Great Lengths (1994)

Great Lengths is the third studio album by the Christian rock band PFR, released on December 19, 1994 by Vireo/Sparrow Records. The album was produced by Jimmie Lee Sloas with Brown Bannister as executive producer.

Released exactly one year after their sophomore album Goldie's Last Day, PFR releases Great Lengths continuing their Beatle-esque melodic pop rock sound as heard in the title track, which opens the album. Their rock single and music video for "Wonder Why" explores themes of faith, human limitations, and the awe of divine grace, questioning why God shows unconditional love despite human flaws. "Merry Go Round" is an experimental rock song that incorporates fragments of an actual carousel tune.

PFR even covers a Keith Green tune "Trials Turn to Gold." Great Lengths' themes focused heavily on the practicalities, doubts, and daily lifestyle of the Christian faith. The album was one of the band's biggest sellers and climbed to number 3 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart in February 1995. It was PFR's highest charting album to date. In 1996, PFR was nominated in two Dove Award categories: Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year and Rock Recorded Song of the Year for "Wonder Why."

Track listing

1. Great Lengths (Patrick Andrew, Jimmie Lee Sloas) -2:32

2. Wonder Why (Joel Hanson) -3:16

3. Merry Go Round (Gordon Kennedy) -5:00

4. The Love I Know (Joel Hanson) -3:48

5. It's You Jesus (Joel Hanson) -4:02

6. Trials Turn to Gold (Keith Green) -2:28

7. Blind Man, Deaf Boy (Joel Hanson) -2:55

8. See the Sun Again (Joel Hanson) -3:23

9. The Grace of God (Joel Hanson, Mark Nash) -3:44

10. Last Breath (Patrick Andrew) -3:02

11. Life Goes On (Gordon Kennedy) -3:53

Personnel

PFR:

Joel Hanson -vocals, guitars

Patrick Andrew -vocals, bass guitar

Mark Nash -drums

additional musician:

Jimmie Lee Sloas -keyboards, guitars, bass guitar, backing vocals

Chris McHugh -drums

John Hammond -drum programming

Carl Marsh and Blair Masters -keyboards

Gordon Kennedy -guitars, drum programming on tracks 3 and 11, backing vocals

Eric Darken -percussion

Radio singles

1995 "Great Lengths" -#1 Christian CHR, -#15 Christian AC

1995 "The Love I Know" -#4 Christian CHR, -#23 Christian AC

1995 "The Grace of God" -#1 Christian CHR for 2 weeks, -#40 Christian AC

1995 "Blind Man, Deaf Boy" -#16 Christian CHR

1995 "Trials Turn to Gold" -#16 Christian CHR

Previous release: Goldie's Last Day (1993) 

Next release: Them (1996)

Watch the music video of "Wonder Why" here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nSJqc_IF0o