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Rating: The fifth album by Journey isn't much. However, it sold very well at the time (1979), riding the positive wave of the previous "Infinity" which, aside from the big and decisive novelty represented by the entry of a full-time singer with an exceedingly important voice, also enjoyed greater compositional inspiration in comparison. Here, they are coasting a bit, maintaining the recently achieved positions, but in short, this is not a work that made the history of the group, let alone rock.
Nevertheless, there is an important change in the lineup, namely the change of drummer: it is, curiously but significantly, the last arrival, vocalist Steve Perry, who takes it upon himself to oust Aynsley Dumbar, a musician with a long resume and one of the founding members of the quintet. The reason put forth by Perry is rather outrageous but (in my opinion) unarguable: Dumbar has all the technique and experience one might want, but lacks groove, drive, and power, at least for the kind of melodic yet heavy music the group pursues. The singer thus throws the stone, his bandmates, and especially the group's manager, gradually realize how true it is, and it's time for poor Aynsley to look for another project.
On the other hand, in his place comes quite a prodigy: Steve Smith is one of those simply perfect and incredibly eclectic drummers who can play everything and adapt to anything. As a kid, he was already touring with big bands and the best jazz musicians; even today, his high-level clinics are the most attended in the world. For him, it's not truly a problem if a band's music needs maximum drive: a simple change in the grip of the left stick, from classical to timpani style, and he's ready to make the snare drum explode and shift the accents slightly forward from when playing jazz, ensuring his bandmates a phenomenal groove.
The single that propelled the album nearly to the top of the American charts at the time is titled "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" and is a shuffle blues that slinks along surreptitiously until the long, catchy, super pop chorus "Na na na na na..." at the end, sung in four voices and essentially almost entirely responsible for its commercial success, still reprised among the encores in all concert setlists. The song is the brainchild of Steve Perry alone, rapidly rising within the group as a dominant figure, taking the place of founding members guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist and former lead vocalist Gregg Rolie.
It will take two more albums for this band to assume the organization and sound that will make them great. A dominant singer and an extraordinary drummer have now arrived... what's still missing is the change of producer to someone much more emphatic and aestheticizing, which will happen with the subsequent "Evolution" (1980); and finally, a keyboardist of inspired melodic and romantic talent, destined to shift (in cahoots with the singer) the center of their melodic conception of hard rock from the current blues to pop. And then it will be time for "Escape" (1981) and for the definitive leap in quality, personality, and popular recognition.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Too Late (02:58)
[From the Evolution album]
See the stop light turnin' red
Don't you listen to what it said
All the things you try to hide
They keep you runnin' hard inside
Oh, you got to leave this town before it's
(Too late) Too late (Too late) Too late
Too late to make the change.
Ooh, yes my friend, you're fading fast
If you stay here you won't last
Before your time has run astray
You've got to try to get away
Oh, you got to leave this place before it's...
(Too late) Too late (Too late) Too late
Too late to make the change.
Whoa
Too late to make the change
It's too late, too late
Too late to make the change
Yes, it's time to make the change
Yes, it's time to rearrange
So my friend, I join the fight for the things you know are right
Oh, you got to leave this town before it's
(Too late) Too late (Too late) Too late
Too late to make the change.
Too late, too late
Too late to make the change
Too late... before it's too late...
03 Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin' (03:50)
You make me weep
And wanna die
Just when
you said we'd try
Lovin', touchin', squeezin'
Each other
When I'm alone
All by myself
You're out
With someone else
Lovin', touchin', squeezin'
Each other
You're tearin' me apart
Every, every day
You're tearin' me apart
Oh what can I say?
You're tearin' me apart
It won't be long, yes
'Til you're alone
When your lover
Oh he hasn't come home
'Cause he's lovin'
He's touchin'
He's squeezin'
Another
He's tearin' you apart
Every, every day
He's tearin' you apart
Oh girl, what can you say?
He's tearin' you apart
'Cause he's lovin'
Touchin'
Another
Now, it's your turn girl, to cry
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na
(8 times)
04 City of the Angels (03:07)
City of the angels.
City of the angels.
Walkin' and talkin' and laughin'
About dreamin' the things that you want will work out.
People in places where you want to be,
I'm lost in the city, who's got the key?
City of the angels,
Oo, I hear you callin' me.
City of the angels
I've got this feelin' that things will work out.
I've got this feelin', and there ain't no doubt.
I'm holdin' on, hopin' to find,
Life in this city can bring peace of mind.
Just like, just like it used to be, yeah.
City of the angels.
I'm goin' home, home, bye-bye bye-bye bye-bye.
Oh, bye-bye, bye-bye, bye-bye
Yeah, yeah, I'm leavin', leavin'
I'm goin' home
I'm leavin', leavin'
05 When You're Alone (It Ain't Easy) (03:10)
It ain't always easy
Movin' day to day,
She said she wants to tease me, so I'm on my way.
When you're alone it ain't easy,
You're like a dog that roams.
Ain't got no girl to tease me,
Ain't got nobody home.
She told me she'd be there,
She phoned me today.
Little girl, big teaser,
So I'm on my way.
When you're alone it ain't easy,
You're like a dog that roams.
Ain't got no girl to tease me,
Ain't got nobody home.
Ain't got nobody home.
My, my, my, my, my, my, my yeah,
My, my, my, my, my, my, my yeah,
Oo, it ain't always easy,
Movin' day to day,
Oh, how the girl loves to tease me,
So I'm gonna stay.
When you're alone it ain't easy,
You're like a dog that roams.
Ain't got no girl to tease me,
Ain't got nobody home.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
nobody home.
When you're alone it ain't easy,
You're like a dog that roams.
Ain't got no girl to tease me,
Ain't got nobody home.
When you're alone it ain't easy,
When you're alone it ain't easy,
Oh, oh no,
Ain't got nobody home.
06 Sweet and Simple (04:13)
Try and keep it simple
Not too far away
Movin' slow, so simple
Never felt this way
Movin' sweet, so simple
Takin' time to say
The way to being, to being simple
Never felt this way
Don't be lonely,
Oh, my friends, forget the past
Sweet as sugar
When you're movin', when you're movin' slow at last
It's what I like to do.
How could it be so simple
To forget the way
A way to being, to being simple
Never felt this way
Oh, don't be lonely
No, no, no, forget the past
Sweet as sugar
When you're movin' slow, you're movin' slow at last
It's what I like to do, yes
It's what I like to do.
It's what I like to do.
It's what I like to do. (Don't be lonely, lonely, lonely)
It's what I like to do. (Sweet as sugar, sugar, sugar)
It's what I like to do.
It's what I like to do. (Movin' slow, movin' slow at last)
It's what I like to do.
It's what I like to do. (Don't be lonely, lonely, lonely)
It's what I like to do.
It's what I like to do. (Oh, sweet as sugar, sugar, sugar)
09 Do You Recall (03:13)
Do you recall
That lonely summer day
We were together and things got in our way
Well, so you think that it's all over
And you know it's gone to stay
Oh, after stormy weather does the sun shine every day?
Yes, I recall, the things you said that day
You told me that you were leavin'
'Cause we can't go on this way
So you think that it's all over
And you know it's gone to stay
Oh, after stormy weather does the sun shine every day?
Yes, it's the lovin' things
That keep us wondering
Yes, it's the lovin' things
Oh, baby, love
Yes, it's the lovin' things
That keeps us wondering
Yes, it's the lovin' things
Oh, girl, say you'll stay
You'll stay now
You think that it's all over, and you know it's gone to stay
Oh, after stormy weather does the sun shine every day?
10 Daydream (04:41)
Shining in the silver moon,
Crystal ships are sailing to the sea.
Dreams the joys of pearls and gold,
And our angel's wings in flight unfold.
Fly, fly by my window,
Flyin' so free, yeah.
Yes, they fly, fly by my window.
Yes, those bright diamonds a-once were stone,
rollin' down a silver stream.
Yes, those bright diamonds a-once were stone.
Sail on a silver wings of fire,
sailing dreams beyond the silver moon.
In silver clouds that fly so high,
live the dreams you search,
but can't find.
(chorus)
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