Awesomely Bad Lyrics, Vol. XL: In which Steve Perry rubs up suggestively against a wrought-iron balcony.
So after watching the video, in which said rubbing transpires, I was thinking, "Oh boy, this is just another bizarre, poorly conceived rock video that consists basically just of a bunch of random images and scenes that make no sense." Which is true.
But! There is a longer version that makes perfect sense and is actually sort of clever and mildly entertaining. I suppose it had to be cut down for MTV, in which case, worst editing job EVER because it is basically impossible to understand what's going on without the context that's removed.
Also, I really love how the YouTube label for the shorter version makes it seem as if it is a song by Journey called "Oh Sherry (Steve Perry)."
You should've been gone knowing how I made you feel / And I should've been gone after all your words of steel
Coming soon from Roget's: "WORDS OF STEEL"!!!! This ain't your grandpa's thesaurus!!!
Oh/ I must've been a dreamer / and I must've been someone else / And we should've been over
OK, I'm sensing a theme here. Sherrie should've been gone AND you should've been gone AND you must've been a dreamer AND you must've been someone else AND your relationship should've been over. That's a lot of strikes against this blessid union of souls. So, ipso facto, there must be some amazing reason that this partnership should, against all odds, work out. I can't wait to hear it!
Oh Sherrie, our love holds on, holds on / Oh, Sherrie, our love holds on, holds on
Uh. OK. Well, that's not a reason. Just ... a thing. Good old Steve Perry must just be building anticipation for the big reveal, though. What a storyteller!
While we're waiting, did you know the girl in the video is actually Sherrie? Sherrie Swafford. She was Steve Perry's girlfriend when he wrote the song.
I want to let go, you'll go on hurtin' me
More bad stuff. You are really building a strong case for ending this relationship, Steve. (Keep in mind also that Sherrie is a real person who he was romantically involved with when he wrote this song. How would you have felt if you were Sherrie and you heard this little ditty? I would've felt bad. Steve Perry likes to make people feel bad.)
You'd be better off alone if I'm not who you thought I'd be
OK, more bad stuff (I think). But I have a feeling that we're about to find out just what it is that makes these two tick!
But you know that there's a fever
(leans in closely) Uh-huh???
oh
(cocks head in anticipation)
that you'll never find nowhere else
(braces for inevitable disappointment) And?
Can't you feel it burnin' - on and on?
That's it, folks! That's why Steve Perry and Sherrie Swafford continue to date despite overwhelming evidence that they should not: "There's a fever" (where?) that she will "never find nowhere else." (Which, I guess, means that Steve Perry *can* find the fever? What a fucking arrogant bastard.)
Surprise! Steve and Sherrie broke up in 1985, the year after this song came out. Now, nearly a quarter-century later, when you search for "sherrie swafford bio" on Google, the first page that comes up is called "Steve Perry's Biography." So, that must make her feel really good. Are you happy, Perry? Are you?!
Oh Sherrie, our love holds on, holds on
You son of a bitch.
But I should've been gone long ago, far away
Why are you still singing?
And you should've been gone / now I know just why you stay
Because Steve Perry is such a sexy bastard, and he sings like an angel and is utterly irresistible to every man, woman, child, and beast of the field. Right? Right?!?!
Douchebag.
CODA: Apparently after he and Sherrie broke up, Steve Perry wrote an explanation of why it happened on his Web site. It's ineloquent, but clearly heartfelt and sort of touching. It makes me feel bad that I just made fun of him and called him names.
Steve Perry likes to make people feel bad.
Asshole.
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Yay, BLB is back!
ReplyDeleteTrue story: when I was a kid and this song was an omnipresent monster hit, I heard "Oh Sherrie our love/ Holds on, holds on" as "She's not dead, just all alone/ Chromosome, chromosome." I was a pretty strange child.
you think maybe they broke up because if they had gotten married her name would've been Sherrie Perry? just a thought.
ReplyDeleteSee, I always thought it was "Oh Sherrie, I'm alone/hold on, hold on," which made me think it was either a song about how he wanted to go out with Sherrie but the two of them could never manage to both be single at the same time, or perhaps that he knew that while his relationship with Sherrie sucked, it was the only one he had and he was so damn lonely and miserable that he'd honestly prefer dealing with all the grief of a relationship with her.
ReplyDeleteEither way, the song made me feel bad. So Steve Perry gets what he wants again, I guess. What a jerk.
After he and Sherrie broke up, he explained it. On his website. In 1986?
ReplyDeleteDid you not see the portrait? Steve Perry is Robocop, man...he has access to technology and science far beyond our feeble imaginings. He probably had his website up and running in 1979, and was just waiting for everyone else to finally catch up with him.
ReplyDeletehmm, yeah. I guess maybe he wrote the explanation in 1986, then posted it on his Web site later? Or else he was an early user of the ARPANET? fishy.
ReplyDeleteand I guess you could have done better!!! do not dog Steve Pery...he is kind and loving, and much more of a person than you are...
ReplyDeleteFirst off!! Steve does NOT have a website!! Your "explanation" obviously came from a interview. Try doing a little fact checking?! The nerve of some wannabe hack trying to make himself famous off of the an actual artist like "The Voice"! Hmmm, you must be deaf and blind not to see what has been known by all music lovers...Steve was burned by Sherrie...she cheated on him with a guy in a corvette...he truly loved her but, she couldn't deal with what comes with the level of fame and loving someone that is adored by the masses!! Typical boy meets girl but real life drama complicates the whole we want to be together love story! It's so basic "Love Story 101". Seriously, you are the douche bag and to belittle someone that actually has talent, REALLY?!! So, what did we learn here? First, you are a parasite that has nothing in their repertoire other than to ramble about persons who actually have a skill. Secondly, you don't fact check. Thirdly, you need to have someone proof your work!
ReplyDeleteSteve Perry is a ROCK GOD and you should bow down before him a beg for him for forgiveness. You speak of what you don't know...your a child and you show your ignorance on this crappy blog! Some people count...
Maybe someday you will know love and be better able to understand the concept!! You dare to speak the name of "Mr. Steven Ray Perry"...your the douche bag! Get your facts right! Steve does not have a website! He ONLY makes statements through persons he trusts such as Lora Beard at Fan Asylum. This is a prime example of why "children" shouldn't play with ink pens! Shame on you...you wanna be Perez Hilton!! Get a life!!
ReplyDeleteJust because Steve Perry has a secret Web site that only I can read doesn't give you the right to get upset.
ReplyDeleteAhhahaa.
ReplyDeleteI love deranged submoron fans who can't grasp far-out concepts like "humor". And the absolute best are those who bitchily spit: "Like YOU could do better!", as if thas has any relevance to anything. I'll quote the best response I ever heard to that stupid request:
"What would be the point? You'd be too stupid to recognise it anyway. This is the most frequently seen, most dull-witted and most easily dismissed response, inevitably resorted to by the dimmest bulbs on the block, of whom there are disturbingly many. Put simply, critical faculties and other creative faculties are not necessarily related; excellence in a given field is not required to have a critical insight into that field. Or put even more simply, you don't need a Michelin Star to see the jizz on the cupcakes."
Whoever you are, I found your synopsis of the whole situation hilarious. Love your observation and metaphors. I had a really good laugh. On the other hand, if I were Sherry, I would've held on to this hunkie dorie with all my might. He's so fine, wish he'd been mine. Even if he's old, I would love to hold, that fine bastard. Ha !
ReplyDeleteidont care what others sy steve your the best singer and you wrote the song oh sherrie for her diane pletcher south bend ind
ReplyDeletesteven perry kept journey from touring for over ten years. he was so paranoid that he would open the door to his hotel room on the road with the chain on and a can of mace behind the chain. i saw it with my own eyes. the thing is, the band pandered to him and did what he wanted in fear that he would bolt. it was their fault as much as perry being a total ass hole rock star. he pitted the band against management, played one against the other. he would smile to your face and give you those double sincere 'brother' bits, while at the same time twisting the knife in your back. he won't put out another record because he has lost the timbre of his once great voice. yes, he can't hit the notes that he once did. steve perry is a miserable fuck, and he made all around him on the journey tours miserable as well, the crew, band, and everyone around him would have to walk on eggs. he couldn't be himself, didn't know how, was afraid of his fame, and thought everyone wanted something from him. steve perry just couldn't be real. it's sad.
ReplyDeleteBunch of assholes.
ReplyDelete