My Top 10 Favorite Steve Perry Vocal Performances

Steve Perry sings in the desert...so that's where he's been all this time!

Now, how can I have Journey Week and not have a post about "The Voice". Steve Perry's soulful, soaring tenor was the key to transforming Journey from an unknown Prog Rock band to Multi-Platinum Arena Rock Megastars. His ability to take even the most generalized sentiments and personalize them with power and emotion is unrivaled. He exuded sincerity and honesty, inspired World Champions and made every guy in a Karaoke bar whose had five or more beers think that they could wail like Sam Cooke too. And as much as I've enjoyed all of Perry's replacements, his legacy is so great that the rotating lead singer position has almost become like a Broadway role. "And now portraying Steve Perry is..." Having drummer Deen Castronovo sing lead doesn't help this, though Castronovo does a mean Steve Perry himself. Having said that Arnel Pineda has continued to impress over the past few weeks. But this post isn't about Pineda, this one's for "The Voice"!

10. I Believe from the Steve Perry album Street Talk (1984)

Perry's roots are in Rhythm & Blues and this album track from Perry's first solo album rides a Motown beat all the way to Detroit. It's slightly remiscent of The Temptations and has one of Steve Perry's most natural sounding performances. What's great about this vocal is that Perry has the sound of a man coming home after a long Journey.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE6K9GgZ2aM

9. Stay Awhile from the Journey album Greatest Hits Live (1982)

One of the minor hit singles off the Departure album (1980), on the live recordings from the Escape tour Perry rearranged his vocal pattern slightly to give more of a soulful kick to the second verse. It's a stunt so amazing and affecting it's like watching a diving baseball catch or a winning basket at the game ending buzzer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWRMEY0IaZg

8. Any Way You Want It from the Journey album Captured (1981)

This is one of Journey's most memorable songs and one of their most simple. It's all about the performance on this track. Perry's part is to wail as long and fast as possible, a stunt many of his successors would struggle with on this song. It sounds so effortless when Perry does it, which makes the live album version on Captured all the more impressive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCTh8tjOx0A

7. Don't Be Down On Me Baby from the Journey album Trial By Fire (1996)

Latter day Perry, when his voice got lower and raspier. This old soul style scorcher with the slightly classical sounding piano gave The Voice room to dig in with one of his most emotional vocals. The 60's soul influence comes to the fore again with almost a Stax/Volt quality to it.

6. Ask The Lonely from the movie soundtrack Two Of A Kind (1983)

One of my all time favorite Journey songs because it allows the full band to show their strengths. Steve Perry gets caught up in the melodrama delivering a tense verse section to lead to a soaring chorus. One of Journey's problems when selecting replacement singers have been choosing people more rock influenced than R&B influenced. Tracks like "Ask The Lonely" illustrates that while the band rocks, Perry's soulfulness made them move.

5. I'll Be Alright Without You from the Journey album Raised On Radio (1986)

The Raised On Radio album was often like a Steve Perry solo album and nowhere was that more evident than this R&B flavored pop tune. A Hammond Organ sound similar to his solo hit "Foolish Heart" gives Perry the foundation to sing his tale of woe. One of Perry's best "I'm so haunted by you, girl" performances. Reportedly the song is at least partially inspired by the breakup with ex-girlfriend Sherrie Swafford ("Oh Sherrie").

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

4. You Better Wait from the Steve Perry album For The Love Of Strange Medicine (1994)

After a seven year absence from the music scene, Steve Perry came crashing back with this Journeyish rocker. The best of Perry's rock form, it starts with a rush of "ahhh"ing Perry overdubs before kicking into the midtempo rock groove. Perry's voice distorts a little bit (intentionally) to add drama before he unleashes one of his famous sustained notes in the chorus. A masters class in Arena Rock singing.

3. Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin' from Journey's Raised On Radio tour (1986)

"Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" came from the 1979 album Evolution and was Journey's first Top 20 hit. The thumping bass line and "Na Na Na Na Na" ending was all Perry. But the best version was never commercially released, when I saw Journey perform in '86 the song had been revamped. The first half was Perry singing in an almost gospel style backed on the piano by Jon Cain. After the first verse ended the full band would kick in. It was one of The Voice's most stirring vocal performances, the soul in it was of the hair-standing-on-your-forearms variety.

2. Don't Stop Believin' from the Journey album Escape (1982)

The song has evolved from being Journey's signature hit to pop culture classic over the years. Steve Perry's inspirational voice insisting that we don't stop believin' and hold on to that feelin' has struck a chord with generations of fans. When Perry hits the climax of the chorus with "in the niiigggghhhtttt!!!" everyone in hearing range feels the emotion. Simply amazing.

1. Sweet and Simple from the Journey album Evolution (1979)

It's said that Steve Perry wrote this song about Lake Tahoe. If that's the case, it's easy to imagine Perry's searing vocal echoing across the lake and mountains. R&B singers like En Vogue and Mariah Carey have pointed to Steve Perry as a respected contemporary (Carey even covered "Open Arms") and here he throws out his most melismatic vocal to date. But he's not rangy or showing off without any point, his bold vocal is stirring and staggering in it's ability. When I want to hear ultimate Steve Perry, I always throw this one on.

Steve Perry has been quiet following his ouster from Journey but he has mentioned an interest in recording music again which has fans like me anxiously awaiting his next move. He and Journey may never get along again, but the history and careers they've built has stood the test of time.