"Don't Stop Believin'" lyrics

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Don't Stop Believin'

journey don't stop believin text

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Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana and Frumious Bandersnatch. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded. During that period, the band released a series of hit songs, including 1981's "Don't Stop Believin'", which became in 2009 the top-selling catalog track in iTunes history. Its parent studio album, Escape, the band's eighth and most successful, reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and yielded another of their most popular singles, "Open Arms". Its 1983 follow-up, Frontiers, was almost as successful in the United States, reaching No. 2 and spawning several successful singles; it broadened the band's ap
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Written by: Jonathan Cain, Stephen Ray Perry, Neal Joseph Schon

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC

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journey don't stop believin text

  • #1 Don't Stop Believin'
  • #2 Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
  • #3 After the Fall
  • #4 Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'
  • #5 Faithfully
  • #6 Who's Crying Now
  • #7 Any Way You Want it
  • #9 Stay Awhile
  • #10 Open Arms
  • #11 Send Her My Love
  • #12 Still They Ride
  • #13 Stone in Love
  • #15 Line of Fire
  • #16 Wheel in the Sky

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Don't Stop Believin'

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Lyrics submitted by numb , edited by kymara1053 , Mellow_Harsher , Alberto09

Don't Stop Believin' Lyrics as written by Stephen Ray Perry Jonathan Cain

Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group

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journey don't stop believin text

What a bunch of simpletons (not all of you, there are some insightful posts on here)!

Yes there are lyrics that loosely allude to a hooker. It's called an allegory people (look it up if you need to).

The song is about the common search for love and the fear of loneliness. The lyrics you are focusing in on are a metaphor for all of the things we use to fill the void in out lives so we don't feel the pain of emptiness and loneliness. The chorus provides an optimistic counterpoint to this - "Don't stop belivin'" Yes, it's a lonely world, and finding someone is hard, but hope makes it all bearable (believing that there is someone there for you).

It also addresses escaping from your past, whatever it may be, and looking toward a better tomorrow.

For those who have to have it spelled out line by line (or at least stanza by stanza):

Small town girl..city boy...midnight train: A commonality between us all, regardless of our backgrounds, the loneliness of adolescence, escaping from your past.

Smokey room...for a smile...on and on: Metaphoric for the places/circumstances we seek love and companionship (the stereotype being a bar). We are so desperate to not be lonely that we'll form a relationship simply on the basis of a smile (again metaphorical, though often literal). "On and On," again referring to our common condition, this scene is repeatedly played out day in and out - we're all searching for love and companionship.

"Strangers waiting": We are all strangers to each other, no one has experienced exactly what you have, and there is a certain inherent isolation in that. "Up and down the boulevard": Everywhere, every town, every person, through all life experience. "Their shadows searching in the night": The night represents isolation and separation from others. Shadows are our own inner darkness (or demons, our deepest secrets). We are haunted by our personal ghosts, and are seeking someone who will understand and relate to us despite who we are. The shadows aren't really seeking (since shadows aren't actually anything, but the absence of light), but us seeking someone with whom we can share who we really are. "Streetlight, people": What we project ourselves to be to the world - how we want people to see us. "Living just to find emotion": Again, we are isolated and seeking meaningful relationships, but willing to settle for something to make us feel less empty, so we will fill that void with any sort of connection. "Hiding, somewhere in the night": See above, any sort of superficial emotional connection seems to be preferable to being alone in the darkness.

"Working hard to get my fill, everybody wants a thrill":Putting forth a great deal of effort to make those connections, the fact that we often substitute cheap thrills (sex?) for true meaning and connection in relationships. "Payin' anything...": We will sacrifice a great deal to avoid being loney, even if the reward is fleeting. "Some will win...": Some will find a true, meaningful relationship, some won't, some never will. "the movie...": This cycle goes on and on with, just the players change over time.

"Don't stop believin', Hold on to that feelin'": Don't give up hope, keep searching for that meaningful relationship regardless of how difficult and trying the search is. "Streetlight people": Again, see above - everyone has their "public face" which we present. Despite our inherent shallowness, keep seeking the deeper, more meaningful connection.

I know it's popular to bash Journey and this song simply because of how popular they were in the 80's and that they to some extent defined popular music for that era - move beyond that. I'm a huge Rush fan, I love the work that Neil Peart puts into crafting his lyrics and the meaning behind them. That said, I defy you to find another song that in 19 lines more accurately sums up the human condition when it comes to seeking out someone to connect with and the loneliness everyone feels. I guarantee you a good portion of the popularity of this song is that so many people can relate to it, even if they can't exactly define why. This is a masterfully written (and performed piece of art), and deserves recognition as such.

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@Tristar I completely appreciate every word you took the time to break this down so well, seems like You wrote the song!

@Tristar LMAO... are you a dumbass. Calling people names, when you are 100% off the writer of the song, comes right out and proclaims its about his walk to jesus. Before you start throwing rocks, best make sure your in a kevlar building... l.facebook.com/l.php

That one line..."some will win, some will lose.." That line couldnt be more true. this one time i won, and then this other time, i lost. steve perry really tells it like it is.

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This song is about never giving up on love. Everyone feels lonely sometimes. This song makes me think that every time I am sad or lonely there is someone else out there who might be lonely too and that someday we will meet. It sounds dumb I guess, maybe naive or hopelessly romantic but I think its true. I "hold on to that feeling" of hope all the time.

This song is extremely special to me. My father died when I was young and always used to tell me "Keep the faith, Kris. Keep the faith." This song has never let me down and I think it's exactly that; keep the faith and don't stop believing no matter what happens. There is always something great out there as long as you believe it exists. I've experienced some rough things in my life and whenever I asked God to help me, this song would play on the radio or wherever I was.

I was supposed to graduate from college in May 2011, and I couldn't because I had to repeat my 90 hours for teaching. I knew God had a plan for me for some reason although I didn't know what. I ended up student teaching at the school attached to my Church. I could not have asked for a better experience. I honestly could not or would not have asked for a better sign from God that I have a bright future in this field.

Never give up on yourself or your dreams, keep going and NEVER stop believing.

i love this song. best journey song hands down.

I think this song is defintely about fate, hope, love, and of course, believing. We all want love/thrill/emotion.. and we try to find it, often through lust. we end up not getting it. it's saying just don't stop believing. it will happen someday.

this song is about fate. How two lonley people from two different areas are lookingand waiting for love. Everybody wants emotion(love) but not all of us are that lucky. And for those who arn't that lucky well "Dont stop believin".

<br /> <br /> Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world <br /> She took the midnight train going anywhere <br /> <br /> just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit<br /> He took the midnight train going anywhere<br /> <br /> ( Ok so listen up because this is where you have to really start thinking... I solely hope to concey both clearly and simply to you why this song is in my mind, about prostitutes. Yes, hookers, harlots, and whores... To many times people for lack of better words " Judge a book by it's cover". I know that the first couple of lines have confused many people, but what the writer really tries to get you to do is create in your mind a character for you to get to understand, and hopefully also sympathies with by the end of the narrative. People will confuse themselves often, as they create the story in their minds with two protagonists for the song, because well they want to think it is about themselves. Though while it is an effective literary technique to put the reader in the story, I believe that this story is ment to be looked at from afar to picture a story of people we will probably never get to know. Now that I have your attention please feel free to re-read the lyrics, I have even provided my own comments on the lines for those who chose to read them ) . . . . . .<br /> <br /> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /> <br /> A singer in a smoky room<br /> The smell of wine and cheap perfume<br /> <br /> ( when writers tell a story they know that one element of that tale is the setting, the where, the when, and sometimes the why. In the case of these lines the author, as i will call the writer or writers, the author is developing the where, by enlightening multiple of our senses to the setting. The singer gives us something to picture hearing, and maybe even watching as she is providing entertainment. The smoky room gives us something to picture smelling, and again maybe is gives us a visual of smoke in hanging in the air as it often does in a bar. The last line I will leave you to interpret, but i would ask if you try to let your imagination wander.)<br /> <br /> For a smile they can share the night<br /> It goes on and on and on and on<br /> <br /> ( Now that the author has developed a setting for us he reintroduces the protagonist [ Prostitute ],<br /> and the other character [ male Client ]. And then for whatever reason, destiny or randomness, these two people, which few people on here tend to agree on what method is the right one. Yes the male smiles and yes the pair share the night in whatever ways your imagination can take you. )<br /> <br /> Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard<br /> Their shadows searching in the night<br /> <br /> ( Now the author ask us to picture a different setting, note that the protagonist is not necessarily present. The author shows us people on a boulevard probably one that looks much like one you've seen as it is your own creation to imagine. There shadows most typically an ominous symbol in literature describe the setting quite differently than the up beat tempo of the music. This darkness is actually quite a prevalent theme throughout. " Midnight Train", "Shadows searching in the night". )<br /> <br /> Streetlight people, living just to find emotion<br /> Hiding somewhere in the night<br /> <br /> ( These lines tell us about the people in this new scene. The streetlight's depict how they can be found on street corners, where the look for emotion, whether it is happiness because of that they feel nought, or also find sadness, because there possibly self-destructive habits lead them to repeatably find themselves in terrible situations, "On and on and on and on.".<br /> <br /> Working hard to get my fill, everybody wants a thrill<br /> Paying anything to roll the dice just one more time<br /> <br /> ( The use of the word my should suggest to the reader that the author is now speaking in first person through the protagonist. She is work hard at prostitution just to get a fill, not a T.V. or Car, like many of us including myself, look forward to saving for. But after all as we have been told many times, prostitution is the oldest profession and, "Everybody wants a thrill". There is a reason why there is a general consensus, that, "Streetlight People" as I like to call them are some of the lowest people. This is because they have said au revoir to there morals and paid the highest price and made the greatest sacrifice in selling the one thing they truly own... their bodies.)<br /> <br /> Some will win, some will lose, some were born to sing the blues<br /> Oh the movie never ends, it goes on and on and on and on<br /> <br /> ( Yes some people will win, they will be rich maybe be famous, others will lose as we all have once or twice, and, "Some were born to sing the blue's". And what better music for the author to use to describe the life of a prostitute than the most soulful, most passionate, and often the saddest ever produced. And yes this movie you have imagined for yourself, "Goes on and on and on and on".<br /> <br /> Don't stop believing<br /> Hold on to that feeling<br /> Streetlight people <br /> <br /> ( And the story ends with touching sentiments and a kind high pitched final farewell, to all those Streetlight people that obviously everyone seems to like so much. )<br /> <br /> <br /> * This is my take of the song, I hope you enjoyed how I tried to connect most every line if not word, but if you still have any questions or if you want to try to rebut me feel free to email me at [email protected] my name is Stephen Graham Hajosy and would love to hear other peoples input to a song that I personally love to sing at the top of my lungs at every home Oregon Ducks football game** <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />

it's just basically telling us that there is that special someone out there for each of us. except i think i would be the one who "sings the blues" as steve perry put it.

Love what Glee did with this. The cover is amazing, and I think it captures all the energy of the original. Wow. This was (and still is) such a FANTASTIC song!

I have always interpreted this song as to the randomness of two souls finding each other. Out of nowhere, completely unexpected, not even looking, but their hearts are open to the possibility. The conclusion of these lyrics is actually the first verse of the song.

The rest is filled with methaphors of the arduous journey, and seemingly hopeless search. It may seem like a lost cause at times, but like the title of the song says, "Don't stop believin'".

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Don't Stop Believin' by Journey

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  • Journey's most enduring song, this track has a unique structure, which helps it stick in your mind. Where most songs have a chorus that's repeated several times, "Don't Stop Believin'" brings in its chorus (and title) only at the end - about 3:20 into the song. The structure goes: instrumental, first verse, instrumental, second verse, first pre-chorus, instrumental, third verse, second pre-chorus, instrumental, and then finally the chorus until fade-out. It was not their biggest chart hit (that would be " Open Arms "), but is by far Journey's most famous song, thanks to a resurgence in the '00s.
  • The line, "Strangers waiting, up and down the Boulevard" is a reference to Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, where dreams are made. Keyboard player Jonathan Cain got the idea for the song when he went there to pursue his career. In his Songfacts interview , Cain said: "The song began with the chorus. My father had coached me. I was in Hollywood, struggling with my career, kind of lost. I was asking him, 'Should I come back to Chicago and just give up on this dream?' And he said, 'No, son. Stay the course. We have a vision. It's gonna happen. Don't stop believin'.'" Cain's dream came true when he joined a group called The Babys with John Waite. In 1980, he joined Journey in San Francisco, and this song took shape. He told Steve Perry about his idea for placing the song in Sunset Boulevard, and Perry had him describe it. "I described the menagerie of people who would show up on a Friday night," Cain said. "All the dreamers that had dreams to become actors. Producers, artists, lawyers, anything... they were all there on a Friday night."
  • Journey lead singer Steve Perry, keyboard player Jonathan Cain and guitarist Neal Schon are the credited songwriters on this one, but the entire band contributed. In the Time3 compilation, the genesis of this song is explained: "At the band's Oakland warehouse, this song bubbled out of a rehearsal. Schon developed the bass riff, the chugging guitar line and the sweeping chords on the chorus. Steve Smith built the song around a pattern featuring a lot of tom-toms, anchoring the number to a rich drum figure. Perry and Cain drew from their experiences with the Sunset Strip street scene for the lyrics, 'streetlight people.'"
  • Speaking with New York Magazine , Perry explained that the song originated during a series of gigs in Detroit when he found himself in a hotel room unable to sleep, staring out of the window: Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard Their shadows searching in the night Streetlight people, living just to find emotion Hiding, somewhere in the night "I was digging the idea of how the lights were facing down, so that you couldn't see anything," he recalled. "All of a sudden I'd see people walking out of the dark, and into the light. And the term 'streetlight people' came to me. So Detroit was very much in my consciousness when we started writing."
  • The popular resurgence of this song can be traced to its use in the 2003 movie Monster , which was based on the true story of the female serial killer Aileen Wuornos. The film was not widely seen but drew critical raves and a Best Actress Oscar for Charlize Theron, who portrayed Wuornos. In the movie, the song comes on when Wuornos and Selby Wall (played by Christina Ricci) are skating to it in a roller rink. They mention how they love the song, and as it builds, so does their passion, and they end up kissing outside the rink. The use of "Don't Stop Believin'" in this critically adored scene got the attention of the Hollywood community, who saw the emotion the song could bring out and no longer thought of it as a nostalgia track. Requests started pouring in to use the song in a variety of movies and TV shows, and soon another generation was familiar with the song. So how did it get in Monster in the first place? The film's director Patty Jenkins used it when they shot the scene and knew it fit perfectly. She sent the band members viewing copies of the film and asked permission to use it on a short budget. Perry called her back and not only gave approval, but helped her select music for the rest of the film; he's credited as a music consultant.
  • The song was written to give the audience a connection with the band, a goal it achieved. Jonathan Cain told Songfacts: "It was the first attempt to bring an audience into the band's world. We're singing for you. We're singing about your world now. So, it was a departure from what they had been doing before. What I wanted to do was get a little Bruce Springsteen going on. Bruce was the master of that, bringing his audience into his songs. I was a huge fan of Bruce's."
  • Speaking with the British radio station Planet Rock in 2010, Steve Perry said of this song: "Personally, it's something that means a lot to me. Everybody has emotional issues and problems, and the song has helped me personally to not give up, and I'm finding a lot of people feel that."
  • This is the first track on Journey's seventh album, Escape . It was chosen to lead the album because, according to Cain, "With that piano line, it just sounds like a book opening up."
  • The song got a boost when it was used as the closing number in Rock of Ages , a jukebox musical featuring hits of the '80s. The show ran on Broadway from 2009-2015, and in 2012 was made into a movie starring Tom Cruise. It's an appropriate choice, as Rock of Ages takes place on Sunset Boulevard, which is also the primary setting for the song.
  • In the last ever episode of the TV show The Sopranos , which aired June 10, 2007, Tony Soprano plays this song on a jukebox during the final scene. The episode abruptly ends with the lyrics "Don't Stop" as the scene cuts to black. Steve Perry said in People magazine June 13, 2007: "I needed to know how this song was going to be used. I didn't want the song to be part of a blood-bath, if that was going to be the closing moment. In order for me to feel good about approving the song use, they had to tell me what happened. And they made me swear that I would not tell anybody."
  • This was featured in an episode of the TV show Scrubs called "My Journey." Other television series and films to use "Don't Stop Believin'" include South Park , The Wedding Singer , Shrek the Halls , Bedtime Stories , Yes Dear , King of the Hill , The Comebacks , View from the Top , Cold Case , CSI: Crime Scene Investigation , My Name Is Earl , Just Shoot Me and Laguna Beach .
  • In November 2008 it was announced that this track had become the first song available in the pre-digital era to sell more than 2 million downloads through iTunes. The track's popularity increased significantly after its appearance in the final episode of The Sopranos . It also became one of the most popular karaoke songs in America in the late '00s.
  • In May 2009 a remake by the cast of the Fox TV musical comedy Glee debuted at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, five places higher than Journey's version ever reached. It was performed in the season pilot and became part of the soundtrack album Glee: The Music, Volume 1 . By the end of 2009, the digital download had earned 500,000 digital sales. The Glee version was performed on Sesame Street with monsters portraying the cast. The bit featured the letter G, so the lyrics were adapted to "Don't stop G-ing."
  • Believing in yourself and following your passion are ideals Steve Perry holds dear. When Randy Jackson, who used to play bass with Journey, was a judge on the singing competition American Idol , he asked Perry to come on as a guest judge. Perry turned him down, saying, "I don't feel good about sitting in judgment of anyone's honest passion to perform or their talent. If someone has a passion to perform, they should do it no matter what anyone says." Perry added: "I was passed on in the music business many, many times before Herbie [Journey manager Walter Herbert] heard my demo and believed in me. That was the moment that changed my life and I'm still forever grateful to him for believing in me. The hardest part is to keep believing in what you love when others tell you that you are not good at it."
  • MTV went on the air shortly before this song was released. The band made a Spartan performance video for it in an empty arena, apparently at a soundcheck. They made a better one with footage from a Houston stop on their Escape tour, which became the official video that shows up on their VEVO account. Neither video got much love on MTV, which preferred concept videos.
  • In the UK, this song peaked at #62 when it was first released. In November 2009, it was rereleased after Joe McEldry sang it on the TV show X-Factor , and this time, it climbed to #19. Joe McElderry won the competition, and franchise boss Simon Cowell wanted to release his version of the song as the single in the aftermath of the teenage singer's victory. However, Journey declined and Cowell instead arranged for McElderry to cover Miley Cyrus' track " The Climb ." Guitarist Neal Schon explained to The Sun : "We knew about Joe's version because Simon had contacted our management. He wanted to re-do the song with a different arrangement. We listened to it. We declined. There was nothing wrong with the original version - if it's not busted, let's not fix it." Schon added that Journey were aware they were possibly passing up a UK #1 hit. "Randy Jackson, who was on American Idol with Simon, was stressing that we should let him do it because it would probably go to #1. But we stuck to our decision."
  • In the UK, the Glee Cast version debuted at #5 on the UK singles chart dated January 17, 2010, one place above Journey's original recording. It was the first instance of two versions of the same song sitting at back to back positions on the chart since December 2008 when Alexandra Burke's take on " Hallelujah " was at #1 with Jeff Buckley's version one place behind.
  • The song starts with Perry singing about a young couple from two different backgrounds: Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world She took the midnight train goin' anywhere Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit He took the midnight train goin' anywhere But hang on a sec, any good Motor City citizen will tell you, there is no location called South Detroit; Detroit, Michigan, distinguishes only between an East Side and a West Side. If you go south in Detroit ("down-river"), you end up in Canada. Perry admitted to New York Magazine that he wasn't overly concerned with being geographically accurate. "I ran the phonetics of east, west, and north, but nothing sounded as good or emotionally true to me as South Detroit," he said. "The syntax just sounded right. I fell in love with the line. It's only been in the last few years that I've learned that there is no South Detroit. But it doesn't matter."
  • This was used in the 1982 Atari video game Journey Escape . The song played in the background while you controlled various band members, helping them find the space ship while avoiding groupies and evil promoters. Computer graphics were pretty bad back then, so the groupies were represented as hearts with legs, and the promoters were floating heads. In fact, the very game was created to be based on the band Journey and the album Escape .
  • This was one of the first Journey songs on which keyboard player Jonathan Cain played. He replaced Gregg Rolle for the Escape album.
  • Lady Gaga, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Blondie and Shirley Bassey performed this at the finale of a Rainforest Fund benefit at Carnegie Hall in May 2010.
  • This song was used in a 2005 episode of animated TV series Family Guy where Peter, Joe, Cleveland, and Quagmire did a drunken karaoke rendition of the song. ITunes was catching on at this point, and after this episode aired there was a spike in download sales of the song. >> Suggestion credit : Bert - Pueblo, NM
  • Journey toured to support this album, but they interrupted their tour to open for The Rolling Stones in Philadelphia on September 25, 1981. It was The Stones first show on their North American tour.
  • This became the anthem of the Chicago White Sox during their 2005 season in which they won the World Series. Steve Perry attended the last game of the Series and sang the song at their victory parade. Perry's allegiance though, is to his hometown team the San Francisco Giants. He was often seen supporting the team when they won World Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014. Perry would sometimes lead the crowd in singing along to "Don't Stop Believin'" when it was played between innings at games.
  • Steve Perry severed ties with Journey in 1998 when he needed hip replacement surgery and couldn't give his bandmates a return date. Anxious to tour, they replaced him with the similar sounding Steve Augeri, and later with Arnel Pineda. For Journey fans, a dream scenario finds Perry reuniting with the band, triumphantly taking the helm on "Don't Stop Believin'" in an affirmation of unity and faith. But every year, they scenario seems less likely. In 2017 when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Perry attended but didn't perform with the band, which did three songs (including this one) with Pineda. When Perry emerged with a solo album, Traces , in 2018, he offered some insight into his split with the band and his absence. "My love for music had suddenly left me," he said. "If music was ever to return to my heart, then and only then I would figure out what to do. If not... so be it, for I had already lived the dream of dreams." Journey first fractured in 1987 after touring for their Raised On Radio album. This was Perry's doing, as he was burned out and worried about keeping his voice healthy. But it was Perry who initiated their return, calling Cain in 1995 to talk about getting back together. This resulted in the 1996 album Trial by Fire ; Perry's hip condition emerged after it was finished.
  • "Don't Stop Believin'" powered Journey's 1988 Greatest Hits album to a whopping 15 million in US sales ( Escape sold 9 million), making it one of the best-selling compilation albums in history. In 2001, they released another compilation, The Essential Journey , which sold another 2 million.
  • During the 2020 pandemic, some hospitals used the song as a rallying call for patients recovering from COVID-19 and those treating them. The New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, for instance, played "Don't Stop Believin'" throughout the building each time they discharged a coronavirus patient.
  • In 2020, Ladbaby, a UK duo comprising YouTuber Mark Hoyle and his wife Roxanne, released a playful twist on this song titled " Don't Stop Me Eatin' ." Recorded to raise money for foodbank charity The Trussell Trust, Ladbaby's single was the UK's Official Christmas #1 that year.
  • "Don't Stop Believin'" was honored by the Library of Congress, which added it to the National Recording Registry in 2022. Steve Perry said: "That song, over the years, has become something that has a life of its own. It's about the people who've embraced it and found the lyrics to be something they can relate to and hold onto and sing."
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  • Journey Artistfacts

Comments: 119

  • Chad Eicher from Apple Creek, Ohio This song has got to be one of the greatest hit songs that I knew the words to. The cast of the Fox television show "Glee" did their version of that hit song. It just blew me away.
  • Rw Cain, at a songwriters festival in 2014, explained some parts of the song. The girl and guy story is like a version of Jack And Diane; they may not be real people. The trains moving at midnight is inspired by the song Midnight Train To Georgia. Live versions of the song, depending on the main vocalist, may change South Detroit to whatever city the band is playing in at that moment.
  • Soulsoldseparately from Buffalo, Ny Does "city boy born and raised in South Detroit" refer to an actual person?
  • Seventh Mist from 7th Heaven My daughter's favorite song. She often used it as inspiration once she was on her own and (seemingly) facing a new challenge every day. She never stopped believing.
  • Susan from Illinois Question-asker from A Train Going Anywhere, I think the lyric means ourselves. The movie is our lives. I believe our lives on this planet will end, but our souls will live on and on in another place.
  • Ronsha from New Jersey OMG. This song is so dang famous! People everywhere know this song. I swear to God it's even growing on the younger generations, including me. I used to hate it and think it's overrated, but deep down I always thought, oh darn, this song's catchy, who am I kidding? I'm 13 now and Don't Stop Believin' is one of the most uplifting songs I've ever heard. Not only the sound, but also the lyrics are beautiful. Good song to make you feel strong, nostalgic... it could make you cry too.
  • Brett from Mason Whether we choose to hear Streetlight People for street lights, people Steve Perry came right out and said after a concert in Detroit he is looking out from his hotel room down on the street and there we're people just wandering around the street. Not necessarily prostitutes or any other specific type of people. More or less aimlessly wandering around Under The Lights doing nothing. Mendez for the South Detroit I don't think he was intending to give a geography lesson. He was making a song sound the best it could possibly be
  • Mckinzie from United States This is my all time favorite song, I say that this is my song because I could relate to this song so much.
  • Nick from Ohio This is the most played classic hit of all time. Who would have thought that a song that peaked at #9 would become the undisputed biggest song in history.
  • Badintense from Erie Pa This song has crossed all generations and ethnicities as a beloved song. Last summer (2019) in my neighborhood a group of young black teens were hauling their giant boom box down the street blaring this song and singing the words perfectly as if they were in an adult karaoke bar. It actually brought a tear to my eye since I was a teen when this song first came out in 1981. Journey's music has really brought people together into a common bond no matter what the media tries to push on people.
  • Question-asker from A Train Going Anywhere what does the lyric "Oh, the movie never ends It goes on and on, and on, and on" mean in this song?
  • Seventhmist from 7th Heaven I recently took a long trip and played a Journey collection in my car, downloaded from a phone app. It contained a live version of this song, performed in Houston, that I hadn’t heard before. When Perry reached line about the boy, he sang, “Just a city boy, born and raised right here in Houston!” That definitely caught me by surprise.
  • Jodie from Xx I'm pretty sure he's saying "streetlights, people". Not "streetlight people".
  • Steve from Albany, Ny And the nonsense about Windsor being "considered" south Detroit continues to stick to the Wiki page like doodoo. LOL It's been said by many that you should never rely on Wiki as a source of reliable / accurate information. Very true.
  • Charles from Charlotte The stuff about lowlife killer Eileen Wuernos kissing her female lover just sullies the discussion of a great American pop song. Wish Perry & Co, had said NO!! to that.
  • Leonardo from Connecticut I would argue that the Sopranos season finale repopularized the song, not Monster...
  • Tony from San Diego Steve Smith plays an amazing drum pattern during the choruses.
  • Steve from Albany, Ny The info on the Wikipedia page for this song is inaccurate. And some moderator is allowing it to be there. I guess the following from John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band's song C-I-T-Y was actually referring to Windsor too: "On the South side of Detroit city I'm working all night on the line" Yep, definitely referring to Windsor, Ontario because everyone knows Windsor, Ontario is "considered" south Detroit. Right. LOL
  • Steve from Albany, Ny Regarding "south Detroit", I'm simply going to paste in what I just got done explaining to a mod at Wiki who is apparently bent on leaving misinformation on the Wiki page for this song. Sorry but this is pretty simple stuff and anyone who doesn't get it is an imbecile. ........................ I'm guessing / just realizing that you're a type of moderator here. If you in fact have control over what info is on the page in question, it would be a HUGE wrong to leave in the very misleading entry you've re-submitted. Windsor, Ontario is south _OF_ Detroit, Michigan. Detroit, Michigan is the city that NUMEROUS bands would make reference to in their songs. Especially rock bands and especially during the 70s into the 80s. Not Windsor and not any other suburbs of Detroit that also lie south of Detroit (or "downriver"). The song simply makes reference to the south SIDE of Detroit. The quote by Perry makes it clear that the word south was only added because... well, try singing it without south and just a long INNNN in it's place. As the quote makes clear, the song would not have sounded right without south (or something) before the word Detroit. Not that it's is needed for most to understand that the song is referencing Detroit and only Detroit but there is also a quote by Perry in which he stated that Detroit was very much in their (the writers) minds as they wrote the song. Windsor is not a part of Detroit. The song makes reference to the south side of Detroit. If the entry about Windsor is left on the page, so be it, but it is completely misleading and wrong.
  • John from Chino, Ca This song is played during the final minutes of Detroit Red Wings home games where it seems evident that the team will win. Played over the PA system, the song is muted so the crowd can sing the verse, "Born and raised in South Detroit."
  • Barry from Sauquoit, Ny On December 13th 1981 "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey peaked at #9 (for 3 weeks) on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; it had entered the chart on October 25th and spent 9 weeks on the Top 100... It reached #2 in Canada and #6 in the U.K. Was one of four tracks from the group's 1981 album 'Escape' to make the Top 100 (the others were "Who's Crying Now" (4), "Still They Ride" (#19) and "Open Arms" (#2)... And on September 12th, 1981 the album peaked at #1 (for 1 week) on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart.
  • Steve from Albany, Ny Some of the comments here regarding this song and it's mentioning of south Detroit are ridiculous. Saying there is no south Detroit is funny enough (there is a south side of any city and I was born and raised in SW Detroit myself) but I especially get a kick out of the people who say the song is referring to Windsor. If the following Steve Perry quote is accurate, "All of a sudden I'd see people walking out of the dark, and into the light. And the term 'streetlight people' came to me. So Detroit was very much in my consciousness when we started writing.", then the ONLY city being referenced in the song is Detroit. If by chance the lyrics were written as "South Detroit" as opposed to "south Detroit", I suppose that could indicate that Perry/ the writers were thinking of some area of Detroit or evena separate town with that name but it's not likely and that capital S is the only error here. There's nothing complicated here, the song simply refers to the south side of Detroit.
  • Jay from Centereach, Long Island, Ny I am surprised that the "South Detroit" line is so controversial. As a New Yorker, and not wholly familiar with the local geography or the neighborhood names of Detroit, I always thought South Detroit simply meant the southern part of Detroit, much like the South Bronx is the southern part of the Bronx. But who cares? This is a great song; no one should be concerned about a geographic error.
  • Deethewriter from Saint Petersburg, Russia Federation Neal Schon told RAW RAWK RU NEWS 2011-10-24 that the recent resurgence of "Don't Stop Believin'" after appearing on The Sopranos and Glee -- as well as becoming the first iTunes song to reach two million downloads -- is beyond his comprehension: "When the record came out, there were other songs that were actually bigger than that off it on radio. Y'know, to have it this many years later just come out and be bombastic (laughs) like never before, just like all over the place and just keep on . . . It just keeps on going. Y'know, it's just pretty amazing."
  • Terry from Grafon, Wi This song should be the national anthem of the United States.
  • Willie from Scottsdale, Az Bwaaahahaha! Now Michelle "White House Crasher" Salahi is shacking up with Neal Schon. Priceless.
  • Ken from San Mateo, Ca Since last year's World Series victory, I will always associate this song to the Giants and the Bay Area. Absolutely one of the best songs!!!!
  • Hannah from Gustavus, Oh I'm graduating this coming Sunday (May 29, 2011) and I couldn't be more thrilled that this was voted in as our class song. When they announced it at school you could hear people cheering. I think the reason it's such an enduring song for graduation is that unlike most of the class themes that get picked ("Good Riddance," "Here's to the Night," etc.) it's not about looking back and being sad it's over, but rather looking forward and realizing there is indeed life afterward. It's about living life to the fullest (the first verse) and how even though life is difficult ("some are born to sing the blues"), the important thing is to at least take chances and try ("roll the dice just one more time") - and of course, to not give up no matter what may happen, because everything will turn out just fine in the end.
  • Michael from Cincinnati, Oh Journey's 1982 album "Eascape was made into a video game titled "Escape".It was produced by Atari for the 2600 model.It was made by Data Age in San Jose,Cal.The Object of the game was to help the band members "Escape" the fans chasing them around.Pretty cool game at the time.
  • Steppy from Detroit, Mi *South Detroit Debate* I'm from metro Detroit (as well as a giant Journey fan) and had always wondered about the reference to South Detroit. I heard and interview a year or so ago with Steve Perry, where he addressed the issue. I listened to it online, maybe Youtube?, so the interview may have been old. At any rate, he said that after a concert in Detroit, he was sitting in his hotel room, very late, working on this song. The room was on a high floor and he was watching the people standing under the lights and pondering their lives ("streetlight people"). While he realized that South Detroit didn't really exist, he used a bit of artistic license, because it flowed better than East Detroit.
  • Megan from Stevenson, Al Tell me why this is AMAZING?! lol This song is on a totally different level. Awesome.
  • Jim from Long Beach, Ca Great song. South Detroit=Winsor,Ontario,Canada.....
  • Jay from St Paul, Mn I listened to a few interviews Steve has given. He said he used South Detroit because it sounded better than North, East or West. He said he didn't realize there was no South Detroit. He jokingly said he found out South Detroit was actually Windsor. As far as streetlight people, he said it's something that he noticed when he looked out of a hotel window. If you Youtube it, you can find the interviews. Very worth while.
  • Ken from San Mateo, Ca What a song...Like the Chisox, this also became a tribute song for the 2010 World Champion San Francisco Giants! And Journey is from this area, so it makes better sense.
  • Bobby from Belleville, Nj While Journey's version is a classic, back in 2008 before it was used in Sopranos, freestyle artist George LaMond remade the song into a pop/dance version. And a very good one, I might add.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, Ny Five years before Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" Olivia Newton-John had a completely different record with the same title, it peaked at No. 33...
  • Bd from Vienna, Va Probably worth noting in the brouhaha about Journey turning down a cover of this song is that Randy Jackson was in the band for a while in the mid-80s before their first breakup.
  • Rob from Fredericton, Nb One of the many anthems most prominiately found in the 80s hall of great music. For every song played on the radio, this one song sticks out the most when I use to go to a carnival in my hometown. With the smell of fries, hotdogs and other foods lingering in the air, you could always hear a Journey tune blaring in the background while everyone enjoyed riding the many rides at this carnival. So when you take an experience, like a carnival, and feature all of it's pleasantries you soon inaugurate any song from the 80s, namely a Journey tune, and the picture is complete. Such a great band and such a great song.
  • Sara from Detroit, Mi And for those of you that want to split hairs, Look on the map of Detroit. Melvindale, Ecorse, Lincoln Park, Ecorse, Delray, Allen Park, Southgate, Taylor, River Rouge, Wyandotte. These are all blue collar or very poor areas, and most people worked for the Big 3 auto companies. This area is called "Downriver" as it is south of Detroit. Detroit itself is a pretty small city. What most people think is Detroit is any one of the suburbs that lies within or outside of Detroit's city limits. Oak Park, Hazel Park, Highland Park, and Hamtramck, are all INSIDE the City Limits. Where as Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Southfield, Eastpointe, are OUTSIDE of Detroit's City Limits...yet most people consider it part of the greater metro area. When the word METRO is used by itself all over the country it means DETROIT METRO. We were the first place to use the term "Metro" as a colloquial term for a specific large area, as Detroit was the first city in the country to spread out that fast with that large of a population. The city of Detroit itself, is small.
  • Sara from Detroit, Mi You are all VERY WRONG about the South Detroit explanation. To those of us who are FROM Detroit and GREW UP THERE....SOUTH DETROIT IS ANYTHING SOUTH OF I-96...a.k.a "Downriver" ....There has NEVER been a place CALLED South Detroit. It's like being in any big city, the term is more loosely used, than say "South Philly", "South-Central L.A." "Southside Of Chicago". Yes Eastpointe was East Detroit but that has absolutely NOTHING to do with this, you don't see a "West Detroit" on the map do you? As for the lyrics it IS in fact "Streetlights, People". It's amazing how many Americans struggle with their own native language!
  • Carrie from Roanoke, Va Petra Haden does a cover version of this song.
  • Karen from Manchester, Nh I have loved this song for years...until I heard that it was the closing song on the piece of filth that is titled "The Sopranos".
  • Jose from Brisbane, Australia Please tour Australia! I know it's hard because for some reason, Australia never really got into Journey... sad lot we are.
  • Nikki from Yamba, Australia greta song... love that it has on family guy.. scrubs... the sapranos... the wedding singer and love when LC and stephen sing it on the second series of laguna beach!
  • Ellen from Chicago, Il A great song. See Wikipedia's article (search the song title) for additional details as to what exactly is meant by "South Detroit" - in the section called "Sports".
  • Rahul from Chennai, India absolutely beautiful song....
  • Stu from Philly, Pa They've been quoted as saying "it's streetlight people, we're talking about prostitutes." At any rate, check the lyrics book that came with the album. One of the greatest songs of all time, it was a real treat to see the cast of Glee perform it on that new TV show. One of the best non-Journey renditions of it. My band Raised On Radio usually starts our sets with this song.
  • Mike from Brighton, Ma To answer the age old question, "South Detroit" actually refers Southfield, Michigan. (Southfield, ironcally is north of Detroit.) In the 1980s, Journey played many charity soft ball games with WRIF-FM (The Riff).
  • Brendan from Cape Town, South Africa The line after "streetlights, people" sounds like "heaven just a fun emotion" Any other suggestions?
  • Allen from Knoxville, Tn On the University Of Tennessee campus, somebody has spray painted on the stop signs "dont STOP believin'" Great song, even 27 years after it was released!
  • Katie from St. Paul, Mn The lyrics say "Streetlights, people...", not "Streetlight people".
  • Josh from Indianapolis, In Journey Rocks Big Time!!!!!!!!!!!!! thers not a song by them i dont like> Rock on!
  • Bob from Dumbsville, Belarus Wow this song is beautiful! Everytime I'm down, I listen to it and it gets me back on my feet again. This song just defines 80s music. Journey will just never be the same without Steve Perry leading their crusade.
  • Morten from Sydney, Australia I'm an 80's music tragic but suprisingly had never heard of this song! Thanks to Family Guy for introducing me to this gem! -Morten, Sydney, Australia
  • Dean from Windsor, On I would just like to inform all those people who say this song isn't about Windsor. When "South Detroit" is mentioned the city of Windsor is what they are talking about. Windsor is actually SOUTH of Detroit. If your ever around my town and stand at the river your compass will point north. Enjoy!
  • Julie from Taylor, Tx When this song comes on...me and best friend victoria go crazy! it's their best song. Classic 80's!
  • Melanie from Seattle, Wa Scott from Boston - what a cool story! Haha I want to go write that on a stop sign now! :D This song is sooo good. Journey's best IMO. Steve's voice is amazing.
  • Neil from Ottawa, Canada This song was sung by the football team in the 2007 film "The Comebacks". One of the players starts singing it in the change-room, and it turns in to a full-stage concert. It mocks the sports movie cliche of teams turning it around with an uplifting theme song, and also references the Chicago White Sox World Series.
  • Liquid Len from Ottawa, Canada What a great song! The only song Journey did in the 80s that wasn't horrid!
  • Fredrik from Stockholm, Sweden This song was also featured in the South Park episode "tsst" when Cartman is plugging in his X-Box. He sings the lines "Don't stop believing, hold on to your feelings"
  • Krista from Elyria, Oh I love Journey! And I love it when ametuers sing the lyrics! But I HATE baseball cards...
  • Scott from Boston, Ma During cross country last year there was a stop sign we always ran by during practice and it said "don't" above it and "believing" below it. It became our team's song and we often sang it very out of tune during runs. Also, that Family Guy episode is awesome (as most are). "Oh my god, that is Journey!"
  • Michael from San Diego, Ca One of the most beautiful songs of all time...if this song doesn't get to you, then you may need to check your pulse!
  • Richie from Sedalia, Mo Edgar, Kings Park, NY Better luck next time!!
  • Edgar from Kings Park, Ny This song reminds me of my failed suicide attempt. Well... there's always next time.
  • Brian from Portage, Mi Yes, Detroit is an East/West city, but no matter where an area is, there is still four cardinal directions.
  • Brian from Detroit, Mi Anyone from Detroit will know what i am saying, but "south detroit" refers tothe area south of Outer Drive, Detroiters refer to the area as "downriver." i Just want to clear the confusion. It ISINT canada, it ISINT eastpointe, NOR groose pointe.
  • Eamon from Motherwell, Scotland THis inspirational song was played every night in a juke by me when I was teaching summer camp in up state New York back in 1980. Being from Scotland, I loved the American rock scene and this classic just typifyies it. 27 years later, I play the Journey live DVD while I work out every other night and never tire of hearing it, it is in my blood. I had the pleasure of seeing Journey in Glasgow earlier this year and it was a real highlight. One question - I have heard different lyrics for this some say "Heaven is a funky mouse?" Any comments guys and girls? Eamon.Motherwell. Scotland.
  • Sergio from Miami, Fl I have been listening to this song for a long time now. I grew up listening to it and I admit, its my all time favorite. It is so cool now to see a new generation fall in love with it thanks to Family Guy, Scrubs and Sopranos. I dont think it matters if South Detroit is correct or not cause whenever they performed it live with Steve Perry he always replaced Detroit with the city they were in at the moment. I always thought that was a nice touch and he always got a cheap pop for it. I know I will always love this song and just dont get sick or hearing it. Journey was a fantastic band with some great musicians.
  • Mary from Canyon, Tx This song was my junior class song way back when in ancient times, not too long after it was first released. EVen I know Windsor, ON is south of Detroit! (Southeast to be exact.)
  • Mark from Glassboro, Nj This song was used in the very end of The Soprano's Final Episode. The song is cut short and the screen goes to blank.
  • Missy from Ann Arbor, Mi You may not belive this but 'Don't stop Belivin' was my senior class song...I love it and so did my class...we were a pretty small class and we were all ubsessed with soft and classic rock...the good stuff...Whenever I hear those first few piano keys play, I will alway go back to my high school gym, on a hot june day, walking to the stage to graduate...Good Times, Great Memories and GREAT SONG!!!
  • Mike from Hueytown , Al I love the 80's on VH1 ripped this song apart.
  • Mark from Des Moines, Ia I can't help but think of the CHICAGO WHITE SOX and their magical run to the World Series title in 2005. What a great season!!! What a great song!!!
  • Maria from Houston , Tx I agree with most, his voice is awesome!!!!
  • Kara from Cadillac, Mi Artists magic is what happens when you take a group of extraordinarily talented people and put them together, allowing them each to do what they do best. Journey is what happens when it all fits together and creates something wonderful. They're not just a band- they're an era. Neal Schon is with out a doubt one of the most gifted guitarists ever. His knowledge and presentation of his craft are nothing short of brilliant. Steve Perry's vocals are masterful. They, along with Schon's guitar work, gave Journey a distintive sound. Jonathan Cain - a perfect fit, though I admit I've always liked Greg Rolle too. I have a Journey album that was made prior to Steve Perry's joining and listening to that makes me know that Journey would have been great no matter what because they had the talent to be great. I know there were changes in the lineup, but Ross Valory's bass playing was also part of what made Journey what it is to me. I loved Steve Smith on the drums, but as with Rolle, I was sad to see Aynsley Dunbar go. Journey was a concept, a feeling, a part of life, an important accent to memories in my life and continues to contribute to important events in the lives of my kids. Two of my sons play guitar and are greatly influenced by Neal Schon. One of them is currently overseas serving in the millitary- he will marry his high school sweetheart when he returns and their wedding song will be "Open Arms". The two sons that I have at home have recently been getting into Journey - "Generations" and I have found that I love their music now as much as I ever did. It never mattered to me that Steve Perry said "South Detroit" - I lived in Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti for many years and I never could keep the suburbs or other offspring areas of Detroit straight anyway. I lived in San Francisco too and always knew that "Lights" was about that city - even if it was written in (or partially in) L.A. - Who cares? Does anybody ever question why "Still They Ride" has traffic lights in it? No. Why? Because it's a truly amazing song about times changing before people are ready for them to with an outstanding guitar lead and excellent vocals. Get over the details. This is legendary music by exceptional musicians. Just enjoy it.
  • J from Boston, Ma and I mean (in the last comment) in the chorus part at the end.
  • J from Boston, Ma About the streetlight line, I think the first time the line is done, it sort of sounds like streetlight with a little extra sound on it. However, the second time the line is sung, he definetly says streetlights. As the song fades out, I think he says streetlight.
  • Jack from London, England Coming from England I had never heard this song on the radio before I heard it on Family Guy. I then heard the song during an episode of Scrubs Season 3 called "My Journey" and decided I had to download it. JOURNEY KICK ASS
  • Nathan from From The Country Of, Canada I always heard this song on the radio, but it wasn't until its appearance on Family Guy's kareokee episode that i realized how good the song actually is.
  • Peter from Detroit, Mi No matter what, at least once a month I hear this song at the bar. My friends and I are from Dearborn Heights, MI and I like to replace south detroit with "dearborn heights" while belting the lyrics to the annoyance of my girlfriend...she thinks I'm cute so it's cool. Rock on Journey!
  • Tom from Vashon, Wa This is an amazing song. It is so sweet. I love it. I think that it has a great message that we can all relate to. Wether we are living on the streets or we are just having problems with our closest friend. You can never stop believing.
  • Dave from Beamsville, Canada If you listen closely, you will hear a rendition of this song during the first wedding ceremony on 'The Wedding Singer' when Adam Sandler gets stood up at the alter.
  • Allan from Calgary, Canada At The Den (the on-campus bar at the University of Calgary) this song has been the last song every weekend night for the last 10 years. All the regulars drop their pants and do the "no pants dance" Quite a good time and a great way to end the night at a great bar.
  • Zeke from Washington, Dc All the lyrics say that the line is "Streetlight, people..." but if you listen to the song it DEFINITELY sings "Streetlights, people." Which do you think it is?
  • Kevin from Grosse Pointe, Mi Yeah, but who calls Windsor "South Detroit"? Nobody. I love this song, but that line always bugs me. Why not say "Just a city boy, born and raised in East Detroit" East Detroit is the former name of Easpointe, Michigan. Also, East Detroit is just considered the East side of Metro Detriot, so he could be from the eastern part of the city of Detroit or from any one of the suburbs that is considered East Detroit (Harper Woods, Roseville, Clinton Township, St. Clair Shores)
  • Emma from Palm Beach, Australia This song was performed in episode 403 of "The Family Guy" entitled "Don't Make Me Over" (original air date 06/05/05) by Peter, Cleveland, Quagmire and Joe. It's an enjoyable rendition, with pall bearers even dropping a coffin in order to hit "The Drunken Clam" to check out the performance.
  • Matt from Haddon Hieghts, Nj This song is great and i got my whole family to love this song its Steve Perrys voice thats just awesome and its one of my fav
  • Cindi from Vancouver, Canada OMG WHO care weather it is North, South. East or West it is a great song.....I can think about better things to debate than which way is up, down or left or right....I agree with who ever said there is N,S, E or West every where just get a compass and stand outside this isn't rocket science it's a Rock song.
  • Zeke from Washington, Dc Actually, Canada IS south of Detroit. The southern part of Ontario is actually south of Detroit. Check your map Jon from Regina.
  • Justin from Monson, Ma I think Journey's song "Don't stop Believin" is the greatest song in the world. I love it so much. Each time it comes on the radio, I turn it up loud. By the way, why does anyone care about how the city of Detroit is used in the song. The song's great!!!!!!!! -Justin Dubois,Monson,MA
  • Matthew from East Brunswick, Nj Great song, Journey is a godsend of the 80's!
  • Anwiya from Sterling Heights, Mi Hey John from Canada, you know nothing. A portion of Canada (city name: WINDSOR) is south of Detroit.
  • Sara Mackenzie from Middle Of Nowhere, Fl white sox have used it for their theme song, omg!! at least it kept them going on to believe that they could win, and they did, so this song is like, an inspiration.
  • Christa from Aurora, Il This was the song the white sox used for inspiration to win the world series 2005!
  • Jeff from Sothington, Ct this is an inspirational song that has a good guitar part in it...the family guy episode was funny and the fact that i knew this girl that would sing this song and now everytime i hear it i see her singing it..but i still see myslef playing guitar...nice solo though
  • David from Yosemite, Ca I heard this song sung a few weeks ago in San Francisco's North Beach--I was trying to sleep in the GreenTortoise hostel in the room above the lounge--and a chorus of girls was singing it. It must have been Kerioki night, but it was lovely. I couldn't recall the group (Journey), but heard a bit on the radio, and googled the lyrics. I've been googling lyrics all weekend--Napster's having free downloads, which brought me here--nice site.. I wish I could have recorded the girls singing. David Yosemite Sept. 4, 2005
  • Chase from Pasadena, Ca Most of the memories posted on this website are by a girl named "Stephanie."
  • Stephanie from Ellicott City, Md this song brings back some great memories .... reminds me of being just over the edge of 17, vacationing in Florida with my family. we were staying at this resort, and i was hanging out in the game room. i had been pretty bored, and i met this guy about 2 years younger than me. he was from a small town in Maine, while i was from the big city in Maryland. i was grateful to find someone close to my age, and we played airhockey, with us deciding to make a friendly bet, the terms to be determined after the game. he let me win, and the term of the bet was decided to be a kiss. we ended up making out for awhile, and when we parted for the night, we shared no pretense that we'd ever meet again. the next night, i heard this song, and it made me think of him - although it was reversed, he was the small town boy and i was the city girl, for a smile we shared the night, and the memories go on and on. i had been feeling pretty low about myself at this time, and feeling undesirable, and he made me feel like, hey, maybe there is something desirable about me after all. so, Matt from Maine, thank you.
  • Ryan from Windsor, Canada Amazing song, one of the best from the 80's. oh and Jon from Regina, check your map bro. I'm from Windsor, Ontario Canada and to go to Detroit I'd have to travel North, not South (one of those "tricky" geography catches).
  • Jev from Marietta, Ga Well does anyone know where I can get a good ringtone of this song period.
  • Patrick from Charlotte, Nc no.
  • Jev from Marietta, Ga Does anybody know where I can get a Don't Stop Believin ringtone that is reliable?
  • Jon from Regina, Canada This is a great song. By the way, who really cares if they say South Detroit? It's not the end of the world. And John from Scottsdale, I thought most people knew this, but Canada is NORTH of Detroit, not south.
  • Matthew from Marquette, Mi Ok... I don't know how many of you really know Geography, but there is a North, South, East and West of EVERYTHING! There is South America, Southern US, Southern California, South Detroit, my dorm room even has a southern part. While you may not find South Detroit on a map, there is in fact a South Detroit. The guy probably grew up near Michigan Avenue. As for the song... GREAT EFFIN' SONG!
  • Tatem from San Diego, Ca No matter the radio station I'm listening to, you can always tell that distinctive Journey-Steve Perry sound and instantly know a Journey song regardless of your knowledge of their song list. Steve Perry gave Journey their uniqueness. I had heard about the Monster movie thing, never saw the movie though. It's hard to believe how old these guys are now. Steve Perry was a hottie. Aging happens to the best of us!!
  • Perviz from Cochin, India Words can't describe the kind of feeling you get on hearing this song. Truly a masterpiece!!
  • Perviz from Cochin, India This is truly a super duper song. Thanx a million Journey.
  • Kevin from Grosse Pointe, Mi Yeah the whole South Detroit thing always bugged me too. Detroit is an East Side/West Side city, not a North Side/South Side city like Chicago. If the lyrics had said "East Detroit" it would have made more sense.
  • Ryan from Lansing, Mi There is no East Detroit however as everyone should know, they changed there name to Eastpointe. But yeah he should really have said southren Detroit.
  • John from Scottsdale, Az When I ever hear this song, I have to say "you've got it wrong, Steve, and sing "There ain't no such place as South Detroit." I grew up in Detroit. There's an east side and a west side. The dividing line is Woodward Avenue. South Detroit is..uh... Canada. Stand on the plaza in downtown Detroit, and look south. Oh, Canada. Otherwise, I like the song, but Steve and his buddies should hvae stuck to San Francisco or looked at a map
  • Tom from Alma, Ga Ack! Another cookie-cutter corporate rock band. Being a child of the 80's, however, they did have some good stuff.
  • Dawn from Highlands Ranch, Co Well, Neal Schon, Steve Perry and Jon Cain I think all take credit for the genesis of this song, which probably explains part of why they're not together anymore. But actress Charlize Theron really wanted this song for a scene in her movie Monster, so she and director/writer Patty Jenkins wrote a letter to Steve Perry begging him to allow them to use the song. He saw the scene they wanted it for, said it was perfect, through Sony contacts asked Jon and Neal if they were ok with it, they said yes, and Steve became musical consultant for the film, as well as the song being in the film. Steve is still traveling around the US and Canada with Patty helping her promote the movie and accepting awards for it.
  • Mooler from Detroit, Mi Nora hit the nail right on the head. South Detroit is just referring to the southern part of the city just as south west detroit or west side or east side or northeast detroit...etc etc. I should know...im from north east detroit. 7 and gratiot.
  • Paul from Greenwood, Sc Just a couple tidbits...in live shows, Journey frontman Steve Perry would insert the name of whatever city that would be hosting them, evidenced by the NFL films documentary of them from the late 80's where they are playing in Philly..."Born and raised in Phil-a-del-phia!"...also the guitar break between the first and second verse spotlights Schon at what he did best. Neil Schon was discovered by Carlos Santana and was playing on stage at the age of 15. He is incredibly fast and it shows on this classic.
  • Larry from Artesia, Ca Streetlight people, living just to find emotion Hiding, somewhere in the night
  • Angela from Santa Fe, Tx Does anyone know the lyrics to this song? I know most of them, however, there is one line in there where I can't seem to catch all the words. It is right after the line in the chorus "Streetlife people". Can anyone help me? Thanks.
  • Nora from Richfield, Mn The lyrics didn't say 'south OF Detroit', it said South Detroit. Big difference

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The improbable story of the Journey classic that keeps coming back to life

From Mafia finales to Arnold Schwarzenegger: the brilliant and often bizarre and afterlife of Journey’s Don't Stop Believin'

Journey in 1981

When the screen cut abruptly to black and the strains of Journey ’s Don’t Stop Believin’ went silent at the finale of iconic TV show The Sopranos in 2007, it might have symbolised the death of Tony Soprano, but it began a new life for Journey’s enduring classic.

The song’s revival provided an extraordinary new chapter in a fairytale story that began back in 1981 and continues to this day. After its Sopranos -assisted revival, the song became a belated UK Top 10 hit in 2009 (it limped to a paltry No.62 when it was originally released), been streamed almost half a billion times on Spotify and been covered by everyone from Steel Panther to erstwhile teenyboppers Hanson. These days, Don’t Stop Believin’ is a kind of unofficial American national anthem – and it’s thanks in a large part to Tony Soprano. 

“That’s the incredible power of mixing music and images,” explains Gary Calamar, whose job as one of Hollywood’s top music supervisors is to find that perfect mix. “That Sopranos scene was incredible, the final scene of one of the best TV shows ever. There was a huge audience with big expectations for the finale. Plus, the song is a great mix of heavy whack hairband rock with Steve Perry wailing his heartfelt and, dare I say, inspiring lyrics.”

Calamar compares the use of Don’t Stop Believin’ with other memorable scenes involving specific songs: Night Ranger 's Sister Christian in Boogie Nights , Stealers Wheel's Stuck In The Middle With You in Reservoir Dogs , Sia’s Breathe Me in Six Feet Under . “When you have a big music scene like that it has a massive impact,” he says. “It really gets under your skin and sticks with you.”

“I think the song’s continued popularity goes back to its core meaning,” says Kara Wright, the A&R coordinator with publishing company Peer Music. “ Don’t Stop Believin’ carries a timeless message that says don’t stop believing in you – don’t stop believing in the world – don’t stop believing in anything. Life goes on (and on and on) regardless whether you’re a small-town girl, a city boy, the Sopranos or a member of your high-school glee club.”

The public’s insatiable appetite for Don’t Stop Believin’ was underlined just two years after its use on The Sopranos when it featured in the pilot episode of the TV show Glee in May 2009. The cast’s version of Don’t Stop Believin’ topped that of Journey’s original, reaching No.4 in the US Top 100 and echoed the digital download success of the original, going gold in the US with sales of over 500,000. The Glee cast later covered the song again, resulting in combined sales of 973,000 for both versions. It fared equally well in Britain where the Glee cast’s recording debuted at No.5.

To further emphasise the seemingly limitless affection for the song, in addition to its high-profile inclusion on The Sopranos and Glee , versions of Don’t Stop Believin’ have appeared in – deep breath – Family Guy, Scrubs, South Park, My Name Is Earl, Just Shoot Me, Benidorm, Eastenders, TV Burp , countless editions of The X-Factor and American Idol, Swedish Idol, Australian Idol … you get the picture.

While Don’t Stop Believin’ ’s 2007 inclusion on The Sopranos is considered by many to mark the beginning of its latest wave of popularity, in an article in the LA Times, Journey’s Jonathan Cain – who wrote the song along with Steve Perry and Neal Schon – cited its use in the 1998 Adam Sandler comedy The Wedding Singer as the spark. Though Gary Calamar, who is also a DJ on LA-based radio station KCRW, begs to differ. “For better or worse I don’t think Don’t Stop Believin’ ever went away. I’ve always felt its cheesy presence.”

Ten years later Sandler and Don’t Stop Believin’ were reunited in Bedtime Stories . In the interim it featured in the 2003 drama Monster starring Charlize Theron. The actress, who was also the film’s producer, had been so keen to include the track that she personally wrote a letter to Steve Perry. After viewing the proposed scene, Perry agreed to the song’s use and even became the film’s music consultant.

The song is in the title of the Journey documentary Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey , while other films to feature it include View From The Top, The Comebacks, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs and The Losers .

Gary Calamar, whose list of credits includes House, Dexter and After The Sunset , understands why the song is featured so regularly. “In a way, using these songs is like batting practice for a music supervisor, you know you have a good chance of hitting it out of the park with one of these old power ballads and a big, over the top scene.”

“It’s a feelgood song with a positive message and a memorable melody,” says Kara Wright, “and it’s an anthem that can be accepted and applied to any kind of situation.”

To back her words, scour Spotify and you’ll come across a dizzying list of artists who have covered the track in all manner of styles, from symphonic metallers Northern Kings to dungaree-clad downhome rockers Hayseed Dixie. There are classical versions, bluegrass versions, acapella versions, dance versions and lounge jazz versions. Scour YouTube and you’ll even come across a reggae cover alongside versions by Panic! At The Disco’s Brendan Urie, John Mayer, Stashrip and even audio of a workout set to the tune by none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Don’t Stop Believin’ is a perennial live favourite, and not just for Journey. During its lifespan it’s been covered by an array of artists. Notable among recent live performances was its inclusion on Kanye West’s set list during his 2008 Glow In The Dark tour while a charity event for the Rainforest Fund at Carnegie Hall in May brought together the unlikely combination of Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen , Elton John , Sting, Debbie Harry and Shirley Bassey for an encore of the song.

 “I think the revival of Don’t Stop Believin’ can be greatly attributed to the exposure and emphasis that entertainment platforms such as TV, video games and advertising now offer to music – an ideal medium that works well for current and classic titles,” says Kara Wright.

The song’s inspirational message has made it a favourite with sports teams, never with greater impact than with the Chicago White Sox. During the 2005 season the hapless baseball team adopted Don’t Stop Believin’ as their rally cry. The team duly went on to reach the World Series for the first time in 80 years with Steve Perry being invited to attend as they swept the Houston Astros in four games.”

It’s hard to go anywhere these days without being exposed to the song in some form. All across America innocent ‘Stop’ signs have been transformed into Journey tributes with the simple addition of two words.

Wherever you do go, you can even be wearing your Don’t Stop Believin’ knickers or clutching your Don’t Stop Believin’ teddy bear. Its omnipresence is why Kara Wright feels Don’t Stop Believin’ is “at the forefront of other songs decades old being revitalised and reintroduced to popular culture.”

Wright believes the song’s success paved the way for others. Absolutely, given the digital revolution and multimedia phenomenon, I think it’s an extraordinary time for classic rock songs to find new leases on life. In this way, long-forgotten music will continue to be revived as younger audiences gain new found appreciation for rock history. The universe of catalogues yet to be unleashed is thrilling.”

And what of the men who wrote it? Unsurprisingly, the song closes every Journey show these days, though given its popularity, it would probably induce riots if it didn’t.

Former singer Steve Perry has a more complicated relationship with song. The only times Perry has sung onstage since he stepped away from music in 1995 came when he made guest appearances at three shows with the band Eels in 2014. And while he did sing Journey songs with the group, Don’t Stop Believin’ wasn’t one of them.

The original version of this article appeared in Classic Rock issue 153

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Kevin Murphy is a writer, journalist and presenter who's written for the Daily Telegraph, Independent On Sunday, Sounds, Record Mirror, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Noise, Select and Event. He's also written about film for Empire, Total Film and Directors Guild of America Magazine.

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Journey’s “don’t stop believin’” recognized by forbes as officially the biggest song of all time.

You’ve heard it literally everywhere since the 80’s: on the radio of every car you’ve ever owned, at every major sporting event you’ve attended in the last 20 years (including a live performance by the band at this year’s NFC Championship Game betweenthe Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers), sung by Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, and Mary J. Blige in the film “Rock Of Ages,” and covered by the cast of the tv show “Glee.” You heard it and then stared at a black screen in horror for a full 10 seconds wondering whether your DVR wasn’t set to record the full episode, and then had it running through your head while you argued with friends over whether Tony Soprano got whacked in the diner or not.

And now, Journey ’s timeless rock anthem “ Don’t Stop Believin ’” has officially been declared the “ Biggest Song of All Time ” by Forbes. According to the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), the hit rock song likely heard by everyone around the world is now an 18-times Platinum-certified single.

Released in October 1981 for their seventh studio album Escape through Columbia Records, “Don’t Stop Believin’” quickly became the band’s signature song. Critical acclaim was instant, with Billboard praising the "fluid guitar and vocal.” AllMusic declared "Don't Stop Believin'" a "perfect rock song" and an "anthem", featuring "one of the best opening keyboard riffs in rock." Neal Schon, founder and lead guitar of Journey wrote the instantly recognizable bass line, and keyboardist and rhythm guitar Jonathan Cain had kept the song title from encouragement his father gave him as a struggling musician living on Sunset Boulevard. Decades after its release, the song became the best-selling digital track from the twentieth century, with over seven million downloads.

You can catch the legendary group’s co-headlining stadium tour with Def Leppard this summer. They will be joined by fellow Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees Steve Miller Band , Heart and Cheap Trick (see cities below). Promoted by AEG Presents , the 24-city tour kicks off at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on July 6, with stops at venues such as Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Rogers Centre in Toronto, Oracle Park in San Francisco, and Citi Field in New York, before finishing at Coors Field in Denver. Tickets available at www.defleppardjourney2024.com .

The enduring anthem “Don’t Stop Believin’” has garnered myriad achievements, including being selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant,” becoming 10x Platinum in Australia, 7x Platinum in New Zealand, 4x Platinum in the UK, and 2x Platinum in Denmark, and in 2021 receiving the GRAMMY Hall of Fame award. In 2021, it was ranked #133 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

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Journey’s Popular Tune Becomes ‘Biggest Song of All Time’

American rock group Journey, New York, June 1979. Left to right: guitarist Neal Schon, bassist Ross Valory, keyboard player Gregg Rolie, singer Steve Perry, and drummer Steve Smith

“Just a small town girl, Livin’ in a lonely world…” If you’ve left the house in the last several decades, chances are you know all of the lyrics to this song even if you’re not a Journey fan. Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” has been featured at sporting events, on the radio, in movies and television shows, and plays just about anywhere you go. This catchy tune has now been crowned the “Biggest Song of All Time” by Forbes .

The anthem was first released in October 1981 as a part of Journey’s seventh studio album. It quickly became a hit, due to its epic opening music and lyrics anyone could sing along to. As someone from Michigan, the part “Born and raised in South Detroit” is always sung the loudest here when played at bars and sporting events. The song even became a celebration for patients at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit recovering from COVID-19 in 2020.

Photo of Neal SCHON and Ross VALORY and JOURNEY and Steve SMITH and Gregg ROLIE and Steve PERRY; L-R (back): Steve Smith, Gregg Rolie, Ross Valory, (front): Neal Schon, Steve Perry - posed, group shot

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The Recording Industry Association of America added that the song is now an 18-times-platinum-certified single and has likely been heard at least once by just about everyone in the world. How’s that for a hit? Journey singer Steve Perry always believed in the song but admitted that it didn’t get great radio play when it first came out. He said , “When we were doing the song in 1981, I knew something was happening, but honestly, when I saw it in the film ‘Monster’ with Patty Jenkins , I started think, ‘Oh my goodness there’s really something.’ The lyric is a strong lyric about not giving up, but it’s also about being young, it’s also about hanging out, not giving up and looking for that emotion hiding somewhere in the dark that we’re all looking for. It’s about having hope and not quitting when things get tough, because I’m telling you things get tough for everybody.”

Steve Perry of Journey performing at the Rosemont Horizon in Rosemont, Illinois, May 21, 1982

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Current Journey singer Arnel Pineda said that the song’s message has always been his motto. Pineda shared, “Even before I discovered ‘Don’t Stop Believin”, it has been my motto — you know, to never stop believing in myself. The life that I’ve gone through, all those hardships, I never stopped believing that someday there is something magical that will happen in my life.”

(L-R) American rock guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist, Neal Schon, English drummer, Aynsley Dunbar, American singer and keyboardist, Gregg Rolie, American singer and songwriter, Steve Perry and American musician, Ross Valory, of the American rock band Journey, pose for a group portrait circa August, 1978 in San Francisco, California

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If you want to hear the tune live, Journey is teaming up with Def Leppard for an incredible tour in 2024. For certain shows, they will be joined by The Steve Miller Band, Heart, or Cheap Trick. Get tickets on their website. For now, remisince and rock out to “Don’t Stop Believin'” below:

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Journey’s Bassist Ross Valory Opens Up About the Band’s Saga — And His Adventurous Solo Album

By Andy Greene

Andy Greene

Ross Valory has dreamed of making a solo album ever since he started gigging around San Francisco in the late Sixties, but other projects kept getting in the way. He was in the process of amassing original songs in 1971 when the Steve Miller Band brought him into the fold to play bass on Rock Love . Later, he teamed up with ex-members of Santana to form the Golden Gate Rhythm Section. Within a few months, they changed their name to Journey .

The upside to all this is that Valory has finally been able to finish his solo LP All of the Above, which arrives April 12. “I took the energy and the focus of what I was doing on tour with Journey and began recording my own material,” he tells Rolling Stone via Zoom from his home in East Bay, California. “All of these songs have been waiting. Some of them go back decades. I wanted to finish what I started.”

Growing up in Lafayette, California, Valory heard his parents playing Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Perry Como, and Andy Williams around the house at a young age. He sang with a men’s chorus while in high school, competed in a cappella tournaments around the state, and learned to play clarinet, ukulele, and guitar. He didn’t pick up the bass until he was 16 and a new kid at school invited him into his soul band under the condition he learn the instrument.

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Valory has done very few interviews over the years, preferring to let his bandmates tell the story of Journey. We took this opportunity to hear the saga from his perspective, and learn all about the creation of All of the Above.

You were briefly in the Steve Miller Band prior to Journey. What was your experience like making Rock Love ? Rock Love was very experimental. Steve Miller was going through his last throes with Mercury Records. So to him, Rock Love was an obligation. It didn’t matter whether they promoted it or sold it or not. But he met his contract, so he was very experimental.

And [drummer] Jack King and I, having come from the experimental music scene of San Francisco, were very agreeable to that. So Rock Love is probably the one-off album of Steve’s career. It’s unlike anything else he did before or afterwards.

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You were a supergroup of sorts. This was a time when a lot of supergroups were forming. Known members of bands would get together and do an album project and even do a tour. But there was also a stigma attached to the supergroup thing. It was becoming very unpredictable. A lot of supergroups were getting together, they’d make an album, and then they’d split. They wouldn’t even play, or they’d do half a tour and then split up. So the supergroup idea only worked so far for us.

You guys made three records. You toured a ton. Did you start to get frustrated that the records weren’t selling better despite all the hard work? Actually, it’s quite the opposite. All three of those albums went gold, and gold in those days means 500,000 copies. The standard changed in later years to $500,000 worth of product. But for each of those three albums to sell 500,000 copies is no sharp stick in the eye. However, we were signed with a major record label who goes, “Okay, that’s fine, but let’s look at the long term here. Let’s see how we can sell more records.”

And so the band appreciably and agreeably was able to adapt, and it changed to a more popular music, song oriented, vocally oriented format, and the eventual arrival by 1978 of Steve Perry .

What’s your first memory of Steve Perry? I was in the position to actually hear the demo album that he had done with the band he had been working with prior to Journey, the Alien Project, in which the bassist had died in a car accident and the project fell apart. I had the opportunity to listen to that cassette, and I was simply amazed by it. What a voice.

Did you feel a spark the first time you played with him? Absolutely. Some of the first songs we developed were “Lights” and “Wheel in the Sky.” It was absolute magic.

“Wheel in the Sky” was partially credited to your wife at the time, Diane Valory. My now ex-wife was a part composer along with Gregg Rolie, Neal Schon, and Robert Fleischman, who briefly was in the band before Steve Perry. He began to work that song up until Perry’s involvement.

Why did Gregg Rolie leave the band? I think he just got tired of slogging it out. It was his second career after a lengthy one in Santana, and so it was time for him to bow out.

How did the addition of Jonathan Cain change the sound of the group? He completely added the magical combination that we already had with me, Neal, and Steve Perry. He had a different style of playing for sure. It solidified everything. That was obvious on Escape and Frontiers , which was some of the best work we ever did.

Were you stunned when the group suddenly scaled up into arenas and landed these giant hits on the radio? There was something that we all felt, especially with Steve Perry’s arrival. We knew that this was going to work. It was just intuitive, a gut feeling. But I must tell you, to be driving in a car and have the radio on and to hear “Wheel in the Sky” play was momentous. And then beyond that, to be performing in the larger venues and having audiences that were attuned to what we were doing and loving it was also momentous.

The tour schedule back then was pretty grueling. You went out for months and months without any breaks. Did it ever start to burn you out? I can’t say grueling, but it was certainly a lot of work. So many people have this impression of rock stars where it’s all la-dee-da and martinis by the pool. Not really. It’s a whole lot of work. And Journey was so busy from 1972 through at least 1984 or so. It was a lot of work. It can be tiring, especially for a singer.

When the group took that break after 1983 and Steve had those solo hits, did you think the band was over? No, I didn’t. But certainly people had their own solo projects that they wanted to pursue. I didn’t think it was over at the time.

How did you find out that you and Steve Smith were out of the band in 1986? Well, that was something that Herbie imparted, but it was pretty evident that the majority of the players wanted to take a different direction, a different approach in style, and that was their prerogative.

Steve Perry said later that it was a mistake and he regrets it. Well, good for him. But you can look back at all that…it’s so long ago. There’s no judgment at this point. It was probably a wrong move, but it was a short move. It was one album and one tour. There were some good songs on that album, and it did keep the band’s brand alive.

Why didn’t the band last longer? We were the first band signed to Interscope Records. They loved the album. They did pretty well promoting it. We landed a very good spot opening up for Bryan Adams for an entire tour. But then again, it was a Bryan Adams crowd, and I can’t say that the audiences were entirely tuned into the Storm and its music, but as the tour progressed, it started to really work.

Then we went back and recorded the second album and presented it to Interscope, and they said, “This is great. This is brilliant. It’s even better than the first one. But while you were away, we no longer have a promotional department for that kind of music.”

The industry decided way back then, “We don’t want to sell this. We’d rather get new bands that we can get a lot less expensively and that we can get a piece of their publishing on. And if it doesn’t work, we have not lost an investment. And if it does, we are in the money.” That’s a very cynical but accurate outlook of what the industry was at the time.

A few years later, you reunited with Steve Perry and Journey for Trial by Fire. What a pleasant surprise. What a great idea. And it was by the efforts of John Kalodner, a major exec at CBS/Sony. It’s a project that I’m very proud of with some great music. What a great occasion to bring those people back together and accomplish what we did.

It was the thing everyone wanted to see, which was the five of you back in a room together. Yeah. There was some good material with “When You Love a Woman,” Message of Love,” and “If He Should Break Your Heart.” Unfortunately, Steve was suffering from systemic arthritis that attacked his hips. He just could not continue well enough to do the subsequent tour. So the project for the five of us ended with the recording of the album and the one video for “When You Love a Woman.”

Steve Smith decided that without the original members, it would not be worth his while. But there’s another aspect there. Steve is a major jazz artist. So that’s when we brought in Deen Castronovo from Bad English. And Steve Augeri, to answer your question, I think was a great, great candidate.

You guys toured like maniacs and really built the band up again. Right. It was just reinventing ourselves. We continued to work with Steve Augeri until 2006 when his voice failed. Now I should comment about this to give perspective on why and how something like that happens. At that point, we were not flogging it as much as we were in the old days. We were paying more attention to spacing out the number of shows, especially the number of consecutive shows in a week, to give the singer a break.

There are about 18 hits that any given audience would generally like to hear. To perform all of those songs in one night, four to five nights a week, is something that not even Steve Perry could have done.

This is not to disrespect his talent and his strength in those days, but to perform all of those hits in one night, I wouldn’t want the job. It is no surprise that Steve Augeri’s voice failed. That’s a big workload.

Many fans felt Steve Augeri was lip-syncing in his final shows. Is that true? Oh, that’s not true. But that’s the old Milli Vanilli thing. Not at all.

You brought in Jeff Scott Soto after that. He’s a great singer, but maybe not quite right for that material. Jeff is a fine singer and a great entertainer, but it just was a little different. And in the process of writing new material for another album, Jeff and the other writers didn’t really fall into sync. There was not enough in common. So Jeff certainly stepped in and did what he did on short notice. What a guy.

And then suddenly the band is on Oprah and seemingly everywhere. It was just this crazy resurgence. Yes, it was. All that time and energy in building the band’s presence and validity from 1998 to around 2008, that played a big part in it. I think all the time and energy spent by all of us, including Steve Augeri, really helped. The arrival of Arnel is striking and notable, but it is really based on all the footwork we had done to work our way back into the industry.

Did you talk to Steve Perry during the band’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction? I sure did. I went and paid a little visit. He had a little room in the back. And what a pleasant experience that was. On a side note, there was a very brief soundcheck, and I was having problems hearing my own instrument. There was distortion and glitches in the system, and the soundcheck ended before I could sort that out. It was like, “I’m sorry, we’re out of time.” So the performance likewise was equally difficult for me.

That’s just the way it goes. It was like, “Gee, here it is. This is the moment, and I don’t have time to fix a problem.” That’s a distraction from the greater magic of that night.

A few years later, all these feuds erupt in the press between members of the band. You were largely on the sidelines, but it must have been painful to watch. Yeah. It was painful for everybody involved.

Do you regret visiting the Trump White House with Arnel and Jonathan? Not at all. My intention there was to privately have a VIP tour of the White House, regardless of who was sitting in the Oval Office. That’s what I wanted. It was an opportunity. I wanted to see the White House and get the special tour, which I did. It was amazing. I didn’t see any of it as a political statement or an alignment, whatever.

Do you miss the concerts and being part of the band? Of course. What an amazing experience. I am so blessed to have spent the better part of 50 years in a band that’s remarkable. All the fine players and singers that have come through the room that I had the privilege of performing with, including the current players. These are all brilliant, talented people, whether they are present in the band or not. What an experience, from this experimental fusion band into one of the top-rated popular bands. This is a band that reinvented itself twice. But to answer your question, certainly I miss it. I miss performing, and eventually I will be doing so on my own.

Tell me about the history of your solo album All Of The Above. It goes back a long time, and it does stem from all the influences I’ve taken on since childhood. I was very busy for decades with Journey and other bands. The material that I’d been writing over the years since 1970 began piling up on the back shelf and were just sitting there. Many of these songs were complete or at least a solid concepts for songs. And I decided about 10 years ago, “Why wait till I retire? Why not get started now?” So I took the energy and the focus of what I was doing on tour with Journey, and began recording my own material here in the East Bay 10 or 12 years ago.

Who plays on it with you? It begins with [keyboardist] Eric Levy. He’s an amazing talent that played in the [jazz fusion band] Garaj Mahal. He’s been performing with Night Ranger for many years. The first song we recorded together for the album was “Wild Kingdom.” And he’s the only player besides myself who appears on all the songs.

He came in, and Eric and I had put together a demo of the arrangement. Karl brought in Walfredo de los Reyes Jr., a fine Cuban-American drummer who had played with Santana before. And both of them laid down the basic tracks for that song. Eric and I worked our parts up, and then we brought in Marc Russo of the Yellowjackets and the Doobie Brothers to do the saxophone work.

What’s the oldest song on the album? “Tomland” goes back to about 1970.

Pretty amazing you’ve been working on this stuff for well over 50 years. There’s the date of inspiration or inception, and then there’s the date of recording that could be decades apart. And the order of the songs in the album is not chronological either.

It’s largely a collection of original instrumentals, but you also include a cover of War’s “Low Rider.” That was just almost willy-nilly. It just so happened that I had the availability of Les Stroud, the harmonica player who’s better known as Survivorman on television. He happened to be rolling through town. I got his harmonica parts laid down. I also had the benefit of having [drummer] Greg Errico from Sly Stone. That’s the perfect guy for that kind of song. It just all happened very, very quickly.

After all these years or being in a band, how did it feel to finally be the one calling the shots? There’s so many aspects of the project, in terms of not just writing and arranging the songs, but also publicizing it. I’m familiar with all of that, but it’s surreal because I’m doing it on my own. I’m talking to a guy from Rolling Stone right now. It’s not like this is my first rodeo, but it’s my first rodeo by myself.

Are you going to tour it? Not at this time. Right now I’m in the process of promoting the album. I’m also at the same time, in my off hours, working on the new material, so there’s this balance there. I’d love to play shows, but I am not yet equipped to do that. I would want it to be right. I would want it to be sophisticated. I would want to have the right players for the right songs in the same room at the same time.

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Are you contact with any of them? No. We’ve all moved on. That’s not to say that I couldn’t or wouldn’t. It just happens to be that way at this time. They continue to play and they will do well. I wish everyone the best.

Is it a strange thought that they’re onstage most every night with someone else playing your parts? It’s not strange anymore. It’s become something that was a long time ago. I’m immersed into something now that’s equally fulfilling to me.

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‘Don’t Stop Believin’’ By Journey Is Now The Biggest Song Of All Time

‘Don’t Stop Believin’’ By Journey Is Now The Biggest Song Of All Time | I Love Classic Rock Videos

Steve Perry and Journey - journey / Youtube

According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Journey’s hit song “Don’t Stop Believin'” has been certified 18 times platinum, solidifying its place as one of the most successful songs in history. Recently, Forbes recognized it as the biggest song of all time, leading to excitement among fans and band members alike.

Celebrating the Collaboration behind “Don’t Stop Believin'”

Neal Schon, the guitarist of Journey, took to Twitter to share the news with the band’s supporters. Expressing his delight, he wrote, “We now officially have the biggest song in the world ever in the history of music! Congratulations to all.” Schon also reached out to Steve Perry, the former lead vocalist of Journey and co-writer of the song, to congratulate him on the achievement.

In a screenshot shared by Schon, his message to Perry read, “Congratulations Steve, we got it more than right.” When a fan asked if Perry responded to the message, Schon humorously replied, “Lol, no. But I’m tired of everyone saying you left Steve out. Jesus, everyone knows he wrote it with us. I said congratulations to all.” This exchange highlights the collaborative effort that went into creating the iconic anthem.

Steve Perry has always recognized the potential of “Don’t Stop Believin'” and its enduring appeal. In a 2009 interview with CBC, Perry reflected on the song’s meaning and its resonance with listeners. He described it as a powerful message about perseverance, youthfulness, and the search for hope in difficult times. As Perry put it, “It’s about having hope and not quitting when things get tough because I’m telling you things get tough for everybody.”

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Classic Rock In Pics (@crockpics)

Controversy of “Don’t Stop Believin'”

While “Don’t Stop Believin'” has achieved incredible success, it hasn’t been exempt from controversy. At an NFL game between the Detroit Lions and the San Francisco 49ers, Journey performed the song with altered lyrics, replacing “South Detroit” with “Born and raised in San Francisco.” This change upset many Detroit supporters, leading to a wave of criticism on social media. Despite this incident, the immense popularity and cultural impact of the song remain intact.

Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” has become the anthem of hope and resilience for countless individuals around the world. Its lasting impact on popular culture is a testament to the band’s musical prowess and ability to create timeless songs. The recognition of this track as the biggest song of all time by Forbes further solidifies its place in music history.

The success of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” as the biggest song of all time showcases the lasting power of a well-crafted and emotionally resonant piece of music. The collaborative efforts of the band members, including Steve Perry, Neal Schon, and Jonathan Cain, led to the creation of a song that continues to inspire and uplift listeners across generations. With its universal message of hope and perseverance, “Don’t Stop Believin'” remains a beloved anthem that will undoubtedly stand the test of time.

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The Music Universe

Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ named Biggest Song of All Time

Buddy Iahn

  • March 18, 2024

Journey's 'Don't Stop Believin' named Biggest Song of All Time

The legendary band continues its touring slate with a summer stadium co-headlining trek with Def Leppard

Journey’s timeless anthem, “Don’t Stop Believin’,” has been officially declared the “Biggest Song of All Time” by Forbes. According to the RIAA, the hit rock song likely heard by everyone globally is now an 18-times platinum-certified single.

Released in October 1981 for their seventh studio album Escape through Columbia Records, “Don’t Stop Believin’” quickly became the band’s signature song. Neal Schon, founder and lead guitar of Journey wrote the instantly recognizable bass line, and keyboardist and rhythm guitarist Jonathan Cain had kept the song title from the encouragement his father gave him as a struggling musician living on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, California. Decades after its release, the song became the best-selling digital track from the 20th century, with over seven million downloads.

The enduring anthem has garnered myriad achievements, including being selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant,” becoming ten-times platinum in Australia, seven-times platinum in New Zealand, four-times platinum in the UK, and double platinum in Denmark, and in 2021 receiving the Grammy Hall of Fame award. In 2021, it was ranked No. 133 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Journey is currently on a co-headlining arena tour of the USA with Def Leppard , before bringing their much-anticipated 50th Anniversary Tour to the UK and Ireland this fall. Main support on all dates comes from the acclaimed Illinois power-pop quartet Cheap Trick, who are also celebrating their 50th anniversary this year.

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Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: [email protected]

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Journey's 'Don’t Stop Believin' named as the biggest song of all time

An extremely bold claim

Journey ’s colossal 1981 rock anthem ‘ Don’t Stop Believin ’ has been named as the biggest song of all time.

American business magazine Forbes has published an article proclaiming that the ubiquitous track is now officially the “biggest song” ever.

‘Don’t Stop Believin’ was officially certified 18-times Platinum in the US in May 2023, meaning that it has shifted more than 18 million chart units digitally. It’s estimated it has also sold 1.5 million physical copies.

It’s one of only two tracks to go 18 times platinum in America alongside Post Malone and Swae Lee’s ‘Sunflower.’

A true international smash, ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ has also sold more than 3 million copies in the UK across multiple formats.

Journey co-founder and lead guitarist Neal Schon has shared a press release promoting Forbes’ article, and the blurb boldly states that ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ has been “likely heard by everyone around the world.”

Schon wrote: “We now officially have the biggest song in the world ever in the history of music! Congratulations to all.”

In 2022, ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

The song, which was penned by Jonathan Cain, Steve Perry, Neal Schon, is also 10 x Platinum in Australia, 7 x Platinum in New Zealand, and 2 x Platinum in Denmark.

In 2021, Rolling Stone ranked it Number 133 on their 500 Greatest Songs of All Time countdown and it received the GRAMMY Hall of Fame award in the same year.

Firmly entrenched in popular culture, Journey’s original song was used in the famous final scene of The Sopranos series finale in 2007 and it’s played at various sporting events around the globe.

The track enjoyed a fresh wave of popularity in 2009 when it was covered on the hit TV show Glee.

Last year, Planet Rock listeners voted for The Greatest Rock Song of All Time. You can find out where ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ came below.

Journey will embark on their first UK and Ireland tour in over a decade in October and November 2024, with special guests Cheap Trick. Tickets are on sale from Planet Rock Tickets now.

Journey and Cheap Trick’s UK tour dates:

OCTOBER 2024

Cardiff Utilita Arena – Wed 30th

Nottingham Motorpoint Arena – Thu 31st

NOVEMBER 2024

Glasgow OVO Hydro – Sat 2nd

Belfast SSE Arena – Mon 4th

Dublin 3Arena – Tue 5th

Manchester AO Arena – Fri 8th

Leeds First Direct Arena - Sat 9th

Liverpool M & S Bank Arena – Mon 11th

Birmingham Utilita Arena – Wed 13th

Newcastle Utilita Arena – Sat 16th

London The O2 – Sun 17th

Buy Journey and Cheap Trick tickets

The greatest rock songs of all time:, 70) thin lizzy – ‘emerald’ (1976).

The 70 Greatest Rock Songs of All Time

69) Rush - ‘2112’ (1976)

68) pink floyd - ‘wish you were here’ (1975), 67) pink floyd – ‘time’ (1973), 66) led zeppelin – ‘when the levee breaks’ (1971), 65) led zeppelin – ‘since i’ve been loving you’ (1970), 64) journey – ‘don’t stop believin’ (1981), 63) def leppard – ‘pour some sugar on me’ (1987), 62) van halen – ‘jump’ (1983), 61) ufo – ‘rock bottom’ (1974), 60) the cult – ‘she sells sanctuary’ (1985), 59) rush – ‘xanadu’ (1977), 58) jimi hendrix – ‘voodoo chile (slight return)’ (1968), 57) aerosmith – ‘dream on’ (1973), 56) ufo – ‘love to love’ (1977), 55) black sabbath – ‘black sabbath’ (1970), 54) ac/dc – ‘for those about to rock (we salute you)’ (1981), 53) thin lizzy – ‘the boys are back in town’ (1976), 52) ufo – ‘doctor doctor’ (1974), 51) iron maiden – ‘fear of the dark’ (1992), 50) boston – ‘more than a feeling’ (1976), 49) blue öyster cult – ‘(don’t fear) the reaper’ (1976), 48) ac/dc – ‘you shook me all night long’ (1980), 47) iron maiden – ‘run to the hills’ (1982), 46) gun n’ roses – ‘november rain’ (1991), 45) pink floyd – ‘shine on you crazy diamond’ (1975), 44) gun n’ roses – ‘welcome to the jungle’ (1987), 43) rush – ‘tom sawyer’ (1981), 42) metallica – ‘one’ (1988), 41) metallica – ‘master of puppets’ (1986), 40) jimi hendrix – ‘all along the watchtower’ (1968), 39) gun n’ roses – ‘paradise city’ (1987), 38) the rolling stones – ‘gimme shelter’ (1969), 37) deep purple – ‘burn’ (1974), 36) bruce springsteen – ‘born to run’ (1975), 35) foo fighters – ‘everlong’ (1997), 34) metallica – ‘nothing else matters’ (1991), 33) eagles – ‘hotel california’ (1976), 32) deep purple – ‘highway star’ (1972), 31) black sabbath – ‘heaven and hell’ (1980), 30) iron maiden – ‘the number of the beast’ (1982), 29) tenacious d – ‘tribute’ (2002), 28) rush – ‘the spirit of radio’ (1980), 27) bon jovi – ‘livin’ on a prayer’ (1986), 26) ac/dc – ‘let there be rock’ (1977), 25) free – ‘all right now’ (1970), 24) black sabbath – ‘war pigs’ (1970), 23) led zeppelin – ‘rock and roll’ (1971), 22) iron maiden – ‘the trooper’ (1983), 21) black sabbath – ‘paranoid’ (1970), 20) the who – ‘won’t get fooled again’ (1971).

A Top 10 hit upon its release in 1971 as a trimmed down three-minute single, to truly understand the brilliance of 'Won't Get Fooled Again' you have to listen to the sprawling eight-and-a-half-minute album version. Pete Townshend wrote 'Won't Get Fooled Again' as a critique about power and revolution, and the song is loosely broken down into three thematic parts – the uprising in the first verse, the overthrow of power in the middle, and the new regime being a replica of the old regime later in the song, hence lines like "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."

19) Deep Purple – ‘Child in Time’ (1970)

Loosely inspired by the Cold War and themes of inhumanity, Deep Purple's progressive rock opus is a musical odyssey of the highest calibre. Embracing the quiet/loud dynamic, throughout the all-too-short 10 minutes each band member is at the top of the game - from Ritchie Blackmore's searing riffs to Ian Gillan's emotionally wrought (and oft screeching) vocals to Jon Lord's ominous organs to the pulsing rhythms of Roger Glover and Ian Paice. A monumental and magnificent rock epic.

18) Metallica – ‘Enter Sandman’ (1991)

The opening track and lead single from Metallica's 1991 self-titled album (aka 'The Black Album'), 'Enter Sandman' opens with Kirk Hammett's plaintive guitar playing before crushing guitars and sonic fury are unleashed on the listener. True it's not as raw as some of Metallica's earlier songs, but 'Enter Sandman' is a heavy metal masterclass that fuses nightmarish lyrics with thunderous music and searing riffs.

17) Led Zeppelin – ‘Whole Lotta Love’ (1969)

Colossal sounding, dirty-as-hell, gloriously lewd and sonically experimental, 'Whole Lotta Love' needs very little introduction. Jimmy Page's iconic riff is one of the purest and most timeless riffs he ever created with Led Zeppelin, while John Paul Jones and John Bonham give the track poise, rhythm and muscle. However, it's Robert Plant who manages to grab the headlines with his sexually charged and highly lascivious lines like "Way down inside", "I'm gonna give you every inch of my love" and, of course, "I wanna be your backdoor man!"

16) Motörhead – ‘Ace of Spades’ (1980)

Motörhead purists might argue that there are better songs in the band's formidable musical arsenal, but 'Ace of Spades' is easily Lemmy, Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor and "Fast" Eddie Clarke's most popular and enduring tracks. Pure musical alchemy, 'Ace of Spades' opens with Lemmy's pummelling bass intro before crashing drums and whirring guitars enter the fray and Mr Kilmeister spouts gambling themed lyrics in his idiosyncratic guttural growl. Exhilarating and electric.

15) AC/DC – ‘Highway to Hell’ (1979)

The second highest placing Bon Scott-era AC/DC song on our countdown, 'Highway to Hell' is three-and-a-half minutes of primal, powerful and perfect guitar-drive rock. Like so many riffs in AC/DC's legendary repertoire, Angus Young's riff is truly timeless, while Bon Scott is at his commanding best. With 'Highway to Hell', AC/DC once again proved that simplicity is often the key to rock n' roll brilliance.

14) AC/DC – ‘Thunderstruck’ (1990)

Powered by scintillating riffs from Angus and Malcolm Young, rabble-rousing chants, screeching vocals from Brian Johnson and muscular rhythms from Chris Slade and Cliff Williams, 'Thunderstruck' is the sound of AC/DC at their most electrifying and one of the standout moments of the post-Bon Scott era. Such is its popularity, 'Thunderstruck' was the first AC/DC track to surpass one billion views on YouTube.

13) Gun N’ Roses – ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ (1987)

Of course, it wouldn't be a Greatest Rock Song poll without Gun N' Roses' signature song 'Sweet Child O' Mine' rearing its head. The 'Appetite for Destruction' anthem is so all-pervading and ubiquitous that even Slash says he "cringes" when he hears his iconic riff in public, however, ignoring the over-exposure, there's no doubt that 'Sweet Child O' Mine' is a rock classic.

12) Iron Maiden – ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’ (1982)

Iron Maiden's fifth song to appear on our countdown is 'The Number of the Beast' classic 'Hallowed Be Thy Name'. Performed on every Iron Maiden tour – except the Maiden England World Tour and The Book of Souls World Tour – for the past four decades, the Steve Harris penned seven-minute epic details the macabre story of a prisoner about the be hanged. Not only is it one of Iron Maiden's greatest songs from their legendary back catalogue, it's also one of the greatest rock songs of all time.

11) Deep Purple – ‘Smoke on the Water’ (1972)

Ritchie Blackmore's instantly recognisable guitar riff on 'Smoke on the Water' was voted the Greatest Rock Riff of All Time by Planet Rock listeners five years ago, and the seminal song has duly been voted into the Top 20 on our new poll. Blackmore noted years later that he took inspiration from Symphony No. 5 by Ludwig van Beethoven, and he owes the deceased composer a lot of money. Thematically, 'Smoke on the Water' was inspired by the devastating fire at the Montreux Casino in Switzerland in December 1971 where the band had decamped to record what would become their sixth album, 'Machine Head.'

10) Meat Loaf – ‘Bat Out of Hell’ (1977)

The opening track on Meat Loaf's debut album of the same name, as statements of intent go, they don't get much better than 'Bat Out of Hell.' The brilliantly bombastic track's lyrics were described as "a rock 'n roll sci-fi version of Peter Pan" by songwriter Jim Steinman, while musically it's gloriously overblown and the perfect vehicle for the late-great Meat Loaf's theatrical and impossibly powerful voice. An irrefutable rock magnum opus.

9) AC/DC – ‘Back in Black’ (1980)

Opening with one of the greatest riffs in rock history, AC/DC's title track from their blockbuster 'Back in Black' album was written in response to the death of Bon Scott. New frontman Brian Johnson was asking not to be morbid when penning the lyrics, and, duly, the track is a celebration of the rock legend. Johnson noted years later: "I just wrote what came into my head, which at the time seemed like mumbo, jumbo. 'Nine lives. Cats eyes. Abusing every one of them and running wild.' The boys got it though. They saw Bon's life in that lyric."

8) AC/DC – ‘Whole Lotta Rosie’ (1977)

The seventh AC/DC song to feature in our Top 70 is the band's riff-heavy hard rock anthem 'Whole Lotta Rosie.' Written by Angus Young, Bon Scott, Malcolm Young, 'Whole Lotta Rosie' details a mind-blowing one-night stand Scott had with a Tasmanian woman called Rosie. A mainstay of AC/DC's live shows since it was released (only 'The Jack' has been performed live more), more recent performances of 'Whole Lotta Rosie' have featured a giant inflatable Rosie on the stage's backdrop.

7) Alter Bridge - ‘Blackbird’ (2007)

The only song from the 21st Century to feature in our Top 20, 'Blackbird' is the crowning glory of Alter Bridge's second studio album and arguably the highpoint of their illustrious career so far. Lyrically poignant, Myles Kennedy wrote the lyrics for 'Blackbird' about the death of his close friend Mark Morse. Kennedy said: "It's really about seeing the suffering he was going through and hoping he would find his solace soon and be free from all of that." The eight-minute track also features a colossal guitar solo from both Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti that was voted the third greatest guitar solo ever by Planet Rock listeners in 2019.

6) Led Zeppelin – ‘Kashmir’ (1975)

The towering musical behemoth that is 'Kashmir' is Led Zeppelin's second-highest polling song from their fabled back catalogue. A track so good that it has you thumbing at the thesaurus looking for suitable superlatives, it's no surprise that the surviving members of Led Zeppelin regard 'Kashmir' as one of their career zeniths. Jimmy Page said of the track: "The intensity of 'Kashmir' was such that when we had it completed, we knew there was something really hypnotic to it, we couldn't even describe such a quality
. It sounded so frightening at first."

5) Pink Floyd - ‘Comfortably Numb’ (1979)

David Gilmour's transcendental playing on Pink Floyd's 'Comfortably Numb' was voted the Greatest Guitar Solo of All Time by Planet Rock listeners in 2019, and the song itself is rightfully in the upper echelons of our Greatest Rock Songs poll at Number 5. Penned by Roger Waters and David Gilmour, 'Comfortably Numb' is one of the defining moments of their songwriting partnership, yet such was the friction between the two during the recording process that Gilmour later noted it represents "the last embers of mine and Roger's ability to work collaboratively together." Poignantly, 'Comfortably Numb' was the last song Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason and the late-great Richard Wright performed together at Live Aid in 2005.

4) Lynyrd Skynyrd – ‘Free Bird’ (1973)

The only Lynyrd Skynyrd to make our Top 70, the Ronnie Van Zant and Allen Collins penned 'Free Bird' is the band's signature song and truly one of the finest tracks in rock history. Delivered in Van Zant's trademark southern rock drawl, the track opens with him singing "If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me?", hinting at a man unable to settle down. Just past the midway point, 'Free Bird' morphs into a crescendo of glorious guitar solos and frenetic instrumentation – an life-affirming aural onslaught that still sounds as fresh now as it did almost half a century ago.

3) Rainbow – ‘Stargazer’ (1976)

The standout song from Rainbow's seminal 'Rising' album, 'Stargazer' sees the inimitable, late-great Ronnie James Dio narrate the ominous story of a wizard whose attempt to fly by constructing a tower to the stars leads to the enslavement of countless people. A musically complex, powerful and majestic heavy metal tour-de-force, 'Stargazer' flaunts the imperious talents of the respective Rainbow band members, from Dio's astonishing pipes to Cozy Powell's titanic drums to Ritchie Blackmore's mercurial guitar playing. Nothing short of a masterpiece.

2) Led Zeppelin – ‘Stairway To Heaven’ (1971)

Number 2 on our Greatest Led Zeppelin Songs poll in September 2018 to mark the band's 50th anniversary, 'Stairway To Heaven' is also at No.2 in our Greatest Rock Song poll. Clocking in at just over eight minutes, every second of 'Stairway To Heaven' is iconic; from the opening, Renaissance-tinged finger-picked guitars and recorders to Jimmy Page's legendary solo and right through to Robert Plant's ultimate, plaintive "and she's buying the stairway to heaven" refrain. A true timeless classic that will be listened to in centuries to come.

1) Queen – ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ (1975)

Having previously finished at No.2 in our previous Greatest Rock Song poll a decade ago , Queen's timeless and ubiquitous rock epic 'Bohemian Rhapsody' has climbed to Number 1 in 2022. Multi-layered and ambitious in musical scope, the Freddie Mercury penned 'Bohemian Rhapsody' has topped the charts twice in the UK and has been introduced to new generations of fans via 1992's Wayne's World and the 2018 Queen biopic of the same name, Bohemian Rhapsody.

Listen to Planet Rock on DAB nationwide, on our free app, online, via your smart speaker (“Play Planet Rock”) and on Freesat.

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JOURNEY Classic "Don't Stop Believin'" Officially Declared "Biggest Song Of All Time"

March 19, 2024, 18 hours ago

news journey don't stop believin' classic rock

JOURNEY Classic "Don't Stop Believin'" Officially Declared "Biggest Song Of All Time"

The RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) recently reported that the Journey classic, "Don’t Stop Believin'", is now an 18-times platinum-certified single. According to Forbes , this means that between pure sales and other forms of consumption–namely streaming–the song has shifted at least 18 million equivalent units in the United States alone, making it the biggest song of all time.

The announcement that "Don’t Stop Believin'" had reached such an impressive milestone came as something of a surprise. Before this latest honor, the song had only ever been certified up to quadruple platinum status. It hit that mark in May 2013. In the more than decade since then, the RIAA hadn’t bestowed any additional certifications on the hit, but clearly it was accruing millions of sales and equivalent units shifted behind the scenes.

Read the complete Forbes report here . 

"Don't Stop Believin'" was released in October 1981 as the second single from Journey's seventh studio album, Escape. The song reached #8 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart, and #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

In November 2023, AXS TV shared video of former Journey frontman, Steve Perry, talking with Dan Rather about joining the band, how the group contributed to the development of power ballads, the massive success of "Don't Stop Believin'", and how the song ended up in the series finale of The Sopranos on The Big Interview.

On writing the Journey classic "Don't Stop Believin'"

Perry: "I told John Cain (keyboards) I wanted something with quarters (quarter notes). I've always liked certain songs that had a beginning with quarters: 'Penny Lane' (The Beatles) had quarters on the piano, 'One' by Three Dog Night had quarters on the piano... we never had a song with that. He starts playing some changes, I start singing, and that's how it got launched into this whole thing. Then, John Cain and I got together later and wrote the lyrics. It was just another song like the rest of them that we believed in - not to make a joke, but we did - and that one just has a life of its own."

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Journal du Rock

"don’t stop believin'" de journey reconnue comme "la plus grande chanson de tous les temps".

Journey en 1981

© Paul Natkin/Getty Images

L'hymne rock intemporel du groupe américain, "Don't Stop Believin'", a été officiellement déclaré "plus grande chanson de tous les temps" par le magazine Forbes. Selon la RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), la chanson, probablement entendue dans le monde entier, est désormais certifiée 18 fois disque de platine.

Sorti en octobre 1981 sur le septiÚme album studio de Journey, Escape , "Don't Stop Believin'" est rapidement devenue la chanson emblématique du groupe. Elle a été immédiatement acclamée par la critique, Billboard saluant la "fluidité de la guitare et de la voix". AllMusic a déclaré que "Don't Stop Believin'" était une "chanson rock parfaite" et un "hymne", avec "l'un des meilleurs riffs de clavier du rock".

Neal Schon , fondateur et guitariste principal de Journey, a écrit la ligne de basse immédiatement reconnaissable, et le claviériste et guitariste rythmique Jonathan Cain a trouvé le titre de la chanson en se souvenant des encouragements que son pÚre lui a donnés alors qu'il était un musicien en difficulté vivant sur Sunset Boulevard.

Lors d'une interview accordĂ©e en 2009 Ă  l'Ă©mission culturelle "Q" de la CBC, l'ancien chanteur de Journey, Steve Perry, a dĂ©clarĂ© qu'il avait toujours pensĂ© que "Don't Stop Believin'" avait du potentiel en tant que single. "Elle a toujours Ă©tĂ© un succĂšs auprĂšs du public, bien qu'elle n'ait pas Ă©tĂ© trĂšs bien diffusĂ©e Ă  la radio Ă  l'Ă©poque oĂč elle est sortie" , a-t-il dĂ©clarĂ©.

Les paroles sont fortes, elles parlent de ne pas abandonner, mais aussi d'ĂȘtre jeune, de traĂźner, et de chercher cette Ă©motion qui se cache quelque part dans l'obscuritĂ© et que nous recherchons tous.

"Lorsque nous avons interprĂ©tĂ© la chanson en 1981, je savais que quelque chose se passait, mais honnĂȘtement, lorsque je l'ai vue dans le film "Monster" avec Patty Jenkins, j'ai commencĂ© Ă  penser : "Oh mon Dieu, il y a vraiment quelque chose" .

Il a ajoutĂ© :   "Les paroles parlent de ne pas laisser tomber, mais elles Ă©voquent aussi la jeunesse, le fait de traĂźner ensemble, de ne pas laisser tomber et rechercher cette Ă©motion qui se cache quelque part dans le noir, celle qu’on cherche tous. Ça parle d’espoir, et de ne pas abandonner quand les choses sont difficiles, car je vous le dis, les choses sont compliquĂ©es pour tout le monde."

Depuis la formation du groupe en 1973, Journey a enregistré 19 singles dans le top 40, 25 albums d'or et de platine et a vendu plus de 100 millions d'albums dans le monde. Leur album Greatest Hits est certifié 15 fois platine, ce qui fait de Journey l'un des rares groupes à avoir été certifié diamant, et "Don't Stop Believin'" a été diffusé plus d'un milliard de fois en streaming.

Un hymne pendant la pandémie de Covid

Aux Etats-Unis en 2020, le titre de Journey est devenu une sorte de cri de ralliement des patients qui guérissaient du covid-19 dans deux hÎpitaux à New York et dans le Michigan.

"Cette chanson est un signe d’espoir, un rappel aux patients qu’il ne faut jamais baisser les bras et un remerciement motivant aux membres de l’équipe fatiguĂ©s qui ne perdent jamais espoir," expliquait Veronica Hall, prĂ©sidente et ancienne infirmiĂšre de l’hĂŽpital de Detroit.

Celui de New York Ă©crivait : "Pour faire passer un message d’espoir pendant cette pĂ©riode difficile, #NYPQueens joue ce titre Ă  chaque fois qu’un patient #COVID19 sort des soins intensifs."

Le chanteur actuel de Journey, Arnel Pineda, Ă  la tĂȘte du groupe depuis 17 ans, a dit Ă  CBS News en 2012 : "MĂȘme avant de dĂ©couvrir ce titre, c’était mon mantra. Vous savez, ne jamais cesser de croire en soi. Avec la vie que j’ai menĂ©e, toutes ces difficultĂ©s, je n’ai jamais cessĂ© de croire qu’un jour, quelque chose de magique m’arriverait."

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Journey and Def Leppard are coming to Portland’s Moda Center this summer

Don’t stop believin’ in summer rock and roll concerts.

The legendary rock groups Journey and Def Leppard (a version of the band featuring founder Neal Schon and a lead singer who is not Steve Perry) are bringing screaming guitars, tight pants and big hair (OK, it’s a maybe on those last two) to the Moda Center on Monday, Sept. 2, at 7:30 p.m.

Can you stay up that late? Don’t stop believin’ in yourself.

Tickets go on sale Friday, March 15, at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster .

Tickets will also be available through Vivid Seats, StubHub , SeatGeek and Ticket Squeeze .

Don’t stop believin’ ... that you can get tickets. (Sorry.)

– Lizzy Acker covers life and culture and writes the advice column Why Tho? Reach her at 503-221-8052, [email protected] or @lizzzyacker

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©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit oregonlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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IMAGES

  1. Journey

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  2. (1981) DON'T STOP BELIEVIN'

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  3. Don't Stop Believin': The Best Of Journey

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VIDEO

  1. Journey Don't Stop Believin'

  2. Journey

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  4. Journey: Dont stop believin guitar cover

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COMMENTS

  1. Journey

    Don't Stop Believin' Lyrics: Just a small-town girl, livin' in a lonely world / She took the midnight train goin' anywhere / Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit / He took the ...

  2. Journey

    Don't Stop Believin' - Journey (Lyrics) đŸŽ”đŸ‘Œ Follow Journey :https://linktr.ee/journeymusichttps://www.instagram.com/journeymusicofficial/https://twitter.com...

  3. Journey

    Starship - "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" Lookin' in your eyes I see a paradise This world that I found Is too good to be true Standin' here beside you Want so much to give you This love in my heart That I'm feelin' for you Let 'em say... Journey "Don't Stop Believin'": Just a small-town girl Livin' in a lonely world She took the midnight train ...

  4. Journey

    Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer Just a small town girl Livin' in a lonely world She took the midnight train goin' anywhere Just a city boy Born and raised in south Detroit He took the midnight train goin' anywhere A singer in a smoky room A smell of wine and cheap perfume For a smile they can share the night It goes on and on, and on, and on Strangers waiting Up ...

  5. Journey

    Official Audio for "Don't Stop Believin'" by JourneyListen to Journey: https://Journey.lnk.to/listenYDWatch more Journey videos: https://Journey.lnk.to/liste...

  6. Journey

    He took the midnight train goin' anywhere. A singer in a smoky room. A smell of wine and cheap perfume. For a smile they can share the night. It goes on and on, and on, and on. Strangers waiting. Up and down the boulevard. Their shadows searching in the night. Streetlights, people.

  7. Don't Stop Believin'

    "Don't Stop Believin '" is a rock song by American band Journey. It was released in October 1981 as the second single from the group's seventh studio album, Escape (1981), released through Columbia Records. "Don't Stop Believin '" shares writing credits between the band's vocalist Steve Perry, guitarist Neal Schon, and keyboardist Jonathan Cain.A mid-tempo rock anthem and power ballad, "Don't ...

  8. Journey

    Please watch: "Lonzo Ball Summer League Full LOWLIGHTS - LA Lakers vs LA Clippers - 5pts on 2-15fg" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsyO_mh50mc-~-~~-~~~-~~-~...

  9. Don't Stop Believin' by Journey

    It's gonna happen. Don't stop believin'.'". Cain's dream came true when he joined a group called The Babys with John Waite. In 1980, he joined Journey in San Francisco, and this song took shape. He told Steve Perry about his idea for placing the song in Sunset Boulevard, and Perry had him describe it.

  10. Journey's Don't Stop Believing: The meaning of the song

    When the screen cut abruptly to black and the strains of Journey 's Don't Stop Believin' went silent at the finale of iconic TV show The Sopranos in 2007, it might have symbolised the death of Tony Soprano, but it began a new life for Journey's enduring classic. The song's revival provided an extraordinary new chapter in a fairytale ...

  11. Lyrics: Journey

    Strangers waiting looking down the boulevard. Payin anything to roll the dice. Just one more time. Some will win some will lose some were born to sing the blues. Oh the movie never ends. It goes on and on and on and on... Strangers waiting looking down the boulevard. Don't stop believing. Hold on to that feeling.

  12. Journey'S "Don'T Stop Believin'" Recognized by Forbes As Officially Th

    And now, Journey's timeless rock anthem "Don't Stop Believin'" has officially been declared the "Biggest Song of All Time" by Forbes. According to the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), the hit rock song likely heard by everyone around the world is now an 18-times Platinum-certified single.

  13. Songtext von Journey

    Oh, the movie never ends. It goes on and on, and on, and on. Strangers waiting up and down the boulevard. Their shadows searching in the night. Streetlights, people. Living just to find emotion. Hiding somewhere in the night. Don't stop believinâ€Č. Hold on to the feelinâ€Č.

  14. Journey's Popular Tune Becomes 'Biggest Song of All Time'

    Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" has been featured at sporting events, on the radio, in movies and television shows, and plays just about anywhere you go. This catchy tune has now been crowned the "Biggest Song of All Time" by Forbes. The anthem was first released in October 1981 as a part of Journey's seventh studio album.

  15. This Journey classic was just named 'the biggest song of all time'

    Journey's massive anthem "Don't Stop Believin'" has officially gone 18x times platinum, and was named the top biggest song of all time. Listen to Journey Radio and more on the free Audacy app

  16. Journey's 'Don't Stop Believin'': What It Was Like to Play in the Band

    Ross Valory, the bassist for Journey from their inception until 2020, talks band history and new solo album 'All of the Above.' ... Do you call the first time you heard "Don't Stop Believin'"?

  17. Journey

    Někdo je zrozen proto aby zpíval blues. A ten film nikdy neskončí. A tak to jde dál a dál a dál a dál.. Strangers waiting. Up and down the boulevard. Their shadows searching in the night. Streetlights, people. Living just to find emotion. Hiding somewhere in the night Cizinci čekají.

  18. Don't Stop Believin'

    Provided to YouTube by ColumbiaDon't Stop Believin' · JourneyThe Essential Journey℗ 1981 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music EntertainmentReleased on:...

  19. The Biggest Song in Music History Is Now a Rock Song

    Simply put, Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" has remained consistently in the public eye (or ear) since its 1981 release, and a number of pop culture moments have helped continue to drive interest.

  20. 'Don't Stop Believin'' By Journey Is Now The Biggest Song Of All Time

    According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Journey's hit song "Don't Stop Believin'" has been certified 18 times platinum, solidifying its place as one of the most successful songs in history. Recently, Forbes recognized it as the biggest song of all time, leading to excitement among fans and band members alike. Celebrating the Collaboration [
]

  21. Journey's Greatest Hits: 11 of The Band's Best Songs Ranked

    Arguably their most famous song, "Don't Stop Believin'" was the second song released from the Escape album. It was a top 10 hit worldwide in 1981 and later became the band's signature song.

  22. Journey

    Don't Stop Believin'. Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world. She took the midnight train goin' anywhere. Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit. He took the midnight train goin' anywhere. A singer in a smokey room. A smell of wine and cheap perfume. For a smile they can share the night.

  23. Journey's 'Don't Stop Believin' named Biggest Song of All Time

    Released in October 1981 for their seventh studio album Escape through Columbia Records, "Don't Stop Believin'" quickly became the band's signature song. Neal Schon, founder and lead guitar of Journey wrote the instantly recognizable bass line, and keyboardist and rhythm guitarist Jonathan Cain had kept the song title from the ...

  24. Journey's 'Don't Stop Believin' named as the biggest song of all time

    Journey co-founder and lead guitarist Neal Schon has shared a press release promoting Forbes' article, and the blurb boldly states that 'Don't Stop Believin' has been "likely heard by everyone around the world." Schon wrote: "We now officially have the biggest song in the world ever in the history of music! Congratulations to all."

  25. Journey

    About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright ...

  26. JOURNEY Classic "Don't Stop Believin'" Officially Declared "Biggest

    The RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) recently reported that the Journey classic, "Don't Stop Believin'", is now an 18-times platinum-certified single. According to Forbes, this means that between pure sales and other forms of consumption-namely streaming-the song has shifted at least 18 million equivalent units...

  27. Road Trip Songs Bracket Championship: Journey vs. Bruce Springsteen

    text email link Nick Schwartz. like follow March 13, 2024 11:32 am ET ... Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" barely edged Toto's "Africa," receiving 50.88% of the vote.

  28. Journey

    Journey's official live video for 'Don't Stop Believin'' performed in Houston. Listen to Journey: https://journey.lnk.to/listenYDWatch more Journey videos: h...

  29. 'Don't Stop Believin'' de Journey reconnue comme 'la plus grande

    L'hymne rock intemporel du groupe américain, "Don't Stop Believin'", a été officiellement déclaré "plus grande chanson de tous les temps" par le magazine Forbes. Selon la RIAA (Recording ...

  30. Journey and Def Leppard are coming to Portland's Moda Center ...

    Don't stop believin' in summer rock and roll concerts. The legendary rock groups Journey and Def Leppard (a version of the band featuring founder Neal Schon and a lead singer who is not Steve ...