Faithfully by Journey

Album: Frontiers (1983)

Charted: 8

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Songfacts®:

Journey keyboard player Jonathan Cain wrote this song about the challenges of being a married man on the road in a rock band:

Always another show
Wondering where I am
Lost without you

At the time, he was married to his first wife, Tané, a singer who had a #37 hit in 1982 called "Holdin' On," which Jonathan co-wrote and produced. He and Tané divorced a few years later, despite him pledging in this song to be "forever yours... faithfully."
In his Songfacts interview, Jonathan Cain said, "God gave me that song," as he wrote it so quickly. "I started it on the bus heading to Saratoga Springs," he said. "I woke up the next day with a napkin on the side of my nightstand and I looked at the lyrics, 'Highway run into the midnight sun.' Then I got this supernatural download: This is the rest of the song.

I wrote rest of it down, almost frantically. I'd never had a song come to me so quickly that it was anointed, supernatural. Literally, in 30 minutes I had written that song. I had the napkin in my pocket and I put it on the piano. I had a big grand piano there by the orchestra. I played through it and I thought, 'Man, this is good.'

The Lord gave me permission to finish it. Normally I would go to Steve Perry or somebody and say, 'Help me finish this song.' No. God gave me the mind to finish it, and the rest is history. That would be a love song to God, absolutely."
According to the liner notes in Journey's Time3 compilation, Cain paid tribute to Journey road manager Pat Morrow and stage manager Benny Collins in the line, "We all need the clowns to make us smile."

"He told me he got the melody out of a dream," said Neal Schon. "I wish something like that would happen to me."

"Basically it's a road song," Cain said. "You know I'm being a good dog out here - don't worry about it."
Like "Rosanna" by Toto, this contains lyrics delivered by the lead singer but written by another member of the band, which led many fans to believe Steve Perry wrote the song about a particular girl.
Journey's first music video was for this song. At the time, finding a director for a video wasn't easy, especially in America, so the band's manager, Herbie Herbert, hired the guys from NFL Films to shoot footage of the band on the road and onstage. So the same guys who filmed Walter Payton scoring touchdowns also filmed Steve Perry shaving his mustache.

Journey hated making videos, but couldn't ignore the promotional impact of MTV. The network favored acts like Journey at the time because they were trying to position themselves with a rock format.
The song was performed by Lea Michele and Cory Monteith in the first season finale of Glee, along with several other Journey songs in the same episode. In the week after the transmission of the episode, download sales of the Glee version were sufficient to return the song to the Top 40 of the Hot 100.
When he was young, Jonathan Cain wanted to be a priest. He attended the Our Lady of the Angels School in Chicago and survived the 1958 fire there that killed 95 people. He stepped away from his faith, and after going through turmoil with Journey and enduring two failed marriages, he had an epiphany on a road in Florida, where he found himself calling out to God.

He joined the New Destiny Christian Center in Orlando, Florida, and in 2015 married its pastor, Paula White. In 2016 he released his first album of worship music, What God Wants to Hear. Looking back on "Faithfully," he saw it in a different light. "If you take 'Oh girl' and you put 'Oh God' in there, you've got a Christian song," he told Songfacts.

Comments: 39

Luna Loud from Royal Woods, MichiganYou know, dudes, it's too bad this band's videos suck because their songs are so effin' amazing. And I'm with you 'Raf from Clovis, Ca; this song gets me in the feels every time.
Chase Tart from North Carolina I’m 14 and this has to be my favorite song, which testifies to this song being so timeless. Not many musicians would credit God with the gift to write songs, so major props to Jonathan.
Anonymous from Nacogdoches TexasI get the joy of rediscovering you...
A-bomb from Duluth, Ga UsaAnd being apart ain't easy on this love affair
Two strangers learn to fall in love again
I get the joy
Of rediscovering you
Oh girl, you stand by me
I'm forever yours, faithfully
Rafael Burgos from Clovis, CaThis song makes me cry.
Stuartdevoy from Cornwall, United KingdomI was always ridiculed at school for liking Journey, not that any of the kids had ever heard there stuff, I'm English) I guess they weren't hip enough. then glee sing there songs and everybody's saying how good they are, all those years they missed out on, there is a lesson there somewhere. this is a great track used to stand in my bedroom with a tennis racket pretending to Neil Schon.
Betty from Bedford, OhI thought this song was written by Steve Perry but I guess not LOL songs that are written about something you feel are the best songs. This is one of my ultimate favorites songs.
Hannah from Ottawa, OnANY Journey song is a good song but I particularly like Faithfully and Open Arms. They remind me of the early 8o's when I was in middle school. We always heard these songs at the school dances.
Megan from Stevenson, AlOMG! This song is so great! One of the greatest bands in history...
Mariana from Timisoara, RomaniaI decided to have this song played at my wedding when I first heard it, years before I met my husband. It is so beautiful and so romantic!
Jordan from San Antonio, Txmy bf is the best to me.
im so thankful for him and how he treats me.
after everything he still cares for me tremendously..
i cried when i heard this song
after he told me it reminds him of me like crzy.
he is a very known band...and this song fits his commitment towards me . i love him
Tt from Columbia, ScA piece of history a song that will last forever and a day ,
Danny from Your Town, IaA song that will stand the test of time. Our grandkids will be talking about this one. My 17 year old already does.
David from Youngstown, OhOne of the most unintentionally funny songs ever. The lyrics are so cliche. "They say that the road ain't no place to start a family" and "Circus lights under the big top world." So ridiculous.

Forever yours...faithfully
Theresa from Murfreesboro, TnJourney's best song - hands down.
Brandon from Kalamazoo, Mimy favorite song of all time....just hits me every time...Steve Perry's voice it's so good
Jackie Moritz from Philadelphia, PaWhen I first heard this song I was 13, now almost four years later this song still is my favorite! My best friend Jarred & I dedicated this song to each other. He moved away two years ago and to me this song describes how faithful we are to each other.
Aaron from Jacksonville, FlWhen I first heard this song when I was 17 it has gotten me through a lot of tough times! One of there best!!
Rhodora from Quezon , PhilippinesThis song was written by Jonathan Cain on a napkin of The Hilton Hotel when they were on the road, touring.
Aldrin from Manila, Philippinesvery romantic journey song..beautiful song lines accompanied with steve perry's powerful vocals and neil schon's guitar..man i have nothing to say about this song but for me its a classic..
Erikka from Buckeye, AzThis song is probably the most romantic song I have ever heard!! I love it! I asked the DJ at prom if he would play it, and he asked me "Who's Journey?" I thought he was joking. I was 10 years younger than the guy, and he didn't even know who Journey is!! Pitiful, just pitiful.
Jeff from Chicago, GaRandy jackson played bass on the Raised on Radio album and toured with the band.. that hot pink outfit he wore should be outlawed!!
Melissa from Lorton, VaI love this song... I remember when I was four and my dad would play this song on the radio to help me go to sleep. It is one of my favorite Journey songs.
Jeff from Austin, TxI agree with Scott from Columbus. That is a fantastic line. And the line before it as well..."Two strangers learn to fall in love again". Unbelievable song, easily one of the best ever written. And as usual, Steve Perry sang the hell out of it.
Chris from Miami, FlI used to love this song because I would always dedicate it to my gf wenever i would hear it but after all that it really meant nuthing. Its a great song with lyrics that have meaning but honestly I don't like it anymore =[
Julia from Knoxville, TnRyan, it's ironic that I notice you're in Mobile, AL. this song was popular when I lived there.
Julia from Knoxville, TnMy best friend was able to go to a Journey concert, and that is what makes her get emotional now when she and I both hear the song.
Matt from Bristol, United StatesI first heard this song about 10 years ago on a TV advert for a sale on sofas at BHS :P Then, last year, I bought a Journey album and was instantly reaquainted.
I. Orta from Austin, Txit stinks being born in 89 cuz nobody tells you about all this great music that was created before any song that came out was manufactured from a make up artist an excutive and some eye candy to sell records. i wanna know what the good times were like, especially when gas was low. and 80s people thought they knew everything, i wanna know!!!!
Mike from Orleans, InThis is my favorite Journey song. i am one of a few students at my high school who listens to Journey.
Brad from Redding, CaHas anybody seen the music video for this? It has got to be one of the most unintentially funny things I've ever seen. The shot of Steve Perry about to shave his moustache is hilarious.
Millerman from Dacusville, ScHey Danny in Cape Breton (sounds like a beautiful place), it was 3 years after this song was released before Randy Jackson came on board for the Journey lads. Cheers, mate!
Robert from San Francisco, CaGreat ipod song while riding throught the streets of SF!
Danny from Cape Breton, Canadatotaly wicked song i was wondering if american idol judge randy jackson played with journey or this track as a basist, i am sure he has,
as said earlier this one will take you back to that special one who will always be faithfully!
Scott from Columbus, OhThe line: "I get the joy of re-discovering you" is nothing short of genius and inspiring...what a beautiful way to say I still appreiciate your love and how much it inspires me.
Fooking beautiful! Journey was a certainly one of the best combinations of musicians to ever become. Bravo!
Jayna from Youngstown, OhJourney is by far the GREATEST band in the entire world!!! i love open arms best song ever! faithfully is my 2nd favorite song!! JOURNEY KICKS ASS!!
Dee from Indianapolis, InThis has to be one of the best love songs ever written. Between this and Open Arms you can't go wrong for slow dancing or romancing. This reminds me of some of my 1st crushes I had as a early teen. I still can tear up over this one at times.
Ryan from Mobile, AlTrue True...it is a great song. I do think of the one that got away :'(
Joe from Ocala, FlYou can't hear this song without thinking of the girl that got away in your own life.

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