High On You by Survivor

Album: Vital Signs (1984)

Charted: 8

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Survivor guitarist Frankie Sullivan and keyboard player Jim Peterik were their primary songwriters, and this was one of their compositions. Peterik left the band in 1996, and continues to play with The Ides Of March, which he founded in 1965. He told us: "This is one song that's not brain surgery. It came from a jam. A lot of great songs come from jam sessions. I remember soundchecks with Survivor and The Ides Of March, and there's no better place to start a jam then on stage. Everything is miked-up, you're in a good mood, the lights come on, the audience isn't there yet and you start jamming. High On You was similar to that, only it started in rehearsal. Frankie started jamming on this really great guitar riff. I started laying my right hand on the keyboard and coming up with that very sing-song melody."
Jim Peterik told us: "Lyrically, I've had that title ever since the CBS convention in 1977 when Sly Stone of Sly & the Family Stone - there were rumors about him being strung out on drugs - he bolts on stage all cleaned up and says, 'I want you to know, people, I am high on you." Everybody applauded. There's a title if I ever heard one, so I guess indirectly he inspired that song."

Comments: 10

Ricky Johnson from Ohsweken Ontario CanadaDavid Levack I thought the exact same thing! HAPPY NEW YEAR 2022!
AnonymousWas this the theme song to a sit com?
Patrick Longworth from Okanagan Falls, British Columbia, CanadaI love that anecdote though "High on You" is among my least favourite of the songs, hits, music, videos and lyrics of Survivor.
David Levack from MichiganAnyone notice the synth intro is reminiscent of the four seasons "who loves you"?
Rae from NjGreat song!
Dave from Wheaton, IlI wonder if Dave Bickler sings this song in concert, now that Jim Jamison's dead.
Gino from HoustonHo hum........ I wrote a good part of this song. Not to say too much about the song, but you could say liking a girl for the wrong reasons and infatuation.
Mike from Hueytown , AlNo the narrator is HIGH on a woman's love. Not every song in history is about drug use. Shocking I know haha
Joe from Bellingham, Wadunno? i never heard it. eye of the tiger is better.
Victor from Vienna, Vais this song about drugs?

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