I Still Believe (Great Design)

Bodybuilding saxophonist Tim Capello's ripped, oiled-up performance of this song in the 1987 vampire flick Lost Boys may end up standing as the definitive performance of this song. The song's cult status has given it lasting appeal, and it continues to appeal to viewers of all ages. Early in that film, the main characters are exploring the boardwalk of fictional Santa Carla, California, when they see Capello performing on the beach, he and his raucous audience illuminated by flaming oil drums. Capello's swollen physique and overt sexuality has long stuck in the minds of viewers, and subsequently the song "I Still Believe" is frequently mistaken as a sort of gimmick. It's no such thing. Capello was a widely respected saxophonist who toured with the likes of Tina Turner in her peak, and his version is a passionate rendition of a heavy, philosophical song.

It was The Call who released the song one year before it was used in Lost Boys - the song was written by their lead singer, Michael Been, and keyboard player, Jim Goodwin. The band formed in Santa Cruz, California (almost certainly an influence on at least the name of the fictional "Santa Clara" the film is based in). The Call had some success with the single, as it reached #17 on the Modern Rock chart. The group is best known for their song "Let the Day Begin" from 1989.

The song appears to be based in Christian belief, though Jesus Christ is never mentioned by name. The first verse goes: Oh oh I've been in a cave For forty days Only a spark To light my way. I want to give out I want to give in This is our crime This is our sin It's almost certainly referencing the story of Jesus fasting in the wilderness for 40 days and nights, recounted in Biblical Gospels Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1–13, and frequently referred to today as the Temptation of Christ. In that story, Jesus is in the Judean desert and is tempted by the Devil with all sorts of goodies, but he refuses every one. After the first verse, the song deviates from representing Christ's perspective (or at least using it as a metaphor) and seems to move to modern day. At this point, it's frontman Michael Been's declaration of continued faith through all the trials and temptations of life. Through the horrors of war and through "the cheers" (presumably referring to the temptations of fame and success), he still believes in something higher than the material world.