Forever yours, faithfully. Steve Perry and Willie Nelson unveiled their new duet version of Journey‘s “Faithfully” for charity on Wednesday (May 14).
The former Journey frontman and the country icon turn the band’s classic 1983 single into a wistful, meditative ballad as Nelson warbles, “Highway run in the midnight sun/ Wheels go round and round/ You’re on my mind” over tender acoustic guitar. Later, Perry takes over the opening verse, optioning the vocal up an octave and singing, “They say the road ain’t no place to start a family/ Right down the line, it’s been you and me.”
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Eventually, the pair’s inimitable voices weave around one another’s on the rest of the power ballad’s famously chorus-free lyrics, tinged with subdued piano chords, harmonies and a touch of harmonica for good measure.
Perry, who fronted Journey at the height of their success on the Billboard charts from the late ’70s to the late ’80s and again for a brief period in the mid-’90s, tells Billboard in an exclusive statement that Nelson is “one of the most prolific and poetic vocalists I’ve ever heard.” He added that performing with the 12-time Grammy winner “is one of the greatest honors of my life. It brought out an emotion in me that only singing with Willie can do.”
Proceeds from the single’s sale will be donated to Farm Aid as the nonprofit dedicated to supporting America’s agricultural workers marks its 40th anniversary.
Originally released as the second single off Journey’s 1982 album Frontiers, “Faithfully” peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has been certified 6x Platinum by the RIAA as of 2024.
Watch the gorgeously animated video for Perry and Wilson’s take on “Faithfully” below.
