Steve Perry is the only child of Raymond F. Perry (born Raymond Pereira) and Mary C. Quaresma and is of Portuguese heritage (Pico island, Azores). Steve grew up interested in music, as his father was a vocalist. He also counts Sam Cooke and Al Jolson among his early inspirations. The Perry family was close-knit until Ray left when Steve was 7. His mother later remarried, and Steve remained extremely close to her. On his twelfth birthday, Mary presented Steve with a gold eighth note necklace, which he still wears for good luck.
The family moved to Lemoore, California during Steve's teen years. While in Lemoore, the young long-haired singer continued to pursue his interest in music. He attended high school there, drumming in the marching band as well as in extracurricular bands. He attended Visalia, California's College of the Sequoias for a short time after graduation, where he took first tenor in the choir there. Steve's mother encouraged his musical growth during this time.
Steve Perry moved to Los Angeles and fronted the band Alien Project in his mid twenties. He nearly gave up music when the bassist of that band, Richard Michaels, was killed in a tragic car accident. Filled with grief, Steve returned to Lemoore and decided not to continue his singing career, instead following in his stepfather's trade of construction, once working on a turkey farm. But at the urging of his mother, Steve answered a call from Walter "Herbie" Herbert, manager of the struggling San Francisco band Journey.
Herbert had heard a demo of an Alien Project song, "If You Need Me, Call Me", and knew Journey had to have the young singer. Steve was brought on tour and performed a song with Journey during a sound check in Long Beach. Herbert informed the band of the lineup change that night.
Steve Perry with Journey, c. 1981 - Perry replaced then-frontman Robert Fleischman in Journey, and brought a completely new pop sound to its music, despite protests from his new bandmates and fans of Journey's former progressive rock sound. He made his public debut on October 28, 1977 in San Francisco, and was met with mixed emotions. Steve determinedly proved the critics wrong and won over new audiences on his first album with the group, Infinity, which included a song that he had written called "Lights". The band's style had changed dramatically, but as Journey began to garner radio airplay and media buzz over Infinity, Steve's arrival was accepted.
He provided lead vocals on nine of Journey's albums: Infinity (1978), Evolution (1979), Departure (1980), Dream After Dream (1980), a Japanese movie soundtrack), Captured (1980, a live album), Escape (1981, which went to #1 on the Billboard charts), Frontiers (1983), Raised on Radio (1986), and Trial By Fire (1996). The single "Open Arms", off of Escape, made it to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Steve Perry had become the unmistakable voice of Journey throughout his time with the band. His trademark tuxedo tails also made him stand out amongst other performers.
Perry had previously worked with other performers, such as singing backing vocals on several Sammy Hagar songs, including the 1980 "Run For Your Life", and dueting with Kenny Loggins on the 1982 #17 hit single "Don't Fight It". Perry also worked with other musicians such as Sheena Easton and Jon Bon Jovi during the height of his career.
Now Perry released his first solo album, Street Talk, in 1984, following the release and tour for Journey's Frontiers. The record was a platinum success and scored hit singles with "Oh, Sherrie", written for his then-girlfriend Sherrie Swafford, and "Foolish Heart". "Oh, Sherrie" was also a heavily played music video on MTV. "She's Mine" and "Strung Out" were also released as singles from this project, which featured former Alien Project drummer Craig Krampf on a few tracks, guitarist Michael Landau, future American Idol judge Randy Jackson, and others.
In 1985, Perry had a featured vocal in the famed USA for Africa all-star benefit song "We Are the World", lending his high tenor to the lines "Oh, there's a choice we're making / We're saving our own lives". He also recorded a song, "If Only For a Moment, Girl" for the album.
Steve debated continuing a solo career or returning to Journey after the success of Street Talk. His mother said "Journey", and Steve obliged. He left his second solo album, Against The Wall, unfinished and instead sang on Journey's Raised on Radio album. Perry would eventually continue his solo project after the Raised On Radio tour but it was never completed.
Unfortunately, during this time Steve's mother had become ill. The production of Raised on Radio, which he produced, was stop-and-go as Steve frequently returned to the San Joaquin valley to visit his family. It took a major toll on Journey to have intermittent recording sessions and a vocalist who was not with the band much of the time. Eventually, as Steve later said, he "was toast". Journey disbanded in 1987 after the Raised on Radio tour. Steve disappeared from public view for years afterward, taking a break from the industry.
Seven years later, in 1994, he released For the Love Of Strange Medicine, his second solo effort. It was mildly successful, partly due to the Strange Medicine world tour (supported for a short time by Sass Jordan) being cut short.
Journey reunited in 1996 for Trial by Fire. The album was a success, but a short-lived one. Before the Trial By Fire tour, Perry suffered a hip injury mountain hiking in Hawaii and was unable to perform. He had a degenerative bone condition and would need a hip replacement. Steve was reluctant to jump into surgery and wanted to postpone the tour.
Given an ultimatum by his impatient bandmates, Perry opted to leave Journey permanently. Shocked and saddened fans grieved the absence of Perry saying, "the voice of Journey" was gone. The band brought in a new vocalist, Steve Augeri. Tensions remained high at the time between Journey and Steve Perry.
Since then, news has been rare of the elusive singer. He eventually underwent a successful hip surgery in 1998 to correct the problem he had been diagnosed with two years earlier. He released the Greatest Hits + Five Unreleased compilation later in 1998; the unreleased tracks included the original Alien Project demo as well as selections from the abandoned Against The Wall C.D. In, 1998, Perry also recorded two songs for the Warner Bros. film Quest for Camelot which can be found on the motion picture's soundtrack.
The band participated in an episode of VH1's Behind The Music in 2001, where Steve made the controversial statement that he "never really felt like part of the band."
Perry became more involved in motion pictures thanks to a close friendship with movie director Patty Jenkins. Accordingly, in 2003, Perry worked as a musical consultant on the critically acclaimed film Monster.
More recently, Perry surprised fans by appearing at Journey's star ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 21, 2005, after previously stating it was unlikely that he would ever stand with the band again. Perry said on his website that it was a good experience, and that tensions between him and the other band members were reduced, but that his rejoining Journey is not going to happen.
In 2005, Steve Perry produced a track on a solo album for former Ambrosia lead vocalist David Pack, titled The Secret Of Moving On. Perry also provides background vocals for "A Brand New Start", among the many songs he and Pack co-wrote shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Pack's album, which also includes re-recordings of two Ambrosia songs, has been climbing the Billboard charts since its early-2006 release.
Also in 2005, the Chicago White Sox team adopted Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" as their unofficial team anthem. As a result, Perry (an avid baseball fan) joined the players on the field and in the locker room as they celebrated their World Series Championship.
In the 1998 film BASEketball, Steve Perry's name is used as a powerful psyche-out tactic by the main character, Coop, played by Trey Parker. This, however, seems to work only against Doug Remer and was never used in a BASEketball season game.
Traces - 2018
The Season - 2021
Perry continues to give annual greetings on his birthday at http://fanasylum.com and occasionally posts new messages to his fans there.
When You
Steve Perry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For the first time
Nothin' you can do
You lose your heart
For the first time, yeah
It's happenin' to you
You keep your life
Safely tucked away
When you're in love
For the first time
Whoa...there's nothin' you can say
Listen now...
There she goes lovin' you
She's holdin' your hand, yeah
You're thinkin' you're so strong
Oh, she's more than you can stand
When you're in love
For the first time
There's nothin' you can say
You're on your way
For the first time
Whoa...it happens every day
Oh yeah
In love
So good
So nice
It happens all the time, yeah
It happens every day
Whoa...my darlin'
Love is here to stay
And you're in love
For the first time
Nothin' you can do
Yes you're in love
For the first time
Whoa...it's happening to you
Oh when you're in love
(when you're in love)
Oh nothin' you can do
'Cause when you're in love
(when you're in love)
When, when, when you're in love
When you're...when you're in love
Nothin' you can do, no
When you're in love
The lyrics of Steve Perry's song "When You're In Love" describe the feeling of being in love for the first time. When someone falls in love for the first time, they feel that they are losing control of their heart and their emotions. The song describes how love can take over someone's life, making them feel like they cannot say or do anything about it.
The second verse of the song describes how the person's love interest is holding their hand, making them feel weak and unable to resist. The chorus repeats how powerful love can be, and that when it happens for the first time, there is nothing you can do to stop it. The song ends by stating that love is here to stay, and the person is in love for the first time.
Overall, the song is a beautiful tribute to the power and intensity of falling in love for the first time. Perry's voice, coupled with the emotional lyrics and instrumentation, make the song a timeless classic that can be enjoyed by listeners of all ages.
Line by Line Meaning
When you're in love
Being in love brings about a certain feeling that is like no other.
For the first time
The feeling of being in love is fresh and new.
Nothin' you can do
Being in love is not something you can control or stop from happening.
You lose your heart
When in love, you give your all to the person you're in love with, including your heart.
It's happenin' to you
You are the one experiencing the emotions of true love for the first time.
You keep your life
Before being in love, you are in control of your life and emotions.
In your pocket
Your emotions are contained and under control until love comes along.
Safely tucked away
Your emotions are protected and hidden until love comes along.
Whoa...there's nothin' you can say
The feeling of being in love leaves you speechless and unable to fully express yourself through words.
There she goes lovin' you
The person you're in love with is showing you affection and love.
She's holdin' your hand, yeah
This person is physically expressing their love and affection towards you through holding your hand.
You're thinkin' you're so strong
Being in love gives you a sense of confidence and strength that you didn't have before.
Oh, she's more than you can stand
The love and affection being shown to you is overwhelming and more than you can handle.
You're on your way
Being in love is a journey that you embark on with the person you love.
So good, so nice
The feeling of being in love is a wonderful experience.
It happens all the time, yeah
Falling in love is a common occurrence that happens frequently.
Whoa...my darlin'
The person addressing their love is expressing their love and affection towards their partner.
Love is here to stay
The love being shared between two people is not temporary and is meant to last.
Oh when you're in love (when you're in love)
Reiterating that the song is discussing the feeling of falling in love.
Oh nothin' you can do
Being in love is something that happens naturally and is not something you can control.
'Cause when you're in love (when you're in love)
Reiterating that the song is discussing the feeling of falling in love.
When, when, when you're in love
Falling in love is something that can occur at any moment.
When you're...when you're in love
Reiterating that the song is discussing the feeling of falling in love.
Nothin' you can do, no
The feeling of being in love is not something you can control or stop from happening.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEPHEN RAY PERRY, RANDY GOODRUM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@paolocristiano7016
Let’s see how many people listen this in 2024? Magic piece
@gma7067
Penaldo 😛
I just kidding, Steve Perry's the best !
@marciananda78
beautiful song my thoughts go far
@cintiapadilha2183
Me!!
@johngervais7780
Me too
@FreemanFuzzy
Steve Perry will always be the voice of Journey! God Bless Arnel may he carry the flame!
@stacy3065
I lost my wife November 13th, 2022... We danced to this song every time it came on. She was and always will be the love of my life. She wasn't "one in a million", she was "once in a lifetime", and every time I looked into her eyes, I saw my whole world.
@veebee17
Sorry for your loss.
@tomknight7015
So sorry for your loss …. This is one of ours along with Blood Sweat and Tears “you’ve made me so very happy” which we have decide will be our send off whoever goes first … we’ve been married 50 yrs this year ❤️
@maryburgess6542
Sorry you lost your wife. But I understand how you both felt about this song. I would dance to it with my ex and if he was not around I would dance around the house to it by myself. Steve has the most wonderful voice even still.