Journey has always been one of my favorite bands. The music they have given to us still shines as bright today as it did when their music first entered came into our lives. Songs like Don’t Stop Believin’ and Faithfully are still just as popular today as they were more than 30-years ago.
Journey has been around since the late 1970’s and were very popular throughout the 1980’s. The sound of Steve Perry’s voice made young girls swoon and wish for the kind of love conveyed through Journey’s songs. Today we have Arnel Pineda, who is what I consider to be Perry’s equal in vocal talent, to continue blowing us away with the voice of an angel.
Top 10 Songs by Journey, 1978-2008:
10. Open Arms
Album: Escape
Written by: Jonathan Cain
Released in 1982 as a single, Open Arms reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Journey guitarist Neal Schon didn’t like the song. After the band performed it for the first time during their Escape Tour, he quickly changed his mind when it brought not one, but two encores.
Open Arms has been remade by Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, and Collin Ray.
9. Separate Ways
Album: Frontiers
Written By Steve Perry and Jonathan Cain
Released in 1983, Separate Ways peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for six consecutive weeks and number one the Top Tracks Chart for four weeks.
8. Stone In Love
Album: Escape
Written by: Jonathan Cain, Steve Perry, and Neal Schon
Stone In Love, released in 1981, peaked at number thirteen on The Mainstram Rock chart. This is one of those songs that take me back in time every time I hear it. Whether I was at the lake or in the mountains, this song always made my playlist.
7. Who’s Cryin’ Now
Album: Escape
Written by: Jonathan Cain and Steve Perry
Who’s Cryin’ Now was the first single from Journey‘s Escape album released in 1981 and was that album’s most successful single. It made it to number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and The Mainstream Rock Tracks charts. Most recently, the song was featured in the movie Monsters vs. Aliens.
6. Lights
Album: Infinity
Written by: Steve Perry and Neal Schon
Not to be confused with When the Lights Go Down in the City, this song is about San Francisco where the band is from. Lights was recorded soon after Steve Perry joined the band and was released in 1978. It is one of their most popular songs.
Steve Perry has said the song was originally written about Los Angeles but didn’t like the way it sounded: “When the lights go down in the city and the sun shines on LA…” I can see where he’s coming from. “…and the sun shines on the bay” sounds so much better.
5. Any Way You Want It
Album: Departure
Written by: Steve Perry, and Neal Schon
Released in 1980, Any Way You Want It peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was named the 80th best hard rock song of all time by VH1. The song was influenced by the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy.
4. Only the Young
Album: Vision Quest Soundtrack
Written by: Jonathan Cain, Steve Perry, and Neal Schon
This song was originally intended to be included on Journey’s Frontiers album but was pulled and released as a single. It’s included on the soundtrack for the movie Vision Quest and was remade by Scandal in 1984, apprearing on their album The Warrior.
Only the Young peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and made the top three of the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
3. After All These Years
Album: Revelations
Written by: Jonathan Cain
This song was released in 2008 and peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks in September 2008. It was Journey’s first top-ten hit in twelve years and is one of their most successful adult contemporary hits. The song also introduced us to a new lead singer, Arnel Pineda, who’s last gig was with The Zoo before landing the job of a lifetime with Journey in 2007.
2. Faithfully
Album: Frontiers
Written by: Jonathan Cain
Released in 1983, Faithfully made its way to the number two spot on the Billboard Hot 100. It was Journey’s second top twenty hit from their Frontiers album. This is a beautiful song about a “music man” trying to raise a family and maintain his relationship with his wife while he’s on the road.
1. Don’t Stop Believin’
Album: Escape
Written by: Steve Perry
Don’t Stop Believin’ is considered to be Journey‘s signature song. When most people think of Journey, this is the song that first comes to mind and is one of the most popular downloads on iTunes.
Growing up, this song meant freedom for me. Don’t Stop Believin’, like so many of Journey’s songs, have staying power and crosses those bridges of one generation to the next. What held true for Generation X is still true for today’s youth. Regardless of when you grew up, freedom is something we all can relate to.
Sources:
Lifelong Journey Fan
100 XR, Journey Biography, Music News, Discography @ 100 XR, Journey
