting me how I stole those pears
'Cause I loved the wrong
Even though I knew a better way
Not for hunger or poverty
It was more than pears that I ended up throwin' away...yeah

Time goes by - now I'm old and grey
Those pears are just a memory
I would gladly pay all I have today
But that's just not the problem you see...'cause it's...

Repeat chorus

Why do we love all the things that are wrong
Forbidden fruit has a strange siren song
Why do we do what we don't want to do
When we live with regrets our whole life through

And it's haunting me how I stole those pears
'Cause I loved the wrong
Even though I knew a better way
Not for hunger or poverty
It was more than pears that I ended up throwin' away...yeah

And I don't even like pears that well...oh, I don't even like 'em at all!

Saint Augustine's Pears for me too. It is easily the best song of that whole era. It fits in the album, but is much more classicly Petra than the rest of it. Maybe because it revisits Augustine and his confessions-and of course it, as many other of the classic Petra songs, opens the door to thinking about theology. Yay!
Die Pelagians!

Anyway, this album as a whole is a fairly enjoyable listen. It also strikes me as sounding a bit more like a solo album from John, but that is not necessarily a bad thing-and it makes sense considering. I rather thought the lyrics were a bit of a weakness though, especially since they were coming from Bob. I hold him to a higher standard than the mere mortal songwriters.

Hey and I have a (warped but viewable) piccy of this one now:

I dont hate this album but it is my least liked Petra album. It sounds like a John Schlitt solo album(not that I dont mind) but when it says Petra on it. I expect to hear Petra. The only song that sounds Petrafied to me is S.A.P. This song is definently a Bob Hartman song, musically and lyrically. I will say one good thing about the album and that is, it has some of Bob's best writing.

Gripes aside it has some really good songs . I voted for Falling Up. I love that song

I love this album...it's my co-favorite Petra album (tied with ON FIRE!). The lyrics are some of the best Hartman (and various co-writers) has ever come up with...very personal and introspective, but still totally focused on Christ. This album also has a very "live" drum sound, and the guitar work is top-notch, plus it has the best singing Schlitt has ever done.

As I've mentioned before, when this album was first released...I hated it (except for "St. Augustine's Pears, which I loved from the first listen). Kept it in my collection, but rarely played it. I started listening to it a lot after the death of my dad, and this album spoke to me. For example, the first time I played "Hello Again" after my dad died, I bawled like a baby...but it was such a tremendous relief knowing I'll see him again in heaven.

I think that is the reason I love this album so much...whether dealing with the grief of losing a loved one ("Hello Again"), regret ("St. Augustine's Pears"), doubts about God ("Shadow of a Doubt" and "Over the Horizon"), or temptation ("Magnet of the World")...the theme is that Jesus IS there and WILL get you through anything you face in life.

I've tried many a time to listen to this album and I still can't get myself to like it. Other than a few songs it just does not do anything for me.

I suppose that is better than nothing though, cause I used to not like it period.

Over da Horizon - it's a nice song

darthpethead wrote: Gripes aside it has some really good songs . I voted for Falling Up. I love that song

Completely agree. Falling up, despite not sounding like traditional Petra, is the best song on the album.

Voting is now complete.

Here are the results.

St. Augustine's Pears [11]
If I Had To Die For Someone [4]
A Matter Of Time [4]
Falling Up [2]
Over The Horizon [2]
Hello Again [1]
God Fixation [1]
Set For Life [1]
Shadow Of A Doubt [1]
Magnet Of The World [0]
The Invitation [0]

The clear winner is "St. Augustine's Pears" at 11 votes. Which is 7 pears ahead of both "If I Had To Die For Someone" and "A Matter Of Time", both at 4. "Falling Up" and "Over The Horizon" tied for third. "Magnet Of The World" failed to attract anyone, and "The Invitation" was never accepted.

We picked up a few voters this time leaving us short only 7 people.