Journey – Lights

70's Music 2 Minutes

From their album Infinity, the song reached number 68 on Billboards Hot 100 chart in 1978. This is probably my favorite Journey song. Neil Schon mixed in some blues guitar on this one.

From songfacts.

This was one of the first Journey songs featuring lead singer Steve Perry. He was accepted into the band after the group’s manager listened to his audition tape for only 15 seconds.
Even though this is about San Francisco, it was written in Los Angeles, where the band had relocated. Steve Perry explained in an interview with Joe Benson of Arrow 93.1 FM: “I had the song written in Los Angeles almost completely except for the bridge and it was written about Los Angeles. It was ‘when the lights go down in the city and the sun shines on LA.’ I didn’t like the way it sounded at the time. And so I just had it sitting back in the corner. Then life changed my plans once again, and I was now facing joining Journey. I love San Francisco, the bay and the whole thing. ‘The bay’ fit so nice, ‘When the lights go down in the city and the sun shines on the bay.’ It was one of those early morning going across the bridge things when the sun was coming up and the lights were going down. It was perfect.”

Perry finished writing the song with Journey guitarist Neal Schon, who says they “banged it out in about 20 minutes.”

 

Lights

When the lights go down in the city
And the sun shines on the bay
Do I want to be there in my city?
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

So you said, you’re lonely
Well my friend I’m lonely too
I want to get back to my city by the rain
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

It’s sad ohh, there’s been mornings
Out of the world without you
Without your charm
Oh, oh, oh, nah, nah, nah, oh, oh

When the lights go down in the city
And the sun shines on the bay
Do I want to be there in my city, oh oh?
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

When the lights go down in the city
And the sun shines on the bay
Do I want to be there in my city
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Mmm, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

 

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Published by freefallin14

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3 thoughts on “Journey – Lights”

  1. It’s my favorite Steve Perry vocal one for sure. It has a great melody and I like the guitar. If they would have stayed like this I would have liked them better… and Greg Rollie staying would have helped also.
    It seems like Cain changed them.

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      1. I just didn’t like what Cain brought to them…When Rollie was there the songs had an edge to them. They lost me with Raised on Radio… He didn’t do that with the Babys…
        I like Lights, Feeling That Way, Anyway You Want it, and Lovin Touchin Squeezin and Wheel in the Sky

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