Faithfully (song)
| "Faithfully" | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Journey | |||||||
| from the album Frontiers | |||||||
| B-side | "Frontiers", "Back Talk" | ||||||
| Released | April 16, 1983 | ||||||
| Format | 7" | ||||||
| Recorded | 1982 | ||||||
| Genre | Rock | ||||||
| Length | 4:24 | ||||||
| Label | Columbia | ||||||
| Writer(s) | Jonathan Cain | ||||||
| Producer(s) | Kevin Elson, Mike Stone | ||||||
| Journey singles chronology | |||||||
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"Faithfully" is a popular power ballad by the band Journey, and the second single from their album Frontiers. It was written by Jonathan Cain. It peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving the band their second consecutive top twenty hit from Frontiers. While the song was relatively successful on the charts, it has gone on to become one of their most recognizable songs, and has enjoyed lasting popularity.
Song meaning
The song describes the relationship of a "music man" on the road. The difficulties of raising and maintaining a family, two strangers having to fall in love again, and staying faithful while touring are brought up. However he suggests that he gets the "joy of rediscovering" her, and insists "I'm forever yours... Faithfully."
Journey keyboard player Jonathan Cain wrote this song about the rough relationship being a married man on the road in a Rock band. Cain and his wife divorced a few years later, despite him pledging in the song to be "forever yours... faithfully."
According to the liner notes in Journey's Time3 compilation, Cain paid tribute to road manager Pat Morrow and stage manager Benny Collins when he wrote "we all need the clowns to make us smile." He told me he got the melody out of a dream," said Neal Schon. "I wish something like that would happen to me." "Basically it's a road song," Cain said. "You know I'm being a good dog out here - don't worry about it."
Like "Rosanna" by Toto, this contains lyrics delivered by the lead singer but written by another member of the band, which led many fans to believe Steve Perry wrote the song about a particular girl. [1]
Music video
The music video featured a then-unique "life on tour" theme parallel to the song's lyrics, showing the band's performances in different venues and their travels around the USA. Steve Perry can be seen shaving his short-lived but talked-about moustache in the video. This video utilized footage from the documentary video Journey: Frontiers and Beyond narrated by John Facenda, voice of NFL Films, shortly before his death in 1984. The concept of the "road video" was later utilized by several other bands, including Bon Jovi, Guns N' Roses, Genesis, Mötley Crüe and Richard Marx.
Legacy
Bryan Adams opened for Journey on their 1983 Frontiers Tour, and during that time wrote the song "Heaven", which was heavily influenced by "Faithfully". The recording features Journey drummer, Steve Smith.[2]
After recording the song "Purple Rain", Prince phoned Cain asking him to hear it, worried it might be too similar to "Faithfully". Cain did not agree and told Prince the songs only shared the same four chords.[3]
Chart performance
| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM) | 36 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 12 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 24 |
Cover versions
- Country music singer Lorrie Morgan covered the song on the album Something in Red.
- A Cantonese version, with a more pronounced piano presence, was recorded by Anita Mui In 1991.
- American indie folk music artist Matt the Electrician covered the song on his 2009 album Animal Boy. An audio sample can be heard on his official website.[4]
- The song was performed by Lea Michele and Cory Monteith in the first season finale of Glee, along with several other Journey songs in the same episode.
- Claudio Sanchez, lead singer of Coheed and Cambria, played this song acoustically as an opening act for their Neverender tour.
- Safety in Numbers covered the song on a split EP made with Brand New
- Faithfully was covered by Broadway and Glee actress, Idina Menzel on her I Stand tour during a show in Atlantic City, NJ.
- Alt-country band Clem Snide performed a version of the song in July of 2010 for The A.V. Club's A.V. Undercover series.[5]
- Hollie Cavanagh performed the song as a top four finalist during season eleven of American Idol.
- Luke Bryan performed the song as part of his set list during his 2012 State Farm Tour.
- Rascal Flatts covered the song live as a duet with Journey for CMT Crossroads in 2013.
Appearances in other media
- Mega Man for the Nintendo Entertainment System has a level (Elecman's) sharing the keynotes of the song.
- The song was used during a bar scene in the film Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.
- The song was sung by Jovit Baldivino in his audition for Pilipinas Got Talent.
- The song was used in an episode of The Game in season four.
- The song was performed in Journey, an episode of the TV series Glee.
- The song is sampled in the end of Girl Talk's album Feed the Animals.
References
- ↑ http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=3041
- ↑ ""Heaven". JimVallance.com. Retrieved 2012-07-28.
- ↑ "Hitlåtens historia, "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey, Extramaterial: Prince trodde att han hade snott låten". svt.se. January 30, 2012. Retrieved February 18, 2012.
- ↑ http://www.matttheelectrician.com/
- ↑ "Clem Snide covers Journey". Retrieved March 19, 2013.
External links
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