Faithfully by Journey/Longest Blog Ever

I was initially going to write a long introduction about how I didn't choose a Taylor Swift or One Direction song, and my love for this song; but I wrote too much so let's just jump in. First let's examine the first stanza, because this song is basically a poem published by Journey.

Highway run                    
Into the midnight sun
Wheels go round and round
You're on my mind
Restless hearts
Sleep alone tonight
Sending all my love
Along the wire

 

NOTES:

• Rhyming in the first couplet but nowhere else.
• Varying number of syllables in a line, no meter.
• Possible parallel structure in lines 6 and 7, beginnig with an "s" sound, then "al" sound.
• Speaker is seperated from his love by his career and is struggling to cope with being alone
• Frequent stream of conciousness, a lot of thoughts that aren't finished.
• Long pauses between every line.
 
One of the first things you'll probably notice is the deceptive rhyming between the first two lines of the song. This suggests that the song will follow a traditional structure and include a, perhaps A-A-B-B rhyme scheme. However, these lines and only around two other pairs have a rhyme that occurs between sequential lines. There are some instances of examples of an A-B-A scheme. However, for the most part, the poem/song throws rhyming to the side and utilizes a free verse structure, without a meter to hold the song to a set rhythm. So you would assume this wouldn't work, seeing these lyrics on paper, but the execution turned out to be the deciding factor. The speaker in the song talks about being alone on the road because of their profession, which results in them missing their love, and thinking of them constantly. Let's look at the second verse where things get more interesting:

They say that the road
Ain't no place to start a family
Right down the line
It's been you and me
And lovin' a music man
Ain't always what it's supposed to be
Oh, girl, you stand by me
I'm forever yours
Faithfully

NOTES:

• More casual choice of words than in the first stanza such as using "ain't no place" and "lovin' a music man".
• Somewhat of a transition from a monologue to a statement directed at the lover.
• Speaker mentions they are a musician, which makes sense coming from Steve Perry, and that they want to start a family.
• Last three lines come right after the others, while they really are the chorus of the song.
• Speaker emphasizes that they will never leave their lover and he is faithful forever.

Here we see a lot of elements continue from the first stanza, but at the same time, are accompanied with changes. The rhyme scheme is still sparse and their is no unifying meter. This section however, is a marked transtition from the first section. While the first stanza sounds like the speaker is pondering these thoughts to himself, the second stanza starts to use a more casual catalague of words, especially "Oh, girl, you stand by me", and focuses more on the relationship between these two people. "You" and "me"'s are used more here, and Perry goes into more detail about how rough life on the road is for a family man, but reassures his audience that he will remian faithful, that they will both stick by each other. Another thing I noticed when relistening to the recording of the song was that while the first stanza had pauses after every line, and an extended pause after the fourth line; this section has it's line spoken in couplet strings, and sounds more engaged.


Circus life
Under the big top world
We all need the clowns
To make us smile
Through space and time
Always another show
Wondering where I am
Lost without you

NOTES:

• Extended metaphor which compares the life of a musician on the road, to that of a clown or a performer in a circus. It's necessary to provide people with happiness, but this strains the relationship of those people who always have another show.
• Shift in the last two lines back to where we left off in the second stanza.
• Speaker suggests he needs direction in his life.

Finally some figurative speech thrown in here! Most of this stanza draws a parallel between the life of someone performing in a circus and a musician. There is always a demand for you, but that comes with the cost of being seperated from your loved ones.

 

And being apart
Ain't easy on this love affair
Two strangers learn to fall in love again
I get the joy of rediscovering you
Oh, girl, you stand by me
I'm forever yours
Faithfully

 

NOTES:

• Pace continues it's increase, pauses are much shorter than the first stanza.
• Either parallel structure or some form of word play with the double use of "love" in lines 2 and 3.
• Speaker suggests they've been apart for such a long time, they are strangers, and he gets the pleasure of rediscovering why he loves this person.
• Shift in the fourth line from monologue to talking directly to the lover.

NOTES ON THE WHOLE SONG:

• Changing audiene throughout the song, sometimes talking to the lover, sometimes monologing.
• No unifying meter, occasionaly rhyming, but mostly free verse.
• Verse 1>Verse 2/Chorus>Instrumental>Verse 3>Verse 4/Chorus>"Whoa" Part>Ending

Here's a link to the music video to the song in case you feel like listening to this on Valentine's Day:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMD8hBsA-RI