Song:Open Arms
Album:Greatest Hits
Journey started out as a Santana spinoff jazz rock band but with the addition of lead singer Steve Perry and keyboard player Jonathan Cain became one of the biggest bands of the 80s. Open Arms was their biggest hit. Guitarist Neil Schon and keyboard player and lead vocalist Gregg Rolie left Santana and started Golden Gate Rhythm Section in 1973. The original plan was to be an all purpose backup band. Other members were bassist Ross Valory and guitarist George Tickner from Frumious Bandersnatch and drummer Prairie Prince from The Tubes. They changed their name to Journey after deciding to be a jazz rock fusion band. Prince returned to The Tubes and was replaced by British drummer Aynsley Dunbar who had been working with Frank Zappa. They signed with Columbia but the first two albums didn't sell and Columbia wasn't happy. Tickner left after the first album. The problem was with Rolie's vocals and Columbia suggested Journey hire a lead singer and become a mainstream rock band. They hired Robert Fleischman and he toured with them. But he left before he could record with them due to management and personality conflicts. They didn't like him. So while they were touring, they tried out Steve Perry from Alien Project and replaced Fleischman. The new lineup recorded the 1978 album Infinity and it was their first Platinum album with hits like Lights and Wheel In The Sky. Dunbar was replaced by Steve Smith and their 1979 album Evolution gave Journey their first top 20 hit Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'. So Journey was on a roll. Gregg Rolie left for a solo career in 1980 and he recommended Jonathan Cain of The Babys as his replacement. Cain played synthesizers instead of organ and he was already a highly accomplished songwriter. So he launched Journey to even bigger things when the 1981 album Escape topped the Billboard Hot 200 and was certified 9XPlatinum. Who's Cryin' Now and Don't Stop Believin' reached the top ten. But Open Arms reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has been Journey's biggest hit to date and I guess it could be called their signature song. Cain wrote Open Arms for The Babys but John Waite thought it was "sentimental rubbish". But Cain held on to it and rewrote it with Perry to suit his vocal style. Journey went on hiatus and Perry had a very successful solo album in 1984. When they reformed in 1985, Valory and Smith were replaced by studio musicians including future American Idol judge Randy Jackson on bass. Jackson and drummer Mike Baird toured with Journey but after the tour, Perry quit due to burnout and Journey split up in 1987. You can get all their hits on this budget comp. Schon and Cain formed Bad English with John Waite and they had success until they split up in 1991. Attempts to reform Journey with Perry were unsuccessful. So Schon and Cain hired a new lead singer and Journey still tours today with lead singer Arnel Pineda. Schon discovered him on Youtube. Here's Journey performing Open Arms 1982.
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