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/
St. Augustine
Petra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The boys were really painting the town
I was just another bored teenage boy
Kickin' up and actin' 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
Yes, I threw away a part of my soul (now it's)
(Chorus)
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)
(Chorus)
Bridge:
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 lifethrough
Repeat Chorus
And I don't even like pears that well...
The song "St. Augustine's Pears" by Petra begins with the narrative of a teenage boy who hears a knock at the door late in the night while all the other boys are out having fun. The boy doesn't want to go out but decides to go anyway. The boys dared each other to do something, and things quickly got out of control when they jumped over a fence and stole some pears. The boy throws away a part of his soul in the process, haunted by the fact he loved the wrong thing, pears, even though he knew better.
After years gone by, the pears are nothing more than a memory, but his regrets still linger. As the bridge enters, we ask why we love all the things that are wrong, and forbidden fruit has a strange siren's song. We do things that we don't want to do, and we live with regrets our whole life through. The chorus comes in with the haunting lyrics of how he stole those pears, and he loved the wrong thing, even though he knew a better way. It wasn't hunger or poverty that made him steal, but something deeper that he threw away. The repetition of the chorus hammers home the weight of his lament.
The song has a melancholic feel to it, with the focus being on the regret of the boy who stole the pears. The lyrics apply to anyone who has made choices in their lives that they regret, especially when they know the right thing to do. It reflects the natural human tendencies to gravitate towards forbidden things or things that are wrong, despite knowing the right path to take.
Line by Line Meaning
Late one night I heard a knock at the door
I was interrupted by a knock on my door, in the middle of the night.
The boys were really painting the town
My friends were out, having a good time and getting into trouble.
I was just another bored teenage boy
I was a regular teenager, nothing special or noteworthy about me.
Kickin' up and actin' the clown... Yeah
I was goofing around, acting silly and not taking life too seriously.
One dare led to another dare
My friends dared me to do something, and it just kept escalating.
Then things were getting out of control
As we continued to push our boundaries, the situation started to feel dangerous.
We hopped the fence and we stole the pears
We trespassed and stole fruit that we had no right to take.
And I threw away a part of my soul
Through my actions, I compromised my values and sense of self.
Haunting me how I stole those pears
The memory of my misdeeds still troubles me, even after all these years.
'Cause I loved the wrong
I was drawn to doing things that were not morally right.
Not for hunger or poverty
My actions were not motivated by desperation or need.
It was more than pears that I ended up throwin' away... Yeah
I lost something deeper within myself, beyond just the physical act of stealing fruit.
Time goes by - now I'm old and grey
Years have passed, and I am now old and nearing the end of my life.
Those pears are just a memory
The stolen fruit is nothing more than a distant recollection.
I would gladly pay all I have today
If it were possible, I would make amends and do whatever I could to right my wrongs.
But that's just not the problem you see...
Unfortunately, the consequences of my actions cannot be undone so easily.
Why do we love all the things that are wrong
As humans, we seem to be drawn to indulging in behaviors that are not in our best interest.
Forbidden fruit has a strange siren song
There is something alluring about doing things that we are told are off-limits.
Why do we do what we don't want to do
It can be difficult to resist our impulses and act in accordance with our values.
When we live with regrets our whole life through
Often, the consequences of our actions haunt us long after the fact.
And I don't even like pears that well...
Ironically, the fruit that caused me so much trouble is not even one of my favorites.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@zschechboy9285
[Based on Romans 7:19]
Late one night I heard a knock at the door
The boys were really painting the town
I was just another bored teenage boy
Kickin' up and actin' 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)
[Chorus]
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)
[Chorus]
[Bridge:]
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 lifethrough
[Repeat Chorus]
And I don't even like pears that well
@georgearche6483
St. Augustine's Pears"
[Based on Romans 7:19]
Late one night I heard a knock at the door
The boys were really painting the town
I was just another bored teenage boy
Kickin' up and actin' 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)
[Chorus]
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)
[Chorus]
[Bridge:]
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 lifethrough
[Repeat Chorus]
And I don't even like pears that well...
@goukhongsai3796
[Based on Romans 7:19]
Late one night I heard a knock at the door
The boys were really painting the town
I was just another bored teenage boy
Kickin' up and actin' 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)
[Chorus]
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)
[Chorus]
[Bridge:]
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 lifethrough
[Repeat Chorus]
And I don't even like pears that well...
@ikatozhimomi8690
Lots of memories this song holds... Anyone 2019??
@SenvyzP
Husa ase
@yung6296
2020
@aghatichishi346
2020
@Wanshankupardiengdoh
2020
@elionichaoe
2021 👍
@elizabethalvarez3484
2021 desde Argentina!
¡Qué genialidad!
Hace 10 años estoy en el evangelio, estuve apartada mucho tiempo, y las letras y melodías de Petra fueron de aliento y sosten, sin duda, mi banda favorita!
@imli4413
This song bring back childhood days memories😊 God is great 👍🏼🙏🏼
@CreandoHeroes
I'm not Christian, am not interested in religion, neither the churches ... But Petra is a great band is the band that I like in English, the quality is absolutely unbeatable seafront! I love all their songs
@SenvyzP
True