Some tunes capture a moment. Others capture the end of one.
By the time Bad English released “Price of Love” in 1989, arena rock was already living on borrowed time. Within two years, the music landscape would shift dramatically, trading leather for flannel with Nirvana leading the grunge charge. But before the curtain fell, Bad English slipped in one of the era’s last, great arena anthems.
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Released as the third single from their self-titled debut album, which arrived in June 1989, “Price of Glory” was the supergroup’s follow-up to their No. 1 hit, “When I See You Smile,” penned by legendary songwriter Diane Warren. Written by John Waite and Jonathan Cain, “Price of Glory” has been called band's "Journey-est track."
“It’s sort of a song about a vulnerable male,” Cain told Songfacts. “John Waite’s character was always the bad boy of rock. It was just a song that said, ‘Forgive me. I still love you, but I’ve got these bad habits, I go out and mess up stuff.’ Like so many men do.”
Musically, the track is a quintessential ’80s power ballad with soaring vocals, driving rhythm, and heavy emotion. And fans couldn’t get enough of it. Peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, the ballad spent 19 weeks on the survey, boosted the album to No. 21 on the Billboard 200, and became the group’s second-biggest hit of all time.
Unfortunately, “of all time” really only covers a few years, as the short-lived supergroup hung up their capes in 1991. Composed of vocalist John Waite, keyboardist JonathanCain, drummer Deen Castronovo, bassist Ricky Phillips, and guitarist Neal Schon, Bad English was founded in 1987, bringing together elements of the 1970s’ Babys and the recently imploded Journey. Bad English called it quits after their second record, Backlash, because of creative differences and ego clashes.
“Well, [we] just couldn’t get on,” Waite told XS Rock, referring to Cain. “I mean, honestly, even when Journey was successful, he wasn’t that friendly. He was always leaving early and coming late. He was a very difficult person to get on with. And in the end, I just said, 'F— it.'"
Everyone remains active in the music scene today, though. Waite is continuing his solo career, regularly touring the country. Castronovo and Schon are on the road with Journey on their massive farewell tour right now. Cain recently left Journey to focus on his faith and solo projects. Phillips just wrapped a highly successful 20-year run with Styx and is still making music in the studio.
View this post on InstagramFollowing Bad English’s run, grunge and Seattle rock became the undisputed center of the early-'90s rock scene, with Kurt Cobain and his peers replacing glossy power ballads and arena-rock excess with raw, stripped down guitar tones and counterculture lyrics.
You win some, you lose some, or sometimes you simply get pushed aside by the next big thing. Guess that's the price of glory.
Related: 1980 Ballad From a Flopped Movie’s Soundtrack Became a Timeless Ode to Summer Romance
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