Happy To Give

[larryfromnextdoor]

Maybe HTG is the hardest Journey song to pull off live?

There's an old interview I read, don't remember when or where, with Jon about that song. He said Perry was obsessed with it and spent hours and days perfecting it in the studio. I don't think he ever did it live, if so I've never heard of it. Maybe the vocal sound he got on the recording is just to hard to achieve live.

wasnt this one of deens first solo trys? like to hear him do it now ,, back then you couldnt even hear his back ground voice,, wonder how jeff would do on it??? that entire album should be played live sometime.. just like mindcrime...

[Matthew]

Maybe HTG is the hardest Journey song to pull off live?

There's an old interview I read, don't remember when or where, with Jon about that song. He said Perry was obsessed with it and spent hours and days perfecting it in the studio. I don't think he ever did it live, if so I've never heard of it. Maybe the vocal sound he got on the recording is just to hard to achieve live.

wasnt this one of deens first solo trys? like to hear him do it now ,, back then you couldnt even hear his back ground voice,, wonder how jeff would do on it??? that entire album should be played live sometime.. just like mindcrime...

Ah, okay - I didn't realise that this was was one Deen's first vocal performances.

Yes, I'd be curious to hear a rocked up live version of the entire ROR album - but of all the Journey albums it would especially tough for JSS/Deen to fill the void left by Perry, I reckon.

[NealIsGod]

but of all the Journey albums it would especially tough for JSS/Deen to fill the void left by Perry, I reckon.

I think ROR would be the easiest since his voice was so much lower.

[Matthew]

Maybe HTG is the hardest Journey song to pull off live?

There's an old interview I read, don't remember when or where, with Jon about that song. He said Perry was obsessed with it and spent hours and days perfecting it in the studio. I don't think he ever did it live, if so I've never heard of it. Maybe the vocal sound he got on the recording is just to hard to achieve live.

Was that maybe in the Time booklet, Sherrie? I think Cain has also said that HTG is his favourite Perry performance. Might be wrong about that though....

[Matthew]

but of all the Journey albums it would especially tough for JSS/Deen to fill the void left by Perry, I reckon.

I think ROR would be the easiest since his voice was so much lower.

That's true NIG - but ROR was possibly Perry's most soulful and passionate performance - it sounds like Perry put more into his vocals on that album than on any other - plus (possibly dodgy theory coming up now) his voice was heavy with melancholia in '86 and it would be hard to any singer to project that if they weren't as fucked up and grief-stricken as Perry was during the ROR recordings.

So yes - JSS/Deen could hit the right notes more easily - but I wonder if their performances would sound a bit hollow next to Perry's?

[ohsherrie]

Maybe HTG is the hardest Journey song to pull off live?

There's an old interview I read, don't remember when or where, with Jon about that song. He said Perry was obsessed with it and spent hours and days perfecting it in the studio. I don't think he ever did it live, if so I've never heard of it. Maybe the vocal sound he got on the recording is just to hard to achieve live.

Was that maybe in the Time booklet, Sherrie? I think Cain has also said that HTG is his favourite Perry performance. Might be wrong about that though....

It might be Matt. I really don't remember where I read it. I think the song is tied for the "Perry's Best Vocal Performance" award with the FTLOSM title track. No other singer is going to be able to give it that special Perry soulfulness but I'd bet Jeff could do a damn fine job of singing it.

[Matthew]

Maybe HTG is the hardest Journey song to pull off live?

There's an old interview I read, don't remember when or where, with Jon about that song. He said Perry was obsessed with it and spent hours and days perfecting it in the studio. I don't think he ever did it live, if so I've never heard of it. Maybe the vocal sound he got on the recording is just to hard to achieve live.

Was that maybe in the Time booklet, Sherrie? I think Cain has also said that HTG is his favourite Perry performance. Might be wrong about that though....

It might be Matt. I really don't remember where I read it. I think it the song is tied for the "Perry's Best Vocal Performance" award with the FTLOSM title track. No other singer is going to be able to give it that special Perry soulfulness but I'd bet Jeff could do a damn fine job of singing it.

Do you think? Maybe....I still haven't made up my mind about JSS, Sherrie. Maybe I need to hear "Believe In Me" again to get some enthusiasm going again....

I've just heard a medley of painful moments from the last tour which was posted on another site....and it seems that JSS mastery of the Journey catalogue is inconsistent...to put it politely. Strangely, the most inept moments came during the heavier tunes such as Escape.

Still...he did sound great on that recent version of "I'll Be Alright Without You"...

[ohsherrie]

I've just heard a medley of painful moments from the last tour which was posted on another site....and it seems that JSS mastery of the Journey catalogue is inconsistent...to put it politely. Strangely, the most inept moments came during the heavier tunes such as Escape.

Still...he did sound great on that recent version of "I'll Be Alright Without You"...

How much do you want to bet that someone could put together a "worst of" compilation from bootlegs of Perry and make it seem as if he couldn't sing them either?

In Andrew's recent interviews Jon explains pretty well what Jeff went through when he had to step in with no rehearsal or real preparation.

[tammy]

Haha....I've said my piece.....now I just want to see people argue over it

OK, just don't lock her down.

Gee, I wonder if I could possibly think of something antagonistic to say to get this argument started.

How about this... ROR should not even be considered a Journey album. It is a Perry solo effort with help from Neal and Jon. It does not even resemble Journey.

Discuss.

**********

What's to discuss? This statement falls into the same category as "...and, 'fill in the blank' sounds MORE like Perry than Perry'" lol. Of course, it SOUNDS like Journey....it IS Journey!
Oh, and great song, "Happy to Give" - this CD is my long drive CD.

[Matthew]

I've just heard a medley of painful moments from the last tour which was posted on another site....and it seems that JSS mastery of the Journey catalogue is inconsistent...to put it politely. Strangely, the most inept moments came during the heavier tunes such as Escape.

Still...he did sound great on that recent version of "I'll Be Alright Without You"...

How much do you want to bet that someone could put together a "worst of" compilation from bootlegs of Perry and make it seem as if he couldn't sing them either?

In Andrew's recent interviews Jon explains pretty well what Jeff went through when he had to step in with no rehearsal or real preparation.

That's true, Sherrie...but this medley wasn't the only recording I've heard which confirmed all my Loon prejudices. But I know he did improve as the tour went on...which is why I haven't made up my mind yet. Overall there isn't enough evidence yet either way to judge...for me, anyway.

[ohsherrie]

How much do you want to bet that someone could put together a "worst of" compilation from bootlegs of Perry and make it seem as if he couldn't sing them either?

In Andrew's recent interviews Jon explains pretty well what Jeff went through when he had to step in with no rehearsal or real preparation.

That's true, Sherrie...but this medley wasn't the only recording I've heard which confirmed all my Loon prejudices. But I know he did improve as the tour went on...which is why I haven't made up my mind yet. Overall there isn't enough evidence yet either way to judge...for me, anyway.

Fair enough.

[tammy]

but of all the Journey albums it would especially tough for JSS/Deen to fill the void left by Perry, I reckon.

I think ROR would be the easiest since his voice was so much lower.

That's true NIG - but ROR was possibly Perry's most soulful and passionate performance - it sounds like Perry put more into his vocals on that album than on any other - plus (possibly dodgy theory coming up now) his voice was heavy with melancholia in '86 and it would be hard to any singer to project that if they weren't as fucked up and grief-stricken as Perry was during the ROR recordings.

So yes - JSS/Deen could hit the right notes more easily - but I wonder if their performances would sound a bit hollow next to Perry's?

*********

I like how you describe that, Matthew...I can hear that melancholia/despair in his voice on some ROR songs.

[froy]

Maybe HTG is the hardest Journey song to pull off live?

There's an old interview I read, don't remember when or where, with Jon about that song. He said Perry was obsessed with it and spent hours and days perfecting it in the studio. I don't think he ever did it live, if so I've never heard of it. Maybe the vocal sound he got on the recording is just to hard to achieve live.

Come take a ride with me in my convertable and you will hear it sung live.
Great tune

[ohsherrie]

Maybe HTG is the hardest Journey song to pull off live?

There's an old interview I read, don't remember when or where, with Jon about that song. He said Perry was obsessed with it and spent hours and days perfecting it in the studio. I don't think he ever did it live, if so I've never heard of it. Maybe the vocal sound he got on the recording is just to hard to achieve live.

Come take a ride with me in my convertable and you will hear it sung live.
Great tune

Too cold for the convertible Froy.

When did he do it live? Damn, you get all the good stuff.

[NealIsGod]

When did he do it live? Damn, you get all the good stuff.

I think he means you will get to hear him shriek the song in his Miata.

[ohsherrie]

When did he do it live? Damn, you get all the good stuff.

I think he means you will get to hear him shriek the song in his Miata.

Oh, Well it's still too cold for the convertible.

[froy]

When did he do it live? Damn, you get all the good stuff.

I think he means you will get to hear him shriek the song in his Miata.

A4 and your right I will croak it

[The_Noble_Cause]

Perry's impassioned vocals make even the worst song worth a listen, but I don't even think this passes the grade for Perry solo fare.
Whatever it is, its not Journey.
At least not for me.


I agree with Froy on "Easy to Fall".
That song strikes a nice balance between Perry's maudlin blubbering and Neal's virtuoso grandstanding.

That's one of the biggest failings of ROR - little balance.

[Jeremey]

I've never plunked it out on a keyboard, but I'd be interested in finding out if my suspicions are true - That ROR actually has some of the highest full-voiced Perry singing of his catalog. The crazy falsetto & head voice singing in earlier works like Sweet and Simple and Line of Fire are of course "higher" in pitch, but it's achieved by using a different technique that will eventually disappear through overuse of the voice. There are full-voiced notes being sung on ROR which I believe outshine any other full voiced singing in Perry's repitoire. Particularly I'm thinking of the notes in the refrain of "Positive Touch"(though he is going into his head voice at the end there), "Suzanne," and "WCTNGOF" - I imagine many hours were spent in the studio getting the best of those takes.

[ohsherrie]

Thanks Jeremey. Maybe that's why the vocals sound so spectacular to me on that album. I've always like Steve's full voice better than the gymnastics of jumping from one register to another.

[Deb]

Thanks Jeremey. Maybe that's why the vocals sound so spectacular to me on that album. I've always like Steve's full voice better than the gymnastics of jumping from one register to another.

You and me both Sher, wasn't all about the range for me either. I really like the texture/tone (whatever it's called) of his voice on ROR the best.

Matt, I think JSS's voice suits the Frontiers/ROR stuff really well. Does a great job on IBAWY......especially NIG's little soundcheck clip he posted awhile back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDtHpo3I5vc

By the way Matt, let me know what you think of the show coming up in March over there. I'll be interested to hear your review.

[ohsherrie]

You and me both Sher, wasn't all about the range for me either. I really like the texture/tone (whatever it's called) of his voice on ROR the best.

Matt, I think JSS's voice suits the Frontiers/ROR stuff really well. Does a great job on IBAWY......especially NIG's little soundcheck clip he posted awhile back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDtHpo3I5vc

By the way Matt, let me know what you think of the show coming up in March over there. I'll be interested to hear your review.

Exactly!! I think the range Steve used on Frontiers, ROR and TBF is perfect for Jeff's voice. So many people seem to only be focused on the four earlier albums where Steve went into the stratosphere in falsetto and they're basing their opinions of Jeff's range on that.

I'll be interested in your review of the show over there too Matt, and your brother's.

[Moose]

What a great song this is


I was born a believer, played the fool
Lonely dreamer, left to choose
I dont know where the love is, theres a promise undone
Someones cryin, in a room all alone

Shadows fall, after the hurt is gone
Through it all, we love and we lose

Where is the one, someone who's happy
(happy to give)
Happy to be with you, ew oh
its here you belong, with someone who's happy
(happy to give)
Happy to give you love

A song for the singer, one book of dreams
Take this heartache, away from me
A page in a story, romance untold
Sharing secrets, we call, our own

Shadows fall, after the hurt is gone
Through it all, we love and we looose

Where is the one, someone whos happy
(happy to give)
Happy to be with you,ew oh
its where you belong, with someone Whos happy
(happy to give)
happy to give you love

Happy, happy, oh oh oh happy
(happy to give),

Oh somebodys happy to give you love,
Oh right yea ah ew oh oh oh oh yea

Thanks Froy, for posting this. It is one of those tracks that nobody talks about, but is quite stirring. It's haunting, lyrically and musically. It is actually one of the few ROR tracks that I have on my IPOD Jrny playlist. Great choice!

[squirt1]

Steve Perry did whatever he had to do to accomplish his songs. That means he had to know his limitations on any given day and sing around them. Just listen to AWYWI in "80-'81'94. There were also more songs handled differenty on cd's and boots. Amazing !!!! GBYSP !

[journeywoman]

OH my how this takes me back to the 80's.As soon as it was released I bought it and well through a painful divorce at that time and a very bad relationship that was on the brink of disaster and in the heat of the moment,well I took that song as finding that special one and sharing everything.The hurt,pain and most of all the love that came with it.Even after the breakup IBAWY was my theme song.To this day after picking my life up and running with it I adore this ROR.Over the years the Journey guys had went through bad relationships and were masters on putting it into music.As I would like to say they were taking us on another incredible Journey.And man it was and is TIMELESS!I'll never forget it!