In the 1980s, Journey was one of the most popular bands internationally, selling like crazy and selling out stadiums. Formed in 1973 by former Santana, Steve Miller Band, and Frumious Bandersnatch musicians, they became big in 1978 (with the addition of vocalist Steve Perry) and gigantic in 1981 (with keyboardist Jonathan Caine), with the album Escape. When they arrived in 1983, they were at the height of their popularity, enshrined with Frontiers. It was a period of personal strain for the musicians, with several breakup songs including the opening track: Separate Ways (Worlds Apart). And this is precisely the song that the Stranger Things series selected for the trailer for the second part of season 4, filled with emotional images like the music.

The series’ soundtrack – which takes place in the 1980s – is one of the best of all time. In the first part of the season, he rescued Kate Bush‘s Running Up That Hill, which returned to the charts more than 30 years after it was released, or like when they used the classic Baba O’Riley, by The Who, for the trailer. of season 3. Unbeatable.

Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) was written as rock, with powerful and striking keyboards, during a period of many concerts by the band, where wear and tear led to divorces. Composed by the duo Jonathan Cain and Steve Perry, responsible for Journey‘s successes, such as Don’t Stop Believin’ and Open Arms, it reflects the pain they were feeling from separations, but still trying to think positively about love.

Composed in one night, in a hotel room, the two presented the composition to the rest of the band in the soundcheck the next day, already playing the final version that same night, leaving the audience in a frenzy. That’s why it’s the opening song for Frontiers. For the producers of Stranger Things, where the inverted world separates our heroes from reality, Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) was perfect. “The lyrics are about people going their separate ways and the characters, at the end of season three, they all went their separate ways,” said Bobby Gumm, head of music at Trailer Park, who re-arranged it for something terrifying and signed all trailers for the franchise. since their debut in 2016. And they were personally approved by lead singer Steve Perry, who got in touch with them when he heard the first version.

“He caught me off guard and wanted to talk about the song,” revealed Alloy Tracks, owner of the agency that was working on the trailer in an interview with Forbes. “He said to me, ‘I don’t usually let these songs go’ and I was like, ‘Oh, it’s the Netflix guy. At the end of the conversation, before he hung up, I asked, ‘Sorry, who am I talking to?’ And he said, ‘It’s Steve Perry from Journey!’ Today the two are friends.

The editing of the song took 6 months to be ready and had the participation of the vocalist, delighted with the result and helped with some touches where they should highlight (his) voice and other details.

“One of his favorite things right now is hearing these songs he wrote decades ago come to new life and be brought to new generations and new demographics through things like Stranger Things,” Alloy said.

Steve Perry gave the final approval with praise that the trailer version is the closest they would have sounded to the song when they wrote it. And coming from a lead singer of a group that has sold over 80 million albums worldwide, that’s no small feat.

Like Running Up That Hill, which has played in several series before, Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) is on the tracks of Glow and The O.C., among others. But it is Stranger Things that best reflects the plot. And once again placed the band among the most played on Spotify in 2022. Deserves it!

The second part of the season premieres on July 1.

Here we stand
Worlds apart, hearts broken in two, two, two
Sleepless nights
Losing ground
I’m reaching for you, you, you

Feelin’ that it’s gone
Can change your mind
If we can’t go on
To survive the tide love divides

Someday love will find you
Break those chains that bind you
One night will remind you
How we touched
And went our separate ways
If he ever hurts you
True love won’t desert you
You know I still love you
Though we touched
And went our separate ways

Troubled times
Caught between confusions and pain, pain, pain
Distant eyes
Promises we made were in vain, in vain, in vain

If you must go, I wish you love
You’ll never walk alone
Take care my love
Miss you love

I still love you girl
I really love you girl
And if he ever hurts you
True love won’t desert you
No, No