Dispatches from Douglas County: No, we'll never 'stop believin' '
Apr. 19—DOUGLAS COUNTY — Journey's 'Don't Stop Believin" Is Officially The Biggest Song Of All Time, read the Forbes headline several weeks back.
It cited the Recording Industry Association of America recognizing the early '80s hit as being a platinum single 18 times over (just in the U.S).
If you thought "Free Bird" was the biggest song of all time, guess again.
What's interesting to me is how much bigger "Don't Stop Believin'" has grown over time. It wasn't a No. 1 hit (peaking at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 list) and wasn't even the biggest hit on Journey's "Escape" album. "Who's Crying Now" hit No. 4.
But when it seeped into TV hits such as "The Sopranos" or "Glee" and the movie "Rock of Ages," it continued to grow and earned a greater pop culture status than Journey's other megahits such as "Open Arms" and "Any Way You Want It."
Go to a ballpark or football stadium and you will hear it played as a rallying cry if the home team trails late in the game. Journey played it at halftime of the NFC Championship Game — which the Detroit Lions led by many points before the San Francisco 49ers caught the "Don't Stop Believin'" fever and rallied to win.
I've probably heard the song a thousand times (No, I'm not exaggerating), but I still get caught up in the story of the two young people hopping "the midnight train going anywhere." I can hear that "singer in a smokey room" and smell the "wine and cheap perfume."
I get swept up in Steve Perry's soaring vocals and Neal Schon's incendiary guitar.
As a proud native Michigander, I know there is no such thing as "South Detroit" (unless Windsor, Ontario counts), but we can let that geographical error slide. It just adds more lore to this song.
It's simultaneously a song of hope and nostalgia. A potent combination and probably the reason why we don't want to stop believin' or stop playing the song.
Paid parental leave is a hot topic for many businesses. Ditto for municipalities.
Superior City Councilor Jenny Van Sickle wants to give men and women working for the city ample opportunity to bond with their newborn or adopted children without having to horde vacation and sick time to do it.
Superior Telegram reporter Shelley Nelson checked into the proposed ordinance and filed this report for readers.
(Subscriber-only story)
Coaching hires within any sport — at any level — often involve the new head coach returning to the program he or she once played and/or coached for.
It's natural to seek someone possessing a familiarity with a program's traditions and culture, not to mention a blood type matching the school colors.
The Superior football team brought back one of its own for a Spartan homecoming — former assistant coach Rob Scott will take the torch from Bob DeMeyer.
Scott's former team, Eau Claire Memorial, actually beat the Spartans this past season.
I'm sure that was brought up at the job interview. (Subscriber-only story)
The Spartans have a proud sports tradition, and Superior High School added to that storied history last week when the inaugural boys and girls lacrosse teams played their first games.
Sports scribe Reagan Hoverman and photographer Jed Carlson attended the games so that our readers wouldn't miss the historic occasion.
Hopefully, they can teach me how the game is played. (Subscriber-only story)
* New life:
Superior restaurateurs save Warrior Brewing from closure
(Subscriber-only story)
* On the waterfront:
Superior slips slated for cleanup
* In need of a new atlas:
New legislative maps affect some Douglas County voters
* Douglas County Past:
Young members of '21st street gang' caught; Poplar OKs school auditorium
* Photos:
Disc golfers hit the links in Superior
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