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.
The Mirror
Greg X. Volz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't know where
Where did the mirror go?
Cause when i looked up, i saw me there
Was a man that was so unaware
You have to seek then you will find
Your life is not a game, it's not a rhyme
Who was that man? what did i fear?
When i walked away the image was unclear
But then i heard an awesome sound
Was this the master's voice that i had found?
What did i hear? was i afraid?
How could i get a glimpse of me, then walk away
Why should i turn? where should i go?
Was there a master plan i did not know?
I found the key, i was amazed
For his word became a mirror to my face
For it's the truth that i had found
My god had put my feet on higher found
Where did the mirror go?
What did the mirror show?
In Greg X. Volz's song The Mirror, the lyrics depict a search for self-awareness and understanding of one's purpose in life. The repeated questioning of "Where did the mirror go?" suggests a lost sense of self and the need for reflection. The singer describes seeing a reflection of themselves but not recognizing the person they see. It's as if they have been going through life without really knowing who they are.
The song then shifts to questioning the meaning of what the singer saw in the mirror. They feel fear and uncertainty about what they saw, but they also hear an "awesome sound," which could be interpreted as a spiritual experience. They wonder if they have found the voice of a higher power, a "master's voice." They continue to question their purpose and the path they should take, and ultimately find answers in the "truth" they discover through their spiritual journey.
Through this song, Volz is encouraging listeners to seek self-awareness and purpose in life, and to turn to a higher power for guidance. The song suggests that true understanding and clarity can be found through introspection and spiritual exploration.
Line by Line Meaning
Where did the mirror go?
Questioning where the reflection of himself went.
Don't know where
Admitting to not knowing the answer to the previous question.
Where did the mirror go?
Repeating the initial question in hopes of finding an answer.
Cause when i looked up, i saw me there
Realizing that he was looking at his own reflection in the mirror before it disappeared.
Was a man that was so unaware
Describing the unawareness that he had before seeing his reflection.
You have to seek then you will find
Encouraging the idea of seeking in order to find answers.
Your life is not a game, it's not a rhyme
Stating that life should not be treated as a game or something that has predetermined outcomes.
Who was that man? what did i fear?
Questioning who the man was that he saw in the mirror and what caused him to feel fear.
When i walked away the image was unclear
Not being able to fully understand the image he saw in the mirror after walking away.
But then i heard an awesome sound
Hearing a sound that he describes as 'awesome'.
Was this the master's voice that i had found?
Questioning whether or not the sound he heard was the voice of his master.
What did i hear? was i afraid?
Wondering what the sound he heard was and whether or not it caused him to feel afraid.
How could i get a glimpse of me, then walk away
Questioning how he was able to see himself in the mirror but then choose to walk away from the image.
Why should i turn? where should i go?
Questioning why he should turn around and where he should go after seeing himself in the mirror.
Was there a master plan i did not know?
Questioning whether or not there was a predetermined plan that he was not aware of.
I found the key, i was amazed
Discovering something that he describes as a 'key' and being amazed by it.
For his word became a mirror to my face
Realizing that the 'key' he found was the word of his god that allowed him to see his true self.
For it's the truth that i had found
Understanding that the reflection he saw in the mirror was the truth of who he was.
My god had put my feet on higher found
Experiencing a spiritual awakening and feeling like he is on a higher path.
Where did the mirror go?
Repeating the question to reflect on the journey he has been on.
What did the mirror show?
Reflecting on what he learned and discovered about himself through the mirror.
Contributed by Violet N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@electricguitarplayr
id like to hear the petra version of this with bob hartman on guitar
@borndriver
Great Song Bro! I Do Have To Be Honest Though And Say I Do Like Aerosmith's Version The Best. Steven Tyler's Vocal Can't Be Beat When It Comes To This Song Anyhow... GOD Bless You Big-Brother. Road-Runner
@preacherman777
I must say though, Greg hits those last high notes better than Steven does.
@matthewvittardi5268
this version has different qualities then Arosmith' s version, but it's a better version. I think they should have Steven Taylor's version vs Greg x Volz version to compare the two.