Journey is an American rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 197… Read Full Bio ↴Journey is an American rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1973. The band has gone through several phases since its inception by former members of Santana. The band's greatest commercial success came in the late 1970s through the early 1980s with a series of power ballads and songs such as "Don't Stop Believin'", "Any Way You Want It", "Faithfully", "Open Arms", "Separate Ways", and "Wheel in the Sky".
Journey became eligible for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, but were not inducted until 2017. Members Jonathan Cain, Aynsley Dunbar, Steve Perry, Gregg Rolie, Neal Schon, Steve Smith and Ross Valory were included in the band's induction. Rolie had previously been inducted as a member of parent band Santana.
Formation, 1973–1976
The original members of Journey came together in San Francisco in 1973 under the auspices of former Santana manager Herbie Herbert. Originally called the Golden Gate Rhythm Section and intended to serve as a backup group for established Bay Area artists, the band included recent Santana alumni Neal Schon on lead guitar and Gregg Rolie on keyboards and lead vocals. Drummer Prairie Prince of The Tubes, bassist Ross Valory and rhythm guitarist George Tickner, both of Frumious Bandersnatch, rounded out the group. The band quickly abandoned the original "backup group" concept and developed a distinctive jazz fusion style. After an unsuccessful radio contest to name the group, roadie John Villaneuva suggested the name "Journey." The band's first public appearance came at the Winterland Ballroom on New Year’s Eve, 1973. Prairie Prince rejoined The Tubes shortly thereafter, and the band hired British drummer Aynsley Dunbar, who had recently worked with John Lennon and Frank Zappa. On February 5, 1974, the new line-up made their debut at the Great American Music Hall and secured a recording contract with Columbia Records.
Journey released their eponymous first album in 1975, and rhythm guitarist Tickner left the band before they cut their second album, Look into the Future (1976). Neither album achieved significant sales, so Schon, Valory, and Dunbar took singing lessons in an attempt to add vocal harmonies to Rolie's lead. The following year's Next contained shorter tracks with more vocals and featured Schon as lead singer on several of the songs.
New musical direction, 1977–1980
Journey's album sales did not improve and Columbia Records requested that they change their musical style and add a frontman, with whom keyboardist Gregg Rolie could share lead vocal duties. The band hired Robert Fleischman and transitioned to a more popular style, akin to that of Foreigner and Boston. Journey went on tour with Fleischman in 1977 and the new incarnation of the band wrote several songs, including the later hit "Wheel in the Sky". But fans were lukewarm to the change, and personality and management differences resulted in Fleischman leaving the band within the year.
In the fall of 1977, Journey hired Steve Perry as their new lead singer. Perry added a clean, tenor sound and the band became a true pop act. Their fourth album, Infinity (1978) reached No. 21 on the album charts and gave the band their first RIAA-certified platinum album plus hit singles out of "Lights" and "Wheel in the Sky".
Drummer Aynsley Dunbar did not get along with singer Steve Perry and did not approve of the new musical direction. He was fired in 1978 and replaced by Berklee-trained jazz drummer Steve Smith. Perry, Schon, Rolie, Smith, and bass player Ross Valory recorded 1979's Evolution, which gave the band their first Billboard Hot 100 Top 20 single, "Lovin,' Touchin,' Squeezin"; and 1980's Departure, which reached No. 8 on the album charts and included the top-25 hit "Any Way You Want It".
Journey's newfound success brought the band an almost entirely new fan base. During the 1980 Departure world tour, the band recorded a live album, Captured. They also recorded the soundtrack to the film Dream, After Dream while in Japan.
Exhausted from extensive touring, keyboardist Gregg Rolie now left a successful band for the second time in his career. Keyboardist Stevie Roseman was brought in to record the lone studio track for Captured, "The Party's Over (Hopelessly in Love)", but Rolie recommended pianist Jonathan Cain of The Babys as the permanent replacement. With Cain's replacement of Rolie's Hammond B-3 organ with his own synthesizers, the band was poised to redefine rock music for a new decade in which they would achieve their greatest musical success.
Height of popularity, 1981–1983
Journey released their eighth and biggest-selling studio album, Escape, in 1981. The album, which is a Diamond bestseller (10 million+ sales), went to number one on the album charts that year, and included three top-ten hits: "Who's Crying Now", "Don't Stop Believin'", and "Open Arms".
Capitalizing on their success, the band recorded radio commercials for Budweiser and sold rights to their likenesses and music for use in two video games: the Journey arcade game by Bally/Midway and Journey Escape by Data Age for the Atari 2600.
This success was met with piqued criticism. The 1983 Rolling Stone Record Guide gave each of the band's albums only one star, with Dave Marsh writing that "Journey was a dead end for San Francisco area rock". Marsh later would anoint Escape as one of the worst number-one albums of all time.
Journey's next album, 1983's Frontiers, continued their commercial success, reaching No. 2 on the album charts. Four hit singles included "Separate Ways", which reached #8, and "Faithfully", which reached #12. During the subsequent tour, the band contracted with NFL Films to record a video documentary of their life on the road, Frontiers and Beyond.
Break-up, 1984–1994
Lead singer Steve Perry and guitarist Neal Schon both pursued solo projects between 1982 and 1985, and when they returned to Journey to record their 1986 album Raised on Radio, bass player Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith were fired from the band for musical and professional differences. Studio musicians handled the two vacant slots, including future American Idol judge Randy Jackson and established session player Larrie Londin. The album sold two million copies. A truncated tour followed, which featured Jackson on bass and Mike Baird on drums. Steve Perry left Journey in 1987.
Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain teamed up with Cain's ex-Babys bandmates John Waite and Ricky Phillips, forming Bad English with drummer Deen Castronovo in 1988. Steve Smith started a jazz band, Vital Information, and teamed up with Ross Valory and Gregg Rolie to create The Storm with singer Kevin Chalfant and guitarist Josh Ramos.
Reunions, 1991, 1995–1997
Between 1987 and 1995, Journey's record label released three compilations. On November 3, 1991, Journey (minus drummer Steve Smith and bassist Ross Valory) reunited to perform at the Laughter, Love, and Music concert, a free concert dedicated to Bill Graham who died in a helicopter crash the same year. This is currently the last live performance with Steve Perry. In October, 1993, Kevin Chalfant (of The Storm) performed with Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain at a roast for manager Herbie Herbert for the Thunder Road benefit. After that, Schon, Cain, Valory, Smith and Rolie briefly considered reuniting the band with Chalfant as lead singer. But in 1995 Steve Perry agreed to rejoin the band on the condition that they seek new management. Herbie Herbert was fired and Eagles manager Irving Azoff retained.
In 1995, Perry, Schon, Cain, Valory, and Smith reunited to record Trial by Fire. Released in 1996, the album included the hit single "When You Love a Woman", which reached #12 on the Billboard charts and was nominated in 1997 for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
Plans for a subsequent tour ended when Perry injured his hip hiking in Hawaii in the summer of 1997 and could not perform without hip replacement surgery — which he refused to undergo. In 1998, Schon and Cain decided to seek a new lead singer, at which point drummer Steve Smith left the band as well.
Lead singer replaced, 1998–2006
In 1998, Journey hired drummer Deen Castronovo, Schon's and Cain's Bad English bandmate, and drummer for Hardline, to replace Steve Smith. The lead vocalist position was filled by Steve Augeri, formerly of Tyketto and Tall Stories.
That same year, Journey with Steve Augeri and Deen Castronovo recorded a track for the soundtrack to the movie Armageddon called "Remember Me". The band released their next studio album, Arrival, in Japan in late 2000 and in the United States in 2001. "All the Way" became a minor adult contemporary hit from the album. In 2002, the band released a four-track CD titled "Red 13", with an album cover design chosen through a fan contest. In 2005, the band was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, embarked on their 30th anniversary tour, and released their twelfth full-length studio album, Generations, in which each band member performed lead vocals on at least one song.
Lead singer replaced again, 2006–present
In July 2006, Steve Augeri was dropped from the band while they toured with Def Leppard, with the official statement citing a 'chronic throat infection' as the problem. Augeri had been suffering from vocal attrition problems since 2003 and Journey had been using pre-recorded lead vocals. The band hired singer Jeff Scott Soto from Talisman to fill in, and Soto officially replaced Augeri as Journey's lead singer in December 2006. On June 12, 2007, Journey announced that Soto was no longer the lead singer, and said that they were looking to move in a new direction.
In December 2007, after briefly considering the lead singer of a Virginia-based tribute band, Journey hired Filipino singer Arnel Pineda of the cover band The Zoo after Neal Schon saw him on YouTube singing covers of Journey songs. Journey debuted their new lead singer in February 2008 in Chile, released the album Revelation, and announced a summer tour with Heart and Cheap Trick. Revelation debuted at #5 on the Billboard charts, selling more than 196,000 units in its first two weeks, making it the band's best selling album since Trial by Fire.
Although Pineda was not the first foreign national to become a member of Journey (former drummer Aynsley Dunbar is British) nor even the first non-white (former bass player Randy Jackson is Black), the transition was difficult for a number of fans who expressed what Marin Independent Journal writer Paul Liberatore called "an undercurrent of racism." Keyboardist Jonathan Cain responded to such sentiments: "We've become a world band. We're international now. We're not about one color."
On February 16, 2022, the band announced the title and track listing of their upcoming fifteenth studio album Freedom which was released later in the year. On March 1, 2022, Cain confirmed that both Walden and Jackson were no longer part of the lineup
Discography:
Journey (1975)
Look into the Future (1976)
Next (1977)
Infinity (1978)
Evolution (1979)
Departure (1980)
Escape (1981)
Frontiers (1983)
Raised on Radio (1986)
Trial by Fire (1996)
Arrival (2001)
Generations (2005)
Revelation (2008)
Eclipse (2011)
Freedom (2022)
--==--
There are other artists with the same name:
2. UK Based psychedelic trance producer Giampiero "Jay" Mastino studied Sound Engineering and Music Technology in 2003 and soon thereafter began solo production under the name Journey, and in collaboration with Anton Petrov as Star~Trip. In 2009 he also started a new progressive project under the name OM. Jay also DJ's under the name Jay OM.
In 2004, he conceived the vision of a network of like-minded artists in the psy-trance and ambient genres, all working to promote themselves and each other under one banner. Thus the Free-Spirit Records label was born... Originally intended to focus on artist management, the label's skyrocketing success combined with the enthusiasm of Jay, the artists, and fans enabled Free-Spirit to outgrow its horizons. Free-Spirit continues to build a collective of artists and djs from around the globe, aiming to create and provide access to a combined set of resources not available to them as individuals, making it just a little easier for all to concentrate on what they truly love, which is the music!
Free-Spirit Vol.1 "Brahamaputra", the debut release for Free-Spirit Records compiled by Jay OM, hit the shops in October 2006, featuring both a Journey and a Star~Trip track amongst others and Christopher Lawrence (ranked No. 4 DJ in the world) featured Journey's Spotless mind in his Top 10 in December 2006. Free-Spirit Vol.2 "Eupsychia" followed in June 2007 with 2 more tracks from Journey and Star~Trip and in 2008 a another 3 releases on Free-Spirit Vol.3 "Neophilia" and V/A Children of Jah (Revolve Magazine). 2009 saw the release of Journey's highly anticipated debut solo Album "The Man who Sold the Time" as well as further releases on various V/A Compilations on Mutagen, Antu, Solar Tech. Catalyst, Alchemy and Free-Spirit Records. Jay is currently working on his 2nd Journey solo album.
Today, Jay's reputation as an active, involved, and hard working individual in the global trance circuit precedes him. His commitment and enthusiasm for trance music has left an indelible impression on the world scene already, and Jay's future has never looked brighter, from his burgeoningly successful record label to his organized events in the UK, to his upcoming solo releases. Jay works tirelessly at his art and trade and the music he brings to the masses exemplifies the fruits of his labour and energy.
3. Journey is an underground hip hop artist
Journey became eligible for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, but were not inducted until 2017. Members Jonathan Cain, Aynsley Dunbar, Steve Perry, Gregg Rolie, Neal Schon, Steve Smith and Ross Valory were included in the band's induction. Rolie had previously been inducted as a member of parent band Santana.
Formation, 1973–1976
The original members of Journey came together in San Francisco in 1973 under the auspices of former Santana manager Herbie Herbert. Originally called the Golden Gate Rhythm Section and intended to serve as a backup group for established Bay Area artists, the band included recent Santana alumni Neal Schon on lead guitar and Gregg Rolie on keyboards and lead vocals. Drummer Prairie Prince of The Tubes, bassist Ross Valory and rhythm guitarist George Tickner, both of Frumious Bandersnatch, rounded out the group. The band quickly abandoned the original "backup group" concept and developed a distinctive jazz fusion style. After an unsuccessful radio contest to name the group, roadie John Villaneuva suggested the name "Journey." The band's first public appearance came at the Winterland Ballroom on New Year’s Eve, 1973. Prairie Prince rejoined The Tubes shortly thereafter, and the band hired British drummer Aynsley Dunbar, who had recently worked with John Lennon and Frank Zappa. On February 5, 1974, the new line-up made their debut at the Great American Music Hall and secured a recording contract with Columbia Records.
Journey released their eponymous first album in 1975, and rhythm guitarist Tickner left the band before they cut their second album, Look into the Future (1976). Neither album achieved significant sales, so Schon, Valory, and Dunbar took singing lessons in an attempt to add vocal harmonies to Rolie's lead. The following year's Next contained shorter tracks with more vocals and featured Schon as lead singer on several of the songs.
New musical direction, 1977–1980
Journey's album sales did not improve and Columbia Records requested that they change their musical style and add a frontman, with whom keyboardist Gregg Rolie could share lead vocal duties. The band hired Robert Fleischman and transitioned to a more popular style, akin to that of Foreigner and Boston. Journey went on tour with Fleischman in 1977 and the new incarnation of the band wrote several songs, including the later hit "Wheel in the Sky". But fans were lukewarm to the change, and personality and management differences resulted in Fleischman leaving the band within the year.
In the fall of 1977, Journey hired Steve Perry as their new lead singer. Perry added a clean, tenor sound and the band became a true pop act. Their fourth album, Infinity (1978) reached No. 21 on the album charts and gave the band their first RIAA-certified platinum album plus hit singles out of "Lights" and "Wheel in the Sky".
Drummer Aynsley Dunbar did not get along with singer Steve Perry and did not approve of the new musical direction. He was fired in 1978 and replaced by Berklee-trained jazz drummer Steve Smith. Perry, Schon, Rolie, Smith, and bass player Ross Valory recorded 1979's Evolution, which gave the band their first Billboard Hot 100 Top 20 single, "Lovin,' Touchin,' Squeezin"; and 1980's Departure, which reached No. 8 on the album charts and included the top-25 hit "Any Way You Want It".
Journey's newfound success brought the band an almost entirely new fan base. During the 1980 Departure world tour, the band recorded a live album, Captured. They also recorded the soundtrack to the film Dream, After Dream while in Japan.
Exhausted from extensive touring, keyboardist Gregg Rolie now left a successful band for the second time in his career. Keyboardist Stevie Roseman was brought in to record the lone studio track for Captured, "The Party's Over (Hopelessly in Love)", but Rolie recommended pianist Jonathan Cain of The Babys as the permanent replacement. With Cain's replacement of Rolie's Hammond B-3 organ with his own synthesizers, the band was poised to redefine rock music for a new decade in which they would achieve their greatest musical success.
Height of popularity, 1981–1983
Journey released their eighth and biggest-selling studio album, Escape, in 1981. The album, which is a Diamond bestseller (10 million+ sales), went to number one on the album charts that year, and included three top-ten hits: "Who's Crying Now", "Don't Stop Believin'", and "Open Arms".
Capitalizing on their success, the band recorded radio commercials for Budweiser and sold rights to their likenesses and music for use in two video games: the Journey arcade game by Bally/Midway and Journey Escape by Data Age for the Atari 2600.
This success was met with piqued criticism. The 1983 Rolling Stone Record Guide gave each of the band's albums only one star, with Dave Marsh writing that "Journey was a dead end for San Francisco area rock". Marsh later would anoint Escape as one of the worst number-one albums of all time.
Journey's next album, 1983's Frontiers, continued their commercial success, reaching No. 2 on the album charts. Four hit singles included "Separate Ways", which reached #8, and "Faithfully", which reached #12. During the subsequent tour, the band contracted with NFL Films to record a video documentary of their life on the road, Frontiers and Beyond.
Break-up, 1984–1994
Lead singer Steve Perry and guitarist Neal Schon both pursued solo projects between 1982 and 1985, and when they returned to Journey to record their 1986 album Raised on Radio, bass player Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith were fired from the band for musical and professional differences. Studio musicians handled the two vacant slots, including future American Idol judge Randy Jackson and established session player Larrie Londin. The album sold two million copies. A truncated tour followed, which featured Jackson on bass and Mike Baird on drums. Steve Perry left Journey in 1987.
Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain teamed up with Cain's ex-Babys bandmates John Waite and Ricky Phillips, forming Bad English with drummer Deen Castronovo in 1988. Steve Smith started a jazz band, Vital Information, and teamed up with Ross Valory and Gregg Rolie to create The Storm with singer Kevin Chalfant and guitarist Josh Ramos.
Reunions, 1991, 1995–1997
Between 1987 and 1995, Journey's record label released three compilations. On November 3, 1991, Journey (minus drummer Steve Smith and bassist Ross Valory) reunited to perform at the Laughter, Love, and Music concert, a free concert dedicated to Bill Graham who died in a helicopter crash the same year. This is currently the last live performance with Steve Perry. In October, 1993, Kevin Chalfant (of The Storm) performed with Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain at a roast for manager Herbie Herbert for the Thunder Road benefit. After that, Schon, Cain, Valory, Smith and Rolie briefly considered reuniting the band with Chalfant as lead singer. But in 1995 Steve Perry agreed to rejoin the band on the condition that they seek new management. Herbie Herbert was fired and Eagles manager Irving Azoff retained.
In 1995, Perry, Schon, Cain, Valory, and Smith reunited to record Trial by Fire. Released in 1996, the album included the hit single "When You Love a Woman", which reached #12 on the Billboard charts and was nominated in 1997 for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
Plans for a subsequent tour ended when Perry injured his hip hiking in Hawaii in the summer of 1997 and could not perform without hip replacement surgery — which he refused to undergo. In 1998, Schon and Cain decided to seek a new lead singer, at which point drummer Steve Smith left the band as well.
Lead singer replaced, 1998–2006
In 1998, Journey hired drummer Deen Castronovo, Schon's and Cain's Bad English bandmate, and drummer for Hardline, to replace Steve Smith. The lead vocalist position was filled by Steve Augeri, formerly of Tyketto and Tall Stories.
That same year, Journey with Steve Augeri and Deen Castronovo recorded a track for the soundtrack to the movie Armageddon called "Remember Me". The band released their next studio album, Arrival, in Japan in late 2000 and in the United States in 2001. "All the Way" became a minor adult contemporary hit from the album. In 2002, the band released a four-track CD titled "Red 13", with an album cover design chosen through a fan contest. In 2005, the band was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, embarked on their 30th anniversary tour, and released their twelfth full-length studio album, Generations, in which each band member performed lead vocals on at least one song.
Lead singer replaced again, 2006–present
In July 2006, Steve Augeri was dropped from the band while they toured with Def Leppard, with the official statement citing a 'chronic throat infection' as the problem. Augeri had been suffering from vocal attrition problems since 2003 and Journey had been using pre-recorded lead vocals. The band hired singer Jeff Scott Soto from Talisman to fill in, and Soto officially replaced Augeri as Journey's lead singer in December 2006. On June 12, 2007, Journey announced that Soto was no longer the lead singer, and said that they were looking to move in a new direction.
In December 2007, after briefly considering the lead singer of a Virginia-based tribute band, Journey hired Filipino singer Arnel Pineda of the cover band The Zoo after Neal Schon saw him on YouTube singing covers of Journey songs. Journey debuted their new lead singer in February 2008 in Chile, released the album Revelation, and announced a summer tour with Heart and Cheap Trick. Revelation debuted at #5 on the Billboard charts, selling more than 196,000 units in its first two weeks, making it the band's best selling album since Trial by Fire.
Although Pineda was not the first foreign national to become a member of Journey (former drummer Aynsley Dunbar is British) nor even the first non-white (former bass player Randy Jackson is Black), the transition was difficult for a number of fans who expressed what Marin Independent Journal writer Paul Liberatore called "an undercurrent of racism." Keyboardist Jonathan Cain responded to such sentiments: "We've become a world band. We're international now. We're not about one color."
On February 16, 2022, the band announced the title and track listing of their upcoming fifteenth studio album Freedom which was released later in the year. On March 1, 2022, Cain confirmed that both Walden and Jackson were no longer part of the lineup
Discography:
Journey (1975)
Look into the Future (1976)
Next (1977)
Infinity (1978)
Evolution (1979)
Departure (1980)
Escape (1981)
Frontiers (1983)
Raised on Radio (1986)
Trial by Fire (1996)
Arrival (2001)
Generations (2005)
Revelation (2008)
Eclipse (2011)
Freedom (2022)
--==--
There are other artists with the same name:
2. UK Based psychedelic trance producer Giampiero "Jay" Mastino studied Sound Engineering and Music Technology in 2003 and soon thereafter began solo production under the name Journey, and in collaboration with Anton Petrov as Star~Trip. In 2009 he also started a new progressive project under the name OM. Jay also DJ's under the name Jay OM.
In 2004, he conceived the vision of a network of like-minded artists in the psy-trance and ambient genres, all working to promote themselves and each other under one banner. Thus the Free-Spirit Records label was born... Originally intended to focus on artist management, the label's skyrocketing success combined with the enthusiasm of Jay, the artists, and fans enabled Free-Spirit to outgrow its horizons. Free-Spirit continues to build a collective of artists and djs from around the globe, aiming to create and provide access to a combined set of resources not available to them as individuals, making it just a little easier for all to concentrate on what they truly love, which is the music!
Free-Spirit Vol.1 "Brahamaputra", the debut release for Free-Spirit Records compiled by Jay OM, hit the shops in October 2006, featuring both a Journey and a Star~Trip track amongst others and Christopher Lawrence (ranked No. 4 DJ in the world) featured Journey's Spotless mind in his Top 10 in December 2006. Free-Spirit Vol.2 "Eupsychia" followed in June 2007 with 2 more tracks from Journey and Star~Trip and in 2008 a another 3 releases on Free-Spirit Vol.3 "Neophilia" and V/A Children of Jah (Revolve Magazine). 2009 saw the release of Journey's highly anticipated debut solo Album "The Man who Sold the Time" as well as further releases on various V/A Compilations on Mutagen, Antu, Solar Tech. Catalyst, Alchemy and Free-Spirit Records. Jay is currently working on his 2nd Journey solo album.
Today, Jay's reputation as an active, involved, and hard working individual in the global trance circuit precedes him. His commitment and enthusiasm for trance music has left an indelible impression on the world scene already, and Jay's future has never looked brighter, from his burgeoningly successful record label to his organized events in the UK, to his upcoming solo releases. Jay works tirelessly at his art and trade and the music he brings to the masses exemplifies the fruits of his labour and energy.
3. Journey is an underground hip hop artist
Still They Ride
Journey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jesse rides through the night
Under the Main Street light
Ridin' slow
This ol' town, ain't the same
Now nobody knows his name
Times have changed, still he rides.
Traffic lights, keepin' time
Leading the wild and restless
Through the night
[Chorus:]
Still they ride, on wheels of fire
They rule the night
Still they ride, the strong will survive
Chasing thunder
Spinning 'round, in a spell
It's hard to leave this carousel
'Round and 'round
And 'round and 'round
[Chorus:]
Under the Main Street light
Ridin' slow
This ol' town, ain't the same
Now nobody knows his name
Times have changed, still he rides.
Leading the wild and restless
Through the night
[Chorus:]
Still they ride, on wheels of fire
They rule the night
Still they ride, the strong will survive
Chasing thunder
Spinning 'round, in a spell
It's hard to leave this carousel
'Round and 'round
And 'round and 'round
[Chorus:]
The lyrics of Journey's song "Still They Ride" are about a man named Jesse who rides through the night under the Main Street light on his motorcycle. The song portrays Jesse's loneliness and detachment from his town that has changed with time. Jesse rides slowly through the town at night, and the traffic lights keep time and guide him through the restless night. The song portrays Jesse and others like him as wild and adventurous, on wheels of fire, ruling the night. Despite the changes in town, Jesse and other riders like him keep riding, chasing the thrill and excitement of the open road.
The chorus of "Still They Ride" repeats the phrase "Still they ride" several times, emphasizing the central theme of the song, which is the conviction of the riders to keep moving forward despite the changes in the town and the world. The "wheels of fire" reference speaks to the romanticized image of bikers as adventurous rebels with an independent streak that calls them to the open road. As the chorus puts it, "the strong will survive" and "chase thunder," pushing themselves past their limits to reach new heights of adventure and freedom.
Overall, "Still They Ride" is a song that celebrates the independent spirit of bikers and rebels who, despite changes in the world around them, continue to pursue their passions and live life on their own terms. The song's imagery, use of repetition, and emotive vocals make it an anthem for the adventurous hearts seeking to push past their limits and ride on through the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
Jesse rides through the night
Jesse is journeying through the darkness of the night
Under the Main Street light
The light of Main Street guides Jesse's way
Ridin' slow
Jesse is moving at a slow pace on his journey
This ol' town, ain't the same
The town has changed from how it used to be
Now nobody knows his name
Jesse is no longer recognized or remembered by anyone in the town
Times have changed, still he rides.
Despite the town's changes, Jesse still continues on his journey
Traffic lights, keepin' time
The traffic lights mark the passing of time
Leading the wild and restless
The traffic lights are guiding those who are adventurous and energetic
Through the night
The journey takes place over the course of the night
Still they ride, on wheels of fire
Jesse and others continue their journey with passion and intensity
They rule the night
On their journey, they take ownership of the night and all its mysteries
Still they ride, the strong will survive
Only those who are strong and determined will make it through the journey
Chasing thunder
They are pursuing something powerful and exciting, like chasing a thunderstorm
Spinning 'round, in a spell
The excitement of the journey can make them feel dizzy and irresistible
It's hard to leave this carousel
The journey is so thrilling that it's difficult to walk away from it
'Round and 'round
The journey continues in a never-ending cycle
And 'round and 'round
The repetition of the journey's cycle creates a hypnotic effect
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: JONATHAN CAIN, NEAL JOSEPH SCHON, STEPHEN RAY PERRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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buzzcrushtrendkill
Jesse rides through the night
Under the Main Street light
Ridin' slow
This ol' town, ain't the same
Now nobody knows his name
Times have changed, still he rides.
Traffic lights, keepin' time
Leading the wild and restless
Through the night
Still they ride, on wheels of fire
They rule the night
Still they ride, the strong will survive
Chasing thunder
Spinning 'round, in a spell
It's hard to leave this carousel
'Round and 'round
And 'round and 'round
Still they ride, on wheels of fire
They rule the night
Still they ride, the strong will survive
Chasing thunder
Mike Sisley
This song takes me WAY back. Riding in your home town as a kid in high school. Cruising the drag. Stopping at the Sonic, just to see who comes along. Friday night, out to drive from here to there. Everyone posing, putting on airs. Hoping to get to see the girl you liked and maybe she shows up. It was a different time. It was probably a different time in a very good way? I think so. How we long for the BETTER times.
rjampiolo32
A different time in a VERY GOOD way.
Susan Teter
CAN'T EVEN PROCESS HOW MUCH THIS SONG MEANT TO ME. IT SAVED MY LIFE
Susan Teter
I.. at 76 pounds, thought I was fat. PLEASE girls. You are absolutely amazing and beautiful!!! STOP STARVING and Vomiting....it is TRULY °NOT WORTHI T
Karin Behl
My absolute favorites from Journey. It was totally overlooked.
Dan
@Susan Teter q11qq1
M W
God bless you Susan🙏😇
rjampiolo32
I can understand why. I get it. Stay strong!
Sharon Rutter
There’s nothing or no one that can or will EVER replace Steve Perry’s strong voice that still gives me goosebumps when I hear his very loved songs, Truly miss the generation I grew up in when music was the best it will ever be, Still listening strong today!!! 😍🙂😊🎼🎼🎸🎸
jill skoff
Same!! Oh, and the Pioneer Stereo systems..... we were living the dream back then and didn't even realize it.