Artist: Journey
Genre: Rock
Nationality: American
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Member: No
Album: Raised On Radio
Producer: Steve Perry/Jim Gaines
Release Date: May 27, 1986
Running Time: 44:13
RJ's Top 3 Songs: 1. Suzanne...2. Girl Can't Help It...3. The Eyes Of A Woman
RIAA Certification: Double Platinum
Peak Billboard Chart Position: #4
Top 40 Singles: Be Good To Yourself (#9)/I'll Be Alright Without You (#14)/Suzanne (#17)/Girl Can't Help It (#17)
Disclaimer: All info that does not reside in my brain is gathered from wikipedia.com (mostly because Jon can't stand it).
This week we're gonna take a trip back to 1986. Your Album of the Week is Raised On Radio by Journey. This one really does take me back to 86/87, probably because I listened to this cassette a lot.
From what I've read, Perry began to exert control over the band. Ross Valory and Steve Smith were fired. Session musicians were brought in to fill their spots, including Randy Jackson of American Idol fame. Now, the funny thing to me is, this is a great album. I love it and I can't find a bad song on the album. Then both Valory and Smith returned ten years later to reform the classic 80's lineup on the Trial By Fire album. Personally, I think that album is a snooze-fest, and I'd rather listen to the later non-Perry albums than that one.
As far as this one goes, I actually like it from a complete album standpoint more so than Frontiers. But how about you, what did or do you think about Raised On Radio? Share your thoughts with us.
Side One:
1. Girl Can't Help It
2. Positive Touch
3. Suzanne
4. Be Good To Yourself
5. Once You Love Somebody
6. Happy To Give
Side Two:
7. Raised On Radio
8. I'll Be Alright Without You
9. It Could Have Been Yo
10. The Eyes Of A Woman
11. Why Can't This Night Go On Forever
Tags:
I have the album, but will have to listen to it again before I give my impressions.
One funny note about this choice for AOTW is that the final song on the album, "Why Can't This Night Go On Forever", was the theme song for my junior prom.
This album contains my absolute favorite Journey track ever. Which track is that you say? We shall see...
I really didn't follow the drama in the band at the time, so I didn't really know about the line up changes until the video started to hit TV and then, well, questions needed to be asked. But I don't think I ever cared enough to research why. Why? Because I was to busy listening to the best Journey track... and well, life was busy in 1986.
ROR?
For whatever reason, Girl Can't Help It is my favorite Journey song. It just clicked with me and never left. And this album still works as well top to bottom, except for Happy To Give, while good its kinda cheesy. Also love the tone of Schon's geetar on I'll Be Alright Without You... Really nothing bad to say here, just wished they'd of kept it going...
That's a fine song. Wonderful harmonies.
This is my least favorite of all the Journey albums. I believe the first single released was "Be Good To Yourself" and I found it to be very weak. What didn't help my impression was the album, which just looked cheap and hastily thrown together. No more sci-fi theme, bland font for the band name and a three word title. Yes, "Look Into The Future" is also three words and it's a good album, but it wasn't a Perry-fronted album so it should have remained a one word title. The best Perry albums have one word titles, the worst have more than one. It's a scientific fact!
Even though some songs rocked, they still were "soft". It seemed that the thought was more ballads, more soft rock since those were big singles. Compared to previous albums, there were more softer songs which probably made the "rockers" softer as well. Make sense?
This is the last Journey album I replaced on disc. I listened to the vinyl once, and that was enough for me. There is some nice geetar work on here, but as an overall listening experience, it just didn't and doesn't appeal to me.
Norma Jean Fox
(11/30/1945-9/7/2010)
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