Say something nice about "Don't Stop Believiin'"

DUNH DUNH!!!

my friend and i stopped the car this very evening and played that line over and over. he was convinced perry was singing "searchin' just defound emotion" and was angry b/c "defound" isn't a word.

I think ron was OTM back there by the way.

"I really like the song by Journey, 'Don't Stop Believin','" he declares. (He actually pronounces it, fastidiously, "Believing.") "'Don't Stop Believin'' has a wonderful chorus. It's the first chorus, it's the only chorus, and it fades out during the first chorus. So naturally, it has a fantastic verse, which is most of the song. The title is taken from the chorus, making sure you know that that's the chorus. Don't try this at home. That's a really hard way of writing a song, and I respect it a great deal. I don't think I respect any of the other songs I've heard by them. But I have allowed them to live because of this wonderful, spectacular feat."

my favorite part, which I'm shocked that noone mentioned, is "walkin' down the boouuuul-e-va-ard".

x-post

you did comment, ned!

SOME DAY LOVE WILL FIND YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

Ronny's post remains one of the best things ever on ILX. I cracked up reading it again.

http://www.carlsoncatering.com/images/detroit_map.gif

I think 38 Special's next. Did Glee cover "Caught Up In You" or "Hold On Loosely?"

i used to defend this song when one of my friends would call it one of the worst ever but now i am starting to agree with him

"'Don't Stop Believin'' has a wonderful chorus. It's the first chorus, it's the only chorus, and it fades out during the first chorus.

no, this is just wrong. the chorus is the "strangers waiting up and down the boulevard" part. the "don't stop believin" part is more like a coda that combines the rhythm of the chorus vocals with the chords of the verse. it is pretty ingenious how they save the title line until the end though because the actual chorus is not very memorable on its own.

this was the song for the '05 world champion white sox, predating the sopranos finale. its been a big song in working class midwest jukeboxes for decades

i believe former pfork eic / ilxor scottpl wrote something in a blog about this at one pt but i cant find it for the life of me

oh, found it http://falsenine.tumblr.com/post/663364095/the-rehabilitation-of-dont-stop-believin

good follow up on a uk perspective here http://tomewing.tumblr.com/post/663702558/the-rehabilitation-of-dont-stop-believin

A drummer friend of mine was watching Journey from backstage recently, and apparently the drum pattern on this song is way more complex than it sounds. Having heard people attempt to cover it with a standard boom-tchak beat I can believe it, drummers need to get into some crossed-hands jazz shit to even attempt Stevie Smith-dom.

While most popular songs have a refrain that is repeated several times throughout the song, the true chorus to "Don't Stop Believin'" (as well as first mention of its title) is not heard until the end of the song with only 0:50 left. The song's writers designated the musically similar sections before the chorus as the "pre-chorus."[27] The song's structure is:

1.Introduction (instrumental) (0:00-0:17)
2.Verse 1 (0:17-0:49)
3.Instrumental (0:49-1:05)
4.Verse 2 (half-length) (1:05-1:20)
5.Pre-Chorus 1 (1:20-1:54)
6.Instrumental (1:54-2:01)
7.Verse 3 (2:01-2:33)
8.Pre-Chorus 2 (2:33-3:05)
9.Instrumental (Chorus) (3:05-3:21)
10.Chorus until fade (3:21-4:11)
The song is played in the key of E Major at a tempo of 120bpm. The vocal range is E3-C#5.[28] The opening chords, which are played by the piano in the introduction and continued through most of the song, form a I-V-vi-IV pop-punk progression.[29]

This song is our Alice's default Karaoke song.

I have tried to talk her out of it, but thing is, she's good.

So, basically, the audience start off going "oh, OK, another lil girl singing that song from Glee, can't be nasty" and end up going "She actually hit that high note! yeah!"

.. and she usually comes off going "mmm, didn't do great there" blummin professionals!

Why did it wait 20+ years before it really started to resonate? This was NEVER the most popular Journey song until sometime after the 90's.

I dispute this, I was a kid in the 80s and while Journey had a lot of hits it was always understood that DSB was their signature song.

Not in the UK.

a I-V-vi-IV pop-punk progression.

ok why is this a pop-punk progression? this shit gets used in all kinds of pop music. pretty sure like every week a new song gets played on the radio using this progression.

Also in this song it alternates between I-V-vi-IV and I-V-iii-IV

And that's what makes it great! That little half-step voice leading thing when they slip in the iii in place of the vi.

Do midnight trains even exist anymore? Did this refer to a train that leaves at midnight, or just one that drove all night?

I like when Cartman sings this song.

i feel like ppl need to listen to stone in love and get on board with my campaign

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI-9mCxHjhI

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A drummer friend of mine was watching Journey from backstage recently, and apparently the drum pattern on this song is way more complex than it sounds. Having heard people attempt to cover it with a standard boom-tchak beat I can believe it, drummers need to get into some crossed-hands jazz shit to even attempt Stevie Smith-dom.

― ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: (Matt #2), Friday, November 18, 2011 4:59 AM (5 hours ago) Bookmark

that doesn't surprise me at all, all those 80s corporate FM rock bands were super chops studio dudes right? i know schon played w/santana early on, and like all those Toto guys, Asia obv, etc

Steve Smith was pretty sick.. When I was a little kid starting to learn drums, I used to try emulating the solo on "Captured."

My age was in single-digits throughout the 80's, so I'm not sure if my perception of Journey was any different simply because of that, or maybe I'm just remembering incorrectly.. but I simply don't remember this song ever getting played on the radio or MTV.. while "Separate Ways" "Open Arms" "Lights" & "Any Way You Want It" were somewhat ubiquitous. I started listening to classic rock stations when I was 11 or 12 which was probably the first time I heard "Lovin Touchin" "Feelin That Way/Anytime" and "DSB" on the radio, but none of these seemed more overplayed or beloved than any of their other songs. I also paid close attention to various "Memorial Day Weekend top 700 songs (or whatever), and I don't recall DSB ever placing higher than "Any Way You Want It" or "Lights," although this may have changed halfway through the 90's since I stopped listening by that point. I wish I had better evidence other than "this is how I remember it.." but I'm sticking to it.

So basically, I really don't think this became their signature song until at least some point in the 90's, if not later. It wasn't the highest charting single from "Escape" either.. "Who's Cryin Now" and "Open Arms" were both top 5.

I think the "I-V-vi-IV" progression helps this argument since pop-punk kinda blew up after Blink 182's "Enema Of The State."

The impressive song structure noted earlier, with the true refrain only appearing as a coda, is something that hadn't fully occurred to me.. That kinda rules that they keep you waiting until the very end for the part that everyone (except me) wants to sing along to.. And so I may credit this song slightly higher in the future.

Youtube videos of drummers playing "Don't Stop Believing." This could practically be its own thread!

i think 'lights' is my favorite journey song

i love the feeling that they wrote it to be about no actual city, or an ideal city. like a place a racing video game would be set in.

They do specify "my city by the bay," so.

Anyway, this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYp0OLZq8YI

Ron's comment four posts into this thread about the fading-in guitar part. Priceless.

While most popular songs have a refrain that is repeated several times throughout the song, the true chorus to "Don't Stop Believin'" (as well as first mention of its title) is not heard until the end of the song with only 0:50 left.

it can't be a chorus if it doesn't repeat!

The impressive song structure noted earlier, with the true refrain only appearing as a coda

it's by definition not a refrain since they only play it once

I suppose you could make a case that you can have a non-repeating chorus although I personally feel like it defeats the point of the term. but by definition you can't call it a refrain then!

it's implicit that "Don't Stop Believin" is actually supposed to go on forever and ever with infinite verses and choruses and pre-choruses and guitar solos

haha, that's actually a really good poitn

point even

Thanks to this thread I've now had to watch that video they did where they're all playing "air instruments". Thanks guys!

xp I apologize? The structure is unorthodox enough that the specific terms are bound to get confusing.

I know crut was kind of joking but he honestly changed my mind. the prechorus -> one chorus interpretation does make sense.

Ha, you were totally right the first time!

like a place a racing video game would be set in.

― goole, Friday, November 18, 2011 12:07 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark

my favorite aesthetic tbh. would love more stuff in all mediums like this

that doesn't surprise me at all, all those 80s corporate FM rock bands were super chops studio dudes right? i know schon played w/santana early on, and like all those Toto guys, Asia obv, etc

Yeah, I sometimes wonder what happened to that whole culture. Is it just that there are less live musicians on mainstream pop recordings now? Have the chops guys all moved to jam bands and progressive metal?

Still soliciting info about "midnight trains".

xpost -- Or Nashville.

Doesn't that just mean a train that leaves late at night? My long-distance ex used to take one to visit me. Didn't think it was anything cryptic.

xpost Oh yeah, Nashville!

My long-distance ex used to take one to visit me. Didn't think it was anything cryptic.

Even when your ex said "Oh, I just want to go anywhere."

Ha.

Amtrak's website gives me an error message if I try to book travel without entering a destination. Also, the latest option they seem to offer is 11 p.m., but regardless of the destination I input, the website only gives me options that start during the daytime.

You can download a Thanksgiving timetable. The Northeast Regional route 67 has trains leaving various locations at 11:31 pm, 11:53 pm, 12:30 am, and 12:35 am on Nov 22.

and it goes on and on and onandonandonandgiggitygiggityGIGGITYGIGGITY!

Hm, if I leave New Carollton at 10:10, they'll have me in New Haven by quarter to five in the morning.

I could get down with New Haven. All startin' my life over, goin' to Yale.

Ha, you were totally right the first time!

now after listening again I think you could actually make a case that the final chorus does repeat 3 times. plus on and on into infinity after the fade.

Amtrak's website gives me an error message if I try to book travel without entering a destination. Also, the latest option they seem to offer is 11 p.m., but regardless of the destination I input, the website only gives me options that start during the daytime.

― rustic italian flatbread, Friday, November 18, 2011 1:42 PM (18 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

you can book a pass that covers any trains over the course of a series of days/weeks. so you can in fact have no destination

that doesn't surprise me at all, all those 80s corporate FM rock bands were super chops studio dudes right? i know schon played w/santana early on, and like all those Toto guys, Asia obv, etc

Wait, are we distinguishing between session musicians and just really good players? Because, yeah, Toto and Journey were (mostly) session guys; but Asia was two guys from Yes, one guy from ELP and one guy from King Crimson.

yeah i guess i just threw Asia in there because of their obvious chops, but there are more of a supergroup i guess

Another step in the revival:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rHOpkKFm5k

Even Braff couldn't kill it.