Steve Perry’s Romantic Hit “Oh Sherrie” Will Make You Wish Your Name Was Sherrie, Too

Steve Serenades Real-Life Sweetheart Sherrie Swafford

Journey’s former singer Steve Perry has had an interesting ride, to say the least; he enjoyed worldwide success with Journey thanks to hits like ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ and ‘Faithfully,’ and by 1983 was ready to embark on an equally successful solo career. His first major hit as a solo artist was the ultra-romantic ‘Oh Sherrie,’ written for then girlfriend Sherrie Swafford and the response was overwhelmingly positive – for the first time, we got to see Steve in a lead role, serenading the love of his life!

The music video features a bored Perry shooting a medieval times themed music video and eventually blowing off the glitz and glam of the shoot to go spend the day with his girlfriend, played by Sherrie Swafford herself.

Fun Fact: Steve is great friends with New Jersey rocker Jon Bon Jovi. In fact, Bon Jovi affectionately refers to Perry as, “The Voice”.

While Steve Perry as a solo artist never really achieved the meteoric fame that he experienced with Journey, it’s worth noting that he’s still got one of the most distinct voices in rock music. Songs like ‘Oh Sherrie’ have become old favorites that remind us from time to time what music should sound like: honest, and absolutely fantastic.

+ Oh, Sherrie lyrics +

You should’ve been gone
Knowing how I made you feel
And I should’ve been gone
After all your words of steel
Oh, I must’ve been a dreamer
And I must’ve been someone else
And we should’ve been over

Oh, Sherrie, our love
Holds on, holds on
Oh, Sherrie, our love
Holds on, holds on

Oh, I want to let go
You’ll go on hurtin’ me
You’d be better off alone
If I’m not who you thought I’d be

But you know that there’s a fever
Oh, that you’ll never find nowhere else
Can’t you feel it burnin’
On-and-on

Oh, Sherrie, our love
Holds on, holds on
Oh, Sherrie, our love
Holds on, holds on
Oh, Sherrie

Oh, Sherrie

But I should’ve been gone
Long ago, far away
And you should’ve been gone
Now I know just why you stay

Oh, Sherrie, our love
Holds on, holds on
Oh, Sherrie, our love
Holds on, holds on

Oh, Sherrie, our love
Holds on, holds on

Hold on
Oh, Sherrie