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Journey’s 10 Best Songs

Sure, "Don't Stop Believin'" -- but there's a whole lot more.

By Gary Graff

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Though it arrives amidst lawsuits , social media sniping and infighting, Journey is turning 50 this year.

During that half century, the group has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, logging 11 platinum-or-better albums (including Diamond certifications for 1981’s Escape and 1988’s Greatest Hits) , earning eight top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 and 25 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s also been a reliable ticket-selling act for most of its career, and in 2017, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Journey’s is the story of eras. When the group originally formed in San Francisco in 1973, original manager Herbie Herbert helped bring together guitarist Neal Schon and keyboard player/vocalist Gregg Rolie from Santana, bassist Ross Valory and rhythm guitarist George Tickner from Frumious Bandersnatch and drummer Prairie Prince from The Tubes. Prince would be replaced by David Bowie/Frank Zappa skins man Aynsley Dunbar, while Tickner would leave after Journey’s self-titled first album in 1975. The remaining quartet recorded two more albums before Steve Perry came on board for 1978’s Infinity, which began the band’s run of multi-platinum smashes — also marking the first appearance of Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse’s iconic scarab logo for the band. Dunbar was replaced by Steve Smith for 1979’s Evolution , and Rolie would leave in 1980 with Jonathan Cain of The Babys joining to help elevate the band to even greater fortunes on Escape and Frontiers .

The palette has been diverse, but there are common elements among Journey’s best songs — sturdy melodies and sing-along choruses, usually leading into one of Schon’s majestic guitar solos. But within that mold there’s also been plenty of invention and clever arrangements that have never been as formulaic as some of the band’s detractors (particularly during their early ‘80s heyday) would have you believe.

Journey has gone through its fair share of lineups, with singer Arnel Pineda on board since 2007 — the longest continuous tenure of any Journey frontman. The group released Freedom , it’s first new studio album in 11 years, in 2022, and despite the current legal fractures (which you can read about in detail here ), still they ride, as the Escape track says — and may they keep on runnin’ for a long time.

With all that in mind, here are our picks for Journey’s 10 best songs — not all of which come from the biggest hits.

"Someday Soon" ( Departure , 1980)

This album track from Rolie’s finally studio effort with the band is a hypnotic tone poem, with a ringing, cushy ambience and a hippie kind of optimism – not to mention the best give-and-take Perry and Rolie achieved during their time together in the band. It’s of course been eclipsed by Journey’s myriad hits (“Any Way You Want It” is the enduring top 40 Hot 100 hit from Departure ), but it’s a gem worthy of discovery.  Listen here.

"Escape" ( Escape , 1981)

The title track from Journey’s Billboard 200-topping studio album straddled the hard rock/pomp attack of the group’s mid-‘70s output with the melodic sensibility of the Perry-Cain axis. Its five-minute length provides room for the arrangement to stretch out and flow from one song part to the next, with a crunch that was part of Journey’s palette at the time. Listen here.

"Of a Lifetime" ( Journey , 1975)

The Journey of 1973-77 was certainly a different creature than the hitmaking colossus so many know and love. The group’s initial lineups flexed instrumental muscles, smoothly knitting together a number of styles more interested in the journey (ba- dum ) than any commercial destination. The first track from its first album is a prototype, leaning into blues, psychedelic rock and a touch of Latin, with the first of what would become many standout Schon solos, and a tuneful sturdiness delivered by Rolie’s soulful vocal. Listen here.

"Faithfully" (Frontiers , 1983)

The melody of this top 20 Hot 100 hit came to Cain in a dream on a tour bus, and his paean to the struggle between home and the road was written in a half-hour. The result was a swoon-inducing ballad tailor-made for a sea of lighters (back then) and cellphone flashlights (now), capturing one of Perry’s best recorded performances and one of Schon’s most inspired solos. One of its great side stories is that Prince contacted Cain after he wrote “Purple Rain,” concerned that it might be too similar to “Faithfully.” Cain determined it wasn’t, but joked to Billboard that, “After seeing what it became, I should have asked for a couple of points….”

"Ask the Lonely" (single, 1983)

Recorded for Frontiers , this one wound up in the romcom Two of a Kind (starring the Grease duo of John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John) and rocked its way to No. 3 on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. Like “Only the Young,” which wound up in Vision Quest two years later, it showed that Journey was on roll – and well-suited for big soundtrack moments. Listen here.

"Who's Crying Now" ( Escape, 1981)

The best of Journey’s swoon songs — started by Perry while driving into Los Angeles and finished with Cain — has a subtlety and dynamic build that sets it apart from the many others of its ilk they’d create. The verse slips into the chorus with a soulful ease, and Schon’s guitar accents deftly build up to his searing solo at the end. The Escape single reached No. 4 on the Hot 100. Listen here.

"Feeling That Way" ( Infinity , 1978)

If fans at the time wondered how Steve Perry and Gregg Rolie would co-exist, this was the answer — an ebb-and-flow tradeoff that proved they could complement each other as lead singers as well as harmonize smoothly together (first evidenced by Infinity ‘s lead track “Lights”). Its medley-like pairing with the next track, “Anytime,” was gravy that would become a motif on the next few Journey albums. Listen here.

"Just the Same Way" ( Evolution , 1979)

Journey’s fifth album had a punchier sound than Infinity — though they shared producer Roy Thomas Baker — which worked to the benefit of the album’s first single. Led by Rolie’s piano and muscular lead vocal, with Perry responding on the choruses and bridge, it reached No. 58 on the Hot 100 in 1979. In a perfect world this would have been as big as anything from Escape or Frontiers, but it’s still a convincing introduction to the Rolie era of the band. Listen here.

"Don't Stop Believin'" ( Escape , 1981)

More than a billion Spotify streams, a Library of Congress National Recording Registry placement and plays at virtually every sporting event around the world don’t lie — this one is Journey’s pinnacle of success. Created during a rehearsal at the group’s warehouse HQ in Oakland, Calif., it gave us the “streetlight people” of Hollywood’s Sunset Strip and put the non-existent South Detroit on the map. And it saves the chorus for the song’s end, after the guitar solo. A cross-generational hit? Believe it, gleefully.

"Stone in Love" ( Escape , 1981)

Schon reportedly called this “Stoned in Love” when he wrote the riff, and it’s certainly an addictive track that’s the best roll-down-the-windows-and-crank-it-up Journey fix you could ask for — not to mention a frequent show opener. A No. 13 Mainstream Rock Airplay hit in 1981, the song is practically a deep cut today. But its anthemic chorus is a spirit-lifter and the dynamic breakdown that segues into the song-closing guitar solo harks back to the ambitious musicality of the first few albums. “Stone” is a gem that still shines bright. Listen here.

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Journey Song list

• After All These Years (2008)
• Any Way You Want It (1980)
• Anytime (1978)
• Be Good To Yourself (1986)
• City of Hope (2011)
• Dixie Highway (1981)
• Don't Stop Believin' (1981)
• Faithfully (1983)
• Feeling That Way (1978)
• Homemade Love (1980)
• I'll Be Alright Without You (1986)
• Lights (1978)
• Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin' (1979)
• Never Walk Away (2008)
• Only The Young (1985)
• Open Arms (1981)
• Send Her My Love (1983)
• Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) (1983)
• Still They Ride (1981)
• Suzanne (1986)
• Sweet and Simple (1979)
• The Journey (Revelation) (2008)
• Too Late (1979)
• Wheel In The Sky (1978)
• When I think Of You (1996)
• Where Were You (1980)
• Who's Crying Now (1981)

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Greatest Hits (2024 Remaster)

In the ’80s, Journey was high on the list of bands loved by fans and reviled by critics. But today, they’re still heard and embraced – sometimes by the kind of people who sneered the first time around. (Witness the in-concert cover of “Lights” by fellow Bay Area stalwarts Green Day.) With frontman Steve Perry applying lessons learned from Sam Cooke, Journey’s Greatest Hits often sounds like a primer in pop idealism. “Lights” is a mellow smile about the joys of city life, “Any Way You Want It” a tip of the hat to Everygirl. And though “Don’t Stop Believin’” places itself on a scale with the songs that open Olympic games, it’s really all about that one small-town escapee on “the midnight train to anywhere”.

November 29, 1988 16 Songs, 1 hour, 5 minutes ℗ This compilation (P) 1988 Sony Music Entertainment

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The 10 best Journey songs

Let's face it, AOR just wouldn't have been the same without them – here are Journey's ten best tracks

For many, Journey are the band who define AOR better than anyone else. Their catalogue glitters with unforgettable anthems, which not only contain massive choruses, but also the sort of musicianship you might expect from a band who began life as jazz rock instrumentalists before embracing the melodic rock style for which they’re renowned. We've gone through the band's back catalogue and hand-picked their 10 finest moments.

10. Girl Can’t Help It (1986)

After taking a break from the band to work on his solo album Street Talk , vocalist Steve Perry was persuaded to return to the fold for 1986's Raised On Radio album. While the production shows a clear-cut influence of the times, Perry’s vocals shine as brightly as ever, while Jonathan Cain’s smooth keyboards complement Neal Schon ’s edgy guitar stride.

9. Faithfully (1983)

This is the way Journey explained the problems of trying to carry on a relationship while out on the road touring. One of the stand-out tracks from 1983's Frontiers , Faithfully has a soft lilt that exposes an emptiness. However, this is augmented by the lush rhythm and the way that Steve Perry croons his way through without ever wallowing in over emotional hyperbole. A power ballad in the best Journey tradition.

8. Lovin, Touchin’, Squeezin’ (1979)

Anyone who thinks that Journey aren’t capable of anything other than slushy ballads really should check out Lovin, Touchin’, Squeezin’ from 1979's Evolution album. It has a funk groove, and while the tempo is very much of the balladic kind, Neal Schon stabs through with some electrifying moments. What’s more, Steve Perry’s vocals soar impressively to ensure maximum dramatic impact. One of the highlights on Evolution .

7. Lights (1978)

The opening song from 1978's Infinity record – the album that introduced Steve Perry to the world, and also put the band’s new-found melodic style on display for the very first time. It’s easy to tell why American radio fell in love with Journey at this point in time. The music is filled with commercial astuteness, the harmonies are sublime and the whole timbre of Lights is evocative and stylish. This oozes the sort of class that would become the norm for Journey in the coming years.

6. Who’s Cryin’ Now (1981)

Who’s Cryin’ Now begins with an unvarnished piano piece from Jonathan Cain, on which Steve Perry builds his rich tone. And Ross Vallory provides some tasteful bass lines, to underline the whole feel of the song. This is the type of track that accentuates Perry’s love for great soul singers, while it also showcases the way in which Journey stood apart from all the huge selling AOR masters, and why Escape is regarded as the classic Journey album.

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5. Stone In Love (1981)

The fact this song opens up with shards of Neal Schon's guitar riffing proves that Journey were always prepared to give full weight to the heavier side of their talent. And Steve Perry also comes across with a lot more power than you might expect. This is a song where Journey never forget about the melody, but also give free rein to a rocky vibe. It also accentuates that Escape was always far more than just a collection of power ballads.

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4. Any Way You Want It (1980)

It may seem odd, but this song was actually inspired by Thin Lizzy , with whom Journey had toured a couple of years before recording the Departure album in 1980. But when you dig down and analyse the way in which the vocals are constructed, and the interchange between the instruments, then the influence becomes a lot clearer. There’s a gliding feel to the guitar parts that does feel like it is Thin Lizzy influenced, and Steve Perry adopts a storytelling style that is close to the Phil Lynott approach – and the whole feel suits Journey superbly.

3. Wheel In The Sky (1978)

Wheel In The Sky was co-written by Robert Fleischman, the band’s original choice of vocalist when they moved into a more commercial direction. However, when Fleischman didn’t work out and was replaced by Steve Perry, the song was thankfully retained. It starts with a flashing guitar groove, through which Perry cuts with a vibrant performance. In some ways, this is a basic live performance from the band, bringing a heavier dynamic to bear, but this fitted right into the whole feel of Infinity , and showed Journey could pound with the best.

2. Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) (1983)

After the enormous success of the Escape album, how did the band choose to open up their next album Frontiers ? With a powerhouse rocker than fitted right into an era where AOR was beginning to become a little less reliant on studio technology and celebrated talent. Of course, the rich production is evident here, but what makes the song work superbly is that way Jonathan Cain, Steve Perry and Neal Schon intertwine. There’s a buoyancy in Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) that tells of a band who are really playing off of each other’s strengths. The result is undeniably passionate.

1. Don’t Stop Believin’ (1981)

Is there anyone on the planet who does not know this song? It has got to be one of the most exposed tracks over the past two decades or so. And, because it’s so well known, it’s very easy to lose sight of just why this is so popular. Because Don’t Stop Believin’ is a peerless example of musical genius. Everything about it is simply perfect – the musicality, the vocals, the simple structure, the insistent melody… hell, this is not just Journey’s best song, it’s one of the truly landmark moments of the 80s.

Malcolm Dome had an illustrious and celebrated career which stretched back to working for  Record Mirror  magazine in the late 70s and  Metal Fury  in the early 80s before joining  Kerrang!  at its launch in 1981. His first book,  Encyclopedia Metallica , published in 1981, may have been the inspiration for the name of a certain band formed that same year. Dome is also credited with inventing the term "thrash metal" while writing about the  Anthrax  song  Metal Thrashing Mad  in 1984. With the launch of Classic Rock magazine in 1998 he became involved with that title, sister magazine Metal Hammer, and was a contributor to Prog magazine since its inception in 2009. He died in 2021 . 

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The Best Journey Songs Of All Time

What is Journey's biggest hit? Here are the best Journey songs of all time, ranked by fans everywhere. Journey are indisputably known as one of the greatest rock bands to ever walk the Earth, with former lead singer Steve Perry even crowned "the voice" by many industry moguls. Established in San Francisco, CA, in 1973, Journey has sold out countless concert tours worldwide throughout their five decade career. The arena rock band's legendary music and unparalleled performance style ultimately led to their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2017. Some of Journey's top songs include "Don't Stop Believin'" ( Escape , 1981), "Any Way You Want It" ( Departure , 1980), "Lights" ( Infinity , 1978), "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" ( Frontiers , 1983), and "Wheel In The Sky" ( Infinity , 1978).

From their new and latest music to their older popular songs, this Journey playlist features all of their greatest hits, according to the fans. Do your favorite Journey songs crack the top 10? Vote up the best songs by Journey, and don't forget to show their underrated tracks love as well.

Don't Stop Believin'

Best Lyrics:

Strangers waiting Up and down the boulevard Their shadows searching in the night Streetlights, people Living just to find emotion Hiding somewhere in the night

And being apart ain't easy on this love affair Two strangers learn to fall in love again I get the joy of rediscovering you Oh girl, you stand by me I'm forever yours, faithfully

Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)

Someday, love will find you Break those chains that bind you One night will remind you How we touched and went our separate ways

If he ever hurts you True love won't desert you You know I still love you Though we touched and went our separate ways

Stone in Love

In the heat with a blue jean girl Burning love comes once in a lifetime She found me singing by the rail road tracks Took me home, we danced by the moonlight

Those summer nights are calling Stone in love Can't help myself, I'm falling

Feeling That Way

Opened my eyes to a new kind of way All the good times that you saved Are you feeling You feeling that way too Or am I just Am I just a fool

Wheel in the Sky

Winter is here again, oh lord Haven't been home in a year or more I hope she holds on a little longer Sent a letter on a long summer day Made of silver, not of clay I've been runnin' down this dusty road

Wheel in the sky keeps on turnin' I don't know where I'll be tomorrow

When the lights go down in the City And the sun shines on the bay Ooh, I wanna be there in my City, oh Oh, oh, oh

Send Her My Love

Callin' out your name I'm dreamin' Reflections of a face I'm seein' It's her voice That keeps on haunting me

Send her, send her my love Roses never fade Memories remain

Who's Crying Now

One love, feeds the fire One heart, burns desire I wonder who's crying now? Two hearts, born to run Who'll be the lonely one? I wonder who's crying now?

Any Way You Want It

She said, any way you want it That's the way you need it Any way you want it

I was alone I never knew What good love could do Ooh, then we touched Then we sang About the lovin' things

Ask The Lonely

You've got some fascination With you high expectations This love is your obsession Your heart, your past possession Let down your defenses Won't be up to the one who cares

Only the Young

Shadows of a golden age A generation waits for dawn Brave carry on Bold and the strong

Only the young can say They're free to fly away Sharing the same desire Burnin' like wildfire

Still They Ride

Spinning 'round, in a spell It's hard to leave this carousel 'Round and 'round And 'round and 'round

Still they ride, on wheels of fire They rule the night Still they ride, the strong will survive Chasing thunder

Touchin', Lovin', Squeezin'

It won't be long, yes, till you're alone When your lover, oh, he hasn't come home 'Cause he's lovin' who he's touchin', he's squeezin' another

He's tearin' you apart Ooh, every day, every day

Girl Can't Help It

If he could hold her, so close in his arms again If she could show him The letter her heart forgot to send why They're livin' dreams on their own Ooh they'll never stop running

The girl can't help it, she needs more He hasn't found what he's lookin' for They're still standing in the rain He can't help it, and she's just that way

Just The Same Way

Take a chance now the timing's right. You're free to leave the key to my life. Stay with me. Won't you stay the night, In the mornin' feelin' fine, yeah.

That's the same way you love me. 

Be Good To Yourself

Runnin' out of self-control Gettin' close to an overload Up against a no win situation Shoulder to shoulder, push and shove I'm hangin' up my boxin' gloves I'm ready for a long vacation

Be good to yourself when, nobody else will Oh be good to yourself You're walkin' a high-wire, caught in a crossfire

I'll Be Alright Without You

I'll be alright without you Oh love's an empty face, I can't replace (You don't need it) People wonderin' why we broke apart The great pretender here I go again These things I do (It's all because of you) I'll keep holdin' but I'll try (Try not to think of you)

The Party's Over (Hopelessly In Love)

So I will tell you this, Our love is in a fix. Just what more can I do. When I'm hopelessly in love with you?

Mother, Father

Through bitter tears And wounded years, those ties Of blood were strong So much to say, those yesterdays So now don't you turn away.

Hey, mother, father, sister Hey, come back, tryin', believein' Hey, mother, father, dreamer

After The Fall

But a head strong stubborn man Only works it out the best he can Valentines he never sent There's not enough time he's a working man

Can't stop falling Heartaches calling Finds you after the fall

When You Love A Woman

When you love a woman You see your world inside her eyes When you love a woman (Well) You know she's standing by your side A joy that lasts forever There's a band of gold that shines Waiting somewhere, oh, yeah

I see your face at the movies I hear your voice on the radio You're making love on the silver screen I want you more than you will ever know Temptation...Infatuation

Suzanne, don't walk away

Why Can't This Night Go On Forever

Lost in twilight, the memories Precious moments, you and me We've been old friends, all through the years Picture postcards, sharing tears

What's in our hearts, there's never time, to say Need you tonight, lover don't fade away I've seen your city lights As I walk away Why can't this night...go on forever

After All These Years

A faded wedding photograph You and me in our first dance Our eyes are closed We're lost in one sweet embrace Since those days the world has changed But our love remains the same God knows we've had our share of saving grace

Where Were You

I didn't know what the hell was goin' on, Someday you're gonna break. So don't try to get yourself straight, You're just a little too late.

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Top 10 Journey Songs

The top Journey songs demonstrate quite clearly how the band, one of the early progenitors of what rock critics like to dismiss as "arena rock," achieved such popularity in the '70s and '80s.

Journey were undoubtedly ahead of their time in terms of PR, and especially in terms of professionalizing their live shows, pioneering elements of live production that are standard procedure today. But while the group took a great deal of flack for the skill with which they were marketed, it is the music they created – an interesting blend of guitar-driven hard rock and vocal-oriented pop – that has endured across the decades, connecting with several subsequent generations.

The group's earliest musical origins featured an elaborate mix of rock and progressive fusion, but it wasn't until they later shifted in a more commercial direction that they began their long, slow climb to superstardom. Though they were often critically derided, Journey's best work boasted a level of instrumental and vocal ability far beyond that of most of their peers and covered a wide array of styles – as you'll see in our list of the Top 10 Journey Songs.

"Lovin,' Touchin,' Squeezin'"

Steve Perry reportedly drew inspiration from one of his biggest influences, Sam Cooke, for this track from Journey's fifth album. The singer borrowed from " Nothing Can Change This Love " for the song, which struck a perfect balance between his soulful pop vocals and Neal Schon 's heavy rock guitars to become the group's first Top 20 hit, reaching No. 16 and helping Evolution to become a triple-platinum hit.

"Stone In Love"

This hard rock track from Journey's seventh studio album helped introduce the writing talents of newcomer keyboardist Jonathan Cain , who wrote the song with Perry and Schon. The song's infectious marriage of heavy riffing, blazing guitar solos and an alluring melody – all topped off by an undeniable Steve Perry vocal performance – helped it became a rock radio staple, easily earning its spot in our Top 10 Journey Songs.

Perry wasted no time making himself at home as a writer after he joined for Journey's fourth album. This soulful rock track pairs a Schon riff with a lyric Perry had originally written about Los Angeles, which he changed to fit after joining the San Francisco-based Journey. "Lights" originally charted at just No. 68, but went on to become a rock radio staple and an important part of Journey's live shows.

"Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)"

Another in a long string of Journey classics penned by the duo of Cain and Perry, this song came together in a backstage writing session in which the singer was playing bass and the keyboardist was playing guitar. It marries Perry's Motown influence with hard rock for a track that hit No. 8 in the Mainstream Rock chart and has become an all-time classic rock track. The single release was accompanied by a much-lampooned video in which the band members mime to the track without their actual instruments.

"Feeling That Way"

"Feeling That Way" was initially an instrumental titled "Velvet Curtain," written by keyboardist Gregg Rolie with drummer Aynsley Dunbar before he added words and re-titled it "Please Let Me Stay." It wasn't until Perry joined Journey and wrote some additional material that the band recorded the track. He and Rolie shared the lead vocal duties on this song, which is almost always paired with " Anytime " both on the radio and in concert.

"Wheel in the Sky"

One of the earliest Journey songs to find traction at rock radio, "Wheel in the Sky" began as a poem titled "Wheels in My Mind" by Diane Valory, the wife of Journey bassist Ross Valory. When singer Robert Fleischman heard it, he appropriated it for a lyric that was juxtaposed against a hard rock riff from Schon. When Journey brought in Steve Perry to replace Fleischman, he put his signature vocal stamp on the track, undeniably making it one of the Top 10 Journey Songs

"Open Arms"

Cain had originally pitched the melody idea for "Open Arms" when he was a member of the Babys , but singer John Waite reportedly shot it down as too sentimental. Once he and Perry completed the song, their Journey bandmates didn't feel too differently – particularly Schon, who felt the song too light for the group. Despite the opposition, the group recorded and released the track, which held the No. 2 spot in the Billboard chart for six consecutive weeks and has become a cultural touchstone.

"Any Way You Want It"

Co-written by Perry and Schon, this track was heavily influenced by Thin Lizzy front man Phil Lynott , who was sharing in a rhyme scheme exercise with the two backstage while the bands were touring together. Recorded closer to a "live in the studio" environment, Departure featured an edgier sound than previous Journey records, and the track is a perfect example of that, propelled by Schon's fleet-fingered solos and Perry's high-octane vocal performance.

"Faithfully"

Cain wrote the wistful piano-based ballad "Faithfully" about the challenges of being on the road while trying to maintain a life with his wife at home. The song's universal sentiment and melodic structure struck such a chord with fans that it landed at No. 12 in the Billboard chart, and it has since gone on to become one of Journey's most recognizable and enduring songs. Ironically, the song has far outlasted the marriage it was written to commemorate, which ended in divorce in 1987.

"Don't Stop Believin'"

"Don't Stop Believin'" not only tops our list of the Top 10 Journey Songs, it came in at No. 13 in our overall poll of the Top 100 Classic Rock Songs, and it is the best-selling catalog track of the digital music era, having sold more than 5 million digital tracks. Written by Cain, Perry and Schon, the song's multi-generational attraction lies partly in its inspirational message and partly in its arrangement, which appeals equally to fans of hard rock and vocal-oriented pop.

The Best Song From Every Journey Album

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Noah Kahan's 'You’re Gonna Go Far' is the new graduation anthem making people ugly cry

When I first heard the song, my youngest daughter had warned me as we were driving to school that it made her friend’s mom cry. 

After hearing just a few bars, my throat clenched to a point where words weren’t possible without the threat of a deluge of tears. Noah Kahan's “You’re Gonna Go Far” did that to me, on a weekday morning, in my pajama pants, while running carpool for my eighth grader. 

Tucked inside the song’s lyrics is a vivid reflection of my oldest daughter, a senior in high school, preparing not only for graduation but for a new chapter that will take her away from home. Away from me. And through my speakers, one of the most popular indie-folk singer-songwriters was singing about this transition and the complicated emotions that come with it, to me. 

Or, so it felt. 

How a song becomes your anthem or soundtrack

“I had no idea. I didn't even think about it that way. That’s so exciting,” Gabe Simon, who wrote and produced the Stick Season album with Kahan, says from his backyard in Nashville, Tennessee. “It’s so powerful that a song can do that. That you have a visceral experience in your body with your child heading off.”

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Simon and Kahan were thinking about their own moments of leaving as they wrote the song, which was rereleased this year with a Brandi Carlile feature that injects even more emotion. Both men are from small towns where people didn’t leave. Both understood the difference between simply surviving and truly living. And both wanted to feel like it was not only OK to leave, but that sometimes it’s necessary. And when it is, that people will understand.

“I think what’s great about songwriting is you can take a simple concept and make it an anthem,” he says. “I think a lot of people want to leave and have a hard time accepting they want to leave … but some people got to go.”

I had to. And when I did in 1999, “Wide Open Spaces” by The Chicks was the soundtrack for a pilgrimage that took me away from everything and everyone I knew. It seemed fitting for a girl moving from the Midwest to the West. Other strike-out-on-your-own anthems from the past include “Good Riddance” by Green Day and, more recently, “We Are Young” by fun.

Kahan tells USA TODAY the Green Day song was "the quintessential graduation song" when he was in middle school, and he performed The Head And The Heart's “Rivers and Roads” when he graduated high school.

"To think that there might be a generation of kids playing “You’re Gonna Go Far” at their graduation is an honor," said Kahan. "I hope the song brings the same optimism for the future to the families and friends and students themselves that those aforementioned songs brought to me.“

TikTok and Reels give new life to songs

Even in an unofficial anthem capacity, “You’re Gonna Go Far” is different from its predecessors. It’s alive in an era of TikTok, Instagram and Reddit. It’s being used to give rhythm and context to photos and milestones across social media. It’s giving people a collective space to lament the bittersweet feeling of leaving – confessing that they’re “ugly crying on the couch” and admitting that the song hits them “like a train” even years after moving away. 

It shares both sides of emotions that come with leaving and letting go, the crux of emotions during graduation season. And, thanks to our ability to stream whatever we want whenever we want, it’s part of a musical thread that this generation of teens and young adults is able to share with this generation of parents.

It wasn’t always like that, Jonathan Perkins , the assistant chair of the songwriting department at Berklee College of Music, tells me. Parents didn’t always listen to or connect with the music their kids were listening to. My parents, for example, did not get down with Nirvana and Dr. Dre. The democratization of music, through streaming capabilities, has allowed kids to introduce parents to what moves them.

And sometimes, like with Noah Kahan, and even Taylor Swift and Harry Styles, parents get on board.

“We had much more dictated mediums of how we heard things. Radio had a strong influence,” Perkins says of Gen Xers who are now parents. “Now all the kids are sharing all kinds of stuff and I also think at the same time you’ve had a proliferation in a change of family psychology in the way parents get along with their kids. I think it only helps them connect with their kids.”

Parents and kids bonding over 'You're Gonna Go Far'

Many are connecting over this one song, in part because it somehow suggests empathy for both sides of the “leaving” coin.

For parents and for kids, the distinct imagery used in the song – “pack up your car, put a hand to your heart” and “we ain’t angry at you love, you’re the greatest thing we’ve lost” – gives pause to a season of life that has so much momentum, each milestone can feel like another rotation on an Indiana Jones-style boulder gaining speed as it rolls downhill. 

Michelle Cox hasn’t yet allowed herself to imagine the moment she drives away from Addy, her oldest, headed to college about four hours from home. But when she hears the song, introduced to her by her daughters, she needs a minute. It reminds her of her own desire to leave when she was a high school senior, graduating from the same high school her daughter is.

“There are moments where songs get you and this is definitely one of them,” Cox says. “I see a lot of similarities in my own feeling of needing to leave.”

The beauty of the song, as is the case with life and these complex moments of necessary growth, is that it moves the listener through a series of emotions. Its anticipatory tempo at the outset gives way to a more comforting pace as the lyrics propose pride and protection in the place of loss or anger. 

And isn’t that what we’re feeling as parents? Bittersweet pride? 

Parents share in kids' success

Ritta Fagain does. Her oldest graduated high school in 2020, when the COVID-era ceremony was set up as a drive-thru. Her youngest son will graduate this spring and attend school about two hours away, which means she’ll be an official empty nester.

Milestones this school year have stirred emotions. And she has had to explain to him that the day he leaves it may seem like she is crying and hoping he will stay, but she is actually crying and pushing him on his way. 

“We’ve not only earned these emotions, but we’re mourning the end of an era. It was a time in life that was fast and it was slow. It’s every cliche in the book coming true,” she says. “What we’re mourning is this time being over, not just that we miss our kids. And the sadness of it is wonderful because it means it was wonderful.”

Amy Wolff can relate. As she’s preparing for her youngest to graduate and attend college, and as an admittedly obsessed Noah Kahan fan, this song gains more meaning with each passing day. 

“Music in general allows you to release some of that energy and emotion that you stifle,” she says. “I don’t want her to feel bad that she is causing this emotion. She’s exactly where she should be and she is going to set the world on fire and I can’t wait to be a witness to that. I’m so proud of her.”

Pride isn’t reserved exclusively for the graduate. Michael Klinkner, a Phoenix-based licensed clinical social worker, said many times the emotions that come with graduation and an impending empty-nest period are associated with joint achievement.

Parents and kids have reached this milestone together, he says. When I think back to what my daughter and I have navigated together, how we’ve had to grow alongside each other through some pretty gnarly challenges, graduation very much ties a beautiful bow around the emotional muscles we’ve sprouted and the bond we’ve formed. 

I feel comfortable saying we’ve hit our stride. And we got there by wading through and holding each other up through some incredibly sticky family court quicksand that could have swallowed us. For others, the pandemic tripped them or teenage years created a divide. 

“All of the things that were a struggle are now part of this achievement,” Klinkner says. “We pulled this off together. I’ve earned (the right) to get to be sad about this. I’ve been on this road. You’ve done it, but I’ve been pushing and pulling and sometimes holding your hand and using a cattle prod, but I get to have all these emotions.”

Couple that sense of achievement with the loss of routine, the turning of a page and the realization – for those who are sending their youngest off to school – that life with a spouse or alone returns to what it was before children existed, and it’s natural to feel uneasy, if nostalgic, for what we’ve known for nearly two decades.

“It’s the same exact feeling now as when you had a newborn,” Klinkner says, harkening to that terrifying unfamiliarity. “Someone will probably poop their pants, but it’s OK. You’ll figure it out. You get to be sad. You get to be nervous. You don’t get to freak out and show them you think they’re ill-equipped. They don’t get to know you’re afraid of that.”

Noah Kahan's song as a journey

So that’s the official line. And, according to Simon, that was the vibe for the song. It needed to somehow weave together the anxieties of someone leaving with the assurance that person needs from the people sending them off. It needed to hold promise. It needed to be comforting. 

Simon said “You’re Gonna Go Far” was the most challenging one on the album, so challenging it had to be rerecorded four times. The energy had to be just right. Because in the end, they were singing it to themselves, in the way some people give advice that they themselves are meant to take.

To me, it is apropos that a song about a milestone in life that comes with a complex, mixed-bag of difficult-to-describe emotions was itself challenging to master. The song itself was a journey.

“That song in particular, we never knew why it resonated with so many people on so many levels. It just kept doing so well. It’s got to be this thing about wishing you well. I think this whole time we’ve been wishing ourselves well,” Simon said. “I love that song because it starts melancholy and ends joyful. We’re watching a butterfly. It should be full of hope and love and joy. You’re getting your sea legs and then you’re riding off into the sunset.”

As a parent, that hits, doesn’t it? Wishing someone well is the only way to wish them. Especially when they’re your kid, starting their life. They are butterflies. You just hope they’re ready to navigate the inevitable headwinds. 

And if mine ever needs a breather, to rest her wings, I’ll “be here forever.” 

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Country music star Kenny Chesney on how his music has evolved through grief: "I'm in a much different place."

By Jan Crawford , Kelsie Hoffman

May 17, 2024 / 11:43 AM EDT / CBS News

Nearly 30 years into his historic career, Kenny Chesney still gives it his all on stage. But the country superstar's music has changed after suffering devastating losses over the years. 

"I'm in a unique spot in my life and in my career, because I can't necessarily sing about the things that I sang about even 10 years ago," he said. "I just feel like emotionally and mentally, I'm in a much different place."

His latest album , the 20th of his career, is titled "Born." The record took about four years to make, Chesney said.

"I mean, maybe the album should have been called "Reborn," he said in an interview with "CBS Mornings."

His song, "Wherever You Are Tonight," is about grief and loss, something Chesney has experienced firsthand.

"In the last couple of years, there've been six people that I was really close to, that I can't call anymore," he said. "So when I heard that song, I went, 'Whoa, I know you're in a different place.' I'm talking to myself, right, 'I know you are in a much different place cause you really want to record that song.'"

Chesney recently kicked off his summer tour at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. 

"You don't dream this. You truly don't," he said about selling out stadiums for decades. 

Originally from Tennessee, Chesney got his start playing guitar in college, eventually landing gigs at a local Mexican restaurant. 

Now, Chesney has played to around 1 million fans, known as his "No Shoes Nation," nearly every summer.

"They just know this is a place where they can feel the euphoria of being alive," Chesney said.

His shows have a party vibe, but behind the scenes Chesney said he has a singular focus.

"I've always been very particular, if that's the right word," he said. "I'm particular about how I like things. I'm particular about how that stage looks. People ask me a lot, they go, 'How do you do this every night on stage? How are you so detail-oriented in the middle of all of it?' Mm-hmm and, and 'how you keep going like this?'"

His drive and attention to detail helps explain how Chesney has sustained a level of fame and success few others have achieved.

"I truly love being that person up there. I love it. And I love being in the moment with them. I love having just enough ego being up there to make the whole night happen," he said.

In addition to the evolution of his music, Chesney said he had to revisit how he dealt with the descent of adrenaline after a show.

Chesney, who used to party while on the road, said he decided instead to prioritize his health. Now, he follows a strict diet, trains like an athlete and even travels with his own ice bath.

"The ice tub changed my life," he said. "I love it because it just calms me down. It helps sustain me up there, and it also helps to heal my body after beating it up all night."

Part of being in a different place both for his music and health means Chesney is also reflecting on this journey, appreciating where it's taken him and where it may go next.

"If you're lucky enough as an artist to get to a place in your life where you're actually competing with yourself, then that's a pretty good spot to be in. You're pretty lucky."

Kenny Chesney's album, "Born," is out now.

• Kenny Chesney
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Jan Crawford is CBS News' chief legal correspondent and a recognized authority on the Supreme Court. Her 2007 book, "Supreme Conflict: The Inside Story of the Struggle for the Control of the United States Supreme Court" (Penguin Press), gained critical acclaim and became an instant New York Times Bestseller.

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Frank Sinatra Cannes Premiere Doc ‘My Way’ Boarded by Mediawan Rights, Teaser Unveiled (EXCLUSIVE)

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Mediawan Rights will rep international sales rights and has released a first teaser clip for “My Way,” a documentary about the iconic song that features a star-studded cast including Ol’ Blue Eyes himself and is narrated by Jane Fonda. The film premieres May 16 with a screening at the Cannes Film Festival ’s Cinema de la Plage.

Directed by Thierry Teston in collaboration with Lisa Azuelos, “My Way” is billed as “a captivating journey into the heart of an iconic song that explores the universal appeal and enduring legacy of a timeless classic.”

Popular on Variety

“A record-breaking song, ‘My Way’ has had the most beautiful voices to carry it from its birth at the end of the ’60s to the present day,” he continues. “Despite this omnipresence, no film related to the song had been made for 30 years, and we therefore wanted to transmit this incredible and little-known story to younger generations who know nothing about the trajectory of this song.”

Here’s an exclusive look at the film’s teaser:

“The idea of making this documentary was born in May 2019, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of ‘My Way,’ the most covered song of all time,” says Kyril Courboin, president of J.P. Morgan France. “A few days later, driven by the desire to celebrate this anthem that has crossed generations since the ’60s, I began to sketch the outlines of this documentary film that I shared with Patrick. This is how this idea came to life.

“We both immediately sensed that the trajectory between France and the United States of ‘Comme d’habitude’/‘My Way’ made this story all the more fascinating and universal,” he continues. “We then shared this idea with Thierry and Lisa who immediately wanted to take it on, and we were thus able to bring this biopic of the song to life.”

“‘My Way’ has undeniable international appeal with its compelling exploration of a song that has transcended cultural and generational boundaries,” says Valérie Vleeschhouwer, managing director of Mediawan Rights. “This exceptional project, narrated by Jane Fonda, with testimonies from Frank Sinatra, Ben Harper, Paul Anka, David Bowie and Sparks, succeeded in capturing the very essence of what makes this song iconic and timeless. We are proud to add this heritage project to our line-up because it perfectly illustrates the power of this IP, which has touched millions of people around the world for more than 50 years.”

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Daniel Kramer’s Year With Bob Dylan

An intimate portrait of a music star on the rise in the 1960s.

Daniel Kramer with Bob Dylan in Woodstock, N.Y., in 1965, in the midst of Mr. Kramer’s 366-day odyssey chronicling an important period in Mr. Dylan’s career. Credit... Daniel Kramer, via Kramer Family

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For six months in 1964, the photojournalist Daniel Kramer, who died at 91 on April 29, dialed the office of Bob Dylan’s manager, Albert Grossman, to ask if he could photograph Mr. Dylan, a rising star at the time. Finally, Mr. Grossman said yes.

What was meant to be a one-hour shoot turned into a five-hour shoot, which turned into a 366-day photographic odyssey in which Mr. Kramer was granted unrivaled access to Mr. Dylan. He captured rare behind-the-scenes images of the artist at home, on tour and at recording sessions.

Mr. Kramer’s images were soon popping up in publications around the world. He also shot cover photos for two of Mr. Dylan’s best-known albums.

Here is a look at some of those images.

Away from the stage, Mr. Kramer managed to capture Mr. Dylan in rare moments of downtime. Rolling Stone magazine once described him as “the photographer most closely associated with Bob Dylan.”

Before his photo shoot with Mr. Dylan, Mr. Kramer was a young Brooklynite trying to carve out a career as a freelance photographer. He went on to shoot portraits of luminaries, always maintaining his ability to connect with them on an intimate level.

Find the Right Soundtrack for You

Trying to expand your musical horizons take a listen to something new..

Meet Carlos Niño , the spiritual force behind L.A.’s eclectic music scene.

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The Journey Continues for Emmy Russell Post-‘American Idol’ with Debut Single

E xiting the spotlight of American Idol , Emmy Russell , a Top 5 finalist, has transitioned from hopeful contestant to confident musician. Post-show, Russell shares her personal growth and her latest milestone in music.

“It’s been a transformative experience,” recounted Emmy to reporters when reflecting on her American Idol days. “On stage, I now carry with me a new sense of confidence that mirrors how I feel when I’m alone with my music. Having the judges’ support solidified that sense of being valued and accepted.”

Commencing her post- Idol journey, Emmy unveils her new single, “Redemption.”

Russell describes the heart and soul behind her work, “After a heart-wrenching breakup, I channeled my feelings into ‘Redemption,’ a song I wrote with Lauren McLamb and Rob Sewell . It encapsulates the painful oscillation between being loved and discarded, ultimately leading me to a place of self-worth.”

Discover Emmy’s powerful single “Redemption” here .

“Redemption” symbolizes my awakening to self-respect and no longer allowing myself to be an afterthought. This epiphany, coupled with my faith, culminated in recognizing my inherent worth,” explains Emmy.

Further Reading: Emmy Russell Reflects on the Confidence Boost from Singing ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ on American Idol

Even though Emmy’s journey on American Idol has ended, she anticipates returning for the May 19 finale. After her elimination, she delineated the mixed emotions tied to the closure of this chapter.

“Completing the Idol marathon was both exhilarating and emotional. There’s an adrenaline comedown that accompanies the conclusion of such a journey,” she shared during a group interview.

Coming from a lineage of musical greats, as the granddaughter of country icon Loretta Lynn , Russell swiftly became a fan favorite with her original song “skinny” during her audition for American Idol .

American Idol will return to television screens for its grand finale on May 19 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on ABC, featuring final performances from the Top 3 and the big reveal of Season 7’s winner on ABC.

Up Next: Our Predictions for ‘American Idol’ 2024 Winner After Careful Review of Each Episode

Emmy Russell’s journey through ‘American Idol’ may have come to an end, but her musical career is just taking flight with the release of her single “Redemption.” The song is not just a new start but a declaration of self-worth and empowerment. As she steps into her own limelight, Emmy’s evolution continues to inspire both her music and her growing fan base. With her return to the American Idol finale and her heart laid bare in her music, Emmy Russell is embracing her new path with open arms and a voice ready to be heard.

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May 10, 2024

Indiana, Oregon residents converge at Purdue Global commencement to share their talents as national anthem singers

Experienced singers use their voices to inspire, encourage others to continue journey

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Tahanna Tucker of Merrillville, Indiana , and Klnisha Clark of Salem, Oregon , have a lot in common. Both are mothers. Both have worked while taking classes. Both have persevered to get to where they are today. Both sing in their churches’ music ministries. And both performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” on May 4 at their respective Purdue Global commencement ceremonies.

NW Indiana’s Tucker honors late husband, inspires children by earning degree

Singing has always been in Tucker’s blood.

“I grew up as a bishop’s granddaughter, so I have been singing since I was 2,” Tucker said. “In high school and college, I was in the concert choir, and I currently sing in my church’s praise and worship team.”

So Tucker singing at the commencement for Purdue Global — Purdue’s online university for working adults — should come as no surprise, even though Tucker herself initially thought otherwise. Despite Tucker’s reluctance, her mom talked her into auditioning, which led to her big moment at commencement.

“I think this was an amazing opportunity, and I was just happy and humbled to be able to sing in front of my fellow graduates,” Tucker said.

While performing onstage has always come easy for Tucker, not everything in her life has, as she has faced several challenges in adulthood.

First, Hurricane Katrina disrupted the beginning of her sophomore year of college in New Orleans in 2005. She evacuated and moved back to Illinois. She later got married, had four children and began taking classes at a local college. Then tragedy struck again. As she entered her senior year of college, her husband died.

“I was so distraught, I stopped attending school to attend to the needs of my children,” Tucker said. “However, my goals never changed, and I insisted on finishing my degree.”

Enter Purdue Global. “I chose Purdue Global because I needed to figure out a way to attend college, be a mother of four teenagers and continue working,” she said.

At the same time she started courses with Purdue Global, Tucker began a new position with Purdue University Northwest , which helped with tuition reimbursement . She is currently an administrative assistant in the Department of Behavioral Sciences.

Tucker earned her Bachelor of Science in industrial and organizational psychology from Purdue Global. As Tucker sang and walked the stage at commencement, she believed she had completed her comeback.

“I just want to make sure they see someone firsthand, especially their mom, do what it takes to make it through, so they now know, no matter what they go through, they can do it because mom did it, too,” Tucker said.

Tucker recently received news that she had passed her business exam and will begin Purdue Global’s Management and Leadership Master of Science program in July. She is now encouraging others to complete their own journeys, their own comebacks and said it’s never too late to start.

“Whether you start school today, tomorrow or next year, time will never stop,” Tucker said. “If I let time deter me from continuing my education, I wouldn’t be here today. The first goal to finish is to start.”

Perseverance pays off for Oregon’s Clark

Clark persevered and blazed her own path toward her law degree at Purdue Global. Before embarking on her Purdue Global journey, she had already carved out a path of entrepreneurship and academic pursuit, having built a solid foundation in business administration. Alongside her bachelor’s degree, she acquired a certificate in business office skills, setting the stage for her future endeavors.

Choosing Purdue Global was a strategic decision for Clark, driven by her aspiration to earn a Juris Doctor degree through Purdue Global Law School . The flexibility of Purdue Global’s online platform perfectly aligned with her busy lifestyle as a multifaceted business owner, as well as a wife, married for 25 years, and mother of 10.

“Purdue Global played a pivotal role in my career, creating a path for me to become a practicing attorney,” Clark said. “Becoming a lawyer was always a goal for me, and Purdue Global helped make that possible. I am so grateful.”

In addition to earning her law degree, Clark has expanded her knowledge and skill set by taking courses in child development, furthering her professional development and versatility. Her diverse educational background mirrors her dynamic professional life, where she balances ownership of multiple businesses — ranging from a child care service to a resale/thrift store — in addition to conflict mediation services.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Clark’s passion for music has been a constant thread throughout her life. From her early years, she found joy in singing, eventually serving as a music minister at her church. Her involvement as a youth choir director and general music director reflects her commitment to nurturing musical talents and fostering a sense of community through music.

“Since I was a little girl, I have enjoyed singing, so it was such an honor and a dream come true to be selected to perform the national anthem at my own commencement ceremony,” Clark said.

Clark said the lyrics of the anthem resonate deeply with her law school journey, encapsulating the essence of her experiences — the battles fought, the persistence displayed and the victory achieved.

“This was a very difficult and long process so I’m very grateful, honored and proud of myself for persevering through this journey,” Clark said.

About Purdue Global

Purdue Global is Purdue’s online university for working adults who have life experience and often some college credits. It offers flexible paths for students to earn an associate, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, military service and previous college credits, no matter where they are in their life journey. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and backed by Purdue University. For more information, visit https://www.purdueglobal.edu .  

Writer/Media contact: Adam Bartels, [email protected]  

Sources: Tahanna Tucker, Klnisha Clark

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