Steve Perry “Oh Sherrie” charted

Oh Sherrie Steve Perry

Writer(s): Steve Perry, Randy Goodrum, Craig Krampf, Bill Cuomo (see lyrics here) Released: March 1984 First Charted: April 6, 1984 Peak: 3 US, 4 CB, 2 GR, 2 RR, 33 AC, 12 AR, 12 CN, 5 AU, 2 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 34.8 video, 77.75 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Rock singer/songwriter Steve Perry was born in 1949 in Hanford, California. He was fronting a band called Alien Project when a demo reached the band Journey and Perry became their new lead singer in 1977. The band, originally an offshoot of Santana, had released three albums but never even had a chart single. Their 1978 Infinity album changed their fortunes, reaching #21 and triple platinum status as well as giving them their first chart entries with “Wheel in the Sky” and “Lights.” Their next four albums all achieved at least three million in sales and three of them reached the top 10. The most successful of these was 1981’s Escape, which sold 10 million copies and produced top-10 hits “Who’s Crying Now,” “Don’t Stop Believin’,” and “Open Arms.” 1983’s Frontiers, which sold six million copies, reached #2, and had four top-40 hits, including the top-10 song “Separate Ways.” Then Steve Perry decided to release his first solo album. 1984’s Street Talk reached #12 and sold two million copies. Like Frontiers, it also produced four top-40 hits, including a top-10 hit – “Oh Sherrie.” The song is often considered an “honorary” Journey song because of “its resemblance to the band’s trademark sound.” WK Perry wrote the love song for then-girlfirend Sherrie Swafford, who also appeared in the video. WK Two of the song’s co-writers, Bill Cuomo and Craig Krampf, played keyboards and drums respectively on Kim Carnes’ “Bette Davis Eyes.” WK While some worried that a solo outing from Perry might mean the end of his days with Journey, their fears were alleviated in 1986. Perry reunited with guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain for Raised on Radio, another top-10, multi-platinum effort from the band. It also made for Steve Perry’s fourth album in a row to feature four top-40 hits with at least one of them reaching the top ten. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Steve Perry SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia First posted 12/26/2022.