WCSX Classic Cuts : Open Arms
WCSX Classic Cuts
Journey: “Open Arms”
The Hook: Jonathan Cain had it when he was in The Babys. Their frontman, John Waite, didn’t like it, but Steve Perry did.
Album: Escape
Year: 1981
Writers: Jonathan Cain and Steve Perry
Stats: Peaked at number-two on the Billboard Hot 100.
Background: Journey singer Steve Perry co-wrote the power ballad “Open Arms” with the band’s then-new keyboardist Jonathan Cain. He tells the story of how it got written.
Ex-Journey singer Steve Perry on “Open Arms.” OC:…that day. :24
“Jonathan Cain had just joined Journey. He had just quit The Babys and he brought over a Wurlitzer piano that he had been using on a Babys tour. And he said, ‘I have this idea – John Waite didn’t like it.’ I said, ‘Well, what’s wrong with it?’ He says, ‘Well, he thought it was too syrupy.’ And he played the melody and I said, ‘Well, all I can tell you is that’s a beautiful melody and I think we should write a song around it and finish this thing.’ And we finished it together that day.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lLmYLw0WRI
