JOURNEY - ANY WAY YOU WANT IT

Released: February 22, 1980

Charts: US: #23 

“Any Way You Want It” is pure, high-energy Journey — a hard-charging anthem that blends melodic rock with a fist-pumping spirit. Released in February 1980 as the lead single from their sixth studio album “Departure”, it became a fan favorite and a staple of their live shows, peaking at #23 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was co-written by Steve Perry and Neal Schon during a moment of inspiration on their tour bus. With Schon strumming an acoustic guitar and Perry riffing off vocal ideas, the track came together quickly. 

Musically, it’s tight, vibrant, and full of swagger — driven by Schon’s staccato guitar riffs and Perry’s soaring vocals. Lyrically, it’s a celebration of freedom and desire, making it tailor-made for stadium sing-alongs.

According to Steve Perry, the give-and-take structure of the song — the rapid-fire back-and-forth between vocals and guitar — was inspired by his time spent with Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy while the bands toured together in 1979. Perry, Schon, and Lynott worked on rhyme schemes together in Miami, which directly informed the conversational rhythm of “Any Way You Want It.” Perry described it as:

“Guitar-voice, guitar-voice, more guitar-guitar-guitar-voice… back and forth.”

This became a songwriting blueprint Journey would revisit on later songs like “Stone in Love.”

In the studio, keyboardist Gregg Rolie originally used a Mellotron, but the unit malfunctioned. Co-producer Geoff Workman salvaged the sound by doubling it with a regular organ, giving the final mix a “celestial ring” — an airy, dreamy vibe layered under the hard rock surface. This fusion, plus stacked background vocals, created a sonic signature that made the track stand out even more.

The music video directed by Kim Paul Friedman, is a classic example of early 1980s rock visuals — simple, performance-driven, and anchored in a touch of storytelling. Premiering in March 1980, the video opens with a bit of mystery: a man standing in front of a jukebox, his face hidden. He scrolls through the list of songs, pauses at “Any Way You Want It,” and drops in a coin. Once selected, the jukebox flips a record into place, and as it starts to spin, the scene transitions smoothly into a studio reel turning, which launches us into Journey performing the song live in the studio. The twist comes at the very end — the man at the jukebox is revealed to be Steve Perry himself, who turns and flashes a knowing smile at the camera, closing out the video with a wink of charm.

In addition to this conceptual studio version, there’s also a live performance video filmed during the Departure Tour, capturing Journey in their full concert glory. Both videos showcase different sides of the band: one polished and stylized, the other pure and electric.