steve perry journey wheel in the sky

• What Doomed Heart Lineup
• Kiss Live Albums Ranked
• 50 Greatest Power Ballads
• Graham Nash Announces Tour
• Songs Almost Ruined Classic LPs
• Sebastian Bach Album Review

How Journey Took Flight With ‘Wheel in the Sky’

Journey 's first single on the Billboard Hot 100 was poetry in motion — literally.

"Wheel In the Sky," released in March 1978 as the lead single off the band's  Infinity album, began as a poem titled "Wheels in My Mind," written by bassist Ross Valory's then-wife Diane. "She had written down, 'Wheels are turning on my mind,'" guitarist Neal Schon told Vulture in 2022. "In one of our long station-wagon hikes we did when we were traveling as a band — like nine guys in a station wagon in those days — at one point, everybody had to take a restroom break, and the driver needed a candy bar to wake up.

"I pulled out an acoustic guitar, sat on the hood of the car and I banged out that song," Schon continued. "I came up with the chorus. Her napkin poem sat in my mind and I came up with, ' Wheel in the sky keeps on turning / I don't know where I'll be tomorrow .'"

Robert Fleischman further refined the philosophical lyrics during his brief tenure as Journey's frontman. The song was largely demoed and ready by the time Steve Perry joined the group and the recording of  Infinity  commenced with producer Roy Thomas Baker.

Watch Journey's 'Wheel in the Sky' Video

"They already had 'Wheel in the Sky' in the bag, but the way they had done it with Robert was different from how I was going to interpret it," Perry told Classic Rock  in 2014. "When it came time to do that track we had moved [studios] from San Francisco to Los Angeles. ... I sang real high falsetto notes with echo in the background while Neal was playing a beautiful solo."

Perry distinctly remembered encountering "Wheel in the Sky" in the wild after it was issued as a single. "Neal and I went to this pizza place, and I went over to the jukebox and saw a 'Wheel in the Sky' vinyl 45 in the machine — an ecstatic feeling," he recalled. "I didn't tell Neal. I just put two quarters in, pushed the button and sat down, and the song started. Neal looked at me and started laughing. It was a monumental moment. Back then if you started to show up in jukeboxes, it was a sign that you might be finally starting to happen."

"Wheel in the Sky" rolled to No. 57 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 52 on the Cash Box Top 100. Most importantly, it gave Journey a foothold on rock radio that extended to subsequent singles "Anytime" and "Lights." Those helped push Infinity to No. 21 on the Billboard 200, Journey's top showing to date, and eventual triple-platinum status. "Wheel," meanwhile, has become the most-played live song in Journey's catalog with over 1,000 performances, according to setlist.fm .

"I keep reinventing 'Wheels,' and it ends up being a big and powerful highlight in our shows," Schon told Vulture. "That's another song that wasn't a huge hit single but has since become an organic hit within our Journey audience."

The Best Song From Every Journey Album

More from ultimate classic rock.

Flashback: Journey Introduce Steve Perry to America in 1978

By Andy Greene

Andy Greene

Steve Perry emerged from two decades of seclusion in August with new single “No Erasin'” off his upcoming album Traces . It was a rather stunning development for Journey fans that had largely given up on ever hearing him sing again, especially after he refused to perform with his old group when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year. But in new interviews, Perry revealed that after losing his girlfriend Kellie Nash to cancer in 2012, he decided it was time to face the world again.

Perry said he’s considering promoting Traces with a solo tour, but don’t expect to see him back onstage with Journey. They’ve been doing just fine without him ever since Arnel Pineda became their new singer 10 years ago and have even played stadiums this summer on their co-headlining tour with Def Leppard. They exclusively play songs from the Perry era of the group, and Pineda sounds almost exactly like his predecessor did in 1983. Most audiences are quite happy to sing along with their favorite hits and don’t really care if the original guy isn’t actually on the stage.

'Word Salad': Andrew Huberman's Cannabis Misinformation Slammed by Experts

The results are in: kendrick lamar won the great rap war, why grown-ass women love the idea of 'the idea of you', steve albini, noise rock pioneer and 'in utero' engineer, dead at 61.

Forty years ago, however, Perry was a crucial part of Journey’s success. The group began in 1973 as an offshoot of Santana with guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist/singer Gregg Rolie, but their first three albums failed to find a mass audience and they faced getting dropped from their record label. Steve Perry was brought into the group to help them develop a more commercial sound, beginning with 1978’s Infinity. The gambit worked immediately as lead single “Wheel in the Sky” reached Number 57 on the Hot 100. Here’s video of them playing their first hit song on The Midnight Special in February 1978, which was the first time many in America saw the group play with Perry.

If Perry decides to tour in support of Traces , Journey will face some competition on the road. Fans have had plenty of chances to see Journey minus Perry play the hits, but Perry minus Journey hasn’t done any sort of tour since a brief one in 1995 to support his solo album  For the Love of Strange Medicine . The tour generated very little interest since Journey were aggressively uncool in the Lollapalooza era, but things have changed quite a bit since then. He hasn’t sang “Wheel in the Sky” in over 23 years, but should he decide to go out and do it again he’ll probably be shocked by how many people are willing to pay big bucks to hear it.

David Beckham Says He 'Didn't Expect' Spice Girls Reunion at Posh's Birthday Party

• Spice It Up
• By Emily Zemler

Watch Gracie Abrams Perform Courageous Single 'Risk' on 'Fallon'

• Late-Night TV

Neil Portnow Accuser Asks Judge to Dismiss Sexual Assault Lawsuit Against Former Grammy CEO

• Crimes and Court
• By Daniel Kreps

Superchunk: How Steve Albini Made Us Sound 'Bigger Than We Were in Real Life'

• RIP Steve Albini
• By Jon Blistein

Steve Albini and Big Black Played an Explosive Farewell Concert in 1987

• By Kory Grow

Most Popular

Emily blunt says she's 'absolutely' wanted to throw up after kissing certain actors during filming: 'i've definitely not enjoyed some of it.', jerry seinfeld's 'unfrosted' divides critics: "one of decade's worst movies", serena williams' ethereal white swimsuit photoshoot shows the way she’s exercising after baby no. 2, no a’s in attendance: oakland trails a whopping 553 u.s. teams, you might also like, millennium docs against gravity festival artistic director on program: ‘our priority is and has always been the audience’, watches of switzerland group buys jeweler roberto coin inc., the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors, art directors guild suspends training program: ‘we cannot in good conscience encourage you to pursue our profession’, jokic joins elite company with third nba mvp award.

Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.

Verify it's you

Please log in.

Four more classic Journey performances from The Midnight Special have appeared online

Watch Steve Perry and Co. perform Patiently, Wheel In The Sky, La Do Da and Anytime on TV show The Midnight Special in April 1978

Late last month, the freshly-launched YouTube channel from legendary TV music show The Midnight Special unveiled footage of Journey playing Feeling That Way , originally broadcast on April 28, 1978, three months after the release of the band's Infinity album.

Now more songs have emerged from the same show, with Steve Perry and Journey performing four more tracks from the album: the previous year's Wheel In The Sky single, plus La Do Da, Patiently, and Anytime . 

The performances come from a show hosted by the band themselves, one that also showcased music from Rita Coolidge, Al Jarreau and Eddie Money, while former Turtles-turned-comedy duo Flo & Eddie interviewed Lou Reed .

Wheel In the Sky  had been written with previous vocalist Robert Fleishman, prior to Perry joining Journey. The song had started out as a poem called  Wheels In My Mind  by Diane Valory, the wife of Journey bassist Ross Valory, and proved to play a pivotal part in the band's story, helping to launch the Infinity album.   

“I remember clearly  Wheel In The Sky  being the first single," Perry told Classic Rock in 2014 . "Neal and I went to this pizza place, and I went over to the jukebox and saw a  Wheel In the Sky  vinyl 45 in the machine – an ecstatic feeling.

“I didn’t tell Neal, I just put two quarters in, pushed the button and sat down, and the song started. Neal looked at me and started laughing. It was a monumental moment. Back then if you were started to show up in jukeboxes it was a sign that you might be finally starting to happen.”

Classic Rock Newsletter

Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox!

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.  

Shellac frontman and legendary alt. rock engineer Steve Albini dead at 61

Ozzy Osbourne names the best guitarist he’s ever played with: “Others do the notes, but it’s not the same”

"The world will miss his uncompromising stance on art and commerce": The world of music pays tribute to Steve Albini

Most Popular

Behind the Meaning of “Wheel in the Sky,” by Journey

Origins of inspiration : bassist ross valory's wife's longing poem transformed into a reflection on the challenges of life on the road., lyricism :  journey's "wheel in the sky" delves into themes of longing, fear of loss, and the relentless passage of time., vocal evolution :  former lead vocalist robert fleischman's lyrics adapted by steve perry, reflecting his experiences on grueling tours., philosophical chorus :  the chorus embodies a metaphor for the unstoppable march of time and the uncertainty of the future., production and legacy : producer roy thomas baker shapes the song into an arena-rock anthem, marking journey's breakthrough into mainstream success., read the full article: behind the meaning of “wheel in the sky,” by journey.

• 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

Wheel In The Sky by Journey

Songfacts®:

• According to the liner notes of Journey's Time3 compilation, this started out as a poem called "Wheels In My Mind" by Diane Valory, the wife of Journey bassist Ross Valory. Robert Fleischman, the band's first vocalist, wrote new lyrics, and guitarist Neal Schon wrote the melody on acoustic guitar in the back seat of a station wagon while the band was driving between shows. It's one of the more philosophical Journey songs, telling the story of man trying desperately to return to his home. The verse lyrics are rather opaque, but the chorus offers an accessible metaphor for how life goes on no matter our personal struggles.
• This was the first Journey single with new lead vocalist Steve Perry, and not coincidentally, also their first single to chart. The group released three album before Perry came on board. They sold modestly, but the group was not a singles band - they had more of a progressive rock sound with the vocals and lyrics secondary to the music. Perry brought them concise songs with big hooks, but he also delivered a signature vocal sound, first heard on "Wheel In The Sky." The song reached just #57 US, but this was long before Journey was established on pop radio. The next two Infinity singles, " Anytime " and the Perry co-write " Lights ," also reached the lower half of the Hot 100. The group built on this success to become stadium rock superstars in the '80s.
• This is one of Journey's most popular live songs, played at nearly every show in every iteration of the band (Steve Perry left in 1999).
• More songs from Journey
• More songs about destiny or fate
• More songs from 1978
• Lyrics to Wheel In The Sky
• Journey Artistfacts

Comments: 45

• George from Bc Helivon from Earth: possibly that chariot/wheels in Ezekiel was how an illiterate farmer described a UFO he saw.
• Butch from Tx I've enjoyed reading these comments. They are all very different and impassioned. As for me, the song simply made me think of a touring band. "I hope she holds on a little longer." The Wheel In The Sky was just a metaphor for the Sun going around, or days passing by, or the great mystery of life continuing. A song about long stretches on the road, similar to Iron Maiden's 'Wasted Years'.
• Paulie from Manchester Uk For me its about a soldier who's trying to make it home. He doesn't know where he'll be tomorrow and he's unsure of if he'll be here tomorrow. Listening to this song gives me insane amounts of gratitude for soldiers in Ukraine right now fighting for their freedom. God bless you all for your sacrifice
• Helicon from Earth A wheel in the sky is how angels were described in Ezekiel in the Bible
• George Pope from Vancouver - Canada Upin first hearing this, I thought the wheel; in the sky was a poetic way of referring to the sun, as an inexorable spinning wheels -- the days turning, turning, & I don't know what tomorrow will bring. Catchy tune, as for so much of what Journey has done! Always good to randomly hear on store audio. Not sure if the song is lamentful or joyous. Thoughts?
• Anonymous The 4 horses they're riding on? And we're sky In what days are we living in dusty road We don't know we're we be tomorrow It's in the bible 7 seals, 4 horsemen, wheels in the sky The return he's talking about god
• Bob Ross Is The Best from Somewhere They are talking about the sun.
• James T from Columbus Oh Great song! Will in the sky is definitely a ferris wheel and he's a Carney who travels never knows where he's going to be next.
• Astrologer from Ny Its referring to Astrology. Clearly ;)
• Badsweetcrazy from Los Angeles California One of many great songs by one of rocks greatest bands of all time and still rocking after all these years as bands Fall apart and go under and don't exist anymore this band still exists because of one reason the leadership of the great Neal Schon and the songwriting of the great Jonathan Cain. Two great musicians and band members who sacrifice for the good of the band and ignore the petty little things that Fame and greatness bring with it that breaks up bands once they hit the top plateau of rock greatness, I don't know what you call it but they don't let it bother them and some of the younger bands need to follow there leadership and the way they handle the on stage and off stage and business part of being a great rock band.
• Mauricio from Brazil I heard she wrote the poem after she heard of the accident that killed some people of Lynyrd Skynyrd. It was a plane crash, thus the image "wheel in the sky keeps on turning..."
• Anonymous from Atlanta Ga Wheel in the sky is the reality of the Mother plane from the teaching of The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad SUPREME BEING GOD in person Master Fard Muhammad
• Alex from Collinsville, Illinois I love this song.
• Tyler Upp from Las Vegas, Vegas Great song
• Brian from Taos Nm My song in Iraq(09) Thoughts of life, death, and my girl back home.....Truly a bitter sweet song.
• Charlie from Kentucky The "wheel in the sky" is a reference to time and our existence. and that it keeps on turning refers to how insignificant we truely are to the infinite universe and time....less then a spec of dust.
• Ken from Philadelphia, Pa Come on. It's not about UFOs or Ferris wheels. It's about fate... or God, if you believe He controls your fate. Of course, in this case the narrator would appear to blaming fate instead of taking control of his own destiny.
• Barry from Sauquoit, Ny On October 28th 1977, Journey appeared in concert at Bill Graham's Old Waldorf in San Francisco, California... It marked Steve Perry's first concert appearance as the lead singer of the West Coast-Bay Area group... Just over five months later on April 2nd, 1978 the group's first charted record, "Wheel in the Sky", would enter Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #89, five weeks later on May 7th it peaked at #57 {for 1 week} and it stayed on the chart for 8 weeks... Between 1978 and 1985 the group had twenty seven Top 100 records; six made the Top 10 with "Open Arms"* being their biggest hit, it peaked at #2 for six weeks on February 21st, 1982... * The first three weeks that "Open Arms" was at #2, the #1 record was "Centerfold" by the J. Geils Band and for the last three weeks it was "I Love Rock ‘N Roll" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts that was in the top spot.
• Jared from Newport Ri I used to work for Rockwell amusement and was led to believe one of the band members worked for them and the song was about working on the feris wheel and how when you work for a carnival you need never know where your going next hence wheel in the sky keeps on turning don't know where I'll be tomorrow it was probably a lie but it made sense at the time!!
• Evan White from North Carolina,usa This song has always confused me...
• Willie from Scottsdale, Az As much as I hate to admit liking a Journey song...this kicks butt!
• Sandra from Gardnerville, Nv Let me get this straight...I have some choices...UFOs, Greek Mythology, Rock Anthem, Ferris Wheel, mispelled words, et al...FYI..."et al" means "and more." I just like the song...
• Gloria from Albemarle, Nc The poem that Ross Valory's then wife, Diane, wrote had the line "The wheels in my MIND keep on turning", but the band changed it when they used her poem as a basis to write their song. They simply thought it flowed better that way. Great song, even after 30 years.
• Myles from Carl Junction, Virgin Islands (u.s.) Its about Ezekiel in the bible how he saw the wheels in the sky.
• Juan from Eugene, Or I think that this song should have been on the soundtrack for the movie Fire in the sky with D.B Sweeney and James Garner which was about the 1975 disappearance of Travis Walton from Arizona
• Robin from Raleigh, Nc Wow, so long ago. I was doing a lot of hitchhiking then, and "I'm standing in the sleet and rain" was true so many times. Thanks for the memories, and thanks for letting me post.
• Josh from Indianapolis, In This song means life goes on move on. Journey rocks
• Ben from Banning, Ca hey Vernon americans don't speak english they speak american. the british speak american with a funny accent "know what I mean Vern?"
• Mary from Woonsocket, Albania I was told Steve Perry wrote this song about a Ferris Wheel as he traveled with a carnival at one time and ran the Ferris Wheel.
• Devin from New York, Ny I always thought this song had something to do with Egyptian mythology. I was convinced that the "wheel" was the sun god Ra. Also, "made of silver, not of clay" may point a reference to clay tablets used to write on. I don't realy know for sure but is Journey's band symbol a Scarab beetle? Very important to ancient egyptians, might want to check it out
• Matt from Houston, Tx so what does it mean?
• Izzytoxic from Atlanta, Ga I would say that "Wheel in the Sky" is one of those rare songs that without a doubt stands in the class of Rock Anthem.
• Vernon from Trinidad, Wi, Other Hey Mary in Phoenix, AZ. Thanks for pointing that out to Mike. It is after all the English spelling, and English is the language Americans speak. "Colour" is another example.
• Darrell from Eugene A wheel in the sky is a U.F.O. That is the only logical, er, semi-logical explanation unless you believe that Neeper V's, Cromodora 5-spoke alloys and Cragar SS mags are in the air along with airplanes, birds, insects, smog, U.F.O.s, etc.
• Anna from Fairfiled, Ct I think the song Wheel in the Sky refers to Ezekiel's wheel; a Spiritual wheel described by Ezekiel a prophet in the Old Testament. The Wheel apparantly is wooden with Three Animals on the outside; and the face of one man.
• Sergio from Miami, Fl "Wheel in the sky" is obviously talking about the sun turning in the sky as the days pass by on tour. "Dont know where Ill be tomorrow"
• Mary from Phoenix, Az Mike...in response to how you spell "favorites". You should know that foreign countries, like Canada and England always put a "U" in there. Same with neighbor (neighbour). Didn't they teach you that in school? No offense, I'm just asking.
• Daniel from Springfield, Ma You're all talkin' 'bout playin' it backwards, and UFO's and mythology and crap. It rocks when you play it forward, there's no need to conspiricize/philosophize about it! Just put on a pair of KOSS's and let it ROCK! Wheel in the Sky is awesome!
• Ryan from Sewickley, Pa Whell in the sky refers to some greek mythology
• Jt from Tullahoma, Tn In response to Brian, yes, this song always reminded me of that. I always thought it had to do with that. I need to try playing this song backwards... Wasn't there once a piece on this page that said it was based on something form the bible? I vaguely remember...
• Brian from Nuremberg, Germany I alway sthought that it had to do with the biblical story of Ezechiels ... the burning wheel of fire in the sky followed by angels,,,the first UFO sighting
• Mike from Erie, Pa The Wheel in the sky keeps on turning, don't know were I'll ne tommorow!!! My favorite song from Journey John this is how you spell "favorites"
• Sara Mackenzie from Middle Of Nowhere, Fl the passing of time equals the changing of the times. hence, steve perry. still, the song rox my sox. well, one of them, anyways.
• Dave from Latham , Ny The wheel represents the sun (which is moving with time), or the passing of time.
• John from Stephenville Crossing, Canada I think this is a very good song. One of my favourites from Journey.

More Songfacts:

Space Oddity David Bowie

David Bowie's "Space Oddity" tells the story of an astronaut who cuts off communication and floats into space. The BBC used it extensively in their coverage of the 1969 moon landing - an odd choice considering the lyrics.

He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother The Hollies

The motto for Boys Town, which was a Nebraska home for troubled youth, inspired the song "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" by The Hollies.

Six Months In A Leaky Boat Split Enz

The Split Enz song "Six Months In A Leaky Boat" is about the journey explorers made from Europe to colonize Australia and New Zealand, where the band is from.

Kiss The Rain Billie Myers

Desmond Child thought Gavin Rossdale was singing "Kiss The Rain" on the Bush song "Glycerine." When he found out the truth, he wrote a song called "Kiss The Rain" for Billie Myers.

Time In A Bottle Jim Croce

Jim Croce was killed in a plane crash on September 30, 1973. A few weeks later, his song "Time In A Bottle" hit #1.

Party Rock Anthem LMFAO

"Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO was only the second #1 hit on the Hot 100 with "Party" in the title. The first was Lesley Gore's "It's My Party."

Editor's Picks

90s Music Quiz 1 Music Quiz

First question: Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson appeared in videos for what artist?

The Police Fact or Fiction

Do their first three albums have French titles? Is "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" really meaningless? See if you can tell in this Fact or Fiction.

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura) Songwriter Interviews

The Brazilian rocker sees pictures in his riffs. When he came up with one of his gnarliest songs, there was a riot going on.

Paul Stanley of Kiss, Soul Station Songwriter Interviews

Paul Stanley on his soul music project, the Kiss songs with the biggest soul influence, and the non-make-up era of the band.

Donald Fagen Songwriter Interviews

Fagen talks about how the Steely Dan songwriting strategy has changed over the years, and explains why you don't hear many covers of their songs.

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s Edition Music Quiz

You know the scenes - Tom Cruise in his own pants-off dance off, Molly Ringwald celebrating her birthday - but do you remember what song is playing?

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

Golden Age Thursday- Lord Finesse’s ‘Return Of The Funky Man’ 1991 Promo Interview

LISTEN: Vlado Nosal & The Avedons Create Experimental Simplicity on “Car”

LISTEN: Megan Aversa Delivers Poetic Shoegaze Bliss on “Wildflowers”

Renowned Producer Steve Albini Dies at 61

Molly Miller of Jason Mraz Band on Staying In Motion on New Trio LP ‘The Ballad of Hotspur’ (INTERVIEW)

Austin Troubadour JM Stevens Transforms His Songwriting and Vocal Approach For New LP ‘Nowhere To Land’ (INTERVIEW)

New Orleans Funk Legend John “Papa” Gros Talks Jazz Fest & Dr. John Tribute (INTERVIEW)

Multi-Faceted Singer-Songwriter Liz Brasher’s ‘Baby Damn’ Captures a Life In Motion (INTERVIEW)

Album Reviews

Pokey LaFarge Goes Technicolor On Swingin’ ‘Rhumba Country’ (ALBUM REVIEW)

Show reviews.

The High Hawks Fuse Jam Band Roots and Bar Band Glory at Portland, OR Tour Kick-off (SHOW REVIEW/PHOTOS)

Television & Film

Music World Gives Payback To An Overlooked Legend On ‘Lee Fields: Faithful Man’ (FILM REVIEW)

DVD Reviews

1982’s ‘Around The World’ Covers The Police On Their First World Tour (DVD REVIEW)

Other Reviews

Bill Janovitz Chronicles the Story of Leon Russell in ‘The Master of Space and Time’s Journey Through Rock & Roll History’ (BOOK REVIEW)

Film Reviews

‘Licorice Pizza’ Can’t Carry Weight Of Its Parts (FILM REVIEW)

‘Loki’ Gives Us Loki vs. Loki in Episode 3 (TV REVIEW)

All the Movie Trailers from Super Bowl LIV

Commentary Tracks

2021 Holiday Movie Preview: ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife,’ ‘The Power of The Dog,’ ‘House of Gucci’ & More

Happy 75th Birthday Billy Joel

SONG PREMIERE: Kait Warner’s “Bowerbird” Shimmers with Art Pop Textures

John Fred Young Of Black Stone Cherry Serves Up Another Round of Candid Hard Rock Insights (INTERVIEW)

Is your crypto safe? Best practices to protect your funds in 2024  

Vinyl Lives

Portland’s Record Pub Serves Up Vinyl, Brews & Weekly Gatherings (VINYL LIVES)

These Walls

Amherst’s The Drake Is Making New Musical History In The Pioneer Valley (THESE WALLS)

Vintage Stash

The Replacements’ ‘Tim’ Let It Bleed Edition Proves Worth As Discerning & Durable Retrospective

TIME OUT TAKE FIVE: Falkner Evans, Franco Ambrosetti, Jan Hammer & More

One Track Mind

Emerging Artist J.S. Ondara Makes Voyage From Kenya to Minnesota & Astounds With ‘Tales of America’ (INTERVIEW)

Suds & Sounds

Suds & Sounds: Beale Street Brewing Co. Celebrates Memphis Music Through Craft Beer

Hidden Track

Movie Review: Louis C.K.’s ‘Tommorow Night’

SONG PREMIERE: Rose Gerber Manifests a Timeless Alt-country Road Tune with “Untraveled Highway”

VIDEO PREMIERE: Boulevards Celebrates Love with Groove-laden Disco-funk on “What We Live For”

SONG PREMIERE: Parker Smith Offers Heartland Rocker Ode with Clever Tune “Mothers”

• January 21, 2024

Happy 75th Birthday Steve Perry (Watch “Wheel In The Sky” Live 1980)

Happy 75th birthday to the vocal icon Steve Perry (born 1/22/49). As one of the most vocally gifted rock frontmen to grace a well-written rock song, the California native helped make Journey arguably one of the most successful American rock bands of all time. After joining the band in 1978 with the release of Infinity, Perry helped make Journey a hit machine with perhaps more karaoke favorites than Elvis. Until we finally get a long-awaited Perry solo tour, let’s watch Journey through a blistering “Wheel In The Sky” live in Osaka in 1980.

Related Content

Recent posts.

Brad Mehldau Dives Deep With Intricate Two Nonesuch Releases ‘After Bach II’ & ‘Après Fauré’ (ALBUM REVIEWS) 

New to Glide

Blue Note Presents Posthumous Sublime Live Ron Miles Recording With Bill Frisell & Brian Blade On ‘Old Main Chapel’ (ALBUM REVIEW)

Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti & Frank Rosaly Offer Introspective Cultural Comment Through Futuristic Latin Jazz on ‘MESTIZX’ (ALBUM REVIEW)

Saxophonist John Helliwell (Formerly Of Supertramp) On A Life Of Jazz After Prog-Pop (HEY YOU/INTERVIEW)

Keep up-to-date with Glide

Email Address*

• ABBREVIATIONS
• BIOGRAPHIES
• CALCULATORS
• CONVERSIONS
• DEFINITIONS

      PDF       Playlist    

Wheel in the Sky

About Wheel in the Sky

"Wheel in the Sky" is a song by the American rock band Journey, recorded in 1977 and included on their fourth studio album, Infinity. It was written and composed by Robert Fleischman, Neal Schon and Diane Valory. At the time of the song's composition, the band had decided to follow a new direction into an edgier sound and began recording simple hard rock pieces with new lead vocalist Fleischman. He was replaced by Steve Perry once work on Infinity began in earnest. The song had started out as a poem called "Wheels In My Mind" by Diane Valory, the wife of Journey bassist Ross Valory. "Wheel In The Sky" reached #57 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978, becoming Journey's first song to chart on the Hot 100, and also reached #45 on the Canadian RPM 100.   more »

 The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com

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: Diane T. Valory, Neal Joseph Schon, Robert Fleischmann

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

13 facts about this song

Discuss the wheel in the sky 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

"Wheel in the Sky Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 9 May 2024. < https://www.lyrics.com/lyric-lf/230272/Journey/Wheel+in+the+Sky >.

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 1978, billboard #57, more tracks from the album, journey's greatest hits.

• #1 Only the Young
• #2 Don't Stop Believin'
• #3 Wheel in the Sky
• #4 Faithfully
• #5 I'll Be Alright Without You
• #6 Any Way You Want It
• #7 Ask the Lonely
• #8 Who's Crying Now
• #9 Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
• #11 Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'
• #12 Open Arms
• #13 Girl Can't Help It
• #14 Send Her My Love
• #15 Be Good to Yourself

Browse Lyrics.com

Our awesome collection of, promoted songs.

Get promoted 

Are you a music master?

What is the highest number of artists who were featured in a song, 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!

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My watchlist
• Stock market
• Biden economy
• Personal finance
• Stocks: most active
• Stocks: gainers
• Stocks: losers
• Trending tickers
• World indices
• US Treasury bonds
• Top mutual funds
• Highest open interest
• Highest implied volatility
• Currency converter
• Basic materials
• Communication services
• Consumer cyclical
• Consumer defensive
• Financial services
• Industrials
• Real estate
• Mutual funds
• Credit cards
• Balance transfer cards
• Cash back cards
• Rewards cards
• Travel cards
• Online checking
• High-yield savings
• Money market
• Home equity loan
• Personal loans
• Student loans
• Options pit
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

The Effect Join Forces with Steve Perry for Cover of Journey’s “It Could Have Been You”: Stream

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

The post The Effect Join Forces with Steve Perry for Cover of Journey’s “It Could Have Been You”: Stream appeared first on Consequence .

The new rock band The Effect , featuring the sons of Genesis’ Phil Collins and Toto’s Steve Lukather, have teamed up with Steve Perry himself for a cover of the Journey song “It Could Have Been You.”

Alongside drummer Nic Collins and guitarist Trev Lukather, The Effect are fronted by singer Emmett Stang. On the band’s version of “It Could Have Been You,” Stang’s lead vocals take center stage, with Perry contributing backing vocals and ad libs throughout the track.

An accompanying music video shows The Effect performing the song in silhouette. While Perry doesn’t appear in the video, he did issue a statement expressing his excitement over The Effect covering the 1986 song by his former band:

“In 1986, the Journey Raised on Radio record was released and in it was a song I’ve always felt was a diamond in the ruff. I’ve known Trev Lukather since he was 9 years old, and he is a very gifted musician. One day we were talking about his new band, The Effect … He surprisingly mentioned ‘It Could Have Been You’ is one of his favorite tracks from that record, I told him I felt the same. I then said, why don’t you record it? He asked if I would sing on it if they did, I said… ‘Of course, my most precious!’ I must say, singing on their powerful track brought out a vocal experience from years ago! So now… Releasing on May 7th on all socials and streaming is a powerful reimagined version of ‘It Could Have Been You’ by… The Effect. Have a listen!”

In March, The Effect released the single “Toxic Envy.” The band is currently working on a debut album that is tentatively slated for release later this year.

This Friday (May 10th), The Effect will kick off a brief run of US dates opening for Billy Idol ( pick up tickets here ). Next month, they’ll hit the road for a UK/Europe tour that includes several dates opening for Toto. Tickets to those shows are available here .

Watch the video for The Effect’s cover of Journey’s “It Could Have Been You” below.

The Effect Join Forces with Steve Perry for Cover of Journey’s “It Could Have Been You”: Stream Spencer Kaufman

Popular Posts

Beavis and Butt-Head Attend The Fall Guy Premiere

Jon Stewart Mocks “Anti-Woke” Comedians: "Are You That F*cking Unimaginative?"

Cher on Dating Younger Men: "Men My Age or Older... They're All Dead"

An Exhausted Parent Ranks All 154 Bluey Episodes from Worst to Best

Paramedics Respond to Britney Spears' Hotel Following Alleged Altercation with Boyfriend: Report

Live Nation Unveils $25 All-In Tickets for Over 5,000 Shows

Subscribe to Consequence’s email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox.

Recommended Stories

Apple’s ipad event was an ai teaser for its future.

Apple's latest M4 chip is bringing more AI capabilities, providing a look into the company's upcoming WWDC conference.

Oprah and WeightWatchers are hosting a conversation about diet culture. Here’s why it's causing controversy already.

Oprah and WeightWatchers

Sonic Mania Plus and Braid come to Netflix's gaming library

Netflix has added Sonic Mania Plus to its roster of games subscribers can access for free on mobile without ads or in-app purchases.

Yahoo Fantasy staff's Mock Draft 1.0: Shocking picks are plentiful

Teams have made their big splashes in free agency and made their draft picks, it's time for you to do the same. It's fantasy football mock draft time. Some call this time of year best ball season, others know it's an opportunity to get a leg up on your competition for when you have to draft in August. The staff at Yahoo Fantasy did their first mock draft of the 2024 season to help you with the latter. Matt Harmon and Andy Behrens are here to break it all down by each round and crush some staff members in the process.

Collins becomes latest Fed official to warn rates will likely stay higher for longer

Boston Fed president Susan Collins said Wednesday it will take longer "than previously thought" to bring inflation down, becoming the latest policymaker to make it clear rates need to stay at their current levels.

Colorectal cancer cases have jumped 500% in kids. Here's what you need to know.

How worried should parents be, and what symptoms should they watch out for? Doctors put the new data into perspective.

Steve Albini dies at 61: A guide to some of the revered engineer's best albums

You might not know the name of the musician and revered audio engineer, who died Tuesday at 61, but you’ve almost certainly heard his work.

Ice, Outlaws, Yeti among 20 options fans can vote on to name Utah's NHL team

The NHL's Board of Governors approved the $1.2 billion sale of the Arizona Coyotes to Ryan Smith in April.

This wireless Playtex cooling bra 'feels like having nothing on,' shoppers say — and at $18, it's over 50% off

'There isn't any boob sweat': It's seamless, it's breathable and it's on mega-sale.

At over $140 off, this speedy Tineco wet-dry cordless vacuum is below its Black Friday price

'Literally a lifesaver, a back-saver, a time-saver,' says one convert.