MR

I just finished an update to my Dream JOURNEY Project. I know how much everyone loves my constant posts about it

Anyway, it doesn't matter if you like or hate the idea of a Latin rhythm album. I'd like to invite you to check out the songs. I know it's odd reading lyrics without a soundtrack but use some imagination! Jerry Seinfeld wrote a book several years ago and his introduction explained that if you don't find the book funny then it's your fault. His responsibility was to write and the reader's is to inject the comic timing. Same thing here. Make up a melody and sing away! Imagine Neal's guitar winging out a solo that you can glide over. Have Deen and Ross pound out any rhythm you like while Jon's keys fill in the holes. Then take a deep breath and scream out your best SP, GR, RF, SA, JSS, or whomever impression.

Here's the update (have fun!):

JOURNEY'S founding manager Herbie Herbert had laid out a pre-defined sequence for their album titles. This sequence began with their Infinity album and continued according to plan up until 1986's Rasied On Radio. Herbie had planned this to be titled Freedom however the Steve Perry produced album took a different course.

I've often wondered how the Freedom album would've been. Freedom is a word that means many different things to many different people which makes it an extremely challenging expression. Writing about freedom can result in something either quite insincere or deeply moving.

Despite the risks I wanted to give it a shot. How would JOURNEY speak to the subject? They did include a previously unreleased song called Liberty on their Time 3 compilation. It's an excellent song with imagery of mountains and being free among them in the company of an eagle and a woman. Downright American! I played off the positive message and earthly images of that song. The result is freedom being a metaphorical pass somewhere out on the horizon of life.

I dedicate this to Herbie Herbert and the lost  Freedom album. Maybe one day it will find it's destiny.

FREEDOM PASS
Painted into a corner
Trapped in a world of disorder
Turning to the left and right
A prisoner who's done his time
My soul was born to fly

Kicking down the walls
Tearing through the halls
I hear destiny
Calling me - "Oh, say, can't you see?"
"You've got to fight to be free!"

CHORUS
Up ahead is Freedom Pass
Where heaven meets the swaying grass
The fire of the eastern wind
Blows away the fears within

Along the trail I chase the dream
Holding on to my beliefs
Looking up and falling down
Reaching out and standing proud
A shining star beyond the clouds

CHORUS

BRIDGE
I need to find my looking glass
Take me through Freedom Pass

CHORUS

Seriously?



Nice effort, and IMO, nice lyrics.

I liked it too. not that my opinion counts for much.

Love the proposed album artwork with the horses, but the only thing I just can't get by is Latin music. I fucking hate it.

The lyrics are great but there's no way in hell it should be put to anything remotely resembling latin music.

In the UK a "Freedom Pass" is a season ticket for buses and trains which is given free to the elderly and infirm. Just a bit of local trivia for you....

Matthew wrote:In the UK a "Freedom Pass" is a season ticket for buses and trains which is given free to the elderly and infirm. Just a bit of local trivia for you....

That's wild!

This was the hardest thing I've ever written. Freedom is a multi-faceted word that means so much in so many ways to so many people. The idea of making it a metaphorical place (or pass) came out of a lot of struggle and soul searching. The line: "Where heaven meets the swaying grass" is a direct reference to a horizon: the place in the distance where the sky meets the earth. Kind of a play on Frontiers and the idea that freedom is within our grasp as well as beyond our current reach.

Cool deal about the UK Freedom Pass. Great to see that sort of thing being done for those who are in need.

bufordt9 wrote:I liked it too. not that my opinion counts for much.

It counts in my book! Thanks for checking this out. I'm glad to hear you like it!

Rockin'Deano wrote:Love the proposed album artwork with the horses, but the only thing I just can't get by is Latin music. I fucking hate it.

LOL! All the more reason to do it!

SP said something on the Houston DVD regarding the song Mother, Father. He said, "We write all kinds of songs and on the Escape album we wanted to write something a little bit different. We wanted to write a song about the strength of the family. Mother, Father - sister, brother."

I may not have that exactly but the point being is his remark, "We wanted to write something a little bit different."

It sure was different. And as Neal mentioned in the Houston DVD interviews - it was his favorite.

I find it intriguing that something that they felt was "different" is something that has become so cherished by the fans. You can find lots of reverence for this song in JOURNEY forums.

I think JOURNEY needs to stay on their trail of doing different things. It's the different stuff that becomes endearing. It's the same ol' same ol' that's forgettable.

conversationpc wrote:The lyrics are great but there's no way in hell it should be put to anything remotely resembling latin music.

Thanks! I appreciate that!

I agreee. Latin rhythms may not be the ideal for this however a subtle Latin rhythm with a JOURNEYesque treatment could work.

If not throw a bold JOURNEYesque rock rhtythm to it and tear it up!

Rockin'Deano wrote:Love the proposed album artwork with the horses, but the only thing I just can't get by is Latin music. I fucking hate it.

LOL!!! The VAST majority agrees with you about the music!

I've been saying that Neal's roots are in it and he truly loves it. I respect that. Also, I believe that while it sounds like an entirely ridiculous and un-JOURNEY like thing - Neal and JOURNEY could produce something that will sound like JOURNEY and definitely satisfy true blue JOURNEY fans.

fyre!! pretty cool lyrics,, but im...........well im afraid you messed around and wrote a country song ,, please look at your lyrics and think country ,, think randy travis

Great lyrics! Couldn't it be along the lines of La Raza Del Sol, which is sort of Santana-ish, which could be considered by some to be Latin music? Latin music can be very guitar heavy which would be right up Neal's alley. Just my thoughts.

Matthew wrote:In the UK a "Freedom Pass" is a season ticket for buses and trains which is given free to the elderly and infirm. Just a bit of local trivia for you....

LMAO Thats fits a lot of posters on here--INFIRM!!!!! (mentally):lol:

LarryFromNextDoor wrote:fyre!! pretty cool lyrics,, but im...........well im afraid you messed around and wrote a country song ,, please look at your lyrics and think country ,, think randy travis

DANG! I was actually VERY concerned about them coming across as country. Thanks for noticing you bastard! If you really were from next door I'd have to toilet paper your house tonight.

Ahem...sorry about that I went all MR.com there for a minute

***PLEASE - disregard Larry's obviously prejudiced and misguided critique. Try to disspell any images of Randy Travis' big toothy grin from your minds and think Neal Schon and his wailing gee-tar!

YEE-HAW!

MCC620 wrote:Great lyrics! Couldn't it be along the lines of La Raza Del Sol, which is sort of Santana-ish, which could be considered by some to be Latin music? Latin music can be very guitar heavy which would be right up Neal's alley. Just my thoughts.

You're hearing it with the right ear! Not like that Larry character and his cheesy sunglasses and cowboy hat.

La Raza has a real drive behind it that displays Neal's ability to power a song without going over the top. I think you're right about this being along the lines of La Raza. Something with a real heavy drive without getting into cheese.

I tried hard to keep out the cheese and it may seem cheesy without music. Imagine the line "Oh say, can't you see." could be a real "moment" where the song could break into a bit of the National Anthem and then bust out of it on the next line.

FyreWyngz wrote:I tried hard to keep out the cheese

Journey without cheese? What would be the point of that?

Matthew wrote:

FyreWyngz wrote:I tried hard to keep out the cheese

Journey without cheese? What would be the point of that?

Like I said - I TRIED.

For these things I truly write with a JOURNEY "tone" in mind. Because of that it's nearly impossible to keep out the cheese.

FyreWyngz wrote:

Matthew wrote:

FyreWyngz wrote:I tried hard to keep out the cheese

Journey without cheese? What would be the point of that?

Like I said - I TRIED.

For these things I truly write with a JOURNEY "tone" in mind. Because of that it's nearly impossible to keep out the cheese.

Exactly. The cheese must stay, Fyre.