MR

I was driving home from work in Memphis, can was scanning thru the stations. On 98.9 (?) Radio Kim, was playing Journey's Open Arms. I am listening, then after the solo where Perry sings "living without you, living alone...wanting to hold you, wanting you near..." You know how Perry sings those notes. Well Arnel doesn't quite do it like Perry. But any way that part comes up ( I am already suspicious because of the solo) but BOOM, it is not Perry. At the end of the song Kim, just says that was Journey's Open Arms. Nothing else!!

I know that there was a joke about one of the "new" hits songs being played. But this happened tonight Tuesday Aug 12th, between 7pm and 8pm.

So it is being played.-ERIC

Good. Arnel's version is better.

Saint John wrote:Good. Arnel's version is better.

Saint John wrote:Good. Arnel's version is better.

I was going to log off, but I think I'll wait around for the Schuttstorm...

Saint John wrote:Good. Arnel's version is better.

you're out of your mind!

Lula wrote:

Saint John wrote:Good. Arnel's version is better.

you're out of your mind!

With the singing to prove it!!!

Lula wrote:

Saint John wrote:Good. Arnel's version is better.

you're out of your mind!

Yeah, he's completely off his nut on this one.

Saint John wrote:Good. Arnel's version is better.

IMHO, Perry's studio version is better than Pineda, but Pineda's live version is better than Perry.

No way Open arms is better, not even close. But, I do like the new version of OTY as much as the original.

Neo's Journey wrote:

Saint John wrote:Good. Arnel's version is better.

IMHO, Perry's studio version is better than Pineda, but Pineda's live version is better than Perry.

there you go, a compromise

espiritu14 wrote:

Neo's Journey wrote:

Saint John wrote:Good. Arnel's version is better.

IMHO, Perry's studio version is better than Pineda, but Pineda's live version is better than Perry.

there you go, a compromise

"Compromise, the price they had to pay"

Perry's Studio version of Open Arms is much better. The instruments used in the retreads sound like they were made by Fisher Price. I don't fault Journey for doing what they had to do to get the rights back to some of their songs. but I will always prefer the versions sung by the actual song writer. The original Open Arms sat at #2 for 6 weeks on the charts. Millions of people bought the 45 and that will always be the version ingrained in their memories
I have no problem with people liking the retreads but they're not for me. I like the new stuff Journey has out there but I want Arnel to start writing his own songs or at least collaborating on something. After all these years can be the start of Arnel's legacy but not any of the Perry era songs. Unless Journey somehow removes Perry from the credits, they'll always be known as Steve Perry songs. Here's hoping the next album has material that Arnel can truly call his own. Arnels legacy starts with Revelation Disc 1, not Disc 2.

I am a little different in my belief that the songs are not always done best by the original artist (my own personal taste creeping into the mix). I happen to think Biko was done better by Simple Minds (originally by Peter Gabriel), Mad World was done better by Michael Andrews/Gary Jules (originally by Tears for Fears).

With the Journey songs however, I generally favor the original versions of the songs, but Separate Ways stood out to me as having a smoother vocal and harder rocking than the original that I liked. DSB is a wash either way. Open Arms another wash. Be Good to Yourself, I preferred the new version better.

Again just my own personal taste

ForceInfinity wrote:I am a little different in my belief that the songs are not always done best by the original artist (my own personal taste creeping into the mix). I happen to think Biko was done better by Simple Minds (originally by Peter Gabriel), Mad World was done better by Michael Andrews/Gary Jules (originally by Tears for Fears).

With the Journey songs however, I generally favor the original versions of the songs, but Separate Ways stood out to me as having a smoother vocal and harder rocking than the original that I liked. DSB is a wash either way. Open Arms another wash. Be Good to Yourself, I preferred the new version better.

Again just my own personal taste

We'll have to agree to diagree but Peter's Biko is the bees knees. Some remakes I might like more than the original if they change it up a bit. The Journey remakes are straight up knockoffs of the original. The only difference is a tenor instead of an alto, the pacing and everything else is the same. I don't see Journey releasing these versions as singles anytime soon, rather they may license them out for commercials or something. To each his own. I've actually got Journey's greatest hits on Karaoke so if I want to hear the exact same song with a different vocalist I can just sing them myself. I don't know if they were prohibited by Walmart but if they changed some of the verses around or added some acoustics It would have at last been fresh but as it stands now, it's just the poorman's version of Journey's greatest hits.

Gunbot wrote:Perry's Studio version of Open Arms is much better. The instruments used in the retreads sound like they were made by Fisher Price. I don't fault Journey for doing what they had to do to get the rights back to some of their songs. but I will always prefer the versions sung by the actual song writer. The original Open Arms sat at #2 for 6 weeks on the charts. Millions of people bought the 45 and that will always be the version ingrained in their memories
I have no problem with people liking the retreads but they're not for me. I like the new stuff Journey has out there but I want Arnel to start writing his own songs or at least collaborating on something. After all these years can be the start of Arnel's legacy but not any of the Perry era songs. Unless Journey somehow removes Perry from the credits, they'll always be known as Steve Perry songs. Here's hoping the next album has material that Arnel can truly call his own. Arnels legacy starts with Revelation Disc 1, not Disc 2.

Thanks, G~boy....you hit the nail on the proverbial head!!!
Where have you been?

Saint John wrote:Good. Arnel's version is better.

I think not Open Arms by Perry on CD & live was better.

Babyblue wrote:

Saint John wrote:Good. Arnel's version is better.

I think not

Seeing as your user name is likely taken from Perry's 'You Better Wait' I am sure many won't be surprised at your viewpoint.

Arnel excels live on this track but on record Perry shades it - just. Faithfully and Only the Young, Wheel in the Sky and Anyway You Want It are another story altogether...

...just kidding. Or am I?!

Babyblue wrote:

Saint John wrote:Good. Arnel's version is better.

I think not Open Arms by Perry on CD & live was better.

Now you dun added to your post! Pineda consistently betters Perry on this one live, no contest.

DrFU wrote:

Saint John wrote:Good. Arnel's version is better.

I was going to log off, but I think I'll wait around for the Schuttstorm...

NO ONE can touch Perry, especially on that song.
That live Houston show is proof enough of that.

bluejeangirl76 wrote:

DrFU wrote:

Saint John wrote:Good. Arnel's version is better.

I was going to log off, but I think I'll wait around for the Schuttstorm...

NO ONE can touch Perry, especially on that song.
That live Houston show is proof enough of that.

I think that performance is the only sore spot on the CD.

Saint John wrote:

bluejeangirl76 wrote:

DrFU wrote:

Saint John wrote:Good. Arnel's version is better.

I was going to log off, but I think I'll wait around for the Schuttstorm...

NO ONE can touch Perry, especially on that song.
That live Houston show is proof enough of that.

I think that performance is the only sore spot on the CD.

With 100% due respect, are you on crack?
Do you just dislike the song? Or are you just full of piss & vinegar today??

bluejeangirl76 wrote:

Saint John wrote:

bluejeangirl76 wrote:

DrFU wrote:

Saint John wrote:Good. Arnel's version is better.

I was going to log off, but I think I'll wait around for the Schuttstorm...

NO ONE can touch Perry, especially on that song.
That live Houston show is proof enough of that.

I think that performance is the only sore spot on the CD.

With 100% due respect, are you on crack?
Do you just dislike the song? Or are you just full of piss & vinegar today??

If I remember correctly Saint John has stated his opinion on Open Arms on quite a few occasions. There was some debate about Perry's apparent ducking of notes on this song live a while back with some, myself included, feeling it didn't soar the way it should.

Either way I am not that impassioned about the track and would be happy to see it dropped from the set list altogether.

never cared for the song much. as for anyone doing perry better than perry..... friggin laughable! perry's worst is far better than any version of a copy and i say that for all past, present, and future jrny singers.

finalfight wrote:If I remember correctly Saint John has stated his opinion on Open Arms on quite a few occasions.

I must have missed that. Honestly, I'm not all that attached to that song, either (I don't hate it, but there are better in J's catalog), but I think the performance on that DVD is wicked ass awesome.

bluejeangirl76 wrote:

finalfight wrote:If I remember correctly Saint John has stated his opinion on Open Arms on quite a few occasions.

I must have missed that. Honestly, I'm not all that attached to that song, either (I don't hate it, but there are better in J's catalog), but I think the performance on that DVD is wicked ass awesome.

Houston '81 is an amazing concert DVD, one of the very best.

bluejeangirl76 wrote:

finalfight wrote:If I remember correctly Saint John has stated his opinion on Open Arms on quite a few occasions.

I must have missed that. Honestly, I'm not all that attached to that song, either (I don't hate it, but there are better in J's catalog), but I think the performance on that DVD is wicked ass awesome.

I've been critical of that song for years...especially the recorded version. It's hollow. You can actually hear him singing in a contrived manner. He seems to be "trying" to sing the soong. It has no flow at all to it. Arnel dusts him with his live rendition because it has depth and feeling. Case in point..."How can our love be SOOO blind..."

"Open Arms" is a great song. OA and Genuwine's "Differences" were the 'our songs' for me and my HS boyfriend. Sappy sap sap!

Arnel is good... Perry is just too nostalgic to mess with here. Maybe in 20 years. We'll see.

Saint John wrote:

bluejeangirl76 wrote:

finalfight wrote:If I remember correctly Saint John has stated his opinion on Open Arms on quite a few occasions.

I must have missed that. Honestly, I'm not all that attached to that song, either (I don't hate it, but there are better in J's catalog), but I think the performance on that DVD is wicked ass awesome.

I've been critical of that song for years...especially the recorded version. It's hollow. You can actually hear him singing in a contrived manner. He seems to be "trying" to sing the soong. It has no flow at all to it. Arnel dusts him with his live rendition because it has depth and feeling. Case in point..."How can our love be SOOO blind..."

Opinion noted and respected. The recorded version is what it is and whatever was done to it at the time of production, I dunno. Steve himself once said he never really got where he wanted to go on that tune.

But the one on the dvd still causes me to have to wipe up the chair and the floor around it. And on one occasion, the wall.

(Are you all totally grateful I shared that right before lunchtime? )

Shit song, no one can salvage it. Absolutely nothing against ballads, I love the cheese like the rest of us, but this song always sucked for me. Neal needed a real solo in this song ala Faithfully or Who's Cryin Now and it would probably be a much better song for me.

I also agree that Perry's '81 performance wasn't that great. I don't like how he ducks the real chorus melody there.

Ehwmatt wrote:Shit song, no one can salvage it. Absolutely nothing against ballads, I love the cheese like the rest of us, but this song always sucked for me. Neal needed a real solo in this song ala Faithfully or Who's Cryin Now and it would probably be a much better song for me.

I also agree that Perry's '81 performance wasn't that great. I don't like how he ducks the real chorus melody there.

Hot chicks apparently find that part especially orgasmic!