Jonah Patel
Don't Stop Believin' is a popular song by the American rock band Journey. It was released in 1981 and became a worldwide hit, known for its anthemic qualities and enduring popularity. The song has been covered by various artists and featured in television shows and movies, giving it a cultural significance that has lasted decades. Due to its uplifting message, Don't Stop Believin' has been used in political campaigns, most notably by Hillary Clinton in her 2010 Sopranos spoof and by Donald Trump during his 2020 presidential campaign. The use of the song in politics has been controversial, with Journey's vocalist Steve Perry stating his objection to politicians using their music in campaigns. Despite this, Don't Stop Believin' continues to be a beloved and iconic song, with a lasting impact on popular culture.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Songwriters | Steve Perry, Neal Schon, and Cain |
| Songwriters' sentiments about the song being used in political campaigns | Steve Perry and Neal Schon are against the song being used in political campaigns |
| Politicians who used the song in their campaigns | Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump |
| Song's key and tempo | E major, 118 beats per minute |
| Song's vocal range | E4–C#5 |
| Song's chord progression | I–V–vi–IV–I–V–iii–IV |
| Lyrics | Mention being "born and raised in south Detroit" |
| Commercial performance | Best-selling digital track from the 20th century, with over seven million copies sold in the US by 2017; spent 95 weeks in the top 100 by September 2014 |
| Critical performance | Ranked No. 133 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time; described as a "perfect rock song" and an "anthem" by Mike DeGagne of AllMusic |
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What You'll Learn
Steve Perry's dislike of the song's use in politics
In 2010, Steve Perry expressed his dislike for the use of his song "Don't Stop Believin'" in political campaigns, specifically in reference to Hillary Clinton's use of the song in her campaign drive. Perry stated that he felt uncomfortable with the idea of a political party associating themselves with a piece of music, as it polarizes the song and takes away from its free and universal appeal. He also mentioned that he values keeping his political views private and separate from his music.
In the same interview, Perry acknowledged the resurgence of "Don't Stop Believin'" in popular culture, including its use in the series finale of "The Sopranos" and its association with the White Sox. He even expressed gratitude for the exposure the song received through these platforms. However, he drew a distinction between its use in entertainment and its use in politics, stating that he personally felt "Don't Stop Believin'" was the wrong campaign song for Hillary Clinton.
In July 2020, Perry reaffirmed his stance on Twitter, stating that he had not given permission for any political candidate to use "Don't Stop Believin'". This statement was prompted by the song being played at President Donald Trump's event at Mt. Rushmore. Perry's former bandmate Neal Schon responded to his tweet, indicating that there had been previous internal discussions within the band about preventing the song's use in politics, but that management had been reluctant to intervene.
The issue of musicians objecting to politicians using their songs in campaigns is not unique to Steve Perry. Other artists, such as Neil Young, have also taken exception to their songs being used by political campaigns without their consent. This highlights the ongoing debate between the protection of artistic creations and the fair use of copyrighted material in political contexts.
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Hillary Clinton's use of the song in her campaign
Hillary Clinton's use of the song "Don't Stop Believin'" in her campaign caused some controversy. While the song had been used effectively in popular culture, with a notable resurgence after being featured in the final episode of "The Sopranos", Clinton's use of it in her "Sopranos" spoof was not well-received by the song's co-writer, Steve Perry.
Perry, who performed the song as part of the band Journey, expressed his discomfort with the song being used in political campaigns. He stated his preference for music to remain "open and free and not be hijacked" by a political party. He also questioned the choice of the song for Clinton's campaign, suggesting it was not the right fit.
Clinton's use of the song is an example of the increasing "showbiz quality" expected of political campaigns in recent years, where candidates try to display a sense of humour and looseness. However, in this case, it appears that Clinton's choice of song may have backfired, at least as far as one of the song's creators is concerned.
It is worth noting that the song "Don't Stop" by Fleetwood Mac was also used in a presidential campaign by Hillary Clinton's husband, Bill Clinton, in 1992. This song choice appealed to his fellow baby boomers and seemed to be a more positive example of song association with a political campaign.
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The song's use in a Sopranos spoof
"Don't Stop Believin'", the 1981 hit song by the band Journey, has been used in various political campaigns and television shows. In 2010, the song was featured in a "Sopranos" spoof by Hillary Clinton during her campaign drive. Steve Perry, the vocalist of Journey, was not informed about the usage of his song in the spoof until the last minute. While he has expressed his dislike for political parties associating themselves with the song, he acknowledges that Clinton's parody added a showbiz quality to her campaign and portrayed a sense of humour.
The song "Don't Stop Believin'" had already been gaining traction before its use in the "Sopranos" spoof. It was featured in the show "Monster", where it represented the hopes and dreams of the characters. The song then made its way to the White Sox, who adopted it as their good luck charm after singing it in a karaoke bar and winning their next game. The song also received a boost when it was performed on "The X Factor" in 2010, re-entering the charts and spending a total of 21 non-consecutive weeks in the top 40.
The song's writers, Cain and Neal Schon, came up with the song's title and distinctive bass line, respectively. The song's structure is unique, with the true chorus not appearing until the end of the song. "Don't Stop Believin'" has been praised for its anthemic qualities and has been ranked among the greatest songs of all time by music critics and magazines.
The use of "Don't Stop Believin'" in political campaigns has been a source of contention for the band. Steve Perry has stated his objection to the song being used in politics, tweeting that he has not given permission to any political candidate to use the song. This came after the song was played at a campaign event for President Donald Trump. Bandmate Neal Schon has also expressed his disapproval of the song being used in politics, particularly when it does not align with his religious beliefs.
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The song's commercial success and critical acclaim
"Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey has enjoyed commercial success and critical acclaim since its release in 1981. The song became a top-10 worldwide hit and has endured as the group's signature song. Despite initial poor critical reviews, the song has become a classic rock anthem, with Billboard praising its "uptempo, melodic" quality and "fluid guitar and vocal." Record World similarly noted the "powerful rock chorus" and anticipated its high airplay potential.
The song's writers, Cain, Neal Schon, and Steve Perry, crafted a distinctive and memorable track. Cain came up with the song's title and hook, inspired by his father's encouragement to "don't stop believing or you're done, dude" during his struggling days as a musician. Schon created the song's unique bass line, while Perry suggested a driving synthesizer piece to complement it. The result was a song with an anthemic quality that resonated with audiences worldwide.
The song's commercial success is evident in its enduring popularity and sales. Decades after its release, "Don't Stop Believin'" experienced a resurgence, re-entering the charts multiple times and spending a total of 95 weeks in the top 100 as of 2014. In 2012, it became the best-selling digital track from the twentieth century, selling over seven million copies in the United States by 2017. The song's popularity was further boosted by its use in television shows like "The Sopranos," "Monster," and "Laguna Beach," and its adoption by the White Sox during their World Series win.
The song's critical acclaim is underscored by its inclusion in various "Greatest Songs of All Time" lists. Rolling Stone ranked it among its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and in 2021, it climbed to #133 on the list. In 2022, the song was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry, recognizing its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance.
Despite its commercial and critical success, "Don't Stop Believin'" has been at the centre of political controversy, with its writers expressing their disapproval of the song's use in political campaigns. Steve Perry, in particular, has stated his reluctance to associate the song with a specific political party, preferring it to remain "open and free."
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The song's use by the White Sox
The Chicago White Sox have used several songs over the years, with the most notable being "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey. The team adopted the song after they heard it playing in a karaoke bar following a loss. They started playing it before and after each game, and it became their good luck charm as they went on to win the World Series. Other songs associated with the White Sox include "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC, which they used to play before every game, and the team's fight song, "Let's Go, Go-Go White Sox," performed by Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers.
"Go-Go Sox," written by Seymour Schwartz and performed by Paul Mall and the Bleacher Boys, is another song that has been linked to the White Sox. It was released in 1951 when the team finished 17 games behind the first-place Yankees, and it never quite caught on. However, there have been attempts to revive the song, with Anthony Augustine (real name Anthony Brown) trying to bring it back in 2021 when the Sox were once again chasing a pennant and a World Series win.
The White Sox also have a rich history of traditional baseball songs, with fans singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the seventh inning of every game. This intertwining of baseball and music is a long-standing tradition in American culture.
While the White Sox have a variety of songs associated with them, "Don't Stop Believin'" stands out as it brought the team luck during their World Series run, and it remains a memorable part of their history.
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Frequently asked questions
Steve Perry, the former lead singer of Journey, the band that created the song, is against the song being used in political campaigns. He believes that music should be free of any political association and open to everyone.
No, she did not. The song was used in a spoof video on her website, hillaryclinton.com, as part of a campaign song contest.
No, he did not. He used a different song with a similar title, "Don't Stop" by Fleetwood Mac, in his 1992 presidential campaign.
Yes, the song was heard at President Donald Trump's stop at Mount Rushmore. However, Steve Perry did not give permission for its use.
Yes, the song has been used in various TV shows and movies, including "The Sopranos", "Monster", "Laguna Beach", and "Glee." It has also been associated with sports teams, such as the White Sox, who played it before and after each game during their World Series run.
