More Power To Ya

Going back through this blog’s annal of reviews, it’s hard to believe that this particular album got away. 1982’s More Power To Ya is considered by many to be their favorite Petra album, or at the least, their favorite Greg X. Volz era album. Considering this year is the album’s 40th anniversary, and Petra’s 50th anniversary, it only makes sense to take a look at it now.

Certainly, for the time, it was an outstanding album. Christian rock’s pupularity was starting to surge, yet there were still a few Christian record companies hesitant to let their artists really rock. Petra had experienced this a couple of years prior with their 1979 Washes Whiter Than album, and convinced Star Song to let them rock out a bit with their follow up, Never Say Die. That album, released in 1981, gave us the classics, “Coloring Song,” “Angel of Light,” “For Annie” and “Praise Ye The Lord.” While Petra experienced an uptick in popularity with that album, it was the following year’s More Power To Ya, where Petra really began to hit their stride.

Here, there’s not just a handful of songs that became classics, but about 7 out of the 10 songs are considered by many fans to now be classics; and it would be hard to determine which songs off the album should be cut from a greatest-hits compilation.

The album gives us a kick start of adrenaline with two back-to-back rockers, “Stand Up,” and the aptly-titled second track, “Second Wind,” with the album’s title track, and perhaps the all-time fan-favorite ballad, “More Power To Ya,” following next.

Song four begins with an attention-getter, a backward-masking, which was a no-no for Christian artists. Brylcream prophets¹ supposedly found proof that rock n’ roll was Satanically-inspired through subliminal messages in songs, and supposed proof was through listening carefully while playing the record backwards. Petra’s response to this ridiculous argument was to intentionally begin a song with backward masking, which says (if you played it forward), “What are you looking for the devil for, when you ought to be looking for the Lord?”

I suppose it’s a perfect song to put this message on, considering “Judas’ Kiss” talks about how people turn their backs on the Lord.

I wonder how it makes you feel when the prodigal won’t come home
I wonder how it makes you feel when he’d rather be on his own
I wonder what it’s like for you when a lamb has gone astray
I wonder what it’s like for you when your children disobey

It must be like another thorn struck in your brow
It must be like another close friend’s broken vow
It must be like another nail right through your wrist
It must be just like
Just like Judas’ kiss

I wonder how it makes you feel when no one seeks your face
I wonder how it makes you feel when they give up in the race
I wonder what it’s like for you when they willingly disobey
I wonder what it’s like for you when they willingly walk away

The Side 1 closer, “Rose Colored Stain Glassed Windows,” is another fan favorite, and begins rather soft, but increases in power as the song goes on. It’s catchy, bouncy rhythm and interesting melody is perhaps why this is a fan favorite, but is rather hit-and-miss when it comes to being featured on greatest-hits albums.

Side 2’s opening, “Run for the Prize” is a radio-friendly, catchy pop/rock song which is one that should have been featured on best-of albums, but never has. The somewhat bluesy six-minute song, “All Over Me,” is next. Though it’s a bit long and tedious musically, it is lyrically the album’s most poignant song. Since today is Good Friday, it’s worth stopping for a moment to read:

All over me, all over me
I’ve got the blood of an innocent man
All over me

He never did anything to hurt anyone
But He said something bout being God’s own Son
Some people believed Him, some people received Him
Some people wouldn’t stop till they saw Him die

Like an innocent lamb He was taken away
He never opened His mouth He had nothing to say
He just let them accuse Him, He just let them abuse Him
And the people wouldn’t stop till they saw Him die

They nailed His hands and His feet to the wood
At the foot of His cross all His enemies stood
He said “Father forgive them” – He gave them all He could give them
Then He gave up His life and they watched Him die

They laid His body in a rich man’s tomb
But He rose from the dead and He’s coming back soon
You can choose to believe it, you can choose to receive it
You can choose to believe that He did over you

As the lyrics certainly inspire the listener to praise the Lord, it’s only appropriate that the band follows this song with the joyful, “Let Everything That Has Breath (Praise the Lord),” a concert favorite inserted among their traditional concert praise medleys for years to come.

Another favorite, the hauntingly beautiful, “Road to Zion” is next, with, “Disciple,” featuring bassist Mark Kelly duetting with Greg Volz on lead vocals, is the album’s upbeat closer.

Though the production quality may not have quite withstood the test of time, More Power To Ya is certainly a classic among classics. Though it’s this reviewer’s second-favorite Volz-era recording (Beat the System is first), it wouldn’t take much arm-twisting for me to admit it’s probably the band’s most classic album.

¹ “Brylcream prophets” is a phrase used by Steve Taylor in his 1985 song, “Guilty By Association.”