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/
Homeless Few
Petra Lyrics
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When one of our homeless native sons has hunger pain
Under the overpass they build a fire for heat
They can't remember when they had a meal to eat
Some sleep in doorways waiting for the day
Some sleep in boxes we have thrown away
Right down the street in our view
We're not doing all we can do
To shelter the homeless few
Shelter the homeless few
Standing in line for soup and bread
Hoping tonight the downtown mission has a bed
Dreaming about the home they thought they'd never lose
Sleeping on benches covered by the daily news
People who pass them by just turn their heads
Making them feel like they've been left for dead
Under the red, white and blue
Right down the street from our pew
We're not doing all we can do
To shelter the homeless few
Shelter the homeless few
It's up to me
It's up to you
We're not doing all we can do
To shelter the homeless few
Shelter the homeless few
In Petra’s “Homeless Few”, the lyrics express a plea for aid to those who are homeless in the United States. The song discusses the inadequate provision of resources for homeless people, highlighting their struggle for food, warmth and shelter. The opening lines, “Where are the amber waves of grain, when one of our homeless native sons has hunger pain?” give a sense of disbelief and outrage that such abundance has not accommodated the most basic of human needs.
The lyrics also invoke the notion of ‘the American Dream’ that perceives the U.S. as land of opportunity and success, juxtaposing that ideal with the suffering of the homeless. The verses express the reality of homelessness: sleeping in boxes, on benches; waiting for food, warmth and shelter; feeling like they are "left for dead". The chorus emphasizes the responsibility of individuals to take action, urging the listener to not turn their heads, but to advocate for a change and support those who are homeless.
Line by Line Meaning
Where are the amber waves of grain
Amidst the beauty of the countryside, how is it that we fail to see and address the hunger of our fellow citizens?
When one of our homeless native sons has hunger pain
Shouldn't it be our responsibility as a community to ensure that every individual is fed and sheltered?
Under the overpass they build a fire for heat
To find temporary relief from the biting cold of winter, the homeless make do with whatever resources they can find.
They can't remember when they had a meal to eat
For many homeless individuals, having a proper meal isn't a luxury they can afford, it's a memory long forgotten.
Some sleep in doorways waiting for the day
Hoping for a better tomorrow, some shelter themselves in doorways, exposed to the elements, waiting for things to change.
Some sleep in boxes we have thrown away
We discard old boxes without a second thought, never realizing that they may serve as an impromptu shelter for someone.
Under the red, white and blue
In the land of the free, where the colors of the flag fly high, people are still left with no place to call home.
Right down the street in our view
We're aware that homelessness exists, but we're not doing enough to address it despite it being right in front of us.
We're not doing all we can do
We have the power and means to help those in need, yet we fall short of our duty to uplift our fellow human beings.
To shelter the homeless few
The bare minimum we can do to help those without homes is to provide them with a roof over their heads and basic amenities.
Standing in line for soup and bread
To stave off hunger, the homeless line up for a few meagre meals at shelters and soup kitchens.
Hoping tonight the downtown mission has a bed
The homeless have to rely on the goodwill of charities to secure a place to sleep, with no guarantee of finding one.
Dreaming about the home they thought they'd never lose
Every homeless person has a story of how they lost their home and ended up on the streets, wishing they could turn back time.
Sleeping on benches covered by the daily news
With no other place to rest, many homeless individuals have to sleep on benches, covered by newspapers to keep warm.
People who pass them by just turn their heads
It's easy to ignore the plight of the homeless, but turning a blind eye only perpetuates their suffering.
Making them feel like they've been left for dead
The sense of alienation and abandonment that the homeless feel is exacerbated when people refuse to acknowledge their existence.
It's up to me
Each and every individual has a role to play in addressing homelessness, and it starts with acknowledging the gravity of the situation.
It's up to you
Collectively, we have the power to make a difference, but it requires concerted effort from every member of society.
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Robert Hartman, John Lawry
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jonny Boy
Beutiful song. Especially the keyboard and piano and cymbels part in it. This song is based on two verse in the bible, Luke 10:30-37 and 1 John 3:17. These lyrics seem appropreate, especially for Luke 10:30-37. Is there anything Petra can't do? :)
Marco Garcia
Beutiful song! God use me to reach out to the homeless.
Harmony Honda Alexis
Beautiful
Dude Muscle
One of the best keyboard solos!
Dude Muscle
@For Yeshua God bless
For Yeshua
Is that all you got from this song?
Blessy A
R u a christian , this is christian song . 😐
M Och
Yes...
Priyadarshan Nag
That keyboard solo is like a symphony build up within a song that inspires the listener to get up and take action! John Lawry any day is my favourite keyboard player.
Lanie Creedence
I played this song to my daughter for the very first time, Petra is one of my favourite christian bands and this song is one of my faves. She understood the words and the truth in it, she cried. She was only 6 then.