THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

350-Journey-Don’t Stop Believin’.

1981-Number 62 single. Through digital downloads it peaked at Number 6 in 2010.

Best Bit-At 0.58. The songs title came from something the groups keyboardist Jonathan Cain’s father frequently told him when he was a struggling musician, ‘Don’t stop believing or you’re done, dude.’

The first line up of Journey, who were formed in San Francisco, California, United States, in 1973, and originally called ‘Golden Gate Rhythm Section,’ were Neal Schon, (lead guitar) Charles ‘Prairie’ Prince, (drums) Greg Rolie, (keyboards, and lead vocals) Ross Valory, (bass) and George Tickner, (1946-2023) (guitar) it was their roadie John Villanueva who suggested the name ‘Journey.’ In total there have been 18 members come and go, with Neal Schon being the bands one constant. At the time of writing they remain active, with six current members recording and touring. The groups musical style has also changed drastically over the years, initially they started out playing Progressive Rock, and Jazz-Rock, but with pressure from their record label to get them radio play, it meant them leaning more towards ‘Soft Rock,’ which brought them their most commercial success between 1978-1987.

The discography of Journey who have sold in excess of 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the best selling acts of all time, includes 15 studio Albums released between 1975-2022, and 52 singles released within the same time period, there are also two extended plays, (EP’s) one soundtrack Album, 11 official compilation Albums, and five live Albums available. In America on the Billboard 200 Album chart, their seventh studio Album ‘Escape,’ from 1981, is their highest charting, peaking at Number 1. Journey have had 19 top 40 hit singles on the Billboard Hot 100, with ‘Open Arms’ from 1982, peaking the highest at Number 2, while ‘Don’t Stop Believin” made Number 9. Only the Electric Light Orchestra (see also best songs 970 and 25) with 20 top 40 singles have had more chart entries without achieving a Number 1 on Billboard. In the UK, Journey’s only top 40 single remains ‘Don’t Stop Believin.”

‘Don’t Stop Believin” was the second of five singles released from ‘Escape,’ the seventh studio Album from Journey, from July 1981, the song was co-written by Steve Perry, Jonathan Cain, and Neal Schon, who were all members of the band at that time. Perry who sang lead vocals had joined Journey in 1977, and remained with them until 1987, he then returned after the bands hiatus, to take up duties again between 1995-1998. Jonathan Cain who had joined the band in 1980 played guitar, and keyboards, he is also a member of the current line up. The other two musicians who played on the song, and were members of Journey at that time, were Ross Valory, who left in 2020, and drummer Steve Smith who had joined in 1978, and also left in 2020.

‘Don’t Stop Believin” was co-produced by Kevin Elson, and Mike ‘Clay’ Stone, the duo also co-produced the songs parent Album ‘Escape’. Kevin Elson is probably best remembered for his connection to the American Rock band ‘Lynyrd Skynyrd’ (see also best songs 204 and 12.) Elson who worked as a producer on Lynyrd Skynyrd’s fifth studio Album ‘Street Survivors,’ in 1977, was aboard the leased Convair 240 that was carrying the band from South Carolina to Louisiana, when it crashed in the Mississippi woods on October 20th, 1977, killing three members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, their assistant road manager, and the plane’s two pilots. Kevin Elson suffered a dislocated hip, and a badly crushed right ankle that kept him hospitalised for a month. Elson has said, ‘I don’t really remember much about it.’ ‘Don’t Stop Believin” was also co-produced by the English recording engineer and record producer Mike Stone, who was born Michael Richard Seth Stone in 1951, he died in May 2002, of complications from being an alcoholic over many years. Mike Stone is best remembered for his work with the English Rock group ‘Queen,’ (see also best songs 918-615-208-126-47 and 3) working with them on six of their studio Albums between 1973-1977.) Queen’s guitarist Brian May wrote of Stone in a eulogy: ‘Mike’s production style of big chorus building and hitting hard, the ability to treat vocals uniquely, and find space in a recording have influenced a generation of young producers.’

‘Don’t Stop Believin” can be considered to be a contender for the ultimate slow burner. Although when initially released in the UK in 1982 it only reached Number 62, it has since gone on to sell over one million copies in that country, and worldwide it is currently the best selling digital track for a song that was first released in the 20th Century, with sales in excess of 8 million. The first resurgence of the song happened in 2003 when it was used in the American movie ‘Monster,’ Although the film was not the greatest success, the Hollywood community saw the emotion the song generated, and from then on it became a regular in several films, and television programmes. In 2009 the song was covered by the cast of the American musical comedy show ‘Glee,’ which when released as a single reached Number 4, and sold in excess of 1.4 million copies in America, it also climbed to Number 5 in the UK, which led to the renewed interest in the original version. The song was also introduced to a whole new generation in the UK when the 2009 British ‘X-Factor’ winner Joe McEldry performed the song on that television singing competition programme.

‘Don’t Stop Believin” is a song of hope. In a lonely world where it can be hard to find that right someone, the hope that you can is what makes things bearable. The song also addresses escaping from your past, whatever that maybe, and looking forward to a better tomorrow.

‘Just a small town girl, livin’ in a lonely world, she took the midnight train goin’ anywhere. Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit, he took the midnight train goin’ anywhere.