Yesterday’s classic song of the day was Journey’s iconic “Don’t Stop Believin’,” which was co-written by the band’s singer, Steve Perry. Today’s classic song of the day is also by Steve Perry, his very first solo hit. The song is “Oh Sherrie” and it was released in March of 1984. It was a monster hit, helped by its popular MTV music video, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, #4 on the Cash Box Top 100, and #1 on Billboard’s then-relatively new Mainstream Rock chart.
Steve Perry wrote “Oh Sherrie,” with the help of studio aces Randy Goodrum, Craig Krampf, and Bill Cuomo. My guess is that Perry wrote the words (or at least some of them) and his compatriots supplied the music. Goodrum and Cuomo both played various keyboards on the recording; they were supported by Waddy Wachtel and Michael Landau on guitars (Waddy played that blazing guitar solo mid-song), Bob Glaub on bass, and the extremely versatile Larrie Londin on drums.
“Oh Sherrie” was written for and about Mr. Perry’s then-girlfriend, Sherrie Swafford, who also happens to be the girl in the music video. The couple broke up in 1985, and Ms. Swafford later became an esthetician and yoga instructor. She never married.
Here’s what Steve Perry remembers of his time together with his Sherrie:
“Sherrie and I were crazy in love, I can tell you that. And it was a very tough time because the band was peaking. And if any woman out there thinks that it would be real exciting to be the girlfriend of somebody in a band like that and that it would be all peaches and cream, the truth is that it’s hard to navigate a relationship when you’re in the midst of such a ride.”
So here’s the daily bonus video of the day you’ve been waiting for, Steve Perry and Sherrie Swafford in the video for “Oh Sherrie.” Their love held on… for another year, anyway.
