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Stryper, "Honestly"




At the end of 1986, if you were in high school, you most likely felt the impact of Stryper's power ballad, "Honestly." Even though we were on winter break, this song quickly found, reached, and connected us. This was the song which made us fall in love (With what?! With whom?!). This was the song we wanted to hear at Winter Ball. We asked each other what this song was, then tried to find it at San Francisco's record stores. Not satisfied with mass-market electronics, getting "Honestly" to soar inspired us to become audiophiles.

A few months later, I would get my first CD player, and it was off to the races. Most chain record stores would put certain major labels on sale. Problem was, Stryper were on tiny Engima. So when the Fall '87 semester started, I happened to spot a Sears coupon, which could be used on any cassette or CD. After school on a Friday, I went with two of my female friends to Sears, then located on the hill at Masonic and Anza. While the two girls were looking at clothes, I took a quick detour to the record section. Sears did not have a large selection, but - yes! - they did have Stryper's To Hell With The Devil on CD (Enigma CDE 73237).

Geez, once my classmates started getting CD players, everyone borrowed my Stryper disc. Yes, pictured above is the actual CD I bought from Sears all those years ago. It is the same CD, which went through all my friends'/classmates' hands. It is the same CD, which survived lockers, Muni buses, car stereos, book bags, parties, boomboxes at S.F. parks, and audio stores.

In '88, we began to see "Honestly" on cassette single and 7" 45rpm. My female friends would snatch these singles. When the Fall '88 semester began, my sophomore friends would gather around a table. One of the nice girls would take the lead, and then everyone else would sing along to "Honestly." My senior classmates wondered, "Who the hell are Lummy's cute little friends? Why are they all holding each other, and what are they singing?"

One of my freshman friends, Judy, was a heavy metal fan, who gladly explained that Stryper were a seminal Christian rock band.

So when I got married, you bet your Lifesavers, "Honestly" was prominently featured at the banquet. Guests were gorging themselves on the food, but when they heard "Honestly" come on, they put down their chopsticks. Some stood up. Several exclaimed, "I love this song!" My godfather's son pumped his fist, and said, "Yes! Another awesome power ballad!" One mom told the kids to be quiet. And my son's godmother begged to play "Honestly" again!

When audiophiles play "Honestly" in private, they love it. And if you happened to be in high school 30 years ago, you can always request "Honestly" at your reunions. And honestly (no pun intended), listening to "Honestly" makes it seem that 1986 wasn't even 3, let alone 30, years ago.

-Lummy The Loch Monster


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Topic - Stryper, "Honestly" - Luminator 22:24:23 12/29/16 (1)

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