Top Ten Journey Songs

Known for romantic ballads and your classic cheesy 80’s music, Journey has gone through numerous incarnations since their inception more than thirty years ago. According to their official website, www.journeymusic.com, the band has twenty albums to their credit and are still creating new music.

Having twenty albums to choose from could make choosing the top ten Journey songs a difficult task. As a longtime Journey fan, I know off the top of my head which songs have resonated with me for decades and will stay with me for years to come. Therefore, I faithfully bring you these top ten Journey songs.

1. Faithfully

In my opinion this is the greatest love song written. It has an epic feel that makes you hope that someday you too could have a love that great that you could produce such a passionate expression. According to songfact.com, Faithfully was actually written by keyboard player Jonathon Cain and was written about his relationship with his wife. Sadly the relationship did not survive, but thankfully the song did. This song is incredibly popular at wedding receptions and is often rivaled by another Journey favorite….

2. Open Arms

Ok, I know I said Faithfully was probably the greatest love song ever written. And I can admit I may be wrong about that, because that honor could certainly go to Open Arms as well. This song has a less epic and more intimate feel, a lets make love sort of theme. The apologetic tone and the smooth voice of Steve Perry, make Open Arms a lullaby for grownup. This song has not only seen popularity in its original version by Journey, but it also has been covered by none other than Mariah Carey.

3. Don’t Stop Believin

Journey made headlines again in 2007 when the final episode of The Sopranos ended ambiguously with Don’t Stop Believin blaring from the jukebox. But this song was a classic long before TheSopranos. The song has also been used in a number of commercials and most recently was covered in a commercial for the Fox show Glee. This inspirational anthem continues to motivate listeners everywhere to follow their dreams, which is why it makes this top ten list.

4. Any Way You Want It

Who doesn’t want to be told they can have what they want? That is part of the allure of this Journey song. Whether it is meant in a sexual way is up to the listener to decide. This song is an upbeat pop hit that will get stuck in your head.

5. When You Love a Woman

This is the only song I chose not on the original greatest hits album. This song came out in and brought Journey a fresh breath of success. Another romantic ballad, this song has gained acclaim from fans and critics alike. As reported on Wikipedia, this song brought Journey a Grammy® nomination and a great run on the Billboard charts, thus deserving a spot on this list.

6. Separate Ways

While most Journey songs are about romance bringing lovers together, as the title Separate Ways indicates, this would be a break-up song- albeit a romantic breakup song. The key themes of relationship strife as mentioned in this song are age old concepts that have been connecting with people for years which is why this song still appeals to listeners today.

7. Only the Young

Only the Young proved to be a great opening song for Journey’s Greatest Hits CD. Its upbeat tempo positions this song as a sister song to Don’t Stop Believin with regards to motivational power. Like all Journey songs, the subject matter is universal and appeals to many which explains the band and the songs’ continued popularity.

8. Wheel in the Sky

Wheel in the Sky gives away Journey’s 1970’s roots. Reminiscent of classic 70’s rock, this song still transports children of the 70’s back to their wild and crazy days.

9. Lights

Lights is a laid back, almost jazzy ballad. I can picture a beautiful lounge singer covering this song and its sultry ways. This song is another example of the power and beauty of Steve Perry’s voice, a voice that made so many Journey songs so beloved.

10. Lovin Touchin Squeezin
This song is kind of cheesy in this day and age but that’s why it is loved. This song is definitely a guilty pleasure. Hey, sometime you just want a little lovin, touchin and squeezing!

Don’t stop believing that there will be more great music from Journey in the future. Until then, you can purchase these and other journey songs on a number of websites including www.itunes.com, www.amazon.com and www.journeymusic.com .

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journey_(band)

http://www.journeymusic.com/

http://music.ign.com/articles/712/712553p2.html

www.itunes.com

Reference:

• www.journeymusic.com
• www.itunes.com
• www.amazon.com