Don’t Stop Believing – Uplifting or Depressing?

I’ve been listening incessantly in the car to this song by Journey, well to be more accurate the arrangement from Glee. After about the hundredth time, I almost had the song memorized, but more importantly I had dissected the song in my head wondering if the meaning was one that was uplifting or depressing. I know,…should be obvious, but you never know! Let’s look at the lyrics together, and feel free to listen to the voice of Sam Tsui as you do.

Verse 1
Just a small town girl
Livin’ in a lonely world
She took the midnight train
Goin’ anywhere
Just a city boy
Born and raised in South Detroit
He took the midnight train
Goin’ anywhere

Two people from dissimilar locations and life circumstances hop on the same midnight train to “anywhere.” There is no specific destination or reason; all we know is that they’re leaving where they came from.

A singer in a smokey room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on

The first two lines describe a setting that isn’t all that romantic or pleasant. Is this describing the boy and girl from the first section? They clearly weren’t intending on meeting, perhaps a chance meeting? The last line suggests some sort of cycle.

Chorus
Strangers waiting
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching
In the night
Streetlights, people
Livin’ just to find emotion
Hidin’, somewhere in the night

What are they waiting for? What are they searching for? People, as streetlights do, go through life in cyclical patterns. What’s this cycle you may ask? It’s the ever going cycle in search of emotion. Verse two explains more.

Verse 2
Workin’ hard to get my fill
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin’ anything to roll the dice
Just one more time
Some will win
Some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on

Everyone wants the same thing, no matter what the cost. People would pay the price to find this emotion even if it means they have lost before, or even if they are on a long losing streak. It’s a cycle.

Instrumental Interlude
Don’t stop believin’
Hold on to the feelin’
Streetlights, people
Don’t stop believin’
Hold on
Streetlights, people

Don’t stop believing what? Hold onto what feeling? I believe the song is talking about love, and how people from any background would risk it all to find it even if it means sacrificing convenience, self-image, and emotional safety. You would think this is a song of hope, right? Perhaps you might think otherwise. One line that throws me off is “Some were born to sing the blue,” which is an incredibly realistic and pessimistic take on life. Are there people out there who were destined to never experience the type of love that they desire? Hmm, I’m not sure, but the line does sound a bit funny in the middle of the other lyrics encouraging one to “Don’t stop believing” and to “Hold onto the feeling.” Why should one fated to never find love, go through life holding onto hope?

Beyond the feelings, there lies a greater truth that much of the love that we seek is somehow tainted or doesn’t last. Maybe that’s why we roll the dice so many times in search of that perfect love. I think human beings intrinsically know that there is such thing as a complete love that brings life and fulfillment; we aimlessly hop on the same midnight train hoping that it’ll land us where we want to be.

So can we be sure about anything? Is there a good, lasting reason to not stop believing? The book of Psalm in the 113th chapter talks of a loving God who reverses the wrongs in this world. The wrongs, introduced by our sin, resulted in disharmony, broken promises, war and famine, the inability to have children, and everything that God did not include when He first created the world. He never stops making things right, even though human beings keep doing wrong. This is the reason to hold onto the hope of a lasting love in this world. This is the reason to keep believing that you will one day find that perfect and committed love that you’re heart has been yearning for.