Steve Perry - Oh Sherrie

[1984]

Hits Huge 1984: Australians of a certain age are gonna remember that various artist hits compilation and this tune was the best thing on it. I don't think Journey were all that popular here, having no top 40 hits (Don't Stop Believin' peaked at #100) but Steve Perry's debut solo single was a top 5 smash. This song is just as excellent as the first time I heard it back in high school when I was in year 7. 

The synth-y intro, the voice, the emotions, all of those emotions in that fabulous voice, the dramatic doomed from the start romance, the self-hatred, the sexual confidence, the ace succinct guitar licks and a crafty coda outro all add up to soft-rock anthem gold.

"You'd be better off alone

If I'm not who you thought I'd be

But you know that there's a fever
That you'll never find nowhere else"

This depiction of a doomed passionate tryst captures a frisson that is incredibly enticing stuff, particularly for young players.