Volz showed great skills in singing from a very early age. Being a self-taught musician, when he was 13 years old, he started his own band called The Wombats. As he grew up, he went on to share the stage with the likes of Janis Joplin, Chicago and others. In 1970 he became a born-again Christian and started performing with several Christian bands. He formed a band called Gideon's Bible, and later toured with a group known simply as the e Band, which was a part of the Jesus Movement. They released an album titled Because I Am in 1973 but broke up shortly after. Volz then moved to Springfield, Missouri, where he worked with legendary guitarist Phil Keaggy. He also performed the lead role in a rock stage musical called Ezekiel.
In 1976, Volz received two of the most important calls of his life. First, he was offered the lead singer position of REO Speedwagon. Volz, being a recently converted Christian, declined. Six weeks later, he got the call to participate in Petra's second album, Come and Join Us. Although at that time he participated as a guest singer in just three songs, founder/guitarist Bob Hartman (who, at that time, was sharing the lead-singing duties with co-founder/guitarist Greg Hough) offered Volz the full-time position.
His first full-time album with the band, Washes Whiter Than, came in 1979 and therein came one of the most prolific periods of the legendary band. Volz remained the lead singer until 1985 when he left to pursue a solo career. Volz released his first solo effort, titled The River is Rising in 1986 under Myrrh Records. He followed it with three other moderately successful albums. During this time, he also toured with Joe English in a band called Pieces of Eight. Volz' tours drew in the 1,000 to 1,500 range during this time - a very respectable number for a Contemporary Christian artist, but no where near the level he experienced at the end of his tenure with Petra.
In the mid-90's, Volz decided to retire for some time. Apparently, during this time he was dealing with the divorce from his long-time wife, Becky. He resurfaced in 1998 with a string of new albums released from that year on.
In October 4, 2005 he re-joined Petra for the live recording of their last DVD, Petra Farewell. He joined the stage with current singer John Schlitt for a medley of ballads, and he followed it with a solo rendition of "Grave Robber", which was one of his hits with the band.
During his career, Volz has also lent his voice to numerous projects in the Christian music scene.
I don't know why
Greg X. Volz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Seemed like everything would be explained,
I told myself I'd turn the tide around,
My friends and I would break the chain.
Oh, doing things we swore we'd never do,
Running around, erasing every clue,
Doing things we swore we'd never do,
Oh,
Ooh, oh.
So much we hoped for went up in flames,
I guess the smoke got in my eyes,
Can perfect passion stand the light of day?
These things I know, can I realise?
Oh, doing things we swore we'd never do,
Running around, erasing every clue,
Doing things we swore we'd never do,
Look at what's been happening; it's happening to you.
Oh,
Ooh, oh,
Ooh, oh.
I don't know why, I don't know why, I don't know why...
Doing things we swore we'd never do, (doing things we swore we'd never do)
Doing things we swore we'd never do, (doing things we swore we'd never do)
Doing things we swore we'd never do, (doing things we swore we'd never do)
Doing things we swore we'd never do, (ooh, the little things, all the little things)
Doing things we swore we'd never do, (doing things we swore we'd never do)
Doing things we swore we'd never do, (doing things we swore we'd never do)
Doing things we swore we'd never do, (ooh, the little things, all the little things)
(etc, fade)
The lyrics of "I Don't Know Why" by Greg X. Volz reflect on the regrets and challenges of the past, focusing on the experience of being young and naive. The song's opening lines express the confusion and uncertainty of youth, when everything seems to be explainable, but in reality, it's not. The singer of the song tells himself that he will change the course of his life and "break the chain." However, as the song progresses, it becomes evident that this was not the case. The singer and his friends ended up doing things they swore they would never do, and they erased every clue of their wrongdoings. Looking back, the singer realizes that the same thing that happened to his friends is happening to him too.
The song discusses how the things that people hope for often end up going up in flames, and the smoke eventually gets in their eyes. The singer also wonders if perfect passion can stand the light of day and whether he can realize what he knows he should. It is clear that the mistakes of the past are still affecting his present. The repetition of the line "doing things we swore we'd never do" emphasizes the frustration and disappointment felt by the singer.
Overall, the song is a reflection on the mistakes and regrets of youth and how they continue to affect people as they grow older. It is a reminder that even though we may swear we will never do certain things, it is easy to fall into temptation and make choices we later regret.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know why, I was just younger then,
I don't have an explanation for why I acted a certain way when I was younger.
Seemed like everything would be explained,
It felt like all of life's mysteries and questions would eventually be answered.
I told myself I'd turn the tide around,
I vowed to make a change for the better.
My friends and I would break the chain.
My peers and I would break free from destructive patterns and habits.
So much we hoped for went up in flames,
Many of our aspirations and dreams turned to ashes or were destroyed.
I guess the smoke got in my eyes,
I became blind to the reality of the situation.
Can perfect passion stand the light of day?
Can an infatuation or intense emotion endure in the harsh light of reality?
These things I know, can I realise?
Even though I understand these concepts, can I truly grasp their significance?
Doing things we swore we'd never do,
Engaging in behaviors and actions that we previously promised to avoid.
Running around, erasing every clue,
Attempting to hide evidence of our poor choices and behavior.
Look at what's been happening, it's happening to you.
Take a moment to observe and reflect on the negative consequences of your actions.
I don't know why, I don't know why, I don't know why...
I don't have an explanation for my current circumstances.
(doing things we swore we'd never do)
Continuing to engage in actions that we previously promised not to do.
(ooh, the little things, all the little things)
Small but significant actions or details that contribute to our current situation.
(etc, fade)
The song fades into silence, leaving the listener with the message to reflect on their own past behaviors and choices.
Contributed by Skyler C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ednei Stropa
BACANA DEMAIS ESTAS MÚSICAS.
T
Best song ever