JOURNEY - BE GOOD TO YOURSELF

Released: April 1986

Charts: US: #9 

“Be Good to Yourself” is a 1986 single by Journey from their ninth studio album, “Raised on Radio”. It marked the band’s return after a three-year hiatus, during which lead singer Steve Perry released a successful solo album and participated in “We Are the World,” while guitarist Neal Schon worked on a side project. The upbeat track reached number 9 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and served as the lead single for the new album.

“Be Good to Yourself” was inspired by lead singer Steve Perry’s personal struggles, including his ailing mother and a difficult domestic situation. The phrase was a common “Perry-ism” — a life-affirming message that resonated with him deeply. Keyboardist Jonathan Cain noted the phrase and worked on the lyrics for five months before a burst of inspiration helped him finalize the song just in time for mixing. Perry recorded the vocals in under an hour. Written by Perry, Cain, and Neal Schon, it was the only track from Raised on Radio featuring just the three of them, as longtime bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith had been replaced by studio musicians Randy Jackson and Larrie Londin. 

At the peak of MTV’s popularity, Journey made headlines by choosing not to release a music video for their 1986 lead single “Be Good to Yourself.” The band’s manager, Herbie Herbert, clarified that this wasn’t a slight against MTV but a conscious decision to avoid overexposure and prevent the song from being tied too closely to a director’s vision. Journey wanted the music to stand on its own. They also rejected corporate sponsorship for their tour. However, due to strong MTV airplay for subsequent live-performance videos like “Girl Can’t Help It” and “I’ll Be Alright Without You,” a live video for “Be Good to Yourself” was eventually released.