Oh Sherrie
| "Oh Sherrie" | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||||
| Single by Steve Perry | |||||||
| from the album Street Talk | |||||||
| B-side | "Don't Tell Me Why You Are Leaving" | ||||||
| Released | April 7, 1984 | ||||||
| Format | 7" | ||||||
| Recorded | Record One, Los Angeles, California, 1983 | ||||||
| Genre | Pop rock | ||||||
| Length | 3:45 | ||||||
| Label | Columbia | ||||||
| Writer(s) | Steve Perry, Randy Goodrum, Craig Krampf, Bill Cuomo | ||||||
| Producer(s) | Steve Perry, Bruce Botnick | ||||||
| Steve Perry singles chronology | |||||||
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"Oh Sherrie" is a song written by American singer Steve Perry, Randy Goodrum, Craig Krampf, and Bill Cuomo. It was recorded and released on Perry's Street Talk album in 1984, his first solo album which he released while still a member of Journey. The song is often regarded as an "honorary" Journey song, being credited to the band on several hit compilation albums and in other media, largely due to its resemblance to the band's trademark sound, as well as their performances of the song on the Raised on Radio Tour, which proved to be Perry's live swansong with the band.[1]
The song was Perry's biggest hit as a solo artist and written for his then-girlfriend Sherrie Swafford,[2] who also appeared in the music video. The song hit number three on the pop chart and number one on the rock chart in the United States,[3] partly aided in its success by a music video released to promote the song, which received heavy airplay on MTV.
Two of the song's co-writers and supporting musicians, Bill Cuomo and Craig Krampf, earlier performed on Kim Carnes' signature song "Bette Davis Eyes" in 1981. Cuomo, who performed the keyboard riff on "Oh Sherrie," was the musician responsible for the keyboard riff on "Bette Davis Eyes", and Krampf was the drummer on both tracks.[4] Cuomo, Krampf and Perry had started composing the song at approximately midnight with little more than the simple chorus of "Oh Sherrie" and "Hold on, hold on" plus a few simple sounds. Sherrie Swafford had been in the room with them initially, but had gone to sleep because of the late hour.[2]
Music Video
The video was shot at the Park Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, CA.
Chart positions
| Chart (1984-1986) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report) | 5 |
| Canadian RPM 50 Singles[5] | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 3 |
| US Billboard Top Tracks | 1 |
See also
References
- ↑ "Solo Hits Credited to the Band Anyway...". New Book of Rock Lists. Sidgwick & Jackson. 1994.
- 1 2 Steve Perry talks about the recording of "Oh Sherrie" and Street Talk singles.
- ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 487.
- ↑ Blair Jackson (2003). "Classic Tracks: Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes"". Mix. Retrieved 2010-04-10.
- ↑ RPM - Library and Archives Canada - Top Singles - Volume 40, No. 18, July 07 1984. Retrieved December 17, 2010.