I think I finally have an answer to the mystery version of Happy to Give heard on the North Shore soundtrack.
This subject has been brought up over the years across many different forums. For years, fans have wondered if there was a different version of Happy to Give used in the soundtrack for the movie. A version which was heavier, laced with guitar.
I'm here to debunk this myth. A myth until recently, I believed myself.
It is my opinion (yes, opinion, I don't know 100% for certain) that in fact there is no mystery guitar laced version of Happy to Give recorded by Journey for this soundtrack.
After watching the movie recently (TiVo'ed so I could rewind it back and forth), I came to discover that the musical melody from Happy to Give was BORROWED, AUGMENTED AND RECREATED by studio musicians as part of the score to the film (as a romantic theme whenever the lead actors were having their romantic moments). I can hear huge differences in the recordings of the instruments. Different guitars and keyboards were used to ape the melody of the original. Same melody, different instruments and different players.
Whoever scored the film blended the borrowed melody studio creation into sections of the original recording, bridging strategic moments for Perry's voice to pop in just as the actors stopped talking to heighten the emotion impact of the scene (such as it was).
Well, there you have it. For those who were wondering about this, I honestly believe that is the answer to the mystery. I mean really, can you picture Steve Perry, at the height of his control over the music, allowing Neal to float guitar over a song which had no guitar to begin with? I think not.
-ST