Journey

Today’s song is the classic rock anthem Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey, dating from 1981. I can’t believe I’ve not played this yet, actually! Don’t Stop Believin’ has been a standard of any soft rock compilation since the 80s, and the song gained further exposure in 2009 when it was featured in the pilot episode of the first season of Glee.

Musically it’s actually quite an interesting song: while most rock songs alternative between verses and choruses with maybe a bridge or an instrumental thrown in, the chorus of Don’t Stop Believin’ doesn’t make an appearance until the final 50 seconds. There is a ‘pre-chorus’ – “Strangers, waiting up and down the boulevard…” – but it’s not until the final section of the song after three verses, two pre-choruses and two instrumentals that we hear the “Don’t stop believin'” chorus.

If it’s your first time on the site, find out why I’m playing one song a day for the whole of 2015 or listen to my October songs here.