don't stop believin journey meaning

Song Meanings and Facts

Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” Lyrics Meaning

by SMF · Published August 4, 2019 · Updated September 21, 2022

As the title implies (“Don’t Stop Believin’”), this song is based on the concepts of positivity thinking and remaining optimistic in the face of uncertainty. Its origins can famously be traced back to one of its co-writers, Jonathan Cain, calling his dad one day from Hollywood. He went there to pursue his dream of becoming a famous musician, but things weren’t working out for him.

So he asked his dad if he should quit and come home, upon which his father replied, in summation, “don’t stop believing” .

Cain, Steve Perry and the rest of Journey were able to take that piece of inspiration and work with it. At the end of the day, they turned it into one of the greatest rock classics in the history of American music.

The Lyrics of “Don’t Stop Believin'”

Now let’s get back to the song’s lyrics meaning. In this song, the band depicts people from different walks of life who are facing challenges somewhat similar to what Steve went through. For instance, in the first verse we are introduced to two individuals who “ took the midnight train ”, as in ventured away from home, “going anywhere”. That is to say that they have set off into the unknown, more or less in search of their destiny.

Then in the second verse we have “a singer in a smoky room” . In all it reads as if he is an itinerant entertainer. He appears to be a hustler who is just enjoying his gig for the night with no telling what fortune will come his way tomorrow.

Indeed in the third verse we are made privy to the uncertainty the characters who make up this song (including the singer himself) face, as Perry states that “ some will win; some will lose .”

But the one thing they all have for common is that they are looking for something. Or as Steve sings in the pre-chorus in reference to the “ streetlight people ” (who are basically synonymous with city dwellers in general ), they are “ living just to find emotion ”.

But amidst it all, the chorus (which unconventionally comes at the end of the song) brings home the main point of this track. And that is even amidst this uncertainty and wandering if you will, these people should “ hold on to that feeling ” – as in a sense of optimism and destiny – and ‘ not stop believing’ .

In other words, whatever they set forth looking for in the first place, as in “that feeling”, they should continue to strive for.

This is intrinsically even in the face of obstacles, specifically within the context of this song perhaps those which evolve internally. And this general theme of this song is of course a piece of timeless, faith-based inspiration. Thus it is likely that “Don’t Stop Believin'” will continue to be a staple of American pop culture, as its overall sentiment is applicable to a variety of situations.

Release Date of “Don’t Stop Believin’”

Journey released this motivational song through Columbia Records on 6 October 1981. It was the lead song and second single from the band’s most-successful album titled Escape .

Chart Performance

It fared well upon its original release, peaking at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 62 on the UK Singles Chart. It also managed to chart in Australia, Canada and the Netherlands.

However, “Don’t Stop Believin’” has proven to be a timeless hit, charting annually in the UK from 2008-2012.

Furthermore, till date, it frequently makes appearances on the music charts in many countries around the world. This is largely due to the song being utilized in a number of different venues in pop culture in more-recent years.

Movie Appearances

When the above phenomena began is a matter of debate. Some say it started when the track was featured in the iconic 1998 film The Wedding Singer starring Adam Sandler. Others would argue it is due to the song playing a prominent role in the 2003 hit movie Monster , starring Charlize Theron. And still others may assert that this classic’s modern popularity is attributable to it being featured on the final episode of the hit television show The Sopranos in 2007.

Other Popular Usages

Indeed “Don’t Stop Believin’” has been featured in a quite a few movies and sports venues (i.e. Major League Baseball games, being the theme song of the 2005 World Series’ champions Chicago White Sox). It has also appeared on many a television show, including popular sitcoms like The Simpsons and Glee . It is also commonly used in reality-based musical contests like X-Factor . In fact this song is also known to be a karaoke favorite.

Talking about this song’s appearance in Glee , it should be noted that it has been performed, in varying capacities, on at least six different episodes of the show. And the rendition the cast released in 2010 was actually nominated for a Grammy Award, making it the only song from the show to ever accomplish this feat.

Moreover a 2009 rendition of the song by X-Factor champion Joe McElderry charted higher on the UK Singles Chart than the original version of the track.

Commercial Success in America

Indeed in terms of digital sells, “Don’t Stop Believin’” set the record for being the top-selling song from the 20 th century (i.e. the pre-digital era), specifically in the United States. As of 2019, in the United States alone, it has sold in excess of 7 million copies. Many believe it was able to achieve this great feat due to it being featured The Sopranos .

Covers of “Don’t Stop Believin’”

And logically “Don’t Stop Believin’” has been covered by a number of musicians. Prominent names on this list include the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Sting and Lady Gaga.

Who wrote “Don’t Stop Believin’”?

Steve Perry wrote “Don’t Stop Believin'” along with fellow Journey band members Jonathan Cain and Neal Schon.

The city of Detroit plays a prominent role in the composition of this song. Indeed Perry was inspired to write part of it by watching people in the Motor City. It’s no wonder, he gives a shoutout to “South Detroit” in the track’s lyrics. However, it has been pointed out that there is not actually a “South Detroit” as he references in the song. This is something Perry did not become aware of until more recently. And he has stated that he chose to say “South Detroit” (as opposed to ‘East’, ‘West’ or ‘North’) because it sounded better.

On the production side, record producers Mike Stone as well as Kevin Elson handled the production of “Don’t Stop Believin’”). It’s important to mention that for several years both Stone and Elson were among the band’s regular collaborators.

“keep on runnin'” by journey, “send her my love” by journey.

“Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” by Journey
“Who’s Crying Now” by Journey
“Never Walk Away” by Journey
“Foolish Heart” by Steve Perry
“Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes
“Friends” by Whodini
“Five Minutes of Funk” by Whodini

5 Responses

Pingbacks 0

Great Song!!!!! That’s one of the best mottos ever… DON’T STOP BELIEVING!!!!!!!

Great song with only one major faux pas. There’s no such thing as South Detroit. South from downtown is Windsor Canada

False. There of course IS a south Detroit as this is simply a reference to the south SIDE of Detroit. Windsor is NOT Detroit. As Perry said a word (south) was only added because the lyric/line sounded better.

Popular Usage needs to include the use of this song in the last scene of the HBO drama series ‘The Sopranos’

Those who hilariously say “There is no south Detroit” insult the intelligence of Steve Perry and the writers. There of course IS a south Detroit, the south of Detroit. No one in the rock world cared about any Windsor. Not in the 70s nor today, and Windsor is in no way a part of the city of Detroit. As Steve said, an as any intelligent person gets, a word (south) was added because the line sounded better. Or flowed better if you will, sing the song with no word before Detroit and the timing is off. Everyone over in “Windsor” finally got it? Good. Lol

Song Meanings & Facts

Terms and Conditions

The improbable story of the Journey classic that keeps coming back to life

From Mafia finales to Arnold Schwarzenegger: the brilliant and often bizarre and afterlife of Journey’s Don't Stop Believin'

When the screen cut abruptly to black and the strains of Journey ’s Don’t Stop Believin’ went silent at the finale of iconic TV show The Sopranos in 2007, it might have symbolised the death of Tony Soprano, but it began a new life for Journey’s enduring classic.

The song’s revival provided an extraordinary new chapter in a fairytale story that began back in 1981 and continues to this day. After its Sopranos -assisted revival, the song became a belated UK Top 10 hit in 2009 (it limped to a paltry No.62 when it was originally released), been streamed almost half a billion times on Spotify and been covered by everyone from Steel Panther to erstwhile teenyboppers Hanson. These days, Don’t Stop Believin’ is a kind of unofficial American national anthem – and it’s thanks in a large part to Tony Soprano.

“That’s the incredible power of mixing music and images,” explains Gary Calamar, whose job as one of Hollywood’s top music supervisors is to find that perfect mix. “That Sopranos scene was incredible, the final scene of one of the best TV shows ever. There was a huge audience with big expectations for the finale. Plus, the song is a great mix of heavy whack hairband rock with Steve Perry wailing his heartfelt and, dare I say, inspiring lyrics.”

Calamar compares the use of Don’t Stop Believin’ with other memorable scenes involving specific songs: Night Ranger 's Sister Christian in Boogie Nights , Stealers Wheel's Stuck In The Middle With You in Reservoir Dogs , Sia’s Breathe Me in Six Feet Under . “When you have a big music scene like that it has a massive impact,” he says. “It really gets under your skin and sticks with you.”

“I think the song’s continued popularity goes back to its core meaning,” says Kara Wright, the A&R coordinator with publishing company Peer Music. “ Don’t Stop Believin’ carries a timeless message that says don’t stop believing in you – don’t stop believing in the world – don’t stop believing in anything. Life goes on (and on and on) regardless whether you’re a small-town girl, a city boy, the Sopranos or a member of your high-school glee club.”

The public’s insatiable appetite for Don’t Stop Believin’ was underlined just two years after its use on The Sopranos when it featured in the pilot episode of the TV show Glee in May 2009. The cast’s version of Don’t Stop Believin’ topped that of Journey’s original, reaching No.4 in the US Top 100 and echoed the digital download success of the original, going gold in the US with sales of over 500,000. The Glee cast later covered the song again, resulting in combined sales of 973,000 for both versions. It fared equally well in Britain where the Glee cast’s recording debuted at No.5.

To further emphasise the seemingly limitless affection for the song, in addition to its high-profile inclusion on The Sopranos and Glee , versions of Don’t Stop Believin’ have appeared in – deep breath – Family Guy, Scrubs, South Park, My Name Is Earl, Just Shoot Me, Benidorm, Eastenders, TV Burp , countless editions of The X-Factor and American Idol, Swedish Idol, Australian Idol … you get the picture.

Classic Rock Newsletter

While Don’t Stop Believin’ ’s 2007 inclusion on The Sopranos is considered by many to mark the beginning of its latest wave of popularity, in an article in the LA Times, Journey’s Jonathan Cain – who wrote the song along with Steve Perry and Neal Schon – cited its use in the 1998 Adam Sandler comedy The Wedding Singer as the spark. Though Gary Calamar, who is also a DJ on LA-based radio station KCRW, begs to differ. “For better or worse I don’t think Don’t Stop Believin’ ever went away. I’ve always felt its cheesy presence.”

Ten years later Sandler and Don’t Stop Believin’ were reunited in Bedtime Stories . In the interim it featured in the 2003 drama Monster starring Charlize Theron. The actress, who was also the film’s producer, had been so keen to include the track that she personally wrote a letter to Steve Perry. After viewing the proposed scene, Perry agreed to the song’s use and even became the film’s music consultant.

The song is in the title of the Journey documentary Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey , while other films to feature it include View From The Top, The Comebacks, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs and The Losers .

Gary Calamar, whose list of credits includes House, Dexter and After The Sunset , understands why the song is featured so regularly. “In a way, using these songs is like batting practice for a music supervisor, you know you have a good chance of hitting it out of the park with one of these old power ballads and a big, over the top scene.”

“It’s a feelgood song with a positive message and a memorable melody,” says Kara Wright, “and it’s an anthem that can be accepted and applied to any kind of situation.”

To back her words, scour Spotify and you’ll come across a dizzying list of artists who have covered the track in all manner of styles, from symphonic metallers Northern Kings to dungaree-clad downhome rockers Hayseed Dixie. There are classical versions, bluegrass versions, acapella versions, dance versions and lounge jazz versions. Scour YouTube and you’ll even come across a reggae cover alongside versions by Panic! At The Disco’s Brendan Urie, John Mayer, Stashrip and even audio of a workout set to the tune by none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Don’t Stop Believin’ is a perennial live favourite, and not just for Journey. During its lifespan it’s been covered by an array of artists. Notable among recent live performances was its inclusion on Kanye West’s set list during his 2008 Glow In The Dark tour while a charity event for the Rainforest Fund at Carnegie Hall in May brought together the unlikely combination of Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen , Elton John , Sting, Debbie Harry and Shirley Bassey for an encore of the song.

“I think the revival of Don’t Stop Believin’ can be greatly attributed to the exposure and emphasis that entertainment platforms such as TV, video games and advertising now offer to music – an ideal medium that works well for current and classic titles,” says Kara Wright.

The song’s inspirational message has made it a favourite with sports teams, never with greater impact than with the Chicago White Sox. During the 2005 season the hapless baseball team adopted Don’t Stop Believin’ as their rally cry. The team duly went on to reach the World Series for the first time in 80 years with Steve Perry being invited to attend as they swept the Houston Astros in four games.”

It’s hard to go anywhere these days without being exposed to the song in some form. All across America innocent ‘Stop’ signs have been transformed into Journey tributes with the simple addition of two words.

Wherever you do go, you can even be wearing your Don’t Stop Believin’ knickers or clutching your Don’t Stop Believin’ teddy bear. Its omnipresence is why Kara Wright feels Don’t Stop Believin’ is “at the forefront of other songs decades old being revitalised and reintroduced to popular culture.”

Wright believes the song’s success paved the way for others. Absolutely, given the digital revolution and multimedia phenomenon, I think it’s an extraordinary time for classic rock songs to find new leases on life. In this way, long-forgotten music will continue to be revived as younger audiences gain new found appreciation for rock history. The universe of catalogues yet to be unleashed is thrilling.”

And what of the men who wrote it? Unsurprisingly, the song closes every Journey show these days, though given its popularity, it would probably induce riots if it didn’t.

Former singer Steve Perry has a more complicated relationship with song. The only times Perry has sung onstage since he stepped away from music in 1995 came when he made guest appearances at three shows with the band Eels in 2014. And while he did sing Journey songs with the group, Don’t Stop Believin’ wasn’t one of them.

The original version of this article appeared in Classic Rock issue 153

Kevin Murphy is a writer, journalist and presenter who's written for the Daily Telegraph, Independent On Sunday, Sounds, Record Mirror, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Noise, Select and Event. He's also written about film for Empire, Total Film and Directors Guild of America Magazine.

Dream Theater announce UK and Europe dates for 2024-2025 40th Anniversary tour

"We felt like we were playing with our hands tied behind our backs. That will drive a person insane, and it did": Shirley Manson reveals how being pitched against No Doubt almost destroyed Garbage

"Sir Elton helped cover Nothing Else Matters, and tonight, you can see us return the favor!" Watch a clip of Metallica performing a rollocking cover of Elton John classic, Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, with Elton looking on approvingly

Most Popular

By Dannii Leivers 7 April 2024

By Paul Rees 7 April 2024

By Alexander Milas 7 April 2024

By Rob Hughes 7 April 2024

By Malcolm Dome 7 April 2024

By Dave Ling 7 April 2024

By Dave Ling 6 April 2024

By Rob Hughes 6 April 2024

By Malcolm Dome 6 April 2024

By Jon Weiderhorn 6 April 2024

By Niall Doherty 6 April 2024

Meaning Behind “Don’t Stop Believin'” Song By Journey

meaning behind the song "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey feature graphic

Don’t Stop Believin’ is a classic American rock song by the band Journey. Originally released in 1981, this mid-tempo rock anthem has continued to resonate to this day. The track was released as the second single on the band’s seventh studio album, Escape , with Columbia Records. It achieved number nine on Billboard’s Hot 100 , but in the UK Singles chart, it only ranked number 62. And it would have to wait over 20 years before it became a full-fledged American classic.

Now, it is considered one of the best songs of all time. But it actually has a more complex history than it first appears.

The Composing of a Classic

The song was written by multiple band members : keyboardist Jonathan Cain, vocalist Steve Perry, and guitarist Neal Schon. Don’t Stop Believin’ is notable for its unique opening keyboard riff and chorus. It is interpreted as a penetrating perspective on individual human beings and society and how the two interact. It focuses on how the workaday world is boring, monotonous, and suffocating. Nevertheless, the track encourages feelings of hope, positivity, and endurance in its listeners.

Journey was fast becoming one of the world’s most prominent rock groups in the early 1980s. The band had achieved high success before adding Cain on the keyboard. He joined them before they entered the studio to record their seventh album.

The composing of Don’t Stop Believin’ was not a simple process. If not for a few lucky accidents along the way, band members Cain, Perry, and Schon may never have written it. They had just left behind its progressive rock phase in search of a smoother sound, and Perry became the vocalist at this time.

Don’t Stop Believin’ Lyrics Meaning

Journey - Don't Stop Believin' (Official Audio)

The core of the track—its infamous words and chords—comes from Cain. These words originated and still serve for him as a personal mantra. He first heard the words that would become the song on a phone call with his father.

At the start of his career in the 1970s, aspiring musician Cain was younger and struggling when his dog was hit by a car. Unsure about his future music career in Hollywood, he called his dad. He needed $900 for his dog’s veterinarian bill and a loan. He asked his father if his music career was merely “dreaming” and whether he should go back home to Chicago. His dad told him that he’d give him the loan but to stay right there in Hollywood: “Son, don’t stop believin’.”

He was struck by the beauty in these words and wrote them in his lyric book. Naturally, he had this book with him when he joined Journey in San Francisco.

He joined the band as they began working on their seventh album, Escape . Perry told Cain that their producer wanted one more song for their new album. Having hardly played with the band before starting the album, he replied that they’d already produced 17. But the producer was dead set and Perry was insistent.

Cain went home to work on the track on his Wurlitzer piano—the same one he wrote Open Arms on. As he paged through his lyric notebook he again saw the words: “Don’t stop believin’.” Knowing Perry would love it, he immediately set to work writing a soaring chorus: “Hold on to that feelin’.” With just these two lines and the song’s chords, Cain went back to the band. Perry loved the chords, and the rest of the members joined in the work of writing a chorus.

Finding the Right Notes

Perry, in addition to being a vocalist, also played bass and drums. He brought a mechanical understanding to each part of the song. Cain listened to Perry scatting and picked out what he heard: “Lonely world” or “anywhere.” Cain suggested the names “Jack and Diane” as monikers for normal, everyday people. The “small-town girl” referenced is the first character introduced, and her world is immediately portrayed as “lonely.” He came to see the song as a sort of movie that “goes on and on.”

He also suggested that the track’s location sounded like Sunset Boulevard in the 1970s. His memories of people cruising up and down the boulevard on Friday nights came flooding back. He remembered hustlers and dreams, actors and actresses, and producers and wannabes, all looking for something.

After the lyrics were finished, the band went on to record the instruments. Initially, they had some difficulty with the song’s tempo. But amazingly, they were able to play the track through in one take after just 20 minutes of practice.

Schon recorded the song’s distinctive bass line while Cain wrote a complementary synth piece. Steve Smith drummed overtop this with a standard rock backbeat. He supplemented this with melodic, syncopated tom-toms and a ride cymbal bell that become more complex as the track progresses.

Schon also played 16th-note arpeggios over the rest of the instruments to evoke a “train” guiding the song on its way. Perry added his vocals soon after with the rest of the band singing backup in a single microphone. He finished mixing the track, and the hit was born.

Next: Journey’s best songs feature

What is The Real Don’t Stop Believin’ Song Meaning?

The song lyrics depict people from all different walks of life. These figures all share one theme in common: struggle in the face of challenges. These challenges are in many ways connected to what Perry went through in his personal life. Two individuals take a “midnight train going anywhere,” trying to set off into the unknown. Leaving home in search of destiny is a key theme in the track and part of its overall positivity.

The second verse begins with “a singer in a smoky room,” an itinerant entertainer or a hustler. This performer enjoys his gig but has no real clue what tomorrow holds for him.

The same is the case for the characters in the third verse. Some of these figures will win and others will lose—their fortunes are entirely uncertain. The thread that winds among them all and binds them together is their search for something more. Like the “streetlight people” of the city, they are all “livin’ just to find emotion.” Two pre-choruses interspersed build the tension until the track’s energy feels ready to blow.

Then comes the legendary chorus. Unlike most rock songs, Don’t Stop Believin’ saves its climactic chorus for the end. This makes sense since it was the most complete part at the start of composing. However, it is rare to be able to pull off such a daring power move.

The chorus not only caps the track but serves as its interpretative key. Even in the middle of the uncertainty of life and its meandering way, the song urges people to “hold on to that feelin’.” That feeling is an optimistic destiny worth striving for: the something more we are all after. If people “don’t stop believin’,” they may just achieve the fate they’re chasing.

Despite all the obstacles that are intrinsic to life, we can press on through them together. This is true even for those internal struggles we all face. This timeless inspiration of faith in humanity is what gives Don’t Stop Believin’ the power to reach across the decades. Regardless of what lies ahead, people still seem to be holding on to what matters most.

The message of this song seems to have been prophetic for the track itself. It became a top 10 worldwide hit upon release and became the band’s signature song. It hit new heights after being cataloged on iTunes in 2008, where it sold more than seven million copies. The 2009 cover by the cast of Glee actually outperformed the original track internationally. Today, there are few people who don’t know the words to this powerfully hopeful rock song.

The best ’80s rock bands (ultimate featured list)

The best rock bands ever (ultimate featured list)

Most popular songs of all time (best & most iconic songs)

As the Head Editor and Writer at Music Grotto, Liam helps write and edit content produced from professional music/media journalists and other contributing writers. He works closely with journalists and other staff to format and publish music content for the Music Grotto website. Liam is also the founding member of Music Grotto and is passionate in disseminating editorial content to its readers.

Liam’s lifelong love for music makes his role at Music Grotto such a rewarding one. He loves researching, writing and editing music content for Music Grotto.

Don't Stop Believin' by Journey

Songfacts®:

Journey's most enduring song, this track has a unique structure, which helps it stick in your mind. Where most songs have a chorus that's repeated several times, "Don't Stop Believin'" brings in its chorus (and title) only at the end - about 3:20 into the song. The structure goes: instrumental, first verse, instrumental, second verse, first pre-chorus, instrumental, third verse, second pre-chorus, instrumental, and then finally the chorus until fade-out. It was not their biggest chart hit (that would be " Open Arms "), but is by far Journey's most famous song, thanks to a resurgence in the '00s.
The line, "Strangers waiting, up and down the Boulevard" is a reference to Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, where dreams are made. Keyboard player Jonathan Cain got the idea for the song when he went there to pursue his career. In his Songfacts interview , Cain said: "The song began with the chorus. My father had coached me. I was in Hollywood, struggling with my career, kind of lost. I was asking him, 'Should I come back to Chicago and just give up on this dream?' And he said, 'No, son. Stay the course. We have a vision. It's gonna happen. Don't stop believin'.'" Cain's dream came true when he joined a group called The Babys with John Waite. In 1980, he joined Journey in San Francisco, and this song took shape. He told Steve Perry about his idea for placing the song in Sunset Boulevard, and Perry had him describe it. "I described the menagerie of people who would show up on a Friday night," Cain said. "All the dreamers that had dreams to become actors. Producers, artists, lawyers, anything... they were all there on a Friday night."
Journey lead singer Steve Perry, keyboard player Jonathan Cain and guitarist Neal Schon are the credited songwriters on this one, but the entire band contributed. In the Time3 compilation, the genesis of this song is explained: "At the band's Oakland warehouse, this song bubbled out of a rehearsal. Schon developed the bass riff, the chugging guitar line and the sweeping chords on the chorus. Steve Smith built the song around a pattern featuring a lot of tom-toms, anchoring the number to a rich drum figure. Perry and Cain drew from their experiences with the Sunset Strip street scene for the lyrics, 'streetlight people.'"
Speaking with New York Magazine , Perry explained that the song originated during a series of gigs in Detroit when he found himself in a hotel room unable to sleep, staring out of the window: Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard Their shadows searching in the night Streetlight people, living just to find emotion Hiding, somewhere in the night "I was digging the idea of how the lights were facing down, so that you couldn't see anything," he recalled. "All of a sudden I'd see people walking out of the dark, and into the light. And the term 'streetlight people' came to me. So Detroit was very much in my consciousness when we started writing."
The popular resurgence of this song can be traced to its use in the 2003 movie Monster , which was based on the true story of the female serial killer Aileen Wuornos. The film was not widely seen but drew critical raves and a Best Actress Oscar for Charlize Theron, who portrayed Wuornos. In the movie, the song comes on when Wuornos and Selby Wall (played by Christina Ricci) are skating to it in a roller rink. They mention how they love the song, and as it builds, so does their passion, and they end up kissing outside the rink. The use of "Don't Stop Believin'" in this critically adored scene got the attention of the Hollywood community, who saw the emotion the song could bring out and no longer thought of it as a nostalgia track. Requests started pouring in to use the song in a variety of movies and TV shows, and soon another generation was familiar with the song. So how did it get in Monster in the first place? The film's director Patty Jenkins used it when they shot the scene and knew it fit perfectly. She sent the band members viewing copies of the film and asked permission to use it on a short budget. Perry called her back and not only gave approval, but helped her select music for the rest of the film; he's credited as a music consultant.
The song was written to give the audience a connection with the band, a goal it achieved. Jonathan Cain told Songfacts: "It was the first attempt to bring an audience into the band's world. We're singing for you. We're singing about your world now. So, it was a departure from what they had been doing before. What I wanted to do was get a little Bruce Springsteen going on. Bruce was the master of that, bringing his audience into his songs. I was a huge fan of Bruce's."
Speaking with the British radio station Planet Rock in 2010, Steve Perry said of this song: "Personally, it's something that means a lot to me. Everybody has emotional issues and problems, and the song has helped me personally to not give up, and I'm finding a lot of people feel that."
This is the first track on Journey's seventh album, Escape . It was chosen to lead the album because, according to Cain, "With that piano line, it just sounds like a book opening up."
The song got a boost when it was used as the closing number in Rock of Ages , a jukebox musical featuring hits of the '80s. The show ran on Broadway from 2009-2015, and in 2012 was made into a movie starring Tom Cruise. It's an appropriate choice, as Rock of Ages takes place on Sunset Boulevard, which is also the primary setting for the song.
In the last ever episode of the TV show The Sopranos , which aired June 10, 2007, Tony Soprano plays this song on a jukebox during the final scene. The episode abruptly ends with the lyrics "Don't Stop" as the scene cuts to black. Steve Perry said in People magazine June 13, 2007: "I needed to know how this song was going to be used. I didn't want the song to be part of a blood-bath, if that was going to be the closing moment. In order for me to feel good about approving the song use, they had to tell me what happened. And they made me swear that I would not tell anybody."
This was featured in an episode of the TV show Scrubs called "My Journey." Other television series and films to use "Don't Stop Believin'" include South Park , The Wedding Singer , Shrek the Halls , Bedtime Stories , Yes Dear , King of the Hill , The Comebacks , View from the Top , Cold Case , CSI: Crime Scene Investigation , My Name Is Earl , Just Shoot Me and Laguna Beach .
In November 2008 it was announced that this track had become the first song available in the pre-digital era to sell more than 2 million downloads through iTunes. The track's popularity increased significantly after its appearance in the final episode of The Sopranos . It also became one of the most popular karaoke songs in America in the late '00s.
In May 2009 a remake by the cast of the Fox TV musical comedy Glee debuted at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, five places higher than Journey's version ever reached. It was performed in the season pilot and became part of the soundtrack album Glee: The Music, Volume 1 . By the end of 2009, the digital download had earned 500,000 digital sales. The Glee version was performed on Sesame Street with monsters portraying the cast. The bit featured the letter G, so the lyrics were adapted to "Don't stop G-ing."
Believing in yourself and following your passion are ideals Steve Perry holds dear. When Randy Jackson, who used to play bass with Journey, was a judge on the singing competition American Idol , he asked Perry to come on as a guest judge. Perry turned him down, saying, "I don't feel good about sitting in judgment of anyone's honest passion to perform or their talent. If someone has a passion to perform, they should do it no matter what anyone says." Perry added: "I was passed on in the music business many, many times before Herbie [Journey manager Walter Herbert] heard my demo and believed in me. That was the moment that changed my life and I'm still forever grateful to him for believing in me. The hardest part is to keep believing in what you love when others tell you that you are not good at it."
MTV went on the air shortly before this song was released. The band made a Spartan performance video for it in an empty arena, apparently at a soundcheck. They made a better one with footage from a Houston stop on their Escape tour, which became the official video that shows up on their VEVO account. Neither video got much love on MTV, which preferred concept videos.
In the UK, this song peaked at #62 when it was first released. In November 2009, it was rereleased after Joe McEldry sang it on the TV show X-Factor , and this time, it climbed to #19. Joe McElderry won the competition, and franchise boss Simon Cowell wanted to release his version of the song as the single in the aftermath of the teenage singer's victory. However, Journey declined and Cowell instead arranged for McElderry to cover Miley Cyrus' track " The Climb ." Guitarist Neal Schon explained to The Sun : "We knew about Joe's version because Simon had contacted our management. He wanted to re-do the song with a different arrangement. We listened to it. We declined. There was nothing wrong with the original version - if it's not busted, let's not fix it." Schon added that Journey were aware they were possibly passing up a UK #1 hit. "Randy Jackson, who was on American Idol with Simon, was stressing that we should let him do it because it would probably go to #1. But we stuck to our decision."
In the UK, the Glee Cast version debuted at #5 on the UK singles chart dated January 17, 2010, one place above Journey's original recording. It was the first instance of two versions of the same song sitting at back to back positions on the chart since December 2008 when Alexandra Burke's take on " Hallelujah " was at #1 with Jeff Buckley's version one place behind.
The song starts with Perry singing about a young couple from two different backgrounds: 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 But hang on a sec, any good Motor City citizen will tell you, there is no location called South Detroit; Detroit, Michigan, distinguishes only between an East Side and a West Side. If you go south in Detroit ("down-river"), you end up in Canada. Perry admitted to New York Magazine that he wasn't overly concerned with being geographically accurate. "I ran the phonetics of east, west, and north, but nothing sounded as good or emotionally true to me as South Detroit," he said. "The syntax just sounded right. I fell in love with the line. It's only been in the last few years that I've learned that there is no South Detroit. But it doesn't matter."
This was used in the 1982 Atari video game Journey Escape . The song played in the background while you controlled various band members, helping them find the space ship while avoiding groupies and evil promoters. Computer graphics were pretty bad back then, so the groupies were represented as hearts with legs, and the promoters were floating heads. In fact, the very game was created to be based on the band Journey and the album Escape .
This was one of the first Journey songs on which keyboard player Jonathan Cain played. He replaced Gregg Rolle for the Escape album.
Lady Gaga, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Blondie and Shirley Bassey performed this at the finale of a Rainforest Fund benefit at Carnegie Hall in May 2010.
This song was used in a 2005 episode of animated TV series Family Guy where Peter, Joe, Cleveland, and Quagmire did a drunken karaoke rendition of the song. ITunes was catching on at this point, and after this episode aired there was a spike in download sales of the song. >> Suggestion credit : Bert - Pueblo, NM
Journey toured to support this album, but they interrupted their tour to open for The Rolling Stones in Philadelphia on September 25, 1981. It was The Stones first show on their North American tour.
This became the anthem of the Chicago White Sox during their 2005 season in which they won the World Series. Steve Perry attended the last game of the Series and sang the song at their victory parade. Perry's allegiance though, is to his hometown team the San Francisco Giants. He was often seen supporting the team when they won World Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014. Perry would sometimes lead the crowd in singing along to "Don't Stop Believin'" when it was played between innings at games.
Steve Perry severed ties with Journey in 1998 when he needed hip replacement surgery and couldn't give his bandmates a return date. Anxious to tour, they replaced him with the similar sounding Steve Augeri, and later with Arnel Pineda. For Journey fans, a dream scenario finds Perry reuniting with the band, triumphantly taking the helm on "Don't Stop Believin'" in an affirmation of unity and faith. But every year, they scenario seems less likely. In 2017 when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Perry attended but didn't perform with the band, which did three songs (including this one) with Pineda. When Perry emerged with a solo album, Traces , in 2018, he offered some insight into his split with the band and his absence. "My love for music had suddenly left me," he said. "If music was ever to return to my heart, then and only then I would figure out what to do. If not... so be it, for I had already lived the dream of dreams." Journey first fractured in 1987 after touring for their Raised On Radio album. This was Perry's doing, as he was burned out and worried about keeping his voice healthy. But it was Perry who initiated their return, calling Cain in 1995 to talk about getting back together. This resulted in the 1996 album Trial by Fire ; Perry's hip condition emerged after it was finished.
"Don't Stop Believin'" powered Journey's 1988 Greatest Hits album to a whopping 15 million in US sales ( Escape sold 9 million), making it one of the best-selling compilation albums in history. In 2001, they released another compilation, The Essential Journey , which sold another 2 million.
During the 2020 pandemic, some hospitals used the song as a rallying call for patients recovering from COVID-19 and those treating them. The New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, for instance, played "Don't Stop Believin'" throughout the building each time they discharged a coronavirus patient.
In 2020, Ladbaby, a UK duo comprising YouTuber Mark Hoyle and his wife Roxanne, released a playful twist on this song titled " Don't Stop Me Eatin' ." Recorded to raise money for foodbank charity The Trussell Trust, Ladbaby's single was the UK's Official Christmas #1 that year.
"Don't Stop Believin'" was honored by the Library of Congress, which added it to the National Recording Registry in 2022. Steve Perry said: "That song, over the years, has become something that has a life of its own. It's about the people who've embraced it and found the lyrics to be something they can relate to and hold onto and sing."
On January 26, 2024, the RIAA certified "Don't Stop Believin'" at 18x Platinum, a jump from 5x Platinum in 2013. The new certification reflects streaming, and signals that the song is immensely popular across generations. Other songs to reach that milestone are all far more recent, like " Sunflower " by Post Malone. Based on these figures, it's safe to say that "Don't Stop Believin'" is the most widely popular song of all-time in America. You can play it to anyone and they'll certainly recognize the song and probably like it. The next-closest song from the pre-streaming era is Mariah Carey's " All I Want For Christmas Is You ," with a 14x Platinum certification in 2024.
More songs from Journey
More songs about perseverance
More songs used in TV shows
More songs used in movies
More popular Karaoke songs
More songs that were hits for more than one artist
More songs covered by the Glee cast
More songs that are discussed in movies
More songs popular during the coronavirus pandemic
More motivational songs
More songs from 1981
Lyrics to Don't Stop Believin'
Journey Artistfacts

Comments: 119

Chad Eicher from Apple Creek, Ohio This song has got to be one of the greatest hit songs that I knew the words to. The cast of the Fox television show "Glee" did their version of that hit song. It just blew me away.
Rw Cain, at a songwriters festival in 2014, explained some parts of the song. The girl and guy story is like a version of Jack And Diane; they may not be real people. The trains moving at midnight is inspired by the song Midnight Train To Georgia. Live versions of the song, depending on the main vocalist, may change South Detroit to whatever city the band is playing in at that moment.
Soulsoldseparately from Buffalo, Ny Does "city boy born and raised in South Detroit" refer to an actual person?
Seventh Mist from 7th Heaven My daughter's favorite song. She often used it as inspiration once she was on her own and (seemingly) facing a new challenge every day. She never stopped believing.
Susan from Illinois Question-asker from A Train Going Anywhere, I think the lyric means ourselves. The movie is our lives. I believe our lives on this planet will end, but our souls will live on and on in another place.
Ronsha from New Jersey OMG. This song is so dang famous! People everywhere know this song. I swear to God it's even growing on the younger generations, including me. I used to hate it and think it's overrated, but deep down I always thought, oh darn, this song's catchy, who am I kidding? I'm 13 now and Don't Stop Believin' is one of the most uplifting songs I've ever heard. Not only the sound, but also the lyrics are beautiful. Good song to make you feel strong, nostalgic... it could make you cry too.
Brett from Mason Whether we choose to hear Streetlight People for street lights, people Steve Perry came right out and said after a concert in Detroit he is looking out from his hotel room down on the street and there we're people just wandering around the street. Not necessarily prostitutes or any other specific type of people. More or less aimlessly wandering around Under The Lights doing nothing. Mendez for the South Detroit I don't think he was intending to give a geography lesson. He was making a song sound the best it could possibly be
Mckinzie from United States This is my all time favorite song, I say that this is my song because I could relate to this song so much.
Nick from Ohio This is the most played classic hit of all time. Who would have thought that a song that peaked at #9 would become the undisputed biggest song in history.
Badintense from Erie Pa This song has crossed all generations and ethnicities as a beloved song. Last summer (2019) in my neighborhood a group of young black teens were hauling their giant boom box down the street blaring this song and singing the words perfectly as if they were in an adult karaoke bar. It actually brought a tear to my eye since I was a teen when this song first came out in 1981. Journey's music has really brought people together into a common bond no matter what the media tries to push on people.
Question-asker from A Train Going Anywhere what does the lyric "Oh, the movie never ends It goes on and on, and on, and on" mean in this song?
Seventhmist from 7th Heaven I recently took a long trip and played a Journey collection in my car, downloaded from a phone app. It contained a live version of this song, performed in Houston, that I hadn’t heard before. When Perry reached line about the boy, he sang, “Just a city boy, born and raised right here in Houston!” That definitely caught me by surprise.
Jodie from Xx I'm pretty sure he's saying "streetlights, people". Not "streetlight people".
Steve from Albany, Ny And the nonsense about Windsor being "considered" south Detroit continues to stick to the Wiki page like doodoo. LOL It's been said by many that you should never rely on Wiki as a source of reliable / accurate information. Very true.
Charles from Charlotte The stuff about lowlife killer Eileen Wuernos kissing her female lover just sullies the discussion of a great American pop song. Wish Perry & Co, had said NO!! to that.
Leonardo from Connecticut I would argue that the Sopranos season finale repopularized the song, not Monster...
Tony from San Diego Steve Smith plays an amazing drum pattern during the choruses.
Steve from Albany, Ny The info on the Wikipedia page for this song is inaccurate. And some moderator is allowing it to be there. I guess the following from John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band's song C-I-T-Y was actually referring to Windsor too: "On the South side of Detroit city I'm working all night on the line" Yep, definitely referring to Windsor, Ontario because everyone knows Windsor, Ontario is "considered" south Detroit. Right. LOL
Steve from Albany, Ny Regarding "south Detroit", I'm simply going to paste in what I just got done explaining to a mod at Wiki who is apparently bent on leaving misinformation on the Wiki page for this song. Sorry but this is pretty simple stuff and anyone who doesn't get it is an imbecile. ........................ I'm guessing / just realizing that you're a type of moderator here. If you in fact have control over what info is on the page in question, it would be a HUGE wrong to leave in the very misleading entry you've re-submitted. Windsor, Ontario is south _OF_ Detroit, Michigan. Detroit, Michigan is the city that NUMEROUS bands would make reference to in their songs. Especially rock bands and especially during the 70s into the 80s. Not Windsor and not any other suburbs of Detroit that also lie south of Detroit (or "downriver"). The song simply makes reference to the south SIDE of Detroit. The quote by Perry makes it clear that the word south was only added because... well, try singing it without south and just a long INNNN in it's place. As the quote makes clear, the song would not have sounded right without south (or something) before the word Detroit. Not that it's is needed for most to understand that the song is referencing Detroit and only Detroit but there is also a quote by Perry in which he stated that Detroit was very much in their (the writers) minds as they wrote the song. Windsor is not a part of Detroit. The song makes reference to the south side of Detroit. If the entry about Windsor is left on the page, so be it, but it is completely misleading and wrong.
John from Chino, Ca This song is played during the final minutes of Detroit Red Wings home games where it seems evident that the team will win. Played over the PA system, the song is muted so the crowd can sing the verse, "Born and raised in South Detroit."
Barry from Sauquoit, Ny On December 13th 1981 "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey peaked at #9 (for 3 weeks) on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; it had entered the chart on October 25th and spent 9 weeks on the Top 100... It reached #2 in Canada and #6 in the U.K. Was one of four tracks from the group's 1981 album 'Escape' to make the Top 100 (the others were "Who's Crying Now" (4), "Still They Ride" (#19) and "Open Arms" (#2)... And on September 12th, 1981 the album peaked at #1 (for 1 week) on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart.
Steve from Albany, Ny Some of the comments here regarding this song and it's mentioning of south Detroit are ridiculous. Saying there is no south Detroit is funny enough (there is a south side of any city and I was born and raised in SW Detroit myself) but I especially get a kick out of the people who say the song is referring to Windsor. If the following Steve Perry quote is accurate, "All of a sudden I'd see people walking out of the dark, and into the light. And the term 'streetlight people' came to me. So Detroit was very much in my consciousness when we started writing.", then the ONLY city being referenced in the song is Detroit. If by chance the lyrics were written as "South Detroit" as opposed to "south Detroit", I suppose that could indicate that Perry/ the writers were thinking of some area of Detroit or evena separate town with that name but it's not likely and that capital S is the only error here. There's nothing complicated here, the song simply refers to the south side of Detroit.
Jay from Centereach, Long Island, Ny I am surprised that the "South Detroit" line is so controversial. As a New Yorker, and not wholly familiar with the local geography or the neighborhood names of Detroit, I always thought South Detroit simply meant the southern part of Detroit, much like the South Bronx is the southern part of the Bronx. But who cares? This is a great song; no one should be concerned about a geographic error.
Deethewriter from Saint Petersburg, Russia Federation Neal Schon told RAW RAWK RU NEWS 2011-10-24 that the recent resurgence of "Don't Stop Believin'" after appearing on The Sopranos and Glee -- as well as becoming the first iTunes song to reach two million downloads -- is beyond his comprehension: "When the record came out, there were other songs that were actually bigger than that off it on radio. Y'know, to have it this many years later just come out and be bombastic (laughs) like never before, just like all over the place and just keep on . . . It just keeps on going. Y'know, it's just pretty amazing."
Terry from Grafon, Wi This song should be the national anthem of the United States.
Willie from Scottsdale, Az Bwaaahahaha! Now Michelle "White House Crasher" Salahi is shacking up with Neal Schon. Priceless.
Ken from San Mateo, Ca Since last year's World Series victory, I will always associate this song to the Giants and the Bay Area. Absolutely one of the best songs!!!!
Hannah from Gustavus, Oh I'm graduating this coming Sunday (May 29, 2011) and I couldn't be more thrilled that this was voted in as our class song. When they announced it at school you could hear people cheering. I think the reason it's such an enduring song for graduation is that unlike most of the class themes that get picked ("Good Riddance," "Here's to the Night," etc.) it's not about looking back and being sad it's over, but rather looking forward and realizing there is indeed life afterward. It's about living life to the fullest (the first verse) and how even though life is difficult ("some are born to sing the blues"), the important thing is to at least take chances and try ("roll the dice just one more time") - and of course, to not give up no matter what may happen, because everything will turn out just fine in the end.
Michael from Cincinnati, Oh Journey's 1982 album "Eascape was made into a video game titled "Escape".It was produced by Atari for the 2600 model.It was made by Data Age in San Jose,Cal.The Object of the game was to help the band members "Escape" the fans chasing them around.Pretty cool game at the time.
Steppy from Detroit, Mi *South Detroit Debate* I'm from metro Detroit (as well as a giant Journey fan) and had always wondered about the reference to South Detroit. I heard and interview a year or so ago with Steve Perry, where he addressed the issue. I listened to it online, maybe Youtube?, so the interview may have been old. At any rate, he said that after a concert in Detroit, he was sitting in his hotel room, very late, working on this song. The room was on a high floor and he was watching the people standing under the lights and pondering their lives ("streetlight people"). While he realized that South Detroit didn't really exist, he used a bit of artistic license, because it flowed better than East Detroit.
Megan from Stevenson, Al Tell me why this is AMAZING?! lol This song is on a totally different level. Awesome.
Jim from Long Beach, Ca Great song. South Detroit=Winsor,Ontario,Canada.....
Jay from St Paul, Mn I listened to a few interviews Steve has given. He said he used South Detroit because it sounded better than North, East or West. He said he didn't realize there was no South Detroit. He jokingly said he found out South Detroit was actually Windsor. As far as streetlight people, he said it's something that he noticed when he looked out of a hotel window. If you Youtube it, you can find the interviews. Very worth while.
Ken from San Mateo, Ca What a song...Like the Chisox, this also became a tribute song for the 2010 World Champion San Francisco Giants! And Journey is from this area, so it makes better sense.
Bobby from Belleville, Nj While Journey's version is a classic, back in 2008 before it was used in Sopranos, freestyle artist George LaMond remade the song into a pop/dance version. And a very good one, I might add.
Barry from Sauquoit, Ny Five years before Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" Olivia Newton-John had a completely different record with the same title, it peaked at No. 33...
Bd from Vienna, Va Probably worth noting in the brouhaha about Journey turning down a cover of this song is that Randy Jackson was in the band for a while in the mid-80s before their first breakup.
Rob from Fredericton, Nb One of the many anthems most prominiately found in the 80s hall of great music. For every song played on the radio, this one song sticks out the most when I use to go to a carnival in my hometown. With the smell of fries, hotdogs and other foods lingering in the air, you could always hear a Journey tune blaring in the background while everyone enjoyed riding the many rides at this carnival. So when you take an experience, like a carnival, and feature all of it's pleasantries you soon inaugurate any song from the 80s, namely a Journey tune, and the picture is complete. Such a great band and such a great song.
Sara from Detroit, Mi And for those of you that want to split hairs, Look on the map of Detroit. Melvindale, Ecorse, Lincoln Park, Ecorse, Delray, Allen Park, Southgate, Taylor, River Rouge, Wyandotte. These are all blue collar or very poor areas, and most people worked for the Big 3 auto companies. This area is called "Downriver" as it is south of Detroit. Detroit itself is a pretty small city. What most people think is Detroit is any one of the suburbs that lies within or outside of Detroit's city limits. Oak Park, Hazel Park, Highland Park, and Hamtramck, are all INSIDE the City Limits. Where as Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Southfield, Eastpointe, are OUTSIDE of Detroit's City Limits...yet most people consider it part of the greater metro area. When the word METRO is used by itself all over the country it means DETROIT METRO. We were the first place to use the term "Metro" as a colloquial term for a specific large area, as Detroit was the first city in the country to spread out that fast with that large of a population. The city of Detroit itself, is small.
Sara from Detroit, Mi You are all VERY WRONG about the South Detroit explanation. To those of us who are FROM Detroit and GREW UP THERE....SOUTH DETROIT IS ANYTHING SOUTH OF I-96...a.k.a "Downriver" ....There has NEVER been a place CALLED South Detroit. It's like being in any big city, the term is more loosely used, than say "South Philly", "South-Central L.A." "Southside Of Chicago". Yes Eastpointe was East Detroit but that has absolutely NOTHING to do with this, you don't see a "West Detroit" on the map do you? As for the lyrics it IS in fact "Streetlights, People". It's amazing how many Americans struggle with their own native language!
Carrie from Roanoke, Va Petra Haden does a cover version of this song.
Karen from Manchester, Nh I have loved this song for years...until I heard that it was the closing song on the piece of filth that is titled "The Sopranos".
Jose from Brisbane, Australia Please tour Australia! I know it's hard because for some reason, Australia never really got into Journey... sad lot we are.
Nikki from Yamba, Australia greta song... love that it has on family guy.. scrubs... the sapranos... the wedding singer and love when LC and stephen sing it on the second series of laguna beach!
Ellen from Chicago, Il A great song. See Wikipedia's article (search the song title) for additional details as to what exactly is meant by "South Detroit" - in the section called "Sports".
Rahul from Chennai, India absolutely beautiful song....
Stu from Philly, Pa They've been quoted as saying "it's streetlight people, we're talking about prostitutes." At any rate, check the lyrics book that came with the album. One of the greatest songs of all time, it was a real treat to see the cast of Glee perform it on that new TV show. One of the best non-Journey renditions of it. My band Raised On Radio usually starts our sets with this song.
Mike from Brighton, Ma To answer the age old question, "South Detroit" actually refers Southfield, Michigan. (Southfield, ironcally is north of Detroit.) In the 1980s, Journey played many charity soft ball games with WRIF-FM (The Riff).
Brendan from Cape Town, South Africa The line after "streetlights, people" sounds like "heaven just a fun emotion" Any other suggestions?
Allen from Knoxville, Tn On the University Of Tennessee campus, somebody has spray painted on the stop signs "dont STOP believin'" Great song, even 27 years after it was released!
Katie from St. Paul, Mn The lyrics say "Streetlights, people...", not "Streetlight people".
Josh from Indianapolis, In Journey Rocks Big Time!!!!!!!!!!!!! thers not a song by them i dont like> Rock on!
Bob from Dumbsville, Belarus Wow this song is beautiful! Everytime I'm down, I listen to it and it gets me back on my feet again. This song just defines 80s music. Journey will just never be the same without Steve Perry leading their crusade.
Morten from Sydney, Australia I'm an 80's music tragic but suprisingly had never heard of this song! Thanks to Family Guy for introducing me to this gem! -Morten, Sydney, Australia
Dean from Windsor, On I would just like to inform all those people who say this song isn't about Windsor. When "South Detroit" is mentioned the city of Windsor is what they are talking about. Windsor is actually SOUTH of Detroit. If your ever around my town and stand at the river your compass will point north. Enjoy!
Julie from Taylor, Tx When this song comes on...me and best friend victoria go crazy! it's their best song. Classic 80's!
Melanie from Seattle, Wa Scott from Boston - what a cool story! Haha I want to go write that on a stop sign now! :D This song is sooo good. Journey's best IMO. Steve's voice is amazing.
Neil from Ottawa, Canada This song was sung by the football team in the 2007 film "The Comebacks". One of the players starts singing it in the change-room, and it turns in to a full-stage concert. It mocks the sports movie cliche of teams turning it around with an uplifting theme song, and also references the Chicago White Sox World Series.
Liquid Len from Ottawa, Canada What a great song! The only song Journey did in the 80s that wasn't horrid!
Fredrik from Stockholm, Sweden This song was also featured in the South Park episode "tsst" when Cartman is plugging in his X-Box. He sings the lines "Don't stop believing, hold on to your feelings"
Krista from Elyria, Oh I love Journey! And I love it when ametuers sing the lyrics! But I HATE baseball cards...
Scott from Boston, Ma During cross country last year there was a stop sign we always ran by during practice and it said "don't" above it and "believing" below it. It became our team's song and we often sang it very out of tune during runs. Also, that Family Guy episode is awesome (as most are). "Oh my god, that is Journey!"
Michael from San Diego, Ca One of the most beautiful songs of all time...if this song doesn't get to you, then you may need to check your pulse!
Richie from Sedalia, Mo Edgar, Kings Park, NY Better luck next time!!
Edgar from Kings Park, Ny This song reminds me of my failed suicide attempt. Well... there's always next time.
Brian from Portage, Mi Yes, Detroit is an East/West city, but no matter where an area is, there is still four cardinal directions.
Brian from Detroit, Mi Anyone from Detroit will know what i am saying, but "south detroit" refers tothe area south of Outer Drive, Detroiters refer to the area as "downriver." i Just want to clear the confusion. It ISINT canada, it ISINT eastpointe, NOR groose pointe.
Eamon from Motherwell, Scotland THis inspirational song was played every night in a juke by me when I was teaching summer camp in up state New York back in 1980. Being from Scotland, I loved the American rock scene and this classic just typifyies it. 27 years later, I play the Journey live DVD while I work out every other night and never tire of hearing it, it is in my blood. I had the pleasure of seeing Journey in Glasgow earlier this year and it was a real highlight. One question - I have heard different lyrics for this some say "Heaven is a funky mouse?" Any comments guys and girls? Eamon.Motherwell. Scotland.
Sergio from Miami, Fl I have been listening to this song for a long time now. I grew up listening to it and I admit, its my all time favorite. It is so cool now to see a new generation fall in love with it thanks to Family Guy, Scrubs and Sopranos. I dont think it matters if South Detroit is correct or not cause whenever they performed it live with Steve Perry he always replaced Detroit with the city they were in at the moment. I always thought that was a nice touch and he always got a cheap pop for it. I know I will always love this song and just dont get sick or hearing it. Journey was a fantastic band with some great musicians.
Mary from Canyon, Tx This song was my junior class song way back when in ancient times, not too long after it was first released. EVen I know Windsor, ON is south of Detroit! (Southeast to be exact.)
Mark from Glassboro, Nj This song was used in the very end of The Soprano's Final Episode. The song is cut short and the screen goes to blank.
Missy from Ann Arbor, Mi You may not belive this but 'Don't stop Belivin' was my senior class song...I love it and so did my class...we were a pretty small class and we were all ubsessed with soft and classic rock...the good stuff...Whenever I hear those first few piano keys play, I will alway go back to my high school gym, on a hot june day, walking to the stage to graduate...Good Times, Great Memories and GREAT SONG!!!
Mike from Hueytown , Al I love the 80's on VH1 ripped this song apart.
Mark from Des Moines, Ia I can't help but think of the CHICAGO WHITE SOX and their magical run to the World Series title in 2005. What a great season!!! What a great song!!!
Maria from Houston , Tx I agree with most, his voice is awesome!!!!
Kara from Cadillac, Mi Artists magic is what happens when you take a group of extraordinarily talented people and put them together, allowing them each to do what they do best. Journey is what happens when it all fits together and creates something wonderful. They're not just a band- they're an era. Neal Schon is with out a doubt one of the most gifted guitarists ever. His knowledge and presentation of his craft are nothing short of brilliant. Steve Perry's vocals are masterful. They, along with Schon's guitar work, gave Journey a distintive sound. Jonathan Cain - a perfect fit, though I admit I've always liked Greg Rolle too. I have a Journey album that was made prior to Steve Perry's joining and listening to that makes me know that Journey would have been great no matter what because they had the talent to be great. I know there were changes in the lineup, but Ross Valory's bass playing was also part of what made Journey what it is to me. I loved Steve Smith on the drums, but as with Rolle, I was sad to see Aynsley Dunbar go. Journey was a concept, a feeling, a part of life, an important accent to memories in my life and continues to contribute to important events in the lives of my kids. Two of my sons play guitar and are greatly influenced by Neal Schon. One of them is currently overseas serving in the millitary- he will marry his high school sweetheart when he returns and their wedding song will be "Open Arms". The two sons that I have at home have recently been getting into Journey - "Generations" and I have found that I love their music now as much as I ever did. It never mattered to me that Steve Perry said "South Detroit" - I lived in Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti for many years and I never could keep the suburbs or other offspring areas of Detroit straight anyway. I lived in San Francisco too and always knew that "Lights" was about that city - even if it was written in (or partially in) L.A. - Who cares? Does anybody ever question why "Still They Ride" has traffic lights in it? No. Why? Because it's a truly amazing song about times changing before people are ready for them to with an outstanding guitar lead and excellent vocals. Get over the details. This is legendary music by exceptional musicians. Just enjoy it.
J from Boston, Ma and I mean (in the last comment) in the chorus part at the end.
J from Boston, Ma About the streetlight line, I think the first time the line is done, it sort of sounds like streetlight with a little extra sound on it. However, the second time the line is sung, he definetly says streetlights. As the song fades out, I think he says streetlight.
Jack from London, England Coming from England I had never heard this song on the radio before I heard it on Family Guy. I then heard the song during an episode of Scrubs Season 3 called "My Journey" and decided I had to download it. JOURNEY KICK ASS
Nathan from From The Country Of, Canada I always heard this song on the radio, but it wasn't until its appearance on Family Guy's kareokee episode that i realized how good the song actually is.
Peter from Detroit, Mi No matter what, at least once a month I hear this song at the bar. My friends and I are from Dearborn Heights, MI and I like to replace south detroit with "dearborn heights" while belting the lyrics to the annoyance of my girlfriend...she thinks I'm cute so it's cool. Rock on Journey!
Tom from Vashon, Wa This is an amazing song. It is so sweet. I love it. I think that it has a great message that we can all relate to. Wether we are living on the streets or we are just having problems with our closest friend. You can never stop believing.
Dave from Beamsville, Canada If you listen closely, you will hear a rendition of this song during the first wedding ceremony on 'The Wedding Singer' when Adam Sandler gets stood up at the alter.
Allan from Calgary, Canada At The Den (the on-campus bar at the University of Calgary) this song has been the last song every weekend night for the last 10 years. All the regulars drop their pants and do the "no pants dance" Quite a good time and a great way to end the night at a great bar.
Zeke from Washington, Dc All the lyrics say that the line is "Streetlight, people..." but if you listen to the song it DEFINITELY sings "Streetlights, people." Which do you think it is?
Kevin from Grosse Pointe, Mi Yeah, but who calls Windsor "South Detroit"? Nobody. I love this song, but that line always bugs me. Why not say "Just a city boy, born and raised in East Detroit" East Detroit is the former name of Easpointe, Michigan. Also, East Detroit is just considered the East side of Metro Detriot, so he could be from the eastern part of the city of Detroit or from any one of the suburbs that is considered East Detroit (Harper Woods, Roseville, Clinton Township, St. Clair Shores)
Emma from Palm Beach, Australia This song was performed in episode 403 of "The Family Guy" entitled "Don't Make Me Over" (original air date 06/05/05) by Peter, Cleveland, Quagmire and Joe. It's an enjoyable rendition, with pall bearers even dropping a coffin in order to hit "The Drunken Clam" to check out the performance.
Matt from Haddon Hieghts, Nj This song is great and i got my whole family to love this song its Steve Perrys voice thats just awesome and its one of my fav
Cindi from Vancouver, Canada OMG WHO care weather it is North, South. East or West it is a great song.....I can think about better things to debate than which way is up, down or left or right....I agree with who ever said there is N,S, E or West every where just get a compass and stand outside this isn't rocket science it's a Rock song.
Zeke from Washington, Dc Actually, Canada IS south of Detroit. The southern part of Ontario is actually south of Detroit. Check your map Jon from Regina.
Justin from Monson, Ma I think Journey's song "Don't stop Believin" is the greatest song in the world. I love it so much. Each time it comes on the radio, I turn it up loud. By the way, why does anyone care about how the city of Detroit is used in the song. The song's great!!!!!!!! -Justin Dubois,Monson,MA
Matthew from East Brunswick, Nj Great song, Journey is a godsend of the 80's!
Anwiya from Sterling Heights, Mi Hey John from Canada, you know nothing. A portion of Canada (city name: WINDSOR) is south of Detroit.
Sara Mackenzie from Middle Of Nowhere, Fl white sox have used it for their theme song, omg!! at least it kept them going on to believe that they could win, and they did, so this song is like, an inspiration.
Christa from Aurora, Il This was the song the white sox used for inspiration to win the world series 2005!
Jeff from Sothington, Ct this is an inspirational song that has a good guitar part in it...the family guy episode was funny and the fact that i knew this girl that would sing this song and now everytime i hear it i see her singing it..but i still see myslef playing guitar...nice solo though
David from Yosemite, Ca I heard this song sung a few weeks ago in San Francisco's North Beach--I was trying to sleep in the GreenTortoise hostel in the room above the lounge--and a chorus of girls was singing it. It must have been Kerioki night, but it was lovely. I couldn't recall the group (Journey), but heard a bit on the radio, and googled the lyrics. I've been googling lyrics all weekend--Napster's having free downloads, which brought me here--nice site.. I wish I could have recorded the girls singing. David Yosemite Sept. 4, 2005
Chase from Pasadena, Ca Most of the memories posted on this website are by a girl named "Stephanie."
Stephanie from Ellicott City, Md this song brings back some great memories .... reminds me of being just over the edge of 17, vacationing in Florida with my family. we were staying at this resort, and i was hanging out in the game room. i had been pretty bored, and i met this guy about 2 years younger than me. he was from a small town in Maine, while i was from the big city in Maryland. i was grateful to find someone close to my age, and we played airhockey, with us deciding to make a friendly bet, the terms to be determined after the game. he let me win, and the term of the bet was decided to be a kiss. we ended up making out for awhile, and when we parted for the night, we shared no pretense that we'd ever meet again. the next night, i heard this song, and it made me think of him - although it was reversed, he was the small town boy and i was the city girl, for a smile we shared the night, and the memories go on and on. i had been feeling pretty low about myself at this time, and feeling undesirable, and he made me feel like, hey, maybe there is something desirable about me after all. so, Matt from Maine, thank you.
Ryan from Windsor, Canada Amazing song, one of the best from the 80's. oh and Jon from Regina, check your map bro. I'm from Windsor, Ontario Canada and to go to Detroit I'd have to travel North, not South (one of those "tricky" geography catches).
Jev from Marietta, Ga Well does anyone know where I can get a good ringtone of this song period.
Patrick from Charlotte, Nc no.
Jev from Marietta, Ga Does anybody know where I can get a Don't Stop Believin ringtone that is reliable?
Jon from Regina, Canada This is a great song. By the way, who really cares if they say South Detroit? It's not the end of the world. And John from Scottsdale, I thought most people knew this, but Canada is NORTH of Detroit, not south.
Matthew from Marquette, Mi Ok... I don't know how many of you really know Geography, but there is a North, South, East and West of EVERYTHING! There is South America, Southern US, Southern California, South Detroit, my dorm room even has a southern part. While you may not find South Detroit on a map, there is in fact a South Detroit. The guy probably grew up near Michigan Avenue. As for the song... GREAT EFFIN' SONG!
Tatem from San Diego, Ca No matter the radio station I'm listening to, you can always tell that distinctive Journey-Steve Perry sound and instantly know a Journey song regardless of your knowledge of their song list. Steve Perry gave Journey their uniqueness. I had heard about the Monster movie thing, never saw the movie though. It's hard to believe how old these guys are now. Steve Perry was a hottie. Aging happens to the best of us!!
Perviz from Cochin, India Words can't describe the kind of feeling you get on hearing this song. Truly a masterpiece!!
Perviz from Cochin, India This is truly a super duper song. Thanx a million Journey.
Kevin from Grosse Pointe, Mi Yeah the whole South Detroit thing always bugged me too. Detroit is an East Side/West Side city, not a North Side/South Side city like Chicago. If the lyrics had said "East Detroit" it would have made more sense.
Ryan from Lansing, Mi There is no East Detroit however as everyone should know, they changed there name to Eastpointe. But yeah he should really have said southren Detroit.
John from Scottsdale, Az When I ever hear this song, I have to say "you've got it wrong, Steve, and sing "There ain't no such place as South Detroit." I grew up in Detroit. There's an east side and a west side. The dividing line is Woodward Avenue. South Detroit is..uh... Canada. Stand on the plaza in downtown Detroit, and look south. Oh, Canada. Otherwise, I like the song, but Steve and his buddies should hvae stuck to San Francisco or looked at a map
Tom from Alma, Ga Ack! Another cookie-cutter corporate rock band. Being a child of the 80's, however, they did have some good stuff.
Dawn from Highlands Ranch, Co Well, Neal Schon, Steve Perry and Jon Cain I think all take credit for the genesis of this song, which probably explains part of why they're not together anymore. But actress Charlize Theron really wanted this song for a scene in her movie Monster, so she and director/writer Patty Jenkins wrote a letter to Steve Perry begging him to allow them to use the song. He saw the scene they wanted it for, said it was perfect, through Sony contacts asked Jon and Neal if they were ok with it, they said yes, and Steve became musical consultant for the film, as well as the song being in the film. Steve is still traveling around the US and Canada with Patty helping her promote the movie and accepting awards for it.
Mooler from Detroit, Mi Nora hit the nail right on the head. South Detroit is just referring to the southern part of the city just as south west detroit or west side or east side or northeast detroit...etc etc. I should know...im from north east detroit. 7 and gratiot.
Paul from Greenwood, Sc Just a couple tidbits...in live shows, Journey frontman Steve Perry would insert the name of whatever city that would be hosting them, evidenced by the NFL films documentary of them from the late 80's where they are playing in Philly..."Born and raised in Phil-a-del-phia!"...also the guitar break between the first and second verse spotlights Schon at what he did best. Neil Schon was discovered by Carlos Santana and was playing on stage at the age of 15. He is incredibly fast and it shows on this classic.
Larry from Artesia, Ca Streetlight people, living just to find emotion Hiding, somewhere in the night
Angela from Santa Fe, Tx Does anyone know the lyrics to this song? I know most of them, however, there is one line in there where I can't seem to catch all the words. It is right after the line in the chorus "Streetlife people". Can anyone help me? Thanks.
Nora from Richfield, Mn The lyrics didn't say 'south OF Detroit', it said South Detroit. Big difference

More Songfacts:

Detroit Rock City Kiss

Kiss sing about "movin' fast on 95" in "Detroit Rock City," but I-95 doesn't go through Detroit (I-75 does) so they published the lyric as "Movin' fast, doin' 95."

Right Here, Right Now Jesus Jones

The Jesus Jones song "Right Here, Right Now" was conceived as an optimistic version of Prince's "Sign O' The Times."

Nasty Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson wrote the lyric to "Nasty" in response to random guys calling her "baby."

Unchained Melody The Righteous Brothers

"Unchained Melody" first appeared in a 1955 movie called Unchained. The Righteous Brothers recorded it in 1965, and their version was resurrected in the 1990 movie Ghost.

My All Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey's "My All" is about her affair with New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter.

Take Me Home Country Roads John Denver

"Take Me Home Country Roads" is set in West Virginia, but John Denver had never been there when he recorded the song. The country roads represent a sense of belonging.

Editor's Picks

Facebook, Bromance and Email - The First Songs To Use New Words Song Writing

Where words like "email," "thirsty," "Twitter" and "gangsta" first showed up in songs, and which songs popularized them.

Tanita Tikaram Songwriter Interviews

When she released her first album in 1988, Tanita became a UK singing sensation at age 19. She talks about her darkly sensual voice and quirky songwriting style.

00s Music Quiz 1 Music Quiz

Do you know the girl singer on Eminem's "Stan"? If so, this quiz is for you.

Kim Thayil of Soundgarden Songwriter Interviews

Their frontman (Chris Cornell) started out as their drummer, so Soundgarden takes a linear approach when it comes to songwriting. Kim explains how they do it.

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men Song Writing

Bowie's "activist" days of 1964 led to Ziggy Stardust.

Eric Burdon Songwriter Interviews

The renown rock singer talks about "The House of the Rising Sun" and "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood."

Songfacts® Newsletter

A monthly update on our latest interviews, stories and added songs

Information

Terms of Service
Our Privacy Policy
Google Privacy Policy
Songfacts API
Music History Calendar
Song Licensing
Affiliate Disclosure
Privacy Manager
X (Twitter)

Contribution

Message Boards
Songfacts Writers

Behind the Song: “Don’t Stop Believin’,” Journey

by Rick Moore September 22, 2020, 8:40 am

Many of us artistic types marvel at stories of our peers who were brought up in families that completely supported their musical dreams, who provided encouragement, lessons, whatever it took for us to create and achieve. But Journey’s Jonathan Cain can attribute his success to his family not only for their encouragement and support, but for providing him with the title of one of the biggest songs in music history.

Videos by American Songwriter

“Don’t Stop Believin’” was the second single from Journey’s 1981 album Escape , and has become one of the most recognizable songs of all time. Before Cain was a member of Journey, he played for The Babys, and the band was sidelined after Babys singer John Waite injured his leg on stage. Unemployed and not knowing what he was going to do next, Cain called his father, who told him over the phone, “Don’t stop believin’.” And Cain jotted those words down in a notebook. Soon afterward he was hired for the keyboard spot in Journey, and became one of rock’s most famous keyboardists and writers.

In his book Don’t Stop Believin’ , Cain recounted how he, singer Steve Perry and guitarist Neal Schon put the song together. “Steve asked if I had any lyrics or melodies that might work for the new album. I went home and paged through all my spiral notebooks. On the last page of my notebook, I found three words scribbled: Don’t stop believin’. I knew Steve would like the title – the words my father had given me on a long-distance phone call one night … I came up with a cool chord progression and started humming the lyrics ‘don’t stop – believin’ – hold on to that feelin’ over the changes. I didn’t know what the other lyrics were yet, but I planned to show the guys the idea anyway.”

“Steve liked my chord progression and suggested we use the same chords for the verse, but with the rolling piano feel I’d played for The Babys’ albums. I began without the bass notes, using only the right hand, and Neal started playing what would end up to be the bass line … we looped over and over until it began to take shape … After the first verse, Neal began to play a staccato guitar line that sounded like a train going down the tracks as we headed into another verse with only piano and vocal … we roared into Neal’s guitar part, playing unison with the newly minted bass line. When the second B section ended, Neal burst into the melody I had written, playing it as a theme.”

“Excited to finish the lyrics to our new song, I met Steve at his house the next morning. ‘Neal’s guitar in this section sounds like a train heading down the track,’ I said. “Makes me think of a song I love – ‘Midnight Train to Georgia. You too?”

“’Gladys Knight and the Pips – a classic for sure,’” Steve said.”

“What if the lyric was ‘the midnight train goin’ anywhere?’ I said. Steve liked the lyric, so we built off it, adding a boy and a girl headed out on the midnight train. We loved this idea of two young people dreaming about leaving their town and going somewhere to make a new start. So we began our song with our two characters and put them in motion. When Steve arrived at ‘just a city boy, born and raised in’ – he came to an abrupt stop. ‘How ’bout making him from Detroit?’ he asked.”

“‘Cool, but we need another syllable to fill it out here. How does South Detroit sound?’ Playing his bass, Steve sang the new lyric. ‘This sings great. Is there even a South Detroit?’”

“’Heck if I know,’ I said. ‘If it sings well, I say let’s move on.’”

“I told him about the Whisky a Go Go – how The Babys played there on New Years’ Eve and my first live gig with them. I described the small, packed venue, the old bar smell, and the sting of smoke in the eyes. ‘A singer in a smoky room, the smell of wine and cheap perfume. For a smile they can share the night. It goes on and on and on and on,’ we wrote.”

“The middle section that Neal had come up with was next. With our conversation about Sunset Boulevard still fresh, Steve and I went on to see the movie we were creating in our minds.”

“‘Strangers waiting up and down the boulevard, their shadows searching in the night.’ … These were the ‘streetlight people, living just to find emotion, hiding somewhere in the night’ … ‘Workin’ hard just to get my fill. Everybody wants a thrill. Payin’ anything to roll the dice just one more time,’ we wrote. Those lines summed up the two of us, sacrificing it all to gamble on a dream.”

“We didn’t know it yet, but we had just written an anthem that would stand the test of time.”

The song became a huge hit, and helped propel Escape to multi-platinum sales worldwide. It soared in popularity again the next century – and in sales of something that didn’t exist in 1981, downloads – when it was prominently used in the TV series The Sopranos and Glee, becoming one of the most downloaded songs of all time that was originally recorded in the 20 th century. The song was co-produced by former Lynyrd Skynyrd soundman Kevin Elson and onetime Queen engineer Mike Stone, who also engineered the album. Cain and Schon are still in Journey today, and Cain is believin’ in other ways with newfound success as a Christian recording artist.

SongCraft Presents: The Story of the Song Educated at Woodstock? David Porter Tells the History of “Soul Man”

Behind the songs
Behind The Artists
The Greatest Songs

The Meaning Behind ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ By Journey

Some songs are so iconic that they become an anthem. It’s certainly the case of Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believin’. The American band released the song on their 1981 album ‘Escape’ and it quickly became the group’s signature song. In this article, I will dive into the meaning, story, and legacy behind ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey.

The Meaning of the Song

‘Don’t Stop Believin’ is a song about the pursuit of dreams, hope for love, and the search for something better in life. The verses of the song describe people who are lost and in search of something meaningful, and the chorus encourages them to never stop believing in finding it.

The song famously starts by introducing two individuals from different backgrounds. A small-town girl and a city boy from South Detroit. Funnily enough, South Detroit doesn’t really exist, as the south of Detroit is commonly referred to as ‘Downriver’.

“I ran the phonetics of east, west, and north, but nothing sounded as good or emotionally true to me as South Detroit,” lead singer Steve Perry reflected . “I fell in love with the line. It’s only been in the last few years that I’ve learned that there is no South Detroit. But it doesn’t matter.”

Both the boy and the girl take a midnight train without an intended destination. It symbolizes a desperate escape from their current position and a leap into the unknown with the hope of finding something better.

“We felt that every young person has a dream and sometimes where you grow up isn’t where you’re destined to be,” keyboardist Jonathan Cain said to Mix magazine about the song’s first verse.

The rest of the verses and pre-choruses describe dissatisfied people in poor places. They seem to be failing in their search for something meaningful, and as a result, give into cheap meaningless desires. It is interesting to note that the chorus of ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ – that encourages people to hold on to their dreams – only appears at the end of the song.

The Story Behind the Song

The story of ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ started with Journey’s keyboardist Jonathan Cain. Cain struggled to make a name for himself in Hollywood and was on the verge of giving up on his dreams. His father, however, believed in him and provided the encouraging words: ‘Son, don’t stop believin’.

I was like, “That’s beautiful, Dad,” Cain reflected . “I had my little lyric book, and I’m doodling ‘Don’t stop believin’.”

The encouraging words of Cain’s father turned out to be fruitful. In 1980, Jonathan Cain joined Journey to work on the band’s seventh studio album Escape . The album features some of Journey’s most successful songs, such as ‘Open Arms’, ‘Who’s Crying Now’, and of course ‘Don’t Stop Believin’.

Upon joining, Jonathan Cain introduced the song’s idea to the other members of Journey – Steve Perry, Neal Schon, Steve Smith, and Ross Valory. In a rented warehouse in Oakland, California, the band started developing an arrangement for ‘Don’t Stop Believin’.

It resulted in the famous composition of the song, with its iconic piano intro, bass line, and guitar parts. Most of the lyrics – aside from the chorus line – were written by Steve Perry, but the idea behind the song was a collaborative effort between Jonathan Cain and Steve Perry.

The Meaning Behind Don't Stop Believin By Journey

The Legacy of Don’t Stop Believin’

‘Don’t Stop Believin’ was released as a single on 19 October 1981. Given the greatness of the song, The single performed surprisingly ‘poorly’ on the charts. It peaked at number 9 on the US charts and only reached number 62 on the UK charts.

Over the years, ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ grew out to be one of the most iconic rock songs of all time. The usage of the song in Glee and the final episode of The Sopranos gave ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ renewed popularity, making it the best-selling digital track from the twentieth century.

Interested in more stories behind iconic songs? Click here

The Meaning Behind “Paint It Black” by The Rolling Stones

By Joi - https://www.flickr.com/photos/joi/3046431330/sizes/o/in/photostream/, CC BY 2.0,

The Story Behind “Solsbury Hill” by Peter Gabriel

Kate Vush By Stephen Luff from West Sussex - CC BY 2.0

The Story Behind “The Man with the Child in His Eyes” by Kate Bush

The Story Behind “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor

Brian Wilson’s First Reaction to The Beatles: ‘I Knew That Everything Had Changed’

Legendary Musicians Pick Their Favorite Beatles Song

The Meaning Behind “Easy” by the Commodores

Subscribe to our newsletter.

The Meaning Behind “What’s Up?” by 4 Non Blondes

The story behind “can’t help falling in love” by elvis presley, the story behind “just breathe” by pearl jam, the meaning of “scared to start” by michael marcagi, the story behind “imagine” by john lennon.

Privacy Policy
Cookie Policy
Terms and Conditions
Behind The Songs

Here’s The Story Behind 'Don’t Stop Believin’,’ The Song That Keeps On Giving

There’s no denying it: Rarely a wedding or party goes by without Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” being played.

Released in June 1981, the song appeared on the rock band’s seventh album, “Escape.” Although it never made it to No. 1 on the charts, “Don’t Stop Believin’” has seeped into our culture in countless ways. The “Sopranos” series finale . That memorable “Glee” pilot episode. Broadway’s “Rock of Ages” musical. Your karaoke night. You probably know the words by heart, but you may not know the details behind the making of the song.

Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain tells the story of the tune’s genesis in his new memoir, Don’t Stop Believin’: The Man, the Band and the Song That Inspired Generations .

In the 1970s, Cain ― then an aspiring musician ― left his hometown of Chicago for Los Angeles in hopes of landing his big break. When things didn’t go as planned, he phoned his father for some help. It turned out to be a fateful call.

“My dog got hit by a car, and I was in Hollywood, and I had to pay the vet bill. And luckily they saved her life,” Cain told HuffPost at Build Series . “I had called him for some money, for another loan. And I hated calling my dad for a loan. I said, ‘Dad, should I just give up on this thing and come home? It seems like I might be pushing it back to Chicago.’ ‘No, no, don’t come home. Stick to your guns. Don’t stop believin’. I went, ‘OK.’ Everything he would say to me somehow I would just doodle in my little notebook that I wrote songs in. That’s basically what happened. He had said to me, ‘Don’t stop believin’,’ and I took it to heart. He sent me the money, and great things started to happen.”

Jonathan Cain speaking at Build Studio in New York City on April 30.

In 1980, Cain left his previous group, the Babys, to join Journey, replacing Gregg Rolie on keyboards. While writing songs for “Escape” with Journey singer Steve Perry and guitarist Neal Schon, Cain began to flip through his notebook.

“Steve Perry asked me, ‘Is there another idea around? We need one more song.’ And when I looked in the back of the spiral notebook, there was ‘Don’t stop believin’’ ... and I thought, ‘Well, Steve Perry would sing this if I can bring in a chorus of some kind,’” Cain said. “So I wrote this chorus, and I brought it in, and all of us together finished the song in a room. It was magical.”

Cain said they could feel the momentum of the song, particularly after recording it in the studio.

“Workin’ hard to get my fill. Everybody wants a thrill, payin’ anything to roll the dice just one more time.” - “Don’t Stop Believin’”

“I think when we finally heard the final mix, Neal looked at me, and he said, ‘There’s something special about this.’ And I said, ‘Let’s make it the first song on the album, because it sounds like it draws a listener in. Let’s make it Track 1.’ So that’s how we sequenced the album,” Cain said.

“Don’t Stop Believin’” reached No. 9 on the Billboard singles chart, but he said he doesn’t recall that it was “a huge hit.”

Steve Perry and Jonathan Cain at the 2017 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Brooklyn, New York.

Years after the release of “Don’t Stop Believin,’” Perry ― the voice behind the song ― parted ways with Journey, leaving a big hole to fill. After a couple of other frontmen, the group secured a steady lead singer in Arnel Pineda , who joined in 2008.

Last year Journey was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Although Perry attended the ceremony, he didn’t perform with the the band. Still, Cain thinks Perry enjoyed the moment.

“He seemed very, very vibrant and proud to be standing there with us,” Cain said. “He lives a very private life, and he chooses to keep it that way. Whenever I see him at these events, he seems very, very happy, content with his life. I know he’s gone through some troubles, like we all have. But he’s moved on.”

Arnel Pineda and Neal Schon at a Journey show in Los Angeles in 2017.

Cain has moved on too. He said he hopes to work on some new music with Journey soon. And you can count on the band performing “Don’t Stop Believin’” on tour this summer.

“I don’t ever get tired of it,” he said. “For me, it’s an honor to have a song that’s loved by three, four generations by now … Anyone who gets tired of a song is working off their own ego. When we’re in Journey, we check our egos at the door.”

And as for the future of “Don’t Stop Believin’”?

“It’s like Thomas the train. It keeps chugging along,” Cain said.

Support HuffPost

Our 2024 coverage needs you, your loyalty means the world to us.

At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.

Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.

Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.

Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.

Dear HuffPost Reader

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.

Popular in the Community

From our partner, more in entertainment.

Journey “Don’t Stop Believin'” Lyrics Meaning

“Don’t Stop Believin'” is a rock song by the American band Journey. It came out in October 1981 as their second single from their seventh album called Escape (1981), which was released by Columbia Records. The song has a medium tempo and is known for its catchy piano riff at the beginning.

The song’s message is about not giving up on your dreams and goals. It encourages you to keep believing in yourself, even when you encounter difficulties and hurdles.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what the lyrics of the song mean.

Table of Contents

Inspiration Behind “Don’t Stop Believin'”

“don’t stop believin'” lyrics meaning, deeper meaning behind “don’t stop believin'”.

Steve Perry, in an interview with New York Magazine, shared that the song’s beginnings can be traced back to a time when he was in Detroit for some gigs. He couldn’t sleep and ended up gazing out of his hotel room window. He recalled:

“I was digging the idea of how the lights were facing down, so that you couldn’t see anything. All of a sudden I’d see people walking out of the dark, and into the light. And the term ‘streetlight people’ came to me. So Detroit was very much in my consciousness when we started writing.”

Jonathan Cain was the one who came up with the song’s title and hook. It was inspired by something his father used to say to him when he was struggling as a musician in Los Angeles. In an interview with Songfacts, he said:

“The song began with the chorus. My father had coached me. I was in Hollywood, struggling with my career, kind of lost. I was asking him, ‘Should I come back to Chicago and just give up on this dream?’ And he said, ‘No, son. Stay the course. We have a vision. It’s gonna happen. Don’t stop believin’.'”

Cain told Journey lead singer Steve Perry about his idea of placing the song on Sunset Boulevard, and Perry asked him to elaborate. Cain explained:

“I described the mix of people who gathered there on a Friday night – dreamers aspiring to be actors, producers, artists, lawyers, you name it. They all came together on a Friday night.”

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

In Verse 1 of the song, it tells the story of two people:

A girl from a small town who’s living in a lonely world. She decides to take the midnight train to anywhere, perhaps seeking a new adventure.

A city boy who was born and raised in South Detroit. He also takes the midnight train, possibly in search of something different or exciting.

A singer in a smoky room The smell of wine and cheap perfume For a smile, they can share the night It goes on and on and on and on

In Verse 2, the song describes the scene at a smoky room where a singer is performing.

The room has a smoky atmosphere, likely filled with cigarette smoke.

There’s a distinct smell of wine and cheap perfume in the air.

People in the room are there to enjoy the singer’s performance, and they are willing to exchange smiles with each other.

The night seems endless, as the music and the atmosphere continue “on and on and on and on.”

[Pre-Chorus]

Strangers waitin’ Up and down the boulevard Their shadows searchin’ in the night Streetlights, people Livin’ just to find emotion Hidin’ somewhere in the night

In the Pre-Chorus, the song paints a picture of the surroundings and the emotions of the people.

It mentions “strangers waiting,” suggesting that there are unknown people gathered in the area.

These strangers are scattered along the boulevard, which is a wide street, waiting for something.

Their shadows are “searchin’ in the night,” which means they might be searching for something meaningful or exciting.

The streetlights illuminate the scene, and people are living with the hope of finding emotion or connection, even if it’s hidden in the nighttime atmosphere.

Workin’ hard to get my fill Everybody wants a thrill Payin’ anything to roll the dice Just one more time

In Verse 3, the song provides details about the challenges and aspirations of life.

The lyrics mention someone “workin’ hard to get my fill,” indicating that this person is putting in a lot of effort to achieve their goals and desires.

It talks about how “everybody wants a thrill,” suggesting that people in general seek excitement and enjoyment in their lives.

The phrase “Payin’ anything to roll the dice” implies that some people are willing to take risks or make sacrifices for a chance at something better.

The line “Just one more time” reflects the idea that people are often willing to try again, even after setbacks, in pursuit of their dreams.

Some will win, some will lose Some are born to sing the blues Oh, the movie never ends It goes on and on and on and on

In Verse 4, the song reflects on the unpredictability of life and the different paths people take.

It mentions that “Some will win, some will lose,” which means that in life, some people will succeed while others will face challenges or setbacks.

The line “Some are born to sing the blues” suggests that some people seem destined to experience hardship or difficult times.

The lyrics conclude with “Oh, the movie never ends, it goes on and on and on and on,” emphasizing that life is like an ongoing story with its ups and downs, and it continues without a definite ending.

Don’t stop believin’ Hold on to that feelin’ Streetlights, people Don’t stop believin’ Hold on Streetlights, people Don’t stop believin’ Hold on to that feelin’ Streetlights, people

The Chorus repeatedly says, “Don’t stop believin’,” which encourages listeners to keep their faith and hope alive.

It tells you to “Hold on to that feelin’,” implying that the positive emotions and aspirations should be held onto and not let go.

The mention of “Streetlights, people” indicates that the song’s characters and everyone in life are interconnected, sharing the same journey and experiences.

“Don’t Stop Believin'” is a song that reminds us to keep our dreams alive, have faith in ourselves, and stay positive in the face of uncertainty. Its popularity comes from how it connects with people from all walks of life and inspires them to keep believing, no matter where life takes them.

The characters in the song represent the everyman and everywoman, relatable to anyone who has ever dreamt of something more or found themselves at a crossroads.

The verses describe the gritty reality of life—smoky rooms, cheap perfume, and the pursuit of thrills—capturing the essence of urban living.

However, the pre-chorus introduces an element of hope as “strangers waiting” suggest that amidst the anonymity of the city, there is a shared yearning for something meaningful and emotional connection.

While the lyrics mention being “born and raised in south Detroit,” it’s worth noting that there isn’t a commonly recognized area called “South Detroit” in Detroit, Michigan. The city mainly sits on the north side of the Detroit River, with Windsor, Ontario, directly to the south.

The lead singer Steve Perry explained, “I tried north Detroit, I tried east and west, and it didn’t sound right. But ‘south Detroit’ had a beautiful ring to it. I loved how it sounded, only to later discover it’s actually in Canada.”

The lyric “streetlight people living just to find emotion” came to Perry from watching people walking the streets of Detroit at night after a show. This line signifies the shared human experience.

In the end, the song delivers the central message: “Don’t stop believin’, hold on to that feelin’.” It urges us to maintain faith in ourselves and our dreams, even in the face of adversity.

Eminem "Lose Yourself" Lyrics Meaning
“All Too Well” Lyrics Meaning (10 Minute Version)
Demi Lovato "Give Your Heart a Break" Lyrics Meaning
Lady Gaga "Born This Way" Lyrics Meaning

Interested in analyzing and writing lyrics? Join my lyrics writing course , and I will teach you step-by-step.

Don't Stop Believin'

152 comments.

Lyrics submitted by numb , edited by kymara1053 , Mellow_Harsher , Alberto09

Don't Stop Believin' Lyrics as written by Stephen Ray Perry Jonathan Cain

Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Highest Rated
Most Recent
Oldest First

What a bunch of simpletons (not all of you, there are some insightful posts on here)!

Yes there are lyrics that loosely allude to a hooker. It's called an allegory people (look it up if you need to).

The song is about the common search for love and the fear of loneliness. The lyrics you are focusing in on are a metaphor for all of the things we use to fill the void in out lives so we don't feel the pain of emptiness and loneliness. The chorus provides an optimistic counterpoint to this - "Don't stop belivin'" Yes, it's a lonely world, and finding someone is hard, but hope makes it all bearable (believing that there is someone there for you).

It also addresses escaping from your past, whatever it may be, and looking toward a better tomorrow.

For those who have to have it spelled out line by line (or at least stanza by stanza):

Small town girl..city boy...midnight train: A commonality between us all, regardless of our backgrounds, the loneliness of adolescence, escaping from your past.

Smokey room...for a smile...on and on: Metaphoric for the places/circumstances we seek love and companionship (the stereotype being a bar). We are so desperate to not be lonely that we'll form a relationship simply on the basis of a smile (again metaphorical, though often literal). "On and On," again referring to our common condition, this scene is repeatedly played out day in and out - we're all searching for love and companionship.

"Strangers waiting": We are all strangers to each other, no one has experienced exactly what you have, and there is a certain inherent isolation in that. "Up and down the boulevard": Everywhere, every town, every person, through all life experience. "Their shadows searching in the night": The night represents isolation and separation from others. Shadows are our own inner darkness (or demons, our deepest secrets). We are haunted by our personal ghosts, and are seeking someone who will understand and relate to us despite who we are. The shadows aren't really seeking (since shadows aren't actually anything, but the absence of light), but us seeking someone with whom we can share who we really are. "Streetlight, people": What we project ourselves to be to the world - how we want people to see us. "Living just to find emotion": Again, we are isolated and seeking meaningful relationships, but willing to settle for something to make us feel less empty, so we will fill that void with any sort of connection. "Hiding, somewhere in the night": See above, any sort of superficial emotional connection seems to be preferable to being alone in the darkness.

"Working hard to get my fill, everybody wants a thrill":Putting forth a great deal of effort to make those connections, the fact that we often substitute cheap thrills (sex?) for true meaning and connection in relationships. "Payin' anything...": We will sacrifice a great deal to avoid being loney, even if the reward is fleeting. "Some will win...": Some will find a true, meaningful relationship, some won't, some never will. "the movie...": This cycle goes on and on with, just the players change over time.

"Don't stop believin', Hold on to that feelin'": Don't give up hope, keep searching for that meaningful relationship regardless of how difficult and trying the search is. "Streetlight people": Again, see above - everyone has their "public face" which we present. Despite our inherent shallowness, keep seeking the deeper, more meaningful connection.

I know it's popular to bash Journey and this song simply because of how popular they were in the 80's and that they to some extent defined popular music for that era - move beyond that. I'm a huge Rush fan, I love the work that Neil Peart puts into crafting his lyrics and the meaning behind them. That said, I defy you to find another song that in 19 lines more accurately sums up the human condition when it comes to seeking out someone to connect with and the loneliness everyone feels. I guarantee you a good portion of the popularity of this song is that so many people can relate to it, even if they can't exactly define why. This is a masterfully written (and performed piece of art), and deserves recognition as such.

2 Replies Log in to reply

@Tristar I completely appreciate every word you took the time to break this down so well, seems like You wrote the song!

@Tristar LMAO... are you a dumbass. Calling people names, when you are 100% off the writer of the song, comes right out and proclaims its about his walk to jesus. Before you start throwing rocks, best make sure your in a kevlar building... l.facebook.com/l.php

That one line..."some will win, some will lose.." That line couldnt be more true. this one time i won, and then this other time, i lost. steve perry really tells it like it is.

No Replies Log in to reply

This song is about never giving up on love. Everyone feels lonely sometimes. This song makes me think that every time I am sad or lonely there is someone else out there who might be lonely too and that someday we will meet. It sounds dumb I guess, maybe naive or hopelessly romantic but I think its true. I "hold on to that feeling" of hope all the time.

This song is extremely special to me. My father died when I was young and always used to tell me "Keep the faith, Kris. Keep the faith." This song has never let me down and I think it's exactly that; keep the faith and don't stop believing no matter what happens. There is always something great out there as long as you believe it exists. I've experienced some rough things in my life and whenever I asked God to help me, this song would play on the radio or wherever I was.

I was supposed to graduate from college in May 2011, and I couldn't because I had to repeat my 90 hours for teaching. I knew God had a plan for me for some reason although I didn't know what. I ended up student teaching at the school attached to my Church. I could not have asked for a better experience. I honestly could not or would not have asked for a better sign from God that I have a bright future in this field.

Never give up on yourself or your dreams, keep going and NEVER stop believing.

i love this song. best journey song hands down.

I think this song is defintely about fate, hope, love, and of course, believing. We all want love/thrill/emotion.. and we try to find it, often through lust. we end up not getting it. it's saying just don't stop believing. it will happen someday.

this song is about fate. How two lonley people from two different areas are lookingand waiting for love. Everybody wants emotion(love) but not all of us are that lucky. And for those who arn't that lucky well "Dont stop believin".

Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world She took the midnight train going anywhere just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit He took the midnight train going anywhere ( Ok so listen up because this is where you have to really start thinking... I solely hope to concey both clearly and simply to you why this song is in my mind, about prostitutes. Yes, hookers, harlots, and whores... To many times people for lack of better words " Judge a book by it's cover". I know that the first couple of lines have confused many people, but what the writer really tries to get you to do is create in your mind a character for you to get to understand, and hopefully also sympathies with by the end of the narrative. People will confuse themselves often, as they create the story in their minds with two protagonists for the song, because well they want to think it is about themselves. Though while it is an effective literary technique to put the reader in the story, I believe that this story is ment to be looked at from afar to picture a story of people we will probably never get to know. Now that I have your attention please feel free to re-read the lyrics, I have even provided my own comments on the lines for those who chose to read them ) . . . . . . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A singer in a smoky room The smell of wine and cheap perfume ( when writers tell a story they know that one element of that tale is the setting, the where, the when, and sometimes the why. In the case of these lines the author, as i will call the writer or writers, the author is developing the where, by enlightening multiple of our senses to the setting. The singer gives us something to picture hearing, and maybe even watching as she is providing entertainment. The smoky room gives us something to picture smelling, and again maybe is gives us a visual of smoke in hanging in the air as it often does in a bar. The last line I will leave you to interpret, but i would ask if you try to let your imagination wander.) For a smile they can share the night It goes on and on and on and on ( Now that the author has developed a setting for us he reintroduces the protagonist [ Prostitute ], and the other character [ male Client ]. And then for whatever reason, destiny or randomness, these two people, which few people on here tend to agree on what method is the right one. Yes the male smiles and yes the pair share the night in whatever ways your imagination can take you. ) Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard Their shadows searching in the night ( Now the author ask us to picture a different setting, note that the protagonist is not necessarily present. The author shows us people on a boulevard probably one that looks much like one you've seen as it is your own creation to imagine. There shadows most typically an ominous symbol in literature describe the setting quite differently than the up beat tempo of the music. This darkness is actually quite a prevalent theme throughout. " Midnight Train", "Shadows searching in the night". ) Streetlight people, living just to find emotion Hiding somewhere in the night ( These lines tell us about the people in this new scene. The streetlight's depict how they can be found on street corners, where the look for emotion, whether it is happiness because of that they feel nought, or also find sadness, because there possibly self-destructive habits lead them to repeatably find themselves in terrible situations, "On and on and on and on.". Working hard to get my fill, everybody wants a thrill Paying anything to roll the dice just one more time ( The use of the word my should suggest to the reader that the author is now speaking in first person through the protagonist. She is work hard at prostitution just to get a fill, not a T.V. or Car, like many of us including myself, look forward to saving for. But after all as we have been told many times, prostitution is the oldest profession and, "Everybody wants a thrill". There is a reason why there is a general consensus, that, "Streetlight People" as I like to call them are some of the lowest people. This is because they have said au revoir to there morals and paid the highest price and made the greatest sacrifice in selling the one thing they truly own... their bodies.) Some will win, some will lose, some were born to sing the blues Oh the movie never ends, it goes on and on and on and on ( Yes some people will win, they will be rich maybe be famous, others will lose as we all have once or twice, and, "Some were born to sing the blue's". And what better music for the author to use to describe the life of a prostitute than the most soulful, most passionate, and often the saddest ever produced. And yes this movie you have imagined for yourself, "Goes on and on and on and on". Don't stop believing Hold on to that feeling Streetlight people ( And the story ends with touching sentiments and a kind high pitched final farewell, to all those Streetlight people that obviously everyone seems to like so much. ) * This is my take of the song, I hope you enjoyed how I tried to connect most every line if not word, but if you still have any questions or if you want to try to rebut me feel free to email me at [email protected] my name is Stephen Graham Hajosy and would love to hear other peoples input to a song that I personally love to sing at the top of my lungs at every home Oregon Ducks football game**

it's just basically telling us that there is that special someone out there for each of us. except i think i would be the one who "sings the blues" as steve perry put it.

Love what Glee did with this. The cover is amazing, and I think it captures all the energy of the original. Wow. This was (and still is) such a FANTASTIC song!

I have always interpreted this song as to the randomness of two souls finding each other. Out of nowhere, completely unexpected, not even looking, but their hearts are open to the possibility. The conclusion of these lyrics is actually the first verse of the song.

The rest is filled with methaphors of the arduous journey, and seemingly hopeless search. It may seem like a lost cause at times, but like the title of the song says, "Don't stop believin'".

Add your thoughts

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Artists - J
Journey's Greatest Hits
Don't Stop Believin' Lyrics
Artists - S
Speedy Ortiz

More Featured Meanings

More Journey Lyrics

Faithfully Lyrics
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) Lyrics
Wheel in the Sky Lyrics
Open Arms Lyrics
Lights Lyrics

the future of music

Suggestions

Behind the meaning of “don’t stop believin’” by journey.

Behind the Meaning of “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey

“Don’t Stop Believin'” is one of the most iconic songs of the 1980s , and it remains a beloved classic.

The track was initially released by the American rock band Journey in 1981, and it has since become a cultural phenomenon, featured in countless movies, TV shows, and commercials.

But what is the meaning behind the lyrics of this timeless anthem?

What inspired the band to write this timeless hit?

On the surface, “Don’t Stop Believin'” is a simple song about chasing your dreams and never giving up, but a closer examination reveals a more profound, more complex message.

This article will explore the story behind the song, its cultural significance, and the different interpretations of its meaning.

The Making of a Classic

The pianist Jonathan Cain, singer Steve Perry, and guitarist Neal Schon all helped write the song.

The beginning keyboard riff and “Don’t Stop Believin'” chorus are memorable.

It’s seen as a deep look at how people and society communicate.

It focuses on how boring, dull, and suffocating the everyday world is.

Still, the song makes people feel hopeful, optimistic, and willing to keep going.

In the early 1980s, Journey quickly became one of the world’s best-known rock bands .

Before Cain joined the band and started playing the piano, they had already done very well.

He joined them before they went to the studio to make their seventh album.

It wasn’t easy to write the song “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

Cain, Perry, and Schon might not have written it if they hadn’t had a few lucky accidents along the way.

They had just moved on from their progressive rock phase and were looking for a softer sound when Perry joined the band.

The Meaning of “Don’t Stop Believin'” Lyrics

The most popular words and chords in the song come from Cain .

These words were his motto from the start, and they still are.

He first heard the words that would become the song in a phone call with his father.

In the 1970s, when Cain was younger and just starting as a singer, his dog was hit by a car.

This was a hard time for him.

He called his dad because he needed to figure out his future as a musician in Hollywood.

He needed $900 for a loan and to pay the vet fee for his dog.

He asked his father if his music career was just a “dream” and if he should return to Chicago.

“Son, don’t stop believing,” his dad told him; he would lend him the money as long as he stayed in Hollywood.

The beautiful words moved him, so he wrote them down in his lyrics book.

He brought this book with him to San Francisco when he joined Journey.

He joined the band as they started working on their seventh album, Escape .

Perry told Cain that their new album’s producer wanted one more song.

Since he had only played a little with the band before starting the album, he said they’d already made 17.

But the producer was set, and Perry wouldn’t back down.

Cain went home to work on the song on his Wurlitzer piano, the one he used to write “Open Arms.”

As he turned the pages of his song lyrics book, he saw the words “Don’t stop believing” again.

He knew Perry would like it, so he wrote a catchy chorus: “Hold on to that feelin’.”

Cain returned to the band with just these two lines and the song’s chords.

Perry liked the sounds, and the rest of the band worked together to write a chorus.

Choosing the Right Notes

Perry was a singer, but he also played the bass and drums.

He understood each part of the song like a machine.

Cain listened to Perry’s freestyle and picked out what he heard: “Lonely world” or “anywhere.”

Cain suggested that “Jack and Diane” would be good names for regular people.

The first character introduced is the “small-town girl,” and her world is immediately described as “lonely.”

He started to think of the song as a movie that “goes on and on.”

He also said the track sounded like it was in the 1970s on Sunset Boulevard.

People driving up and down the street on Friday nights flooded back into his mind.

He remembered people looking for something, like hustlers and dreamers, actors and actresses, directors and wannabes.

After the lyrics were done, the band recorded the instruments.

At first, they had a few difficulties with the song’s speed.

But it’s impressive that after only 20 minutes of practice, they could play the whole song in one take.

Schon recorded the song’s unique bass line, and Cain wrote a synth piece that complemented it.

Steve Smith played a typical rock backbeat on the drums on top of this.

He added rhythmic, syncopated tom-toms and a ride cymbal bell, which becomes more complicated as the song progresses.

Schon also played 16-note arpeggios on top of the other instruments to make the song sound like a “train” moving forward.

Soon after, Perry added his voice, and the rest of the band sang in the background through a single microphone.

After he was done mixing the song, it became a hit.

The Real Meaning of the Song “Don’t Stop Believin'”

People from all walks of life are shown in the song’s lyrics.

One thing that all of these people have in common is that they all had to fight to get what they wanted.

These challenges have a lot to do with the things Perry went through in his own life.

Two people get on a “midnight train going anywhere,” hoping to go somewhere they don’t know.

The idea of leaving home to find your fate is a big part of the song’s positive message.

The second verse starts with “a singer in a smoky room,” which could be a touring performer or a hustler.

This artist likes his job but has yet to determine what tomorrow will bring.

The characters in the third verse are the same way.

Some people will win, and some will lose, but nobody knows what will happen to them.

What ties them all together is that they are all looking for something more.

They are all “livin’ just to find emotion”, like the “streetlight people” of the city.

Two pre-choruses in between build up the track’s energy until it feels like it’s about to explode.

The famous chorus comes next.

“Don’t Stop Believin'” is not like most rock songs in that the hook comes at the end.

This makes sense since this part was the most complete at the start of composing.

But it’s rare for someone to be able to pull off such a bold power move.

The chorus ends the song and tells you how to interpret it.

Even though life is unclear and has a winding path, the song tells people to “hold on to that feelin’.”

That feeling is an optimistic future that’s worth working toward.

It’s the “something more” we all want.

People might get what they want if they “don’t stop believing.”

Even though life is full of difficulties, we can work together to overcome them.

This is true even for the challenges we all face on the inside.

This never-ending message of hope in people is what makes “Don’t Stop Believin'” so powerful and able to reach people from all eras.

No matter what comes next, people still seem to hold on to what is most important.

This song’s message seems to have been about the track itself.

It was a top 10 hit worldwide and became the band’s signature song when it came out.

It went to a new level when it was put on iTunes in 2008 and sold over seven million copies there.

Globally, the 2009 cover by the cast of Glee did better than the original song.

Cool Facts About “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey

“Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey played a significant role in Journey’s 1996 reunion.

Steve Perry, the band’s lead singer, had departed in 1987, but his return for the band’s Trial by Fire album marked a new chapter for Journey.

The song gained widespread recognition among younger audiences after being featured in the closing scene of the final episode of the acclaimed TV series “The Sopranos” in 2007.

The ambiguous ending and the song’s uplifting nature left a lasting impression on viewers.

The song became more popular when it was used as the closing song in Rock of Ages, a jukebox musical show made up of hits from the 1980s.

From 2009 to 2015, the show was on Broadway, and in 2012, it was turned into a movie starring Tom Cruise.

It’s a good choice since Rock of Ages is set on Sunset Boulevard, where the song is mostly about.

In May 2010, Lady Gaga, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Blondie, and Shirley Bassey performed “Don’t Stop Believin'” at the end of a concert to raise money for the Rainforest Fund at Carnegie Hall.

During the 2020 pandemic, some hospitals played this song to get COVID-19 patients and those treating them to work together.

For example, when a coronavirus patient is discharged from the New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, “Don’t Stop Believin'” is played throughout the building as a source of motivation.

Will Fenton

Behind the Meaning of “As It Was” by Harry Styles

Behind the Meaning of “Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks

Latest from entertainment & playlists.

15 Best Anthony Hamilton Songs Of All Time (Greatest Hits)

14 Best Ajr Songs Of All Time (Greatest Hits)

14 Best Sugar Ray Songs Of All Time (Greatest Hits)

15 Best Sara Bareilles Songs Of All Time (Greatest Hits)

15 Best Twenty One Pilots Songs Of All Time (Greatest Hits)

Journey – “Don’t Stop Believin’” Lyrics Meaning

Joanna holds a BSc in English Literature and uses her expertise in literary analysis to uncover the deeper meaning of her favorite songs.

“Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey is a timeless anthem of hope and perseverance. It tells the story of two people – a small-town girl and a city boy – searching for something more in life. These characters symbolize the universal journey of finding oneself and the pursuit of dreams. The song conveys a powerful message: never give up. It emphasizes the importance of holding onto that feeling of hope, even when the odds seem stacked against you. The songwriter, drawing from personal experiences and observations, crafts a narrative that resonates with anyone who’s ever yearned for something beyond their reach.

Ever felt like there’s something bigger out there for you? “Don’t Stop Believin’” captures that feeling. It’s not just a song; it’s an experience, a journey. Let’s unravel this journey together.

“Don’t Stop Believin’” Lyrics Meaning

“Just a small town girl, livin’ in a lonely world” – these opening lines instantly connect us to the girl’s sense of isolation and her longing for something more. Similarly, the “city boy, born and raised in South Detroit,” represents the other side of the spectrum – someone from an urban environment, yet equally lost and searching.

The song progresses through their journey, touching upon themes of loneliness, aspiration, and the relentless pursuit of dreams. The “midnight train going anywhere” is a powerful metaphor for the unknown paths we take in life, driven by our hopes and ambitions. This idea of journeying into the unknown is a recurring theme throughout the song.

The chorus, “Don’t stop believin’, hold on to that feelin’”, serves as a rallying cry. It’s a reminder to cling to our dreams and aspirations, no matter how distant they seem. This line transcends the narrative of the song, speaking directly to the listener, urging them to keep faith in their journey.

The scenes in the smokey room, with “the smell of wine and cheap perfume,” paint a vivid picture of fleeting moments and the transient nature of joy and struggle in life. The imagery of “streetlights, people, livin’ just to find emotion, hidin’ somewhere in the night” captures the essence of human longing and the continuous search for meaning and connection.

The Story Behind “Don’t Stop Believin’”

When delving into the creation of “Don’t Stop Believin’,” it’s essential to understand the mindset of the band, particularly that of the primary songwriter, Jonathan Cain. During the time of writing, Cain was transitioning into a new phase of his life and career. Joining Journey marked a significant turning point for him, filled with uncertainty and hope.

This song was born out of Cain’s personal experiences and reflections on life’s unpredictability and the necessity of holding onto hope. It mirrors his journey from struggling artist to rock star, embodying the emotions and challenges he faced along the way. The song’s characters – the small-town girl and the city boy – are extensions of Cain’s own story, representing the universal human experience of chasing dreams against all odds.

The phrase “Don’t Stop Believin’” was reportedly inspired by Cain’s father, who encouraged him during his moments of doubt. This personal touch adds depth to the song, making it not just a story about two fictional characters but a reflection of the songwriter’s own life struggles and triumphs.

In essence, the song is a narrative of resilience, hope, and the undying human spirit. It’s about finding strength in moments of despair and pushing forward when everything seems bleak.

Céline Dion – “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” Lyrics Meaning
Bruno Mars – “The Lazy Song” Lyrics Meaning
Rihanna – “Woo” Lyrics Meaning
The Grateful Dead – “Terrapin Station: Lady With A Fan” Lyrics Meaning

Understand your favorite songs.

Our mission is to analyze your favorite songs and share the story behind them.

Meaning of Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey

"Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey is an uplifting anthem about looking for hope and staying resilient even in challenging and difficult times. The song focuses on two seemingly different individuals from different backgrounds – a small-town girl and a city boy from South Detroit – and paints a picture of their shared dreams of adventure and of overcoming the odds. The chorus encourages the listener to keep believing in themselves and in their dreams, no matter what obstacles they may be facing. The song also explores themes of community and human connection, as both characters recognize that they are not alone in their struggles as strangers come together in the night, hoping to create meaningful connections despite their differences. Ultimately, “Don’t Stop Believin” is a reminder to persevere in your endeavors and to never give up hope.

This meaning interpretation was written by AI. Help improve it with your feedback

More from this artist

After All These Years

After the Fall

All Day All Night

All The Way

Trending this week

End of Beginning

Speak Your Mind

Brandi Carlile

Heaven Knows (The Angel Has Flown)

Orange & Lemons

Justrandomthings

lyrics reviews and song meanings

Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’ | Lyrics Meaning & Song Review

Drawing inspiration from a Rock song from the 1980’s may seem too far fetched for the year 2020. However, in these dark and bleak times under the global Coronavirus pandemic, the American rock band’s hit track “Don’t Stop Believin'” could be the best medicine. Because, well, don’t stop believing!

“Don’t Stop Believin'” is the second single from Journey’s seventh studio album ‘Escape’ released in 1981. Although the song only reached #9 on Billboard Hot 100 and #62 in the UK Singles chart, the track became a timeless classic, making it a ‘must-have’ in rock concerts. However, the song performed extremely well when it was cataloged on iTunes in 2008 and years following that. By 2013, the song has sold over 7 million copies as per RIAA .

“Don’t Stop Believin'” is a take on humans and their interactions in the societies. While highlighting the monotonous and crushing nature of everyday life, the song tries to inject a message of positivity and hope among the listeners.

Listen to “Don’t Stop Believin'” by Journey

“Don’t Stop Believin'” Lyrics Meaning and Song Review

The song kicks off with the first verse hinting about the commonality of fates of most people roaming this world. You could be a small-town girl or a big-city boy, but you would walk the same steps in life in a more or less common nature and pace.

The lyric “took the midnight train goin’ anywhere” implies that we all take a journey in our lives. But do we always know where we are going or where we would eventually end up? Most likely not. Hence, the ‘midnight train’ represents the uncertainty and danger of the life we live and every step we take in it. It could take us ‘anywhere.’

Lead vocalist of Journey, Steve Perry talked about the reference to ‘South Detroit’ in the song in an interview with Vulture magazine; “I ran the phonetics of east, west, and north, but nothing sounded as good or emotionally true to me as South Detroit. The syntax just sounded right. I fell in love with the line. It’s only been in the last few years that I’ve learned that there is no South Detroit. But it doesn’t matter.” In fact, the south of Detroit lies the city of Windsor, belonging to Canada.

Watch Journey Perform “Don’t Stop Believin'” Live in Houston

Verse one of “Don’t Stop Believin'” is immediately followed by the second verse. In these lyrics, Journey further elaborates on the monotonous nature of life: much like a train ride. “A singer in a smoky room” may be a reference to the singer himself. A smoky room is yet another inference to the bleak future.

The lyric “For a smile, they can share the night” might be one of the most depressing thoughts ever existed in a song. This line refers to the social constitution of marriage, where two people would give up their own freedom and independence in exchange for a ‘smile.’ A ‘smile’ is not exactly the most luxurious benefit for a human being. If the lyrics referred to ‘happiness’ in place of a smile, the story would be entirely different. However, we seem to sacrifice a lot in the name of wearing a smiling face mask to face society.

And it goes on and on, because that is the social convention now…

Steve Perry talked about the inspiration behind the pre-chorus in an interview with Klos Radio; “I was on the top floor of our hotel, looking down, downtown right across from Cobo Arena back at the time. And I’m looking down and the lights were lighting up the entire streets from top-down and I thought it was fascinating to see the glow of the streets without the streetlights and the people milling around at two, three in the morning. And I thought it’s like streetlight people.”

The singer tries to understand the motives of these people walking aimlessly up and down the street at the thick of the night. He concludes that these people are trying to find and hold on to some kind of emotion to make them feel alive. It might be a midnight movie or a snack or just a walk down the road with your loved one, anything just to feel some kind of emotion rather than the rust of life.

And people love the night. One reason is that they cannot see their own shadows at night. Shadows represent their own demons from the past. The people cannot even see each other’s faces walking up and down the street. There is no judgment, just freedom in the unknown.

Another important word in the lyrics is “strangers” being used to describe all these people. They might be literal strangers to Steve Perry, looking down from his hotel room. But these people are strangers to the person next to them, and sometimes to themselves too.

The third verse of the song does little to motivate us to face this rusted society and its chains. People work hard daily, every day of their lives just to meet their ends. The hardness increases when one enters into holy matrimony: more responsibilities and more mouths to feed. So it is natural that everybody would want to gamble something in order to catch some break. But everybody can’t be winners. “Some will win, some will lose” are some of the wisest words ever spoken. In this game of life, it is not everybody who can make it. Someone has to lose for another to win. It is the nature of the cogwheel.

‘Singing blues’ songs might be a reference to the emotions the color is associated with. The color of blue stands of coldness, lack of emotion, depression, and monotonousness. Hence, the singer might be drawing contrasting features between the Rock genre and the Blues genre here.

And this run around the hamsterwheel never ends, until you rest in peace!

After three verses of hammering on the depressive nature of society, Journey delivers the actual punchline of the song: “don’t stop believin’.”

Journey wants all of us to remember that we are unique and special in our own ways. Never forget that and never let that feeling go. If you do let it go, the three verses of this song are most relevant to you. If you believe in that fighting nature to break out of the monotony of the world, the chorus of the song is most relevant for you.

Especially in an era of a significant spike in the erosion of mental health, songs such as “Don’t Stop Believin'” could provide some much-needed relief to people. If you are currently in need of support for your mental health, click here .

However, the listener has to be prepared to receive the actual message of the song, and not get lost in the minor branches of the full story.

So, don’t stop believin’ in yourself!

Let us hear what you think about this song and its meaning in the comments below. Check out the complete lyrics and further meaning breakdown on Genius .

6 thoughts on “ Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’ | Lyrics Meaning & Song Review ”

A song that helped me going on, and on, and on….. I can totally relate to it and it contains such powerful message

Music, like beauty, is in the eye or ear of the beholder. This story is familiar yet motivating with the phrase “don’t stop believing.”

Journey wrote one very good song

The Chorus is Definitely the best part of the song… especially to motivate & bring light & give hope to anyone! The rest speaks volumes of life & it’s true…so to anyone out there: ‘Don’t Stop Believing’…Ever.

Just today, my 12 yr. old granddaughter & the rest of the choir @ her middle school, Martinez, in Lutz, FL gave an incredibly beautiful & moving rendition of this song, singing beautifully w/ masks on & 6′ distancing during this pandemic in their gymnasium…moved all to tears as they kept singing” Don’t Stop Believing”…

If they truly believed in light, they’d wouldn’t do it in this absurd way. It’ll never end.

More From Forbes

Journey’s ‘don’t stop believin’’ is officially the biggest song of all time.

Share to Facebook
Share to Twitter
Share to Linkedin

American rock group Journey, New York, June 1979. Left to right: guitarist Neal Schon, bassist Ross ... [+] Valory, keyboard player Gregg Rolie, singer Steve Perry, and drummer Steve Smith. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images)

There are a handful of songs in American pop culture that are so pervasive and successful, it’s likely that there isn’t anyone left in the country who hasn’t heard them. One of the best examples of one of these inescapable smashes is Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” which has just earned a very special honor.

According to the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), “Don’t Stop Believin’” is now an 18-times platinum-certified single. That means that between pure sales and other forms of consumption–namely streaming–the song has shifted at least 18 million equivalent units in the United States alone.

Now that it’s been certified 18-times platinum, “Don’t Stop Believin’” ranks as the biggest song in America–but it’s not alone in this position. Journey’s most beloved single ties with the only track in U.S. history that has already reached that milestone. Post Malone and Swae Lee’s “Sunflower”—officially titled “Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse)”—was certified 18-times platinum last May.

The announcement that “Don’t Stop Believin’” had reached such an impressive milestone came as something of a surprise. Before this latest honor, the song had only ever been certified up to quadruple platinum status. It hit that mark in May 2013. In the more than decade since then, the RIAA hadn’t bestowed any additional certifications on the hit, but clearly it was accruing millions of sales and equivalent units shifted behind the scenes.

“Don’t Stop Believin’” was released in October 1981, and its potential was made clear pretty quickly. The song rose to No. 9 on the Hot 100, becoming one of Journey’s biggest hits. Even though the tune wasn’t their highest-rising track on the chart, it’s become the rock band’s signature smash in the decades since it dropped.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024.

The smash was so powerful, it helped Journey score their first No. 1 album. The set that “Don’t Stop Believin’” was featured on, Escape , was released months before the tune was spun off as a proper single, and it conquered the Billboard 200.

Currently, the runner-up on the ranking of the most-consumed and most-certified songs in U.S. history is Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road.” That single has been certified 17-times platinum, and it will surely improve that figure in the coming years. Three hits are tied at 16-times platinum status–Drake’s “God’s Plan,” Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud,” and Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive.”

Editorial Standards
Reprints & Permissions

IMAGES

Meaning Behind "Don't Stop Believin'" Song By Journey
Bedeutung von Don’t Stop Believin’ von Journey
(1981) DON'T STOP BELIEVIN'
Journey's Don't Stop Believing: The meaning of the song
The story of the song Don t Stop Believin
Journey

VIDEO

Olivia Newton John
Don’t Stop Believin
Journey
Don't Stop Believin Journey Cover 2 Year Anniversary Since March 20th 2022
Journey
DON'T STOP BELIEVIN' (Lyrics)

COMMENTS

Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" Lyrics Meaning
Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" Lyrics Meaning. by SMF · Published August 4, 2019 · Updated September 21, 2022. As the title implies ("Don't Stop Believin'"), this song is based on the concepts of positivity thinking and remaining optimistic in the face of uncertainty. Its origins can famously be traced back to one of its ...
Journey's Don't Stop Believing: The meaning of the song
The improbable story of the Journey classic that keeps coming back to life. When the screen cut abruptly to black and the strains of Journey 's Don't Stop Believin' went silent at the finale of iconic TV show The Sopranos in 2007, it might have symbolised the death of Tony Soprano, but it began a new life for Journey's enduring classic ...
The Meaning Behind The Song: Don't Stop Believin' by Journey
A Song of Hope. "Don't Stop Believin'" is a song about hope, perseverance, and the human spirit. It tells the story of a small-town girl and a city boy, both searching for something more in their lives. They meet in a smoky bar, surrounded by strangers, and share a brief moment of connection. The song's lyrics capture the essence of the ...
Don't Stop Believin'
"Don't Stop Believin '" is a rock song by American band Journey. It was released in October 1981 as the second single from the group's seventh studio album, Escape (1981), released through Columbia Records. "Don't Stop Believin '" shares writing credits between the band's vocalist Steve Perry, guitarist Neal Schon, and keyboardist Jonathan Cain.A mid-tempo rock anthem and power ballad, "Don't ...
Meaning Behind "Don't Stop Believin'" Song By Journey
Don't Stop Believin' is a classic American rock song by the band Journey. Originally released in 1981, this mid-tempo rock anthem has continued to resonate to this day. The track was released as the second single on the band's seventh studio album, Escape, with Columbia Records. It achieved number nine on Billboard's Hot 100, but in the ...
Don't Stop Believin' by Journey
It's gonna happen. Don't stop believin'.'". Cain's dream came true when he joined a group called The Babys with John Waite. In 1980, he joined Journey in San Francisco, and this song took shape. He told Steve Perry about his idea for placing the song in Sunset Boulevard, and Perry had him describe it.
Behind The Song Lyrics: "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey
Believin'! Hold on to that feelin'. Streetlight, people. Don't stop, believin'. Hold on. Streetlights, people. The song, which was released on the band's sophomore album, Escape, in 1981 ...
Behind the Song: "Don't Stop Believin'," Journey
Videos by American Songwriter. "Don't Stop Believin'" was the second single from Journey's 1981 album Escape, and has become one of the most recognizable songs of all time. Before Cain ...
Real Meaning Behind The Lyrics To Journey's Don't Stop Believin
Our Meaning Behind The Lyrics To Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" article will look at the lyrics to the iconic rock song. "Don't Stop Believin'" is the second single from Journey's Escape album. The song was released in October 1981. It was written by Journey's Steve Perry, Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain. The song is ...
Journey
Don't Stop Believin' Lyrics: 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 ...
The Meaning Behind The Song: Don't Stop Believin' by Journey
The chorus, "Don't stop believin', hold on to that feelin'," serves as a powerful reminder to never lose hope, even in the face of adversity. It encourages us to stay true to ourselves, to keep pushing forward, and to believe in the possibility of a better tomorrow. The song's uplifting message has made it a go-to anthem for ...
The Meaning Behind 'Don't Stop Believin' By Journey
The story of 'Don't Stop Believin' started with Journey's keyboardist Jonathan Cain. Cain struggled to make a name for himself in Hollywood and was on the verge of giving up on his dreams. His father, however, believed in him and provided the encouraging words: 'Son, don't stop believin'.
Here's The Story Behind 'Don't Stop Believin',' The ...
Stick to your guns. Don't stop believin'. I went, 'OK.' Everything he would say to me somehow I would just doodle in my little notebook that I wrote songs in. That's basically what happened. He had said to me, 'Don't stop believin',' and I took it to heart. He sent me the money, and great things started to happen."
Journey "Don't Stop Believin'" Lyrics Meaning
"Don't Stop Believin'" is a rock song by the American band Journey. It came out in October 1981 as their second single from their seventh album called Escape (1981), which was released by Columbia Records.
Journey
He took the midnight train goin' anywhere. A singer in a smoky room. A smell of wine and cheap perfume. For a smile they can share the night. It goes on and on, and on, and on. Strangers waiting. Up and down the boulevard. Their shadows searching in the night. Streetlights, people.
The Meaning of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'"
Jonathan Cain of Journey in the 80s. In fact, another iconic lyric from "Don't Stop Believin'" comes from Cain's time living on Sunset Boulevard, with the line "Strangers, waitin' / Up and down the boulevard" being a reference to the times he would look out his apartment window and watch the bustle of people on the sidewalks below.
Behind the Meaning of "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey
The beginning keyboard riff and "Don't Stop Believin'" chorus are memorable. It's seen as a deep look at how people and society communicate. It focuses on how boring, dull, and suffocating the everyday world is. Still, the song makes people feel hopeful, optimistic, and willing to keep going. In the early 1980s, Journey quickly became ...
Journey
The chorus, "Don't stop believin', hold on to that feelin'", serves as a rallying cry. It's a reminder to cling to our dreams and aspirations, no matter how distant they seem. This line transcends the narrative of the song, speaking directly to the listener, urging them to keep faith in their journey. The scenes in the smokey room ...
Meaning of Don't Stop Believin' by Journey
December 15, 2022. "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey is an uplifting anthem about looking for hope and staying resilient even in challenging and difficult times. The song focuses on two seemingly different individuals from different backgrounds - a small-town girl and a city boy from South Detroit - and paints a picture of their shared ...
Journey
After three verses of hammering on the depressive nature of society, Journey delivers the actual punchline of the song: "don't stop believin'.". Journey wants all of us to remember that we are unique and special in our own ways. Never forget that and never let that feeling go. If you do let it go, the three verses of this song are most ...
The Meaning Behind The Song: Don't Stop Believin' by Starship
The lyrics of "Don't Stop Believin'" tell a story of hope, resilience, and the power of never giving up on your dreams. The song begins with a small-town girl and a city boy, both searching for something more in life. It paints a picture of their separate journeys, filled with hardships and challenges.
Journey's 'Don't Stop Believin'' Is Officially The ...
"Don't Stop Believin'" was released in October 1981, and its potential was made clear pretty quickly. The song rose to No. 9 on the Hot 100, becoming one of Journey's biggest hits.
Journey
Buy Journey - Don't Stop Believin' / The Journey Story (An Audio Biography) - CBS, CBS, CBS - 12", Pic - A11 1728, CBS A 11-1728, CBS 11 1728, includes Don't Stop Believin', In The Morning, To Play Some Music, Saturday Nite, Wheel In The Sky, Feeling That Way, Anytime, Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin', When You're Alone (It Ain't Easy), Someday Soon, Any Way You Want It, Stone In Love, Who's Crying ...