1) Petra is a Christia… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist with this name:
1) Petra is a Christian Rock band formed in 1972 by Bob Hartman, Bill Glover, John DeGroff, and Greg Hough. "Petra" means "rock" in NT Greek, making the band name a triple pun. Rising from the Jesus music movement, and initially signed to [recordlabel]Myrrh Records[/recordlabel], they fought to gain acceptance and recognition in a church culture that at the time believed rock music to be off-limits. Over time they eventually won over most of their critics, thanks to a steady approach and some solid adult contemporary airplay hits like "The Coloring Song," outside of their usual rock fare. By the mid-80's, when lead singer Greg X. Volz left the band and was replaced by John Schlitt, Petra had solidified their place as the foremost Christian rock band in the industry with a string of hit albums and singles and strong touring. The release of Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out marked a turn towards modern-sounding worship music that would soon explode into the modern worship movement.
Petra was nominated for and won numerous Grammy and Dove Awards. In 1991, after the release of their acclaimed Beyond Belief record, Petra became the first rock band ever to win for Group of the Year at the Dove Awards. They were also the first Christian rock band to be inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
For three decades Petra continued to produce albums despite changes in their line-up as well as the genre and market. On May 24th, 2005 Petra announced their retirement after 33 years of ministry. They recorded one of their final performances in Franklin, Tennessee to release it as their last album, Farewell. Their last performance finished in the early hours of January 1, 2006 in Murphy, North Carolina. Bob Hartman and John Schlitt continue to tour under the moniker II Guys From Petra.
Lineups through the years:
Early 80's Captured in Time & Space lineup: Bob Hartman, Greg X. Volz, John Slick, Mark Kelly, Louie Weaver, John Lawry
Late 80's "Beyond Belief dream team" lineup: Bob Hartman, John Schlitt, John Lawry, Louie Weaver, Ronny Cates
Late 90's Petra Praise 2 - We Need Jesus lineup: John Schlitt, Louie Weaver, Lonnie Chapin, Pete Orta, Kevin Brandow
Farewell CD lineup: John Schlitt, Bob Hartman, Greg Bailey, Paul Simmons, with special appearances by Greg X. Volz and John Lawry
More members: Rob Frazier, Jim Cooper, David Lichens, Trent Thomason, Bryce Bell, Quinton Gibson, Justin Johnson
See also http://www.petraband.com/
First love
Petra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sometimes I feel the world seducing my affections
It's not that I don't know the way
It's just a heart that's prone to stray
But with my weaknesses admitted
You will keep all that I've committed
So I commit my heart to you
My first love
First love, first love
My soul longs after you
First love, my first love
I want my heart to stay so true
Because you first loved me
Jesus, you will always be
You will always be
My first love
It's taken me some time to try to comprehend
A love that doesn't change, a love without an end
A love that keeps forgiving
A love of sacrifice and giving
I delight myself in you
My first love
First love, first love
My soul longs after you
First love, my first love
I want my heart to stay so true
Because you first loved me
Jesus, you will always be
You will always be
My first love
If I ever lack endurance
I remember your assurance
That your only banner over me is love
If my heart begins to waiver
Woo me back, my loving Savior
Woo me back 'til I return to my first love
First love, first love
My soul longs after you
First love, my first love
I want my heart to stay so true
Because you first loved me
Jesus, you will always be
You will always be
My first love
You will always be
My first love
In Petra's song First Love, we see a woman who has been hurt by a man she loves deeply. She can sense that something is off with him, perhaps due to the freshly washed sheets or just a gut feeling. The man is avoiding her, creating space between them and underestimating her worth. The lyrics urge him not to make this mistake, not to underestimate her, because she knows exactly what she deserves.
The chorus speaks to the hurt caused by the man's actions. He took her for granted, ruined what they had in search of something new, all while never really knowing her or her worth. The woman is hurt, but she is not broken. The song ends with her being the one standing tall, flying high in the sky while he is lost and stained by his actions.
Overall, First Love tells a story of heartbreak, but also of resilience and strength. It urges listeners not to underestimate the worth of the women in their lives and to think twice about the consequences of their actions.
Line by Line Meaning
She could tell something, he was off
She sensed that something was wrong with him.
How the sheets were newly washed
She noticed that the sheets were freshly laundered, indicating that he may have been trying to cover something up.
Don't underestimate the woman you've got
Don't take her for granted or assume that she doesn't know her worth.
Don't you know her at all
You don't truly understand her or appreciate her value.
There's a silence she can't ignore
There is an uncomfortable, tension-filled silence that she cannot overlook.
He's building space to avoid it all
He is trying to distance himself from the situation in order to avoid confrontation or responsibility.
Don't underestimate the woman you've hurt
She may be hurting, but that doesn't mean she is weak or powerless.
She knows her worth
She is confident in her own value and will not let someone mistreat her.
He took one for granted the other to his room
He took one woman for granted and pursued another simply because he wanted something new or different.
Ruined a good thing just to feel new
He sabotaged a healthy relationship in order to satisfy his own selfish desires.
Look at the damage your actions can do
His thoughtless actions can cause lasting harm and pain to those involved.
Tired eyes haunted by heavy scenes from that night
She is exhausted and tormented by memories of the painful experience.
He was her first love and now he is the first one to break her heart
He was once someone she trusted and loved, but now he has betrayed her and caused great emotional pain.
But she'll be the one standing tall
Despite the hurt and challenges she has faced, she will rise above and come out stronger.
He is searching in every bar
He is desperately seeking solace or escape from his own guilt and regret.
Thinkin' 'bout who she's doing now
He is consumed with jealousy and insecurity, wondering if she has moved on and found happiness with someone else.
Don't underestimate the woman you lost
Now that he has lost her, he realizes too late that he undervalued and overlooked her worth and potential.
You don't you know her at all
He never truly understood or appreciated her, and now it is too late to make amends.
She is the one flying high in the sky while he's down there lost
She has moved on and is thriving, while he is still stuck in his regrets and failures.
Now it's a part of his story and those stains won't come off
His mistakes and actions will be a permanent part of his history, and the consequences of his choices cannot be erased or undone.
Some actions can cost
Every decision we make has consequences, and some choices come with a high price to pay.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: John Elefante, Robert Hartman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@BritMitchell73
My husband and I both use to listen to this song. He is a little older...his teens, (the 80's) and my teens (the 90's). This song is ageless. Brings my soul great Joy as we rejoice in our ageless Father and Lord Jesus. What a wonderful time it will be when we all get to be with Him for Eternity.
@BritMitchell73
My husband and I both use to listen to this song. He is a little older...his teens, (the 80's) and my teens (the 90's). This song is ageless. Brings my soul great Joy as we rejoice in our ageless Father and Lord Jesus. What a wonderful time it will be when we all get to be with Him for Eternity.
Jesus has always been our First Love and our Best Friend.
@jamielynngallegos9196
IM 44 NOW... AND I USED TO LISTEN TO THIS SONG WHEN I WAS FIRST BORN AGAIN AT AGE 13...WOW...LORD JESUS... YOU'VE BEEN WITH ME YOUNG AND OLD... AND I CAN TESTIFY THAT YOU ARE FAITHFUL 💯📖👑💜☝️
@nadine515
Me too! There was a radio station called WWDJ and I remember listening to Petra and many more contemporary Christian artists!❤
@777OnlineNow
awesome !!!!
yes, Jesus always every day our First Love! ❤❤❤
@PassionJo777
@@nadine515 WOW SO LUCKY! No such luck in Australia. Not even toured here but my yank mates tell me they've played SO MANY concerts in their lives
So LUCKY. Not even a lot of Aussie artists come here!😢
@VivendonaAmericaBrasil
Amem my friend. God Bless You. Happy New Year 2024
@peggyweinberg8473
BEST passionate Christian Rock Song EVER!!! LOVE you Lord, and always will get devoted to you...❤
@carolshuey1972
One of the best songs to speak of how I love Jesus! Brings back that first love heart feeling from when I was just saved. ❤
@PassionJo777
Ohhhhh hallelujah my beautiful Lord and Petra my fav Christian rock band