OT: Steve Perry on non-existent "South Detroit"
A friend of mine posted this article on Facebook today, and since we as sports fans are so frequently subjected to this song, I thought I'd share.
A quick read, and fairly amusing. As my friend who posted it says...at least someone cared enough to talk to Steve Perry himself.
“The syntax just sounded right. I fell in love with the line. It’s only been in the last few years that I’ve learned that there is no South Detroit. But it doesn’t matter.”
January 10th, 2012 at 6:02 PM ^
The closest I've heard mentioned is Southwest Detroit (between Mexican Town and Dearborn). Rough, rough hood.
January 10th, 2012 at 6:37 PM ^
You're actually alot safer in southwest Detroit then say the near east side, highland park, brush park to cass area or west detroit. It's not great obviously considering its still Detroit but I can't think of an area outside of right in the middle of downtown where I feel safer.
January 10th, 2012 at 9:04 PM ^
Actually I was just there visting a friend who lives right on the corner of Vernon and Clark and it really isn't too bad. Not incrediblely safe, but a cool area with lots of great food, Clark Park with an outdoor rink (but it just lost funding from Detroit for its electricity bill and the nonprofit running it can no longer afford the bills for the entire park), and actually some really nice looking schools. It was fun cruising some bars and eating late at Armandos. Plus the Panaderia right there makes the BEST donuts and smells amazing.
January 10th, 2012 at 9:52 PM ^
no South Detroit!? How can that be? Are you telling me the laws of geomagnetism are actually suspended in Detroit? I had no idea Detroit was so broke they could only afford 3 magnetic directions.
January 10th, 2012 at 10:19 PM ^
Coleman Young auctioned off South Detroit for some hardwoods and a new limo.
January 11th, 2012 at 10:02 AM ^
Was the trunk of the limo also filled with krugerrands?
January 12th, 2012 at 12:13 PM ^
Of course. Mel would accept no other type of payment in return for knocking off L. Brooks Patterson.
January 10th, 2012 at 6:06 PM ^
South Detroit = Windsor
January 10th, 2012 at 6:20 PM ^
Exactly.
I don't really have a problem with a band writing that into a song when they don't know the facts. However, I'm not sure I like the Michigan crowd (who obviously should know better) singing along so proudly as if they were from the mythical South Detroit.
Maybe it should have been East Detroit. The city of "Eastpointe" would freak out.
January 10th, 2012 at 6:36 PM ^
crikey
And a great one at that. Come on, don't you feel like singing along right now
January 10th, 2012 at 7:19 PM ^
that's a stretch, like saying DaVinci Code was a great written work.
Saccharine for the masses.
January 10th, 2012 at 7:51 PM ^
Whatever man. I thought the DaVinci Code rocked.
January 10th, 2012 at 10:17 PM ^
Totally. Dan destroys Umberto. You should see the movie National Treasure.
January 10th, 2012 at 6:37 PM ^
Maybe it'd still be East Detroit if it had been in the song.
January 10th, 2012 at 11:27 PM ^
at Toledo Walleye game successfully sang along to the song (including pausing the playback for the famous line). Then again the team is a feeder for the Red Wings and I saw a lot of people in the crowd wearing Wings gear. I wore Michigan gear and blended in perfectly.
January 10th, 2012 at 6:09 PM ^
Was the city boy a Canadian?
January 10th, 2012 at 6:12 PM ^
IMO, there is no greater place for men under 25 than Windsor, Ontario.
January 10th, 2012 at 6:13 PM ^
Arizona State?
January 10th, 2012 at 6:55 PM ^
I attended and confirm your opinion. Go Devils!
January 10th, 2012 at 8:42 PM ^
As did I. The chearleaders are soooo easy. to talk to. Fork em Devils.
January 11th, 2012 at 7:58 AM ^
Where's Courtney Simpson?
January 10th, 2012 at 6:24 PM ^
...it was just the ULTIMATE Steve Perry psych out?
January 10th, 2012 at 6:43 PM ^
Steeeeeeve perry!
January 10th, 2012 at 7:22 PM ^
He'd have to quit baseketball too?!
January 10th, 2012 at 6:25 PM ^
January 10th, 2012 at 6:40 PM ^
I prefer to use the made-up lyric "soft" Detroit, referring the suburbs.
January 10th, 2012 at 11:13 PM ^
Do you also refuse to sing the "East side of Chicago" line in that Paper Lace song?
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<br>If you ask me, they're just songs, not a litmus test for true Muchigander status or geographical knowledge.
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<br>Confession: I have also been known to sing all the words to "In The Name of Love" even though I know when MLK died.
<br>
January 11th, 2012 at 8:42 AM ^
Memphis time might be early morning in Ireland?
January 10th, 2012 at 6:30 PM ^
Its funny, i was born in raised in the southwest detroit. I love journey and i usually say "born in raised in southwest detroit" lol
January 10th, 2012 at 6:30 PM ^
Back in the day when Journey was hot, they did a concert in Detroit (Cobo Hall maybe). And after the concert they were in their hotel rooms and saw all the lights across the river. Someone in the room stated that's south Detroit you're looking at. Not sure if who ever said that knew it was Windsor and refered to it as south detroit or actually thought it was south Detroit. I have alot of useless info in my head and sometimes there is need to get rid of it to make room for more.
January 10th, 2012 at 6:32 PM ^
This topic seems to come up for discussion a lot. We always come to the same conclusion: they goofed.
January 10th, 2012 at 6:33 PM ^
South Detroit doesn't exist can they stop playing this freakin song?
January 10th, 2012 at 6:53 PM ^
Seriously over thinking it. Just because there is no incorporated town of South Detroit, that doesn't mean there is not a south part of Detroit. I find it funny that people won't sing the words. John Denver's "Country Roads" is geographically inaccurate, but it's still a great song. Plenty of people from Detroit and other parts of southeast Michigan know plenty about Detroit, they still sing the song. Hilarious.
January 10th, 2012 at 7:00 PM ^
There are no great John Denver songs
January 10th, 2012 at 7:03 PM ^
Agree to disagree, but I have to question your taste in music.
January 10th, 2012 at 10:11 PM ^
Doesn't every city have a south, north, west and east side?
January 11th, 2012 at 9:10 AM ^
Detroit has a downtown, an east side, a west side and "southwest Detroit". There is no such thing as "south Detroit". The only thing south of Detroit is Windsor. There is also no such thing as "north Detroit".
Trust me. I grew up in Dearborn, a few blocks from the Rouge plant and a stone's throw from southwest Detroit. If you don't want to trust me, look at a map.
January 10th, 2012 at 6:59 PM ^
Why doesn't have to be about a real place? South Detroit just fit and sounded better than Allen Park.
January 10th, 2012 at 7:08 PM ^
It's funny, I always go ahead and sing the words, but when I'm around non-Detroiters (living in Chicago, it's obviously frequently, but not as frequent as you might think!) I feel compelled to explain there's no South Detroit. Mostly, they don't want to hear it but I can't seem to stop doing it. I don't know why!
January 10th, 2012 at 7:16 PM ^
Damn it, I've rebuffed this before:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=south+detroit+south+dakota&oe=utf-8&rls=o…
There IS a South Detroit; it just happens to be in South Dakota.
January 10th, 2012 at 8:23 PM ^
January 10th, 2012 at 9:02 PM ^
I remember my girlfriend (now my wife) wondering what constitued South Detroit. I said it was Ohio.
January 10th, 2012 at 9:04 PM ^
January 10th, 2012 at 10:17 PM ^
That would be like... Monroe County. I live in Monroe County. You know what's there?
January 10th, 2012 at 10:38 PM ^
....as someone who has designed a fair number of distribution projects in Monroe County, I've walked by a few of these: 
January 11th, 2012 at 12:26 AM ^
Wouldn't this be South Detroit?
January 11th, 2012 at 9:32 AM ^
with the J.W. Westcott II along side delivering mail. They are blocking my view of South Detroit.
January 11th, 2012 at 10:03 AM ^
Very good...You get a gold star...