song faithfully by journey

• Jonathan Cain
• Steve Perry

Behind the Song: “Faithfully” by Journey

by Tina Benitez-Eves September 10, 2021, 9:44 am 1 Comment

Highway run / Into the midnight sun / Wheels go round and round / You’re on my mind. 

Videos by American Songwriter

“In all honesty, it’s a road song,” says Jonathan Cain.

Observing the band’s touring crew, many of which didn’t have the money to fly their wives and kids around with them, the Journey keyboardist felt drawn to write a song about being on the road, far removed from loved ones, and found “Faithfully,” the first lines coming to Cain one evening after a show when the band was stuck in a snow storm.

“I watched the crew take down the whole stage—the speakers, the lights, the trusses,” Cain tells American Songwriter. “I watched the daredevils climb to the top like ‘Oh, my God, this is like a circus performance.’ I was so touched, and I thought we didn’t have a song, but if we had a song, or we sent one home to our loved ones, like a postcard to help bridge the distance between the road and home what would it be.”

Snowed in for the night, Cain started writing the first few lines of “Faithfully” on a napkin.

“I started thinking about me and my relationship, and I was missing my new wife at the time, and we were having trouble,” shares Cain. “There were early signs that we would probably split apart. I knew I needed to do something that said, ‘I love you, and whether or not you want to leave me, here it is,’ so I got on the bus, and there was this grey sky, and the moon was doing some kind of crazy stuff in the clouds, and it looked like the midnight sun. Then I wrote Highway run / Into the midnight sun / Wheels go round and round / You’re on my mind.”

After starting the song, Cain downed a beer and went to sleep, awakened by the smell of diesel fuel from the band’s bus. “In the morning, I saw the napkin sitting there on the nightstand and I said to myself, ‘This is a good song, so I started automatically lining up the lines and filling it in. In 30 minutes, all the lyrics were done. Then all of a sudden, I believe the Holy Spirit sent it to me, but I thought of the line ‘I’m forever yours, faithfully.’” 

Cain took the napkin to the band’s next soundcheck in Saratoga Springs, New York, placed it on his piano, and started quietly singing “Faithfully,” working out the melody and piano parts, yet never recorded any demo until he revisited “Faithfully” with the late producer Keith Olsen (Fleetwood Mac, Ozzy Osbourne, Heart) and finally recorded the track.

Olsen played the song for Heart’s Ann Wilson, who loved it, but it was a Journey song. By the time the band was recording Frontiers, they needed a ballad, and “Faithfully” was ready to go.

“Perry said to me ‘I’ll sing it on one condition, you can’t be in the room when I’m singing,’” remembers Cain. “I said, ‘fine,’ and we cut it in three takes. We never played it before. We never rehearsed it. That’s how good Journey is.” 

He adds, “Neil didn’t know what to play, and I looked at him and I said, ‘be a French horn”… and the song became a classic.”

Reflecting more on the track, Cain tells American Songwriter that the circumstances around the song give it deeper meaning threaded in love, faith, and music. “It was my first year out on the road, and I was in a really grateful place being young with a band like Journey, and grateful for how far up God had elevated me,” says Cain. “My identity was sort of acknowledged, finally. As a writer and performer, I felt like I belonged there. I didn’t feel like, ‘Oh, I don’t deserve this.’”

Replacing original keyboardist and Journey co-founder Gregg Rolie, who left the band to explore new projects and start a family, Cain, then 31, began working on the band’s seventh album, Escape , writing many of the tracks, including “Faithfully,” along with singer Steve Perry and guitarist Neal Schon in 1983. By the time Frontiers was released Cain already had “Don’t Stop Believin”—an encouraging phrase his father shared with him when he was younger—“Open Arms,” and more Journey hits under his belt. 

“I feel like I earned every bit of it,” says Cain of the recognition he felt by the time “Faithfully” was released. “At the same time, I was grateful.

Today, the song, which originally peaked at No. 12, has never left the Journey setlist, but Cain regrets that “Faithfully” never found placement in a film. He can’t even get the song covered, and once approached Garth Brooks as well as Tim McGraw and Faith Hill to cover the ballad.

“I can’t get it covered,” laughs Cain. “I guess they’re afraid of the original. It is a great song.”

Read Jonathan Cain’s recent interview with American Songwriter , here .

One Comment

According to Allmusic.com, “Faithfully” by Johnathan Cain has been covered 18 times including versions by Lorrie Morgan and Cain himself.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Only members can comment. Become a member . Already a member? Log In .

Review: Another Chapter in Steve Hackett’s Expansive World View

© 2024 American Songwriter

• Songs Almost Ruined Classic LPs
• Gilmour May Not Play Floyd
• Yes Kicks Off 2024 Tour
• AC/DC Auditioned Singer
• Foo Fighters Launch 2024 Tour
• Did Bon Jovi Risk Marriage?

40 Years Ago: Journey’s ‘Faithfully’ Arrives in a Dream

With their eighth studio album, 1983's Frontiers , Journey's transition from prog-influenced rock to radio-friendly, arena-ready fare was all but complete — an evolution that included one of the decade's quintessential ballads in the Top 20 hit "Faithfully."

Written by keyboardist Jonathan Cain , "Faithfully" followed lead-off Frontiers single "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)," which had scored Journey a Top 10 pop hit while topping the rock charts — extending an impressive streak of crossover singles that stretched back to 1979's "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'." Although Journey's brand of polished bombast would eventually be seen as just another ingredient in the power ballad formula that took over the Top 40 later in the decade, it was still powerfully effective; at this point, the band had already graced the upper reaches of the pop charts with "Who's Crying Now" and "Open Arms."

Still, even in the context of a catalog not without its share of softer songs, "Faithfully" stood out — particularly for Cain, who dashed it off in a burst of creativity while the band was on the road. "He told me he got the melody out of a dream," Neal Schon said in the liner notes to their 1992 box set, Time Cubed .  "I wish something like that would happen to me."

"I don't think I've written a song so quickly. I mean, it was probably a half an hour," he told Songfacts . After scribbling out some lines on a napkin, he recalled feeling the rest of the composition come to him in a flood. "I'd never had a song come to me so quickly that it was anointed, supernatural. Literally, in 30 minutes I had written that song. I had the napkin in my pocket and I put it on the piano. I had a big grand piano there by the orchestra. I played through it and I thought, 'Man, this is good.'"

Clearly, Cain's bandmates agreed — and so did a number of Journey's musical peers. Not long after "Faithfully" hit the airwaves, Cain got a call from Prince , who, he recalled, played him "Purple Rain" and said, "The chord changes are close to 'Faithfully,' and I don't want you to sue me." To his credit, Cain came away from the conversation with anything but a lawsuit on his mind.

"I thought it was an amazing tune," Cain later said. "I told him, 'Man, I'm just super-flattered that you even called. It shows you're that classy of a guy. Good luck with the song. I know it's gonna be a hit.'"

As it turned out, it wasn't the only extra hit to grace the airwaves with a little bit of "Faithfully" DNA. Bryan Adams ' longtime songwriting partner Jim Vallance attributed road-induced musical osmosis to their own 1984 hit "Heaven," admitting they were influenced by that song in particular after Adams toured with Journey as their opening act.

But ultimately, it was still a personal statement from Cain — and one that, in the moment, had exactly the impact he intended. "I knew it had something," he told the Tennessean . "I knew anytime you have that innocence and that transparency and you’re able to let your guard down as a man, and tell a woman that you’re forever hers. I was having trouble with my marriage at the time, and so my wife came on the road and I played it for her. And she just gave me a big old hug. It meant a lot to her that I had written it."

Journey Albums Ranked

More from ultimate classic rock.

Story Behind the Song: Journey's 'Faithfully'

One morning, Journey's Jonathan Cain woke up in his tour bus to the stench of diesel fuel and with the beginning of a rock anthem scrawled on a napkin. He told the story of writing "Faithfully" to Bart Herbison of Nashville Songwriters Association International.

Bart Herbison: “Highway run into the midnight sun.” There is not a greater opening line in the history of music. I'm thinking “Stairway to Heaven,” the first two lines aren't that good. Wow, Jon!

Jonathan Cain: Well, I was on a bus and we were rolling along after a show. I sat out waiting for some of the crew to come with us. They were taking the big stage down. I was seeing these riggers pulling it all down, and I just sat out there in this big empty auditorium. I thought, "Man, you know, these guys are sacrificing this time with their families or loved ones to be out here with us." And I started thinking, “Wouldn’t it be great if we had a song we could sing for all of us, because we're all missing our loved ones, and all making that road sacrifice?” So I went to the bus with that thought. And I had a napkin and it was those first four lines.

More: Story Behind the Song: 'Don't Stop Believin' '

BH: A songwriter actually did write a song on a napkin?

JC: On a napkin, yeah. “Wheels go round and round, you're on my mind.” And then I (thought), “Well, I'm tired. I’m gonna keep this and go lay down in the bunk.” So I did. And back in those days, you wake up smelling like diesel.

So we were up to upstate New York. I took the napkin to my (hotel) room, put all my bags down and just fell asleep. I woke up and I looked at the napkin. And I had a little Casio MT30 keyboard. I was plunking around on it and I’m trying to get an idea for the melody. And then, you know, "Restless hearts, sleep alone tonight. Sendin' all my love along the wire.” What next? Well, I reckon it’s a Holy Spirit moment, because I've never written a song in 20 minutes.

BH: I think you’re feeling guilty, is what I’ve always read. Cause you would typically go to Steve ...

JC: Yeah, so I’m filled with this idea. And it’s a supernatural moment that I’ll never forget. There was sunlight just streaming in the window. And me and this napkin, and a little keyboard this big on the bed, you know?

… We go to sound check, I’ve got my napkin in my pocket, and everybody goes to dinner except me. I wander back into the symphony piano room, and I find this big nine-foot Mason & Hamlin, this big old beautiful piano from the '40s. … There I am and I’ve got my napkin. And I sat it in front of me, and I start. And I’m like, “This is better than I thought it was gonna be. This is gonna be good.”

BH: You had to know it was special, right?

JC: Well, I knew it had something. I knew anytime you have that innocence and that transparency and you’re able to let your guard down as a man, and tell a woman that you’re forever hers. I was having trouble with my marriage at the time, and so my wife came on the road and I played it for her. And she just gave me a big old hug. It meant a lot to her that I had written it.

BH: Tell me you still have that napkin.

JC: I do not. You know what happened? This is a sad story. This is the way things go. They were, Sony, was looking for memorabilia. You know, for their floor downstairs they have like this big exhibit they were going to put up. And so they asked me if I had my lyrics, and I gave them my book with the napkin, and I never got it back.

BH: So they still have it?

JC: No, it's gone. I looked. Everything is gone.

BH: Universe, bring that back. It’s his.

About the series

In partnership with Nashville Songwriters Association International, each week we interview a songwriter about his or her work.

• ABBREVIATIONS
• BIOGRAPHIES
• CALCULATORS
• CONVERSIONS
• DEFINITIONS

      PDF       Playlist    

About Faithfully

"Faithfully" is a song by American rock band Journey, and the second single from their album Frontiers. The song was written by keyboardist Jonathan Cain. It peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving the band their second consecutive top-twenty hit from Frontiers. Despite featuring no chorus, it has gone on to become one of the band's most recognizable hits and has enjoyed lasting popularity. In a Classic Rock article, "Faithfully" was called the greatest power ballad ever recorded.   more »

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer

 become a better singer in only 30 days , with easy video lessons.

Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana and Frumious Bandersnatch. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded. During that period, the band released a series of hit songs, including 1981's "Don't Stop Believin'", which became in 2009 the top-selling catalog track in iTunes history. Its parent studio album, Escape, the band's eighth and most successful, reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and yielded another of their most popular singles, "Open Arms". Its 1983 follow-up, Frontiers, was almost as successful in the United States, reaching No. 2 and spawning several successful singles; it broadened the band's ap… more »

Follow 16 fans

Sheet Music       PDF     Playlist  

Written by: Jonathan Cain

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, HIPGNOSIS SONGS GROUP

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

10 facts about this song

Discuss the faithfully lyrics with the community:.

Report Comment

We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe. If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.

You need to be logged in to favorite .

Create a new account.

Your name: * Required

Your email address: * Required

Pick a user name: * Required

Username: * Required

Password: * Required

Forgot your password?    Retrieve it

Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

Style: MLA Chicago APA

"Faithfully Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 5 May 2024. < https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/30410173/Journey/Faithfully >.

Missing lyrics by Journey?

Know any other songs by journey don't keep it to yourself, image credit, the web's largest resource for, music, songs & lyrics, a member of the stands4 network, watch the song video, top hot 100 songs 1983, billboard #12, more tracks from the album, playlist: greatest hits: live.

• #1 Don't Stop Believin'
• #2 Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
• #3 After the Fall
• #4 Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'
• #5 Faithfully
• #6 Who's Crying Now
• #7 Any Way You Want it
• #9 Stay Awhile
• #10 Open Arms
• #11 Send Her My Love
• #12 Still They Ride
• #13 Stone in Love
• #15 Line of Fire
• #16 Wheel in the Sky

Browse Lyrics.com

Our awesome collection of, promoted songs.

Get promoted 

Are you a music master?

"ra ra rasputin, lover of the ________ queen.", free, no signup required :, add to chrome, add to firefox, don't miss journey's, upcoming events.

On Radio Right Now

Powered by OnRad.io

Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!

• Songwriter Interviews
• Song Writing
• Fact or Fiction
• They're Playing My Song
• Songfacts Pages
• Songwriting Legends
• Songfacts Podcast
• Amanda Flinner
• Bruce Pollock
• Corey O'Flanagan
• Dan MacIntosh
• Laura Antonelli
• Leslie Michele Derrough
• Maggie Grimason
• Nicole Roberge
• Roger Catlin
• Shawna Ortega
• Stephanie Myers
• Trevor Morelli

Faithfully by Journey

• Highway run Into the midnight sun Wheels go 'round and 'round You're on my mind Restless hearts Sleep alone tonight Sendin' all my love Along the wire They say that the road Ain't no place to start a family Right down the line It's been you and me And lovin' a music man Ain't always what it's supposed to be Oh girl, you stand by me I'm forever yours, faithfully Circus life Under the big top world We all need the clowns To make us smile Through space and time Always another show Wondering where I am Lost without you 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 Whoa-oh, oh-oh Whoa-oh, oh-oh, oh Whoa-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh Faithfully I'm still yours I'm forever yours Forever yours Faithfully Writer/s: Jonathan Cain Publisher: Hipgnosis Songs Group Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind
• More songs from Journey
• More songs about being away from loved ones
• More songs covered by the Glee cast
• More songs from 1983
• Faithfully Songfacts
• Journey Artistfacts

Comments: 39

• Luna Loud from Royal Woods, Michigan You know, dudes, it's too bad this band's videos suck because their songs are so effin' amazing. And I'm with you 'Raf from Clovis, Ca; this song gets me in the feels every time.
• Chase Tart from North Carolina I’m 14 and this has to be my favorite song, which testifies to this song being so timeless. Not many musicians would credit God with the gift to write songs, so major props to Jonathan.
• Anonymous from Nacogdoches Texas I get the joy of rediscovering you...
• A-bomb from Duluth, Ga Usa 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
• Rafael Burgos from Clovis, Ca This song makes me cry.
• Stuartdevoy from Cornwall, United Kingdom I was always ridiculed at school for liking Journey, not that any of the kids had ever heard there stuff, I'm English) I guess they weren't hip enough. then glee sing there songs and everybody's saying how good they are, all those years they missed out on, there is a lesson there somewhere. this is a great track used to stand in my bedroom with a tennis racket pretending to Neil Schon.
• Betty from Bedford, Oh I thought this song was written by Steve Perry but I guess not LOL songs that are written about something you feel are the best songs. This is one of my ultimate favorites songs.
• Hannah from Ottawa, On ANY Journey song is a good song but I particularly like Faithfully and Open Arms. They remind me of the early 8o's when I was in middle school. We always heard these songs at the school dances.
• Megan from Stevenson, Al OMG! This song is so great! One of the greatest bands in history...
• Mariana from Timisoara, Romania I decided to have this song played at my wedding when I first heard it, years before I met my husband. It is so beautiful and so romantic!
• Jordan from San Antonio, Tx my bf is the best to me. im so thankful for him and how he treats me. after everything he still cares for me tremendously.. i cried when i heard this song after he told me it reminds him of me like crzy. he is a very known band...and this song fits his commitment towards me . i love him
• Tt from Columbia, Sc A piece of history a song that will last forever and a day ,
• Danny from Your Town, Ia A song that will stand the test of time. Our grandkids will be talking about this one. My 17 year old already does.
• David from Youngstown, Oh One of the most unintentionally funny songs ever. The lyrics are so cliche. "They say that the road ain't no place to start a family" and "Circus lights under the big top world." So ridiculous. Forever yours...faithfully
• Theresa from Murfreesboro, Tn Journey's best song - hands down.
• Brandon from Kalamazoo, Mi my favorite song of all time....just hits me every time...Steve Perry's voice it's so good
• Jackie Moritz from Philadelphia, Pa When I first heard this song I was 13, now almost four years later this song still is my favorite! My best friend Jarred & I dedicated this song to each other. He moved away two years ago and to me this song describes how faithful we are to each other.
• Aaron from Jacksonville, Fl When I first heard this song when I was 17 it has gotten me through a lot of tough times! One of there best!!
• Rhodora from Quezon , Philippines This song was written by Jonathan Cain on a napkin of The Hilton Hotel when they were on the road, touring.
• Aldrin from Manila, Philippines very romantic journey song..beautiful song lines accompanied with steve perry's powerful vocals and neil schon's guitar..man i have nothing to say about this song but for me its a classic..
• Erikka from Buckeye, Az This song is probably the most romantic song I have ever heard!! I love it! I asked the DJ at prom if he would play it, and he asked me "Who's Journey?" I thought he was joking. I was 10 years younger than the guy, and he didn't even know who Journey is!! Pitiful, just pitiful.
• Jeff from Chicago, Ga Randy jackson played bass on the Raised on Radio album and toured with the band.. that hot pink outfit he wore should be outlawed!!
• Melissa from Lorton, Va I love this song... I remember when I was four and my dad would play this song on the radio to help me go to sleep. It is one of my favorite Journey songs.
• Jeff from Austin, Tx I agree with Scott from Columbus. That is a fantastic line. And the line before it as well..."Two strangers learn to fall in love again". Unbelievable song, easily one of the best ever written. And as usual, Steve Perry sang the hell out of it.
• Chris from Miami, Fl I used to love this song because I would always dedicate it to my gf wenever i would hear it but after all that it really meant nuthing. Its a great song with lyrics that have meaning but honestly I don't like it anymore =[
• Julia from Knoxville, Tn Ryan, it's ironic that I notice you're in Mobile, AL. this song was popular when I lived there.
• Julia from Knoxville, Tn My best friend was able to go to a Journey concert, and that is what makes her get emotional now when she and I both hear the song.
• Matt from Bristol, United States I first heard this song about 10 years ago on a TV advert for a sale on sofas at BHS :P Then, last year, I bought a Journey album and was instantly reaquainted.
• I. Orta from Austin, Tx it stinks being born in 89 cuz nobody tells you about all this great music that was created before any song that came out was manufactured from a make up artist an excutive and some eye candy to sell records. i wanna know what the good times were like, especially when gas was low. and 80s people thought they knew everything, i wanna know!!!!
• Mike from Orleans, In This is my favorite Journey song. i am one of a few students at my high school who listens to Journey.
• Brad from Redding, Ca Has anybody seen the music video for this? It has got to be one of the most unintentially funny things I've ever seen. The shot of Steve Perry about to shave his moustache is hilarious.
• Millerman from Dacusville, Sc Hey Danny in Cape Breton (sounds like a beautiful place), it was 3 years after this song was released before Randy Jackson came on board for the Journey lads. Cheers, mate!
• Robert from San Francisco, Ca Great ipod song while riding throught the streets of SF!
• Danny from Cape Breton, Canada totaly wicked song i was wondering if american idol judge randy jackson played with journey or this track as a basist, i am sure he has, as said earlier this one will take you back to that special one who will always be faithfully!
• Scott from Columbus, Oh The line: "I get the joy of re-discovering you" is nothing short of genius and inspiring...what a beautiful way to say I still appreiciate your love and how much it inspires me. Fooking beautiful! Journey was a certainly one of the best combinations of musicians to ever become. Bravo!
• Jayna from Youngstown, Oh Journey is by far the GREATEST band in the entire world!!! i love open arms best song ever! faithfully is my 2nd favorite song!! JOURNEY KICKS ASS!!
• Dee from Indianapolis, In This has to be one of the best love songs ever written. Between this and Open Arms you can't go wrong for slow dancing or romancing. This reminds me of some of my 1st crushes I had as a early teen. I still can tear up over this one at times.
• Ryan from Mobile, Al True True...it is a great song. I do think of the one that got away :'(
• Joe from Ocala, Fl You can't hear this song without thinking of the girl that got away in your own life.

More Songfacts:

Sweetest Thing U2

Bono wrote "Sweetest Thing" for his wife to make up for working on her birthday.

I Love It Icona Pop

Icona Pop considers "I Love It" a kiss-off to their boyfriends: "we just wanted to get the song out and get the pigs to hear it," Jawo said.

Theme From Shaft Isaac Hayes

When "Theme From Shaft" won an Oscar, Isaac Hayes became the first African American to win in the "Best Song" category.

Anybody Seen My Baby? The Rolling Stones

k.d. lang is a credited writer on the Rolling Stones song "Anybody Seen My Baby?" because it sounds so much like her hit "Constant Craving."

Respect Aretha Franklin

Props to Aretha Franklin: her song "Respect" introduced the term "propers" as a sign of proper respect.

Live Forever Oasis

The Oasis song "Live Forever" was written in response to "I Hate Myself And I Want To Die" by Nirvana. "Kids don't need to hear that nonsense," said Noel Gallagher.

Editor's Picks

Graham Parker Songwriter Interviews

When Judd Apatow needed under-appreciated rockers for his Knocked Up sequel, he immediately thought of Parker, who just happened to be getting his band The Rumour back together.

Black Sabbath Fact or Fiction

Dwarfs on stage with an oversize Stonehenge set? Dabbling in Satanism? Find out which Spinal Tap-moments were true for Black Sabbath.

Amanda Palmer Songwriter Interviews

Call us crazy, but we like it when an artist comes around who doesn't mesh with the status quo.

Which Songs are About Drugs? Fact or Fiction

"25 or 6 to 4" to "Semi-Charmed Life" - see if you can spot the songs that are really about drugs.

The Punk Photography of Chris Stein Song Writing

Chris Stein of Blondie shares photos and stories from his book about the New York City punk scene.

Grammar In Lyrics Music Quiz

Lyrics don't always follow the rules of grammar. Can you spot the ones that don't?

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

©2024 Songfacts, LLC

Artists - A-H

• & Young
• .38 Special
• Aaron Lewis
• Aaron Neville

Artists - I-P

• Iron Butterfly
• Iron Maiden
• Izzy Stradlin

Artists - Q-Z

• Queens of the Stone Age
• Queensrÿche
• Classic Rock

• Keyboardist Jim Beard, Known for His...
• 12 Rock Legends Who Openly Dislike...
• 10 Rock Stars Who Can’t Stand...

• Legendary Motorhead Frontman, Lemmy, To Be...
• Happy 76th Birthday Tony Iommi: How...
• Metallica Secures Best Metal Performance at...

• Unveiling Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Top 10...
• Album Review: “Two Steps From The...
• The Facts In The Early Life...

Journey Have Revealed The True Meaning Behind Their Hit “Faithfully,” And It’s Not What You’d Expect!

Image via vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net

I’m forever yours…

Back in 1983,  Journey released one of their most popular, and emotional songs to date:  “Faithfully.”  The song is a power ballad that is commonly played as a slow dance song at weddings, proms and other celebrations. It showcases lead vocalist  Steve Perry’s amazing voice, and is one of the band’s best songs!

Not many people know the true meaning of this classic tune. The song is a love song, and most people think that it’s about a guy who is just expressing his love to a woman he loves. This is true, however songwriter and keyboardist  Jonathan Cain revealed the true meaning behind this amazing song!

Cain wrote this song about the challenges of being a married man on the road in a rock band. He said: “God gave me that song. I started it on the bus heading to Saratoga Springs. I woke up the next day with a napkin on the side of my nightstand and I looked at the lyrics, ‘Highway run into the midnight sun.’ Then I got this supernatural download: This is the rest of the song. I wrote rest of it down, almost frantically. I’d never had a song come to me so quickly that it was anointed, supernatural. Literally, in 30 minutes I had written that song. I had the napkin in my pocket and I put it on the piano. I had a big grand piano there by the orchestra. I played through it and I thought, ‘Man, this is good.’ The Lord gave me permission to finish it. Normally I would go to Steve Perry or somebody and say, ‘Help me finish this song.’ No. God gave me the mind to finish it, and the rest is history. That would be a love song to God, absolutely.”

That’s a pretty inspiring story of how this wonderful song was written! I bet you’ll never listen to it the same way again! Check out the song down below and enjoy!

Don’t Miss Out! Sign up for the Latest Updates

• Music Video

I Love Classic Rock

10 Cinematic Disasters That Left Audiences Cold

7 Albums That Are Difficult to Listen to All the Way Through

10 Terrible Albums by Brilliant Musicians

9 TV Dramas Canceled Due to Controversy

David Gilmour Reveals Plans for a UK Tour in Support of…

Rock and Roll Icon Duane Eddy Dead at 86

Keyboard Wizard Richard Tandy of ELO Dead At 76

Premium partners.

Interested in becoming a partner?

Contact us for more info.

© 2024 Society Of Rock

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy

• Artists add

63 Comments

Lyrics submitted by Phlick_2002

Faithfully Lyrics as written by Jonathan Cain

Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

• Highest Rated
• Most Recent
• Oldest First

this song means an undying love. the way love should be. this is a song that describes the perfect way two bound hearts shoudl be. they are faithful throughout everything. plus journey just kicks ass. -ashley-nicole

• No Replies Log in to reply

This song is a prime example of how true love should be. Nothing's perfect but you have to work on it to make it work!

• 1 Reply Log in to reply

Thank you,that is exactly!

This song pretty much tells its own story. I find it fascinating that it could be mis- understood- with Steve Perry pouring his heart out (whether he wrote it or not) and really conveying deep emotion. Anyone ever married to, or involved with, a touring musician has no problem understanding or appreciating this song.

the song is about a long distance relationship. "sendin all my love along the wire". they are not together but they are able to still love each other. such an emotional song.

Most of you guys sound like a bunch of high schoolers here...maybe you are-who knows, but I wanted to say that Journey is classic, and so is this soing...beautiful meaning for so many people, and very special for those relationships that try and hopefully make it work long distance

i really love this song cuz my bf is in the army and in iraq at the moment and let me tell you what this distance between us is hard to deal with. this song reminds me of him a lot. he sent these lyrics to me when he first got into iraq.

i know exactly how you feel. the entire 4 1/2 years me and my fiancee have been together it has been long distance. it didnt helpo when he joined the army though. he was deployed for a year only a month after he got out of boot camp and AIT. but we made it. it is songs like these that heloed me through it. just send him lots of care packages and write as often as you can.<br /> <br /> on his 4 day leave between briefing and deployment, we went and got "forever yours faithfully" tatooed in each others hand writing so that we would never forget it. cheezy and risky i know.

i can relate to this song so well, because my boyfriend and i are working on our second year of a long-distance romance. this song is about fighting the distance and making it work nonetheless.

"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"

that is so incredibly beautiful!!! i wish i could write like that...

i fucking hate the new singer, steve perry is the fucking band, journey sucks without steve, they should soon realize it, brother!,

i agree with everyone who says the band is much better with Steve Perry, especially this song...the new guy, whoever the hell he is, really botches it....i've had several opportunities to see the Arrival tour, but without Steve Perry, Journey isnt worth seeing

Beautiful song...I think that we can all relate to it in a certain ways...space, time, work, stuff gets between people in a relationship--It can take time to get to know that person all over again after long periods of space and time....but in the meantime there's this passionate commitment to overcome all the stuff that could potentially break us apart...and to stay committed. A beautiful song.

whether Perry had anything to do with the making of this song or not...it still sucks with him not singing it

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

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
• Faithfully Lyrics
• Artists - S
• Speedy Ortiz

More Featured Meanings

Most popular lyric tags

More journey lyrics.

• Don't Stop Believin' Lyrics
• Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) Lyrics
• Wheel in the Sky Lyrics
• Open Arms Lyrics
• Lights Lyrics

Top 50 by Year

Lists Explorer

100 Most Featured Movie Songs

100 Most Featured TV Songs

Heard in the following movies & tv shows

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Family Guy • s 13 e 9

The Goldbergs • s 2 e 22

Highway run Into the midnight sun Wheels go round and round You're on my mind Restless hearts Sleep alone tonight Sendin' all my love Along the wire They say that the road ain't no place to start a family Right down the line, it's been you and me And lovin' a music man ain't always what it's supposed to be Oh, girl, you stand by me I'm forever yours Faithfully Circus life Under the big top world We all need the clowns To make us smile Through space and time Always another show Wonderin' where I am Lost without you 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 Faithfully I'm still yours I'm forever yours Forever yours Faithfully

More songs from Journey

1990's Theme

Remember Me

Any Way You Want It

Stone In Love (GH 2 Version)

Wheel in the Sky (Re-Recorded)

Who's Crying Now

After The Fall

Only the Young

Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) [Bryce Miller/Alloy Tracks Remix]

When You Love a Woman

Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)

The Party's Over

Anyway You Want It

Wheel in the Sky

Only Solutions

Don't Stop Believin'

Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'

Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'

Release Year

WhatSong is the worlds largest collection of movie & tv show soundtracks and playlists.

© 2023 WhatSong Soundtracks. All rights reserved

Quick links