The Journey of Don't Stop Believin'

[AlteredDNA]

Keyboard Magazine article by Jonathan Cain describing the creation / evolution of the song - photos / music examples included:

http://www.keyboardmag.com/article/the- ... %99/147809

I think it's from last December, so apologies if this has already been posted...

[Don]

Keyboard Magazine article by Jonathan Cain describing the creation / evolution of the song - photos / music examples included:

http://www.keyboardmag.com/article/the- ... %99/147809

I think it's from last December, so apologies if this has already been posted...

Great find. I love reading about how things like this come together. Having the audio samples on the bottom of the page was cool too. I think it it really shows too how having an extra 'musician' in the creative process can make a ton of difference when crafting songs.

When you looks at Journey's song credits during the 80s, it becomes clear that the majority of those hits were Cain and Perry for the most part, with Neal getting credits every third hit or so. Jon and Steve were definitely on the same wave length when creating a lot of those songs.

[Lerxst101]

Great find. Thanks so much.

So many of us on this board realize and miss the magic they created when crafting songs. The sum was truly greater than the parts.

If only those guys could at least just write some songs together. Don't announce it to anyone, just get together and start bouncing ideas off one another.

[Gideon]

Keyboard Magazine article by Jonathan Cain describing the creation / evolution of the song - photos / music examples included:

http://www.keyboardmag.com/article/the- ... %99/147809

I think it's from last December, so apologies if this has already been posted...

Great find. Jon is definitely the creative genius at the heart of Journey's success.

[Arkansas]

Insight like this really makes you appreciate a song more. And, it tells pretty much what has made it soooo darned great from the get-go. Reading the tab, and listening to each natively, shows how much labor went into this. Now, to them, or any accomplished musician, it probably wasn't labor at all...it was just the norm course of their business. But to most of us, much less talented or trained, it's really an eye-opener (and hopefully, an inspiration).

I would love to read about the next steps. I'd love to hear Schon's take on his contribution. I'd love to hear Valory talk about how he learned the song, and most likely, added his touches to make the bass line much more than Cain originally wrote. And especially Steve (f'ing!) Smith...how in the holy heck did he come up with all the different drum lines??? Like I said in another thread, SS really makes the drum lines stand-out as a lead instrument. What inspired the syncopation? What inspired the rhythm/melody fills? How did he know when to ride, and when to really 'bring it'?

This song has so many legs...not just Cain & Perry writing/arranging. It's Schon's directions & decorations. It's Valory's punctuation & turning corners/stepping-up & down dynamics. And, it's Smith's taking all the liberties to expand the drum line into something definitely non-standard. (I'll say it again. This song may not have all the popularity if it had just the typical ride & down beat drums. I think SS, as a musician - not a generic drummer, is that important.)



later~