Separate Ways
Encyclopedia
"Separate Ways" is a song by Journey
from their album Frontiers and released as a single on February 5, 1983. It peaked at #8 for six consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100
chart, and spent four weeks at #1 on the Top Tracks chart.
This song was used in the 2010 film Tron: Legacy, the sequel to the 1982 Academy Award-nominated film Tron
, and also was used in the Journey
arcade game produced by now-defunct Midway Games
--the same company who manufactured both the Tron
arcade game and its sequel, "Discs of Tron
". This song also appears as the mobile phone ringtone of Carl Allen, the main character in the 2008 film Yes Man
.
album. There is some degree of uncertainty regarding the specific date of authorship or the first time it was performed live. While some sources will claim the 1982 Day on the Green concert (June 26, 1982), as the first time the songs was performed (citing singer Steve Perry from that performance... "We just wrote this song about two weeks ago.") Subsequent bootleg recordings have revealed that the band performed this song live at least a month earlier on May 21, 1982 in concert at Chicago's Rosemount Horizon. In that recording, singer Steve Perry indicates that they had "just written this song about two weeks ago." There were some minor differences in the lyrics on this live debut compared to the final version found on Frontiers. In a 2008 interview, guitarist Neal Schon recalled the first time it was played live: "It doesn’t matter where we put this song because it has always had a strong effect on the audience, all the way back to the first time we played it — before it was even recorded. It was written on tour and we threw it in the set to see how it would go down. The audience had an amazing reaction to it without even knowing what it was."
Co-writer Jonathan Cain described the song's origin: "Usually we don't write songs that far in advance of an album. But on that occasion, Steve [Perry] and I were just working an idea backstage and it all came together. He was working on a bass and I had a guitar, and we just worked out the melody that night and the lyrics the next afternoon. Sometimes you can get lucky and have a song fall together like that.
Schon described the influence for the song's sound: "A big part of Journey’s influence comes from Motown
mixed with R&B
and blues, and that’s pretty much where ‘Separate Ways’ is coming from. It’s got a heavier guitar than an R&B song, but I think that’s what makes it sound like Journey." Co-writer Jonathan Cain echoed these thoughts in a 1983 interview: "We wanted to write something rhythmic and still have a strong and haunting melody. We needed a main rhythm to run through the synthesizer and Steve Smith designed that kind of drum beat to let everything breathe. It's really a throwback to all of our roots and the Motown sound. Steve [Perry] has always listened to a lot of Motown records, songs with a strong chorus approach. Songs that were real urgent sounding, but still had rhythm and melody."
: previous videos were performances that were taped and edited. It was directed by Tom Buckholtz and featured the band playing at the Louisa Street Wharf
in New Orleans. It is now infamous for the scenes where the band is pretending to play non-existent instruments, although they do also play their real instruments (including Jonathan Cain playing his Roland Jupiter-8 "up-the-wall") in the video. The video features over 50 camera moves with full choreography by Columbia Records
Art and Creative Services.
It was reported that on the first day of shooting, there was a cold breeze coming off of the Mississippi River, which the wharf was located next to. This made filming all the more difficult on the band and Perry, who was seen retreating to his camper on-site to keep warm.
The video landed at number 13 on MTV
's 1999 listing of the 25 worst videos ever. It was heavily ridiculed by Beavis and Butt-head
on episode 16 of season 3, in 1993. Dave Bahan of 105.7 FM named the video the worst of all time, but concluded, "In their defense, they looked normal for 1982-83. They likely didn't think they would be judged for their video efforts almost thirty years later."
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
from their album Frontiers and released as a single on February 5, 1983. It peaked at #8 for six consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart, and spent four weeks at #1 on the Top Tracks chart.
This song was used in the 2010 film Tron: Legacy, the sequel to the 1982 Academy Award-nominated film Tron
Tron
-Film:*Tron , a franchise that began in 1982 with the Walt Disney Pictures film Tron** Tron , a 1982 science fiction film by Disney, starring Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, Cindy Morgan, Dan Shor and David Warner...
, and also was used in the Journey
Journey (arcade game)
Journey is an arcade game released by Bally Midway in 1983, following the success of the albums Escape and Frontiers by the rock band Journey. Bally/Midway decided to ride this wave of popularity and created an arcade game based on the band...
arcade game produced by now-defunct Midway Games
Midway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
--the same company who manufactured both the Tron
Tron (arcade game)
Tron is a coin-operated arcade video game manufactured and distributed by Bally Midway in 1982. It is based on the Walt Disney Productions motion picture Tron released in the same year. The game consists of four subgames inspired by the events of the science fiction film. It features some...
arcade game and its sequel, "Discs of Tron
Discs of Tron
Discs of Tron is the second arcade game based on 1982 Disney film Tron.-Description:While the first Tron arcade game had several mini-games , Discs of Tron is inspired by the Jai alai sequence in the original 1982 film in which Kevin Flynn is forced to play against Crom, leading to Crom being...
". This song also appears as the mobile phone ringtone of Carl Allen, the main character in the 2008 film Yes Man
Yes Man (film)
Yes Man is a 2008 comedy film directed by Peyton Reed, written by Nicholas Stoller, Jarrad Paul and Andrew Mogel and starring Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper, John Michael Higgins, Rhys Darby, Maile Flanagan, Danny Masterson, and Terence Stamp...
.
Background and writing
The song was written in 1982 during the tour for the EscapeEscape (Journey album)
-Personnel:*Steve Perry - Lead Vocals*Neal Schon - Guitar, Vocals*Ross Valory - Bass, Vocals*Steve Smith - Drums, Percussion*Jonathan Cain - Keyboards, Piano, Guitar, Vocals-Additional personnel:*Wally Buck - Engineer, Assistant Engineer...
album. There is some degree of uncertainty regarding the specific date of authorship or the first time it was performed live. While some sources will claim the 1982 Day on the Green concert (June 26, 1982), as the first time the songs was performed (citing singer Steve Perry from that performance... "We just wrote this song about two weeks ago.") Subsequent bootleg recordings have revealed that the band performed this song live at least a month earlier on May 21, 1982 in concert at Chicago's Rosemount Horizon. In that recording, singer Steve Perry indicates that they had "just written this song about two weeks ago." There were some minor differences in the lyrics on this live debut compared to the final version found on Frontiers. In a 2008 interview, guitarist Neal Schon recalled the first time it was played live: "It doesn’t matter where we put this song because it has always had a strong effect on the audience, all the way back to the first time we played it — before it was even recorded. It was written on tour and we threw it in the set to see how it would go down. The audience had an amazing reaction to it without even knowing what it was."
Co-writer Jonathan Cain described the song's origin: "Usually we don't write songs that far in advance of an album. But on that occasion, Steve [Perry] and I were just working an idea backstage and it all came together. He was working on a bass and I had a guitar, and we just worked out the melody that night and the lyrics the next afternoon. Sometimes you can get lucky and have a song fall together like that.
Schon described the influence for the song's sound: "A big part of Journey’s influence comes from Motown
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
mixed with R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
and blues, and that’s pretty much where ‘Separate Ways’ is coming from. It’s got a heavier guitar than an R&B song, but I think that’s what makes it sound like Journey." Co-writer Jonathan Cain echoed these thoughts in a 1983 interview: "We wanted to write something rhythmic and still have a strong and haunting melody. We needed a main rhythm to run through the synthesizer and Steve Smith designed that kind of drum beat to let everything breathe. It's really a throwback to all of our roots and the Motown sound. Steve [Perry] has always listened to a lot of Motown records, songs with a strong chorus approach. Songs that were real urgent sounding, but still had rhythm and melody."
Music video
"Separate Ways" was the first single for which the band shot a choreographed music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
: previous videos were performances that were taped and edited. It was directed by Tom Buckholtz and featured the band playing at the Louisa Street Wharf
Louisa Street Wharf
The Louisa Street Wharf was a Wharf in New Orleans, most popularly known as the location for the filming of the "Separate Ways " music video by Journey, in 1983.The wharf was rebuilt in 1938 as a WPA project to revitalize the area...
in New Orleans. It is now infamous for the scenes where the band is pretending to play non-existent instruments, although they do also play their real instruments (including Jonathan Cain playing his Roland Jupiter-8 "up-the-wall") in the video. The video features over 50 camera moves with full choreography by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
Art and Creative Services.
It was reported that on the first day of shooting, there was a cold breeze coming off of the Mississippi River, which the wharf was located next to. This made filming all the more difficult on the band and Perry, who was seen retreating to his camper on-site to keep warm.
The video landed at number 13 on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's 1999 listing of the 25 worst videos ever. It was heavily ridiculed by Beavis and Butt-head
Beavis and Butt-Head
Beavis and Butt-head is an American animated television series created by Mike Judge. The series originated from Frog Baseball, a 1992 short film by Judge. After seeing the short, MTV signed Judge to develop the concept. Beavis and Butt-head originally aired from March 8, 1993 to November 28, 1997...
on episode 16 of season 3, in 1993. Dave Bahan of 105.7 FM named the video the worst of all time, but concluded, "In their defense, they looked normal for 1982-83. They likely didn't think they would be judged for their video efforts almost thirty years later."
Cover versions
- In 1999, former HelloweenHelloweenHelloween is a German power metal band founded in the mid 1980s by members of Iron Fist and Powerfool. The band was a pioneering force in the European Power Metal movement and their second and third studio albums, Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt...
guitarist Roland GrapowRoland GrapowRoland Grapow, born 30 August 1959 in Hamburg, Germany is a professional guitarist and music producer. Roland is best known for his time in the power metal band Helloween, who he played with for 12 years after replacing founding member Kai Hansen...
included a cover of the song as a bonus track for the Asian version of his solo album KaleidoscopeKaleidoscope (Roland Grapow album)Kaleidoscope is the second solo album released by former Helloween guitarist Roland Grapow.-Track listing:All songs written by Roland Grapow except where noted# "Walk On Fire" – 4:30# "Under the Same Sun" – 5:23...
. - In 2000, the Japanese rock band, Cocobat, featured a cover of the song on their album, Arana.
- In 2004, the German rock band, Frontline, featured a cover of the song on their album, The Seventh Sign.
- In 2007, Brazilian heavy metal vocalist Andre MatosAndré MatosAndré Coelho Matos born September 14, 1971 in São Paulo, Brazil. He is the oldest son of photographer Pedro Henrique Matos and Sonia Maria Coelho. André Matos was the former vocalist, pianist and composer for the power metal bands Viper, Angra and Shaaman. Since October 2006 Andre Matos has been...
covered the song for his debut solo album Time to Be FreeTime to Be FreeTime To Be Free is the debut solo album of Brazilian vocalist/pianist Andre Matos. He is joined with the Mariutti brothers, with whom he played in Shaaman...
. - In 2009, Finnish heavy metalHeavy metal musicHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band WarmenWarmenWarmen is a Finnish metal band assembled by keyboard player Janne Viljami Wirman - also known as Warman. Janne has been playing with Children of Bodom since 1997, and on the year of 2000 created a musical project focused on instrumental work, which would only have guest singers on a few selected...
covered the song on their album Japanese HospitalityJapanese Hospitality"Japanese Hospitality" is the title of the fourth album from Children of Bodom keyboardist Janne Wirman's Warmen project. The album was released August 24 via Spinefarm Records. The album includes two cover versions — "Separate Ways", originally recorded by Journey, and "Black Cat" by Janet Jackson...
. - In 2010, a cover of the song by post-hardcorePost-hardcorePost-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
band A Skylit DriveA Skylit DriveA Skylit Drive is an American post-hardcore band from Lodi, California. The band released one DVD, one EP and three studio albums: Wires...and the Concept of Breathing on May 20, 2008, Adelphia on June 9, 2009, and most recently Identity On Fire on February 15, 2011. Michael Jagmin has provided...
was included on the compilation Punk Goes Classic RockPunk Goes Classic RockPunk Goes Classic Rock is the ninth album in the Punk Goes... series, released by Fearless Records. It was released on April 27, 2010. This also features Your Love by The Outfield for the second time to be covered. And also has a Bonus Sampler CD with it...
.
See also
- List of number-one mainstream rock hits (United States)