Recently, Journey was announced as a nominee for the “Class of 2017” of the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. I feel they’re the “front runner” out of this year’s batch of nominees, or at the very least should be, and they’re long over-due for inclusion. Journey headlined the first rock concert that I ever attended, so perhaps that’s why I feel such an eagerness for their induction into the “hall.” With this blog, let’s take a look at Journey’s vast catalog of hits, misses, and even b-sides.
An honorary mention goes to 1980’s cut “Ask The Lonely”, which wasn’t an album track; instead it appeared on the Vision Quest soundtrack. I’m throwing it a bone because of it’s pure 80’s, arena rock synthesizer sound. Jonathan Cain was a huge score by the band following Gregg Rollie’s departure, and he excelled in pushing the keyboards to the front and penning many of their hits during the mid 80’s heyday.
5. “Don’t Stop Believin’” (Escape)
I know I’m low-balling it since it’s “the” song everyone knows. Even if they don’t know the band, they still know the song, which transcends being just a song. It’s become part of pop-culture through it’s use in Rock Of Ages, Family Guy, and many other corners of entertainment. Of course it’s also a karaoke staple, if you’re a small town girl and/or living in a lonely world.
4. “The Party’s Over (Hopelessly In Love)” (Captured)
Taken from Journey’s live album titled Captured, I became aware of it through a friend of mine that I saw Journey with the second time around in 2012. That was a great show with Journey and their opening act Pat Benatar, but was made better by our air guitar performances and his love for Neal Schon. I don’t think it was ever a “hit”, but that doesn’t make it any less good.
3. “Girl Can’t Help It” (Raised On Radio)
I love everything about the composition of this song, although it stays faithful to their formula of Perry’s vocals, Schon’s guitar, and Cain’s keyboards. There’s just something a bit more bombastic about it than other songs from that trio- I think it’s the addition of Randy Jackson on bass. Yes, that Randy Jackson of American Idol fame! I was shocked to discover that while watching a live Journey DVD of a concert from the 1986 Raised On Radio tour. He kind of resembled a professional wrestler by the name of Mabel, which was probably more hilarious to me than it had any right to be.
2. “Separate Ways” (Frontiers)
An awesome song on it’s own, made better by Jonathan Cain playing keyboards on the side of a garage in the music video. The opening of the song feels much larger than their other songs, with its booming drums, rumbling bass, and Neal’s guitar, almost reminiscent of the heavy metal bands of the era.
1. “Stone In Love” (Escape)
This one gets the nod for me because it wasn’t featured on any greatest hits album. I wasn’t aware of it until I began working here for 95.5 GLO and it instantly hooked me. Mostly because Neal Schon takes center stage for the last half of the song with his signature guitar style.
-Andy Savage
