The son of a woodwind player, Neal himself played the oboe for many years b… Read Full Bio ↴The son of a woodwind player, Neal himself played the oboe for many years beginning in high school. Schon first picked up the guitar at the age of 10. He joined Santana as a teenage prodigy at the age of 15. Schon had famously been asked by Eric Clapton to join Derek and the Dominos, but decided instead to join Santana for the album Santana III. Schon also played in Azteca before moving on to form Journey, a group he continues to lead.

The late-1970s arrival of Eddie Van Halen quickly eclipsed Schon's bravado, giving rise to a new era of the technically facile rock guitar virtuoso. Nonetheless, Schon has secured a place as a respected and influential blues rock guitarist.

Besides numerous albums with Journey, his work also includes a pair of albums with keyboardist Jan Hammer, short-term collaborations with Sammy Hagar (HSAS and Planet Us) and Paul Rodgers, stints with Bad English (which also featured Journey’s Jonathan Cain and Deen Castronovo and Jonathan Cain's former Babys bandmates John Waite and Ricky Phillips) and Hardline (which also featured Deen Castronovo). Even as Journey’s latest lineup plays to a still-faithful body of fans, Schon is immersed in side projects such as Piranha Blues (1999) and "Black Soup Cracker" a funk outfit that features former Prince associates Rosie Gaines and Michael Bland, and most recently Soul SirkUS with Jeff Scott Soto.

Neal Schon can be heard on three tracks on Michael Bolton's The Hunger, with the Schon sound most recognizable on "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay". Schon's style can best be characterized as aggressively soulful, taking obvious inspiration from 1960s-era soul singers such as Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight, and blending them with blindingly fast bluesy runs similar to Johnny Winter and Alvin Lee.

Schon currently endorses Gibson guitars, and has a signature Les Paul model, but also uses Paul Reed Smith guitars. In the late 1980s, Schon manufactured and played his own line of guitars.

Hero
Neal Schon Lyrics

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There's a hero
If you look inside your heart
You don't have to be afraid
Of what you are
There's an answer
If you reach into your soul
And the sorrow that you know
Will melt away

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

It's a long road
When you face the world alone
No one reaches out a hand
For you to hold
You can find love
If you search within yourself
And the emptiness you felt
Will disappear

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

Lord knows
Dreams are hard to follow
But don't let anyone
Tear them away
Hold on
There will be tomorrow
In time
You'll find the way

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

That a hero lies in you
That a hero lies in you

Overall Meaning

The song begins with a few lines about the power we all hold within ourselves. The opening lines encourage the listener to look within themselves to find a hero. It’s a call to look beyond external factors like fear and embrace the potential that lies within each person. The lyrics suggest that when one is feeling low, there’s always a hero within yourself that can uplift you towards a new tomorrow.

The second verse talks about searching for love from within oneself. The emptiness that one feels can only be filled with self-love and acceptance. Finally, the song ends with a message of hope. Despite the struggles and difficulties one faces in life, if you hold on to your dreams, you can always find a way.

Overall, “Hero” is a song about finding the inner strength to overcome any obstacle in life. It encourages the listener to believe in themselves and to have faith that they can overcome their hardships.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a hero
Everyone has the potential to be a hero in their own way

If you look inside your heart
The source of heroism comes from within oneself

You don't have to be afraid
Courage is a key quality of a hero

Of what you are
Embracing one's true self is important for heroism

There's an answer
The solution to any challenge can be found within oneself

If you reach into your soul
Inner reflection and introspection are important for heroism

And the sorrow that you know
Overcoming sadness and despair is a part of heroism

Will melt away
Inner strength can overcome difficult emotions

And then a hero comes along
Heroism can manifest itself in unexpected ways

With the strength to carry on
A hero has the mental and emotional fortitude to persevere

And you cast your fears aside
Conquering fear is an important part of heroism

And you know you can survive
Believing in oneself is important for heroism

So when you feel like hope is gone
Despair and hopelessness can be overcome with heroism

Look inside you and be strong
Inner strength is key to heroism

And you'll finally see the truth
Heroism requires one to see things clearly

That a hero lies in you
Everyone has the potential to be a hero

It's a long road
The path to heroism can be challenging and difficult

When you face the world alone
Heroism often requires individual determination

No one reaches out a hand
Heroism often requires one to be self-sufficient

For you to hold
Heroism often requires one to be independent

You can find love
Love and compassion are key qualities of heroism

If you search within yourself
Soul-searching is important for heroism

And the emptiness you felt
Overcoming emotional emptiness is a part of heroism

Will disappear
Inner strength can overcome difficult emotions

Lord knows
Acknowledging a higher power can be a source of strength

Dreams are hard to follow
Overcoming obstacles is an important part of heroism

But don't let anyone
Heroism requires one to be independent and self-sufficient

Tear them away
One must be resilient when faced with opposition

Hold on
Perseverance is a key quality of heroism

There will be tomorrow
Believing in a brighter future is important for heroism

In time
Heroism often requires patience and persistence

You'll find the way
Heroism requires one to be resourceful and find their own solutions

That a hero lies in you
Everyone has the potential to be a hero

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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