Insert Your Own "Journey" Pun Here

As you might have witnessed already, I've been getting in touch with my musical roots in this disgustingly foul year of our lord, 2006. To that end, it was a "block party weekend" on the local classic rock FM radio station. That translates into "we'll play 3 or 4 songs in a row by the same group, then move on to the next." In the particular Sunday afternoon car ride home from the office I wish to describe, a "block" of Journey kicked off with 3 straight songs from their album Infinity (1978): "Feeling That Way", "Anytime", and "Wheel In The Sky". I'm ashamed to admit, I was getting into the groove. I'm certain I owned this album at one point, probably still do. I'd have to check. I know I haven't listened to it in more than 15 years. Admittedly, I was not quite 8 years old when it was released. Perhaps that colors my perception. In any event, I was driving along actually thinking, "Hey, maybe there really was a time when liking Journey didn't make you a pussy." Then came the 4th song in the "block." It was "Who's Crying Now" from their 9X Platinum album Escape (or ESC4P3, as they spell it on the cover) from 1981. Oh, yeah...Journey became a total wuss band. The question is, were they always? Well, color me vaginal, then. I always liked "Wheel In The Sky."

One other thing: The way that "Feeling that way!" always morphs right into "Oooooooh, anytime that you want me" on the radio got me thinking about songs that are ALWAYS played consecutively on FM radio. "We Will Rock You"/"We Are The Champions" by Queen is an example of a pair of songs, inseparable on the FM airwaves. The earliest example that I can think of right now (without really thinking about it) would be "Heartbreaker"/"Living Loving Maid" from Led Zeppelin II (1969). I don't ever remember hearing one without the other on FM radio as a kid. Even if it wasn't "double play Tuesday" (or whatever other cheesy promotion).