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:…
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 07: 2017 Inductee Neal Schon and musician Arnel Pineda of Journey perform onstage at the 32nd Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Barclays Center on April 7, 2017 in New York City. The event will broadcast on HBO Saturday, April 29, 2017 at 8:00 pm ET/PT (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
Credit: Mike Coppola / GettyimagesWCSX 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.”
