Kilroy was a shipyard inspector during World War II who marked his work with the phrase "Kilroy Was Here". American soldiers adopted the practice and spread it across the war theaters, making it a popular form of graffiti. Here are some details about Kilroy: Origins The origins of Kilroy are unclear, but most historians believe the saying originated at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts. The name may come from the Irish surname Kilroy. The character Kilroy was a caricature of a man with a long nose who was drawn on walls, floors, and ceilings. Use The phrase was used as a code to indicate that American soldiers had been in an area. For example, soldiers would leave the message on a wall to let a friend know they had arrived. Popularity The graffiti became so popular that it could be found everywhere, including on ship holds, bathrooms, bridges, and Air Force missiles. Beliefs The Germans believed Kilroy was a superspy who could go anywhere. Adolf Hitler and German intelligence may have considered the phrase to be a code name for an Allied spy.
The song tells part of the story of Robert Orin Charles Kilroy (ROCK), in the rock opera Kilroy Was Here. The song is performed by Kilroy (as played by keyboardist Dennis DeYoung), a rock and roll performer who was placed in a futuristic prison for "rock and roll misfits" by the anti-rock-and-roll group the Majority for Musical Morality (MMM) and its founder Dr. Everett Righteous (played by guitarist James Young). The Roboto is a model of robot which does menial jobs in the prison. Kilroy escapes the prison by overpowering a Roboto prison guard and hiding inside its emptied-out metal shell. When Jonathan Chance (played by guitarist Tommy Shaw) finally meets Kilroy at the very end of the song, Kilroy unmasks and yells "I'm Kilroy! Kilroy!", ending the song.
Still love this album. Tells a story. The original music video would make so much more sense for someone who doesn't know the back story on the album. Played this album over and over again in my younger years. 💜💜
I bought this album shortly after it was released; I was in high school at the time and listened to it fairly regularly. "Don't Let It End" was the senior class song that year, but the whole album was a masterpiece. I really wish someone would adapt it for the stage as a rock opera because it has all the classic beats.
I don’t know if I’ve ever clicked a video so fast, this was one of my favorite songs as a kid to listen to in the car with my mom. She had a Styx Greatest Hits CD that we listened to all the time! I haven’t watched the video yet but I am so excited to see your reaction to this!!
Love that memory! Thank you for sharing. Great tune, this was up there with Desiree by Neil Diamond and Rosanna by Toto. That's core to my 7th grade mixed tapes. Hah!
As a teen I was always so disappointed when after hearing the opening of a particular song happily thinking it was Rockn' The Paradise only to hear Best Of Times instead. The first one only got limited radio play before that ballad totally took over. It is a good ballad but I like the rocking song better.
It’s a rock opera. The album is themed on this. You’ve got to see the movie, it’s on UA-cam. This song was just written to introduce the movie, but exploded the band because it’s was their all time number one hit, but was such a break with their traditional fan base that it polarized their audience to the extreme. This song’s success broke up the band and is controversial to this day. It’s an amazing rocking song, amazing story telling. Transcended genres and audiences. It’s fascinating to learn of bands that were so successful that it broke up the band. They couldn’t handle it. The Doobie Brothers with Michael McDonald. The Cars with Drive, the Police and Synchronicity, Triumph, and the Beatles. The list goes on. This is one of those amazing songs.
You need to watch the full concept album ... it was in response to the music lyric wars tipper gore ...vice presidents wife .... wanting warning lables on albumes ... it takes it to another level ... watch the whole album video to understand ... in other comments this album broke band ... why denis de young is no longer with styx
True story. When this song came out I was attending a Christian highschool. Our Bible teacher had been a missionary to Japan and fluent in Japanese. My friend dared me to asked what domo arijato meant. I was terrified because not knowing if I was about to cuss out my Bible teacher I told him if it was bad to please not be mad. I said it his face lit up and he said, "You're welcome." It means thank you very much.😂😂😂
@@gtfoxy Well that is really weird since Styx is a mythical river in hell. I will say that the *Twisted Sister* - _Stay Hungry_ album has more Christian values than Amy Grant's secular album _Heart In Motion_ that became a hit.
@@billkeithchannel Going back to Styx, we do see additional Biblical influence, in modern extrapolation, to the story of Enoch, in Come Sail Away. It was admitted that it was a song about embarking on new adventures in life. I haven’t looked into it much further. Just affirming the posters above experience coincide with my own.
@billkeithchannel Styx is the name of the first of three rivers between the world of the living and the deceased. It's the river the deceased pays the ferry man to cross btw.
Styx, as in the Greek river of Styx, which is the river the dead take into the underworld Hades, you pay the ferryman 2 Coins to take you, hence the tradition of putting coins on the eyes of the dead
I always leave my pocket change on random headstones and gravesites so everyone has coins for the ferryman Birds and lurkers probably steal it but it's the thought that counts
Stan Winston, who became one of the most illustrious makeup artist/costume designers in Hollywood, designed the robot masks used in the video for Mr. Roboto. Winston went on to work on the James Cameron films Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Avatar.
Dennis DeYoung, one of Styx's lead singers, is a visionary. In the 1960s, he was a middle school music teacher. He composed and sang Mr. Roboto (as with all of Styx's songs). This song tells the story of a robot imprisoned in a factory who sings about wanting to be free and wanting to express emotions. Kilroy is a phrase used in military slang to indicate someone has been somewhere. Domo Arigato, BP, for featuring my all-time favorite band!!
Styx co-lead singer and keyboard player Dennis DeYoung wrote Mr. Roboto and was surprised that it went over so well in concert despite the enigmatic concept. According to DeYoung "They yell 'Kilroy' like they're out of their minds at the end of the song when I play it, and I still don't know why, because I guarantee you, 75% of them have no idea what Kilroy is doing in there." This song can be viewed as quite prophetic given the decades later rise of smartphones and voice assistants. In fact, DeYoung said in 2020: "That's going to be, like it or not - and I can't say I like it - the defining song over all of them. Because going forward, robots are going to matter."
Mr. Roboto is an EPIC Styx track, but despite being a huge hit, the overall concept behind this song effectively led to the band's initial and most damaging demise in 1984. This initial split ended their amazing streak of hit singles, beginning with the awesome power ballad "Lady" in 1973. Mr. Roboto is from Styx's succssful concept album "Kilroy Was Here," which was written and championed by co-lead singer/keyboard player Dennis DeYoung. DeYoung's vision focused on the evils of music censorship. "Kilroy", the main character of the album, is a famous rock star who is sent to prison by a group called "The Majority For Musical Morality." In jail, workers have been replaced by robots called "robotos," and Kilroy escapes inside a robot costume (ie, Mr. Roboto). Unfortunately, Styx's 1983 tour was a stage production based on the album, and was basically a logistical nightmare, lacking the profits of previous tours. Most of the band were neither enthusiastic nor on-board with the "Kilroy Concept", especially Tommy Shaw, who in addition to disliking the new musical direction, also had to do some acting in the show. Tommy Shaw is a great guitarist, songwriter, and was the co-lead vocalist for Styx. He is not an actor.... When the tour ended, the band had effectively split up and did not reform until 1990.
The whole Kilroy was here album was awful. I was a huge Styx fan and bought that album as soon as it came out. It was the last Styx album I would buy and I only listened to it once. I still remember the disappointment after listening to that terrible album.
I kind of wrote the same thing in short short form. Dennis loved it - band hated it. Kicked him out - massive lawsuits. Band kept the name but now will do a few lines from the song - once in a while will sing all of it - rare though
@@nunuvyabusiness8550 I don't agree entirely. Now yes, it had a big load of WTF to it but I admit still thinking _Heavy Metal Poisoning_ is a thunderous jam. Or maybe I'm just a sucker for JY's singing. 🤷♂ And then I tend to look past the _"Will Ferrel on line one, he says it's too over-the-top"_ aspect over the whole censorship thing. I loved the _Majority for Musical Morality_ sticker on the album digging at the misnamed _Moral Majority_ we had running around. Freely admitted though, it's a case of picking the couple of bright bits out and sort of letting the rest slide.
Yes, Mr. Roboto, 1983. Sytx. I saw them (along with REO Speedwagon) in 2018. Great show. And of course Tommy was in Damn Yankees. You should probably react to Come Again, actually.
Great reaction black Pegasus. As a child of the seventies and eighties, part of the last feral generation, I came to the same conclusion you did about this song maybe 10 years ago. Keep on keepin on 🤖👾🤖
This is part of a rock opera that starts with a short film called Kilroy was Here. In order to understand what is going on you really need to watch the entire short film, but it also spans the entire album. It's basically about a dystopian society that has outlawed music and the main guy there named Kilroy has been thrown into jail because he is a rebel who has been framed for murder. Then the blond kid is a musician/activist trying to bring back rock music by broadcasting an old Kilroy video (a Styx video). Kilroy then escapes dressed as and using one of masks of one of the Mr. Roboto robots who do all the menial tasks in life including being prison guards. The two find each other at an old rock museum. Then in concert the film would end and the concert would start with Mr. Roboto. I personally like the whole rock opera, movie and concert together, which I've found before on the internet, even sometimes on UA-cam. Some people think it is hokey, but I like dystopian future sci-fi type things, and I love Styx. I was in 7nth grade when this album came out, so 1983. Styx's music has spanned a couple of decades. At this point in time, Dennis is the older singer (35) who you hear in this song and the blond kid Tommy (23) sings, too, so you would hear him on this album and in the short movie. They are both excellent singers and musicians.
There was a story board that came with the album that helped this make sense. BASICALLY Kilroy was the man in prison. A roboto went into the cell for whatever reason (maybe a security guard) and Kilroy overpowered the robot. He then used the robot clothing and casings to disguise himself as a roboto to escape the prison and rejoin his group of freedom fighters or whatever they were. "Kilroy" is a nod to WWII. “Kilroy was here” is a phrase that originated during World War II, symbolizing the presence of American soldiers. It became popular graffiti, often accompanied by a doodle of a figure peeking over a wall, and was used to humorously mark where soldiers had been. The phrase represents camaraderie and the desire to leave a subtle mark of presence This would indicate there was some kind of struggle between man and the new roboto tech.
Back in the very early 80s, Japan's economy was peaking, leaving the rest of the world in the dust. Many companies were relocating there and it felt like things were changing rapidly everywhere. Also, devices with integrated circuits like personal computers were really taking off. So, Japan, computers, high-tech, and the dawning realization that tech could eventually dehumanize or even replace us, all that was in the zeitgeist. So, that's the environment in which this song and movies like "Terminator" and "Blade Runner" were conceived and why you see many Japanese culture references in works around that time. BTW, since you asked: "Domo Arigato" is roughly Japanese for "thank you very much."
This was my first favorite band in the early 80’s. Seen them in concert a couple times. Probably my favorite one was when Kansas opened for them. Check more Styx. Love ‘em!
a quick summary from Wikipedia..." The album's somewhat rock-operatic story tells of a future in which a fascist and theocratic government and the "MMM (the Majority for Musical Morality)" have outlawed rock music. The story's protagonist, Robert Orin Charles Kilroy (DeYoung), is a former rock star who has been imprisoned by MMM leader Dr. Everett Righteous (Young).[15] He escapes using a disguise (according to the album's famous song "Mr. Roboto") when he becomes aware that a young musician, Jonathan Chance (Shaw), is on a mission to bring rock music back."
I'm loving your reactions!! We Gen X'rs grew up with the greatest music. Styx isn't just 70's and 80's though. They have actually dropped at least one album in each of the last six decades. Their last one was Crash of the Crown in 2021, and it's one of their best.
Man, they have a whole catalog of fire-ass songs. And I saw them on this tour at the Civic Center in Monroe, Louisiana when the Kilroy Was Here album came out. Yes, it was just as good as you’d imagine. My mom drove me and my friends 80 miles to it because we were 15 at the time.
This was part of a concept Dennis DeYoung wanted the band to do. He wanted each of the members to write a part of the story, but none of the others other than Tommy Shaw really had any song writing experience. This is the only song off the album to get any air play, and the inly video. Basically, this project drove enough of a wedge between band members, it was essentially the end of Styx. It also started showing how over the edge Dennis had gone, to the point they didn't invite Dennis for a reunion tour. Actually, I think Dennis was so far into his fear of crowds, abd being a recluse, that the thought of being up on stage scared him to the point he said no.
I went to this concert (the Mr Roboto tour) in 1983. The concert opened up with the video playing on screens above the stage. When he started pulling the helmet off the video stopped and the stage lights came up and the scene was the same on the stage and they continued from there. It was like a concert and a Broadway show at the same time. Great concert.
Come Sail Away is my favorite Styx song. Love them. I think I mentioned this once before, Hannah Shaw, Tommy Shaw's daughter, is "The Kitten Lady" the famous Internet orphan kitten rescuer, author, and animal advocate. She's all over the Internet promoting animal welfare.😀
"Kilroy was here" was a popular phrase and cartoon drawn by American soldiers during World War II. The phrase was accompanied by a cartoon of a bald-headed man with a large nose peeking over a wall. The phrase and cartoon were a way for soldiers to leave a mark, connect with other soldiers, and boost morale. The phrase became a cultural symbol of the American GI and represented the resilience and camaraderie of American soldiers
I've loved Styx for years!! Renegade is soo good... talk about things in the past happening - watch you some old Star Trek. Communicators and cel phones. their books and the disk drives.. its crazy! Keep up the reviews!
The album that broke up the band. Styx had been around since 1972 and their music for the most part was driven by melodic hard rock sound & ballads. They were an arena rock band in the late 70's & early 80's, up there with bands like Journey & Foreigner in popularity. In 1983, as MTV was becoming a force for music, Styx released a concept album called KILROY WAS HERE. Dennis De Young, lead singer and founding member of Styx, wrote a lot of song. Many of the songs he wrote were hits for the band. Because of this, he felt like he was the leader of the band and wanted to control the direction. He decided to create a concept album and rock opera about a futuristic world where music was outlawed. In part, this album was a middle finger to Christian groups who put laws into place at the time who had passed a law requiring albums that had Backmasking, which is where an album has content on a track that can be played backwards. Many artists, like the Beatle's, ELO and Styx used it for artistic reasons but these Christian groups felt it was subliminal to screw with kids minds. Anyway, this concept/rock opera album about Kilroy, a musician imprisoned by a Fascist government for the music he played. This album created a lot of tension in the band who felt they needed to stick to making rock music. Dennis wanted to create an album like QUEEN'S - BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY. Dennis got his way but the tour became an expensive concept and it splintered the band who eventually threw him out of the band. Unfortunately, Dennis never returned. But this song was huge! The album went to #10 on Billboard.
Other great Styx songs to try: Crystal Ball, Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man), Man in the Wilderness, Miss America, Snowblind, Too Much Time on My Hands, and so so many more.
Everyone seems to love this song.. It's alright. Their best in my opinion would be "The Grand Illusion" It get's conflated alot with certain extremities of the philosophy behind it; It really does try to send a good message.
Long time Styx fan, so many good songs. I enjoy their Pieces of Eight album tremendously, please listen to Blue Collar Man, most of us identify with the working man.
Saw this concert live and it was amazing. Started out with a movie playing on huge screens and the venue blacked out. Suddenly, the movie stopped and the lights came up. The band was on stage standing exactly where the movie ended. Then it just got better.
I was at Styx's Kilroy was here tour in 83. My first concert. It opened with a short film about Kilroy in a Ultra- Religious dystopian future. Kilroy was the hero that brought back rock in spite of the authority.
"Mr. Roboto" is a song from Styx's 1983 album Kilroy Was Here, set in a future where a dictator, Dr. Righteous, tries to ban rock music, claiming it leads young people into trouble. The song tells part of this story, exploring a dystopian world where freedom of expression is under attack. The person singing was convicted of performing Rock music and thrown in jail and as I remember it, he overpowered one of the robots that were the prison guards and took the mechanical parts out of the "shell" of the robot and wore it to hide himself so he could escape. Now, that's a 40 year old memory, so I might be off a bit, but it is something like that in any case.
you really need to check out "Half penny, two penny" one of my personal all time favorites . "Miss America" is an in-creditable toon but "Suite Madame Blue" I think will blow you away.
"Domo arigato" means "Thank you very much" in Japanese. The albums Paradise Theater (1981) and Kilroy Was Here (1983) by Styx were both basically rock operas, because they each told a full story. I have always thought that they could be joined and make a kick ass stage musical. When they released Kilroy Was Here, the band made a short film of the basic story told on the album that was less than an hour long, and I think might be on UA-cam. The best songs from this album are "Don't Let It End" and "Just get Through This Night" (Besides "Mr. Roboto", of course).
On a slight Styx reference, I have a book called 'Quonset Hut on the River Styx: the Bomb Shelter Design Book.' As for the song, it's wonderfully weird but oh so catchy and unforgettable. Domo arigatou Mr. Pegasus
Truly ahead of its time, great song , and so forward thinking. There were many who laughed at this song, said it was the worst Styx song ever, but 40 years later, Dennis DeYoung has the last laugh. It’s an absolute classic
Try "Blue Collar Man" by Styx. Instead of Dennis DeYoung, who sings in "Mr. Roboto," Tommy Shaw has the lead vocalist role and sings very passionately about unemployment. It gets me every time.
There are so many good songs by Styx (The Best of Times, Babe, etc). Dennis DeYoung is a great singer. I’m pretty sure he started out as a music teacher. I love a song by him from the mid to late 80s. It’s called Desert Moon.
"Mr. Roboto" is a song by Styx, from their 1983 album "Kilroy Was Here". The song's narrative is part of a concept album, telling the story of a future where rock music is banned. *Lyrics Interpretation* *Main Themes* 1. Rebellion against oppression 2. Resistance against technological control 3. Importance of human creativity and emotion *Storyline* The song's protagonist, Kilroy, is imprisoned for playing rock music. "Mr. Roboto," a robot, serves as a guardian and enforcer of the oppressive regime. *Key Messages* 1. The struggle for artistic freedom 2. The dehumanizing effects of technological over-reliance 3. The power of music to inspire rebellion "Mr. Roboto" became a huge hit, reaching #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Thnakyou for these reaction videos of the music i grew up with. You have brought a tear to my eye a few times with you wonder and joy to the music. I love your appreciation of music in all of its wondrous forms. I think one of the things you are missing with this piece and others you have reacted to is the way and album would be crafted in those days. Some like the one this song came from told a full story, similar to Pink Floyd’s The Wall. Others were not so much a specific story as they were a specific mood or theme. Others like what Queen or ELO would do were pure experimentation. I think if you would go back and listen to the albums you would gain another view into the music. Keep up the great work and thank you for sharing your insights and perspective on the music of my youth.
This song is 40 years old! This song at the time was hit or miss with fans because it was more theater-like than rock. I saw this concert 3 times in 83 in 3 different cities. Styx songs have some awesome lyrics. Suite Madame Blue is about America's upcoming 200th birthday in 1976. Check out the 1996 live version!!
This was such a fantastic concept album, one that is well worth listening to from start to finish. Cool thing is as a kid a friend of mine had a video of this album that I think was a full length concert version of this album. I've spent the last 35 years searching for a copy of said video and I have never been able to find evidence it even exists lol
This is a true story…back in 1975 before Styx hit it big right after their first big hit was released….I was a sophomore in high school located in Rockdale County Ga. Our band and music coral director got a 2 hour pep rally ok’d. Only it was not a sports rally. It was a full out rock concert in our gym. Styx was set up and proceeded to rock the hell out of that gym. Our band director unknown to us was the original drummer for Styx. Way cool right! Mr. Bishop proceeded to play the drums on two songs and we all went wild. This is one of my favorite 15 year old memory.
This was 1983, and yeah it confused us back then as well. Dennis DeYoung made an entire stage show about the robot thing. According to an article online: It was written and composed by Styx's lead singer Dennis DeYoung, who also provided the vocals for the song. The song is a satirical look at futuristic robotic life, as it tells the story of a robot imprisoned in a factory, who sings about wanting to be free and wanting to express emotions.
This came out in 82 or 83. The album, “Kilroy Was Here” was a dystopic concept album/rock opera. The style was popular at the time. ELO had put out the album “Time,” in 81; another concept album that dealt with similar themes. Both were received so-so when released but have become more relevant with the passage of time. Check out “Prologue/Twilight,” by ELO.
You should check any song Dennis DeYoung sings on his band he put together when he was 61 years old. It's called the Dennis DeYoung and the Styx band. He could sing great live at 61. The song Lady is a great one to check out!!!
13:57 I grew up on Lone Wolf & Cub & Zatoichi. Lone Wolf was played by Tomisaburō Wakayama and Zatoichi was played by Shintaro Katsu. We used to have this channel here in L.A. in the 70s/80s that showed Japanese movies and I used to watch them.
What an amazing song by an amazing band! Styx produced some different type songs and they all are pure 🔥. I love Dennis DeYoung and also the Lawrence Gowan
Honestly this is one of my favorite songs. Especially from them. The Kilroy part at the end always confuses people though. But it essentially was just a doodle of a man peaking over a wall placed all over us equipment by G.I.'s during WW2. And further back then that it was based on an inspector of U.S. ships who would inspect riveters work at ship construction yards. And riveters would get paid by how many rivets they did on ships. So, when an inspector checked the rivets they left a mark, and the riveters would erase the inspector marks to get double paid. So, one inspector in a shipyard named James Kilroy used to write "Kilroy was here" next to his mark after an inspection so they could not remove his mark and get double paid.
One of Styx's best. Highly recommend having a peek at that live version on screen. When it first came out, Styx fans hated it so much, the band was booed out of concerts. When the band reformed (mostly without Roboto's Singer/Writer Denis De Young), they pretty much swore off ever playing the song again, even though opinions had turned greatly, and was seen as a huge hit to fans. It took nearly 20 years before they finally said, "F it, fine, it's your fault if this ends bad." Standing ovations every time now. Way ahead of their time.
I watched the 'opera' not to long ago. I can't decide which caused the breakup...the whole process/arguments/different visions OR Tommy Shaw's acting. Love Styx, though, before and after Tommy coming on board. Truly, one of the best live bands I've ever been lucky enough to see, too.
I cannot imagine being in a rock band and having the lead singer tell us we are doing a Broadway musical styled theme album complete with us playing dancing robots, a psychotic pastor, inmates and freedom fighters trying to save humanity from technology imported from Japan.
It is a rock opera. I never listened to the album but I love the song. That visual of Kilroy at the end is creepy enough. Many bands were experimenting with concept albums and Rock Operas. Probably coming off the success of the Who’s Tommy rock opera. It was an interesting time in music. Also the robots 🤖 taking over is a running science fiction subject for decades. I Robot comes to mind. The book and movie are different but the movie is awesome and if you think about it, scary. Star Trek was far far far ahead of its time with communicators, computers and assorted aliens some with Robotic origins. Data on Star Trek Next Generation played brilliantly by Brent Spiner, an android who wants to know what it’s like to be human. And the Borg from the same series who assimilate humans into their machine Robot type existence. And so many more TV shows and movies with Robot Themes. Being a SF nerd, I love this song.
This song was released in 1983. Cash Box magazine reviewed the single, saying that "the group sings of the struggles of a creature with a human heart and an IBM brain. They communicate their message through such devices as a voice box intro and high tech, synth effects." Billboard called it "a mesh of bouncy melody, electronically distorted vocals and a refrain in Japanese," saying that "the group bemoans the plight of 'modern man' oppressed by technology"
When you were getting chills, so was I! I love the whole Styx Greatest Hits album that this track is on, but to hear it today, 41 years after it was popular, was a tad bit disconcerting! I'm studying AI right now...😮
In 1982 a group of MIT students programmed a video game as VidKidz and was manufactured by Williams Electronics as *Robotron:2084* in which the demo screen basically tells the Terminator story before the movie was ever written.
They still tour, we saw them two years ago and they killed it. Tommy Shaw of Styx was also in Damn Yankees with Ted Nugent, Jack Blades, and Michael Cartellone.
BP-- the theme that singer/keyboardist Dennis DeYoung came up with for this album-- Kilroy Was Here,was surely ahead of it's time. But- the actual album was their last as that working unit. The rest of the band hated it,so after the tour--they were done. Any of the prior albums are bangers,tho. You have alot to discover with them. Equinox,Crystal Ball, The Grand Illusion, Pieces Of Eight, Cornerstone, and Paradise Theater are all sublime listens. Dive in! T
Kilroy was a shipyard inspector during World War II who marked his work with the phrase "Kilroy Was Here". American soldiers adopted the practice and spread it across the war theaters, making it a popular form of graffiti.
Here are some details about Kilroy:
Origins
The origins of Kilroy are unclear, but most historians believe the saying originated at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts. The name may come from the Irish surname Kilroy.
The character
Kilroy was a caricature of a man with a long nose who was drawn on walls, floors, and ceilings.
Use
The phrase was used as a code to indicate that American soldiers had been in an area. For example, soldiers would leave the message on a wall to let a friend know they had arrived.
Popularity
The graffiti became so popular that it could be found everywhere, including on ship holds, bathrooms, bridges, and Air Force missiles.
Beliefs
The Germans believed Kilroy was a superspy who could go anywhere. Adolf Hitler and German intelligence may have considered the phrase to be a code name for an Allied spy.
I was going to comment about kilroy, but this is better than I could
When I retired from the Military in 2007 you would still find Kilroy tags on random boxes amd crates of things in storage.
Styx.the river.
Nice
Kilroy also became code for "someone's always watching, but you never know if they're friend or foe"
The song tells part of the story of Robert Orin Charles Kilroy (ROCK), in the rock opera Kilroy Was Here. The song is performed by Kilroy (as played by keyboardist Dennis DeYoung), a rock and roll performer who was placed in a futuristic prison for "rock and roll misfits" by the anti-rock-and-roll group the Majority for Musical Morality (MMM) and its founder Dr. Everett Righteous (played by guitarist James Young). The Roboto is a model of robot which does menial jobs in the prison. Kilroy escapes the prison by overpowering a Roboto prison guard and hiding inside its emptied-out metal shell. When Jonathan Chance (played by guitarist Tommy Shaw) finally meets Kilroy at the very end of the song, Kilroy unmasks and yells "I'm Kilroy! Kilroy!", ending the song.
I loved the song and video for _Heavy Metal Poisoning_ and loved the double entendre of that phrase.
@@robertself5930 and I thought I was Styx geek!
Thank You for explaining this. I could not have said it any better. Well Done!! I am a teenager again!
Still love this album. Tells a story. The original music video would make so much more sense for someone who doesn't know the back story on the album. Played this album over and over again in my younger years. 💜💜
I bought this album shortly after it was released; I was in high school at the time and listened to it fairly regularly. "Don't Let It End" was the senior class song that year, but the whole album was a masterpiece. I really wish someone would adapt it for the stage as a rock opera because it has all the classic beats.
Styx - Too Much Time on my Hands - Babe - Come Sail Away - Renagade
Equinox Album not to forget.
How can you leave out Lady?
Styx "Renegade" great song!!!
It’s a Bohemian Rhapsody theme with an entirely different sound.
He reacted 4 months ago to Renegade
Go Stilers
That song set my very first big car stereo build in fire.
@@marklynn3953from pittsburgh, pa here! yes
I don’t know if I’ve ever clicked a video so fast, this was one of my favorite songs as a kid to listen to in the car with my mom. She had a Styx Greatest Hits CD that we listened to all the time! I haven’t watched the video yet but I am so excited to see your reaction to this!!
That Greatest Hits album was killer! I always loved this song as a kid too.
Love that memory! Thank you for sharing. Great tune, this was up there with Desiree by Neil Diamond and Rosanna by Toto. That's core to my 7th grade mixed tapes. Hah!
As a teen I was always so disappointed when after hearing the opening of a particular song happily thinking it was Rockn' The Paradise only to hear Best Of Times instead. The first one only got limited radio play before that ballad totally took over. It is a good ballad but I like the rocking song better.
It’s a rock opera. The album is themed on this. You’ve got to see the movie, it’s on UA-cam. This song was just written to introduce the movie, but exploded the band because it’s was their all time number one hit, but was such a break with their traditional fan base that it polarized their audience to the extreme. This song’s success broke up the band and is controversial to this day. It’s an amazing rocking song, amazing story telling. Transcended genres and audiences. It’s fascinating to learn of bands that were so successful that it broke up the band. They couldn’t handle it. The Doobie Brothers with Michael McDonald. The Cars with Drive, the Police and Synchronicity, Triumph, and the Beatles. The list goes on. This is one of those amazing songs.
I love the interview that Dennis DeYoung did with Adam Reader (@ProfessorOfRock) about this song.
The album and song suck....that's why the fans didn't like it.
Well said
Yoko broke up the Beatles.
You need to watch the full concept album ... it was in response to the music lyric wars tipper gore ...vice presidents wife .... wanting warning lables on albumes ... it takes it to another level ... watch the whole album video to understand ... in other comments this album broke band ... why denis de young is no longer with styx
Styx!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please do more!! “Babe” was always my fav. But honestly anything you pick is amazing!
Styx was one of my faves in late 70’s! They are awesome! Creepily prophetic ❤️🔥✌🏻🫶🏻
True story. When this song came out I was attending a Christian highschool. Our Bible teacher had been a missionary to Japan and fluent in Japanese. My friend dared me to asked what domo arijato meant. I was terrified because not knowing if I was about to cuss out my Bible teacher I told him if it was bad to please not be mad. I said it his face lit up and he said, "You're welcome." It means thank you very much.😂😂😂
Styx was presented to me as a “Christian Rock Band” when I was a kid.
@@gtfoxy Well that is really weird since Styx is a mythical river in hell. I will say that the *Twisted Sister* - _Stay Hungry_ album has more Christian values than Amy Grant's secular album _Heart In Motion_ that became a hit.
@@billkeithchannel Going back to Styx, we do see additional Biblical influence, in modern extrapolation, to the story of Enoch, in Come Sail Away.
It was admitted that it was a song about embarking on new adventures in life.
I haven’t looked into it much further. Just affirming the posters above experience coincide with my own.
@billkeithchannel Styx is the name of the first of three rivers between the world of the living and the deceased. It's the river the deceased pays the ferry man to cross btw.
@@lissas4152 This is why BP needs to react to: *Chris DeBurgh* - _Don't Pay The Ferryman_
Styx, as in the Greek river of Styx, which is the river the dead take into the underworld Hades, you pay the ferryman 2 Coins to take you, hence the tradition of putting coins on the eyes of the dead
I always leave my pocket change on random headstones and gravesites so everyone has coins for the ferryman
Birds and lurkers probably steal it but it's the thought that counts
His name is Chyron.
Yup! 👍
*Chris DeBurgh* - _Don't Pay The Ferryman_ is a must reaction.
You might now be ready for "Silent Running" by Mike & The Mechanics. So prescient, so good.❤
Good suggestion!
Imagine hearing this and fly like an eagle at 8-9 years old, we dreamt the year 2000 would be so much more futuristic with flying cars
And all we got was culture wars.
I love Styx! I’m a little partial to the Tommy Shaw songs but they all rock! ❤
_Girls With Guns_ is so awesome and I was ecstatic when they used it in that *Miami Vice* episode where Tommy did a guest role.
Agree!
"I am the Modren Man" always gets me!
I know! I love this pronunciation. Sounds British.
@@TeresaMosby-sm4js It was a made up word to signify that mankind was evolving into something else, something twisted.
You would love "Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)." Both for the lyrics and for the music.
Stan Winston, who became one of the most illustrious makeup artist/costume designers in Hollywood, designed the robot masks used in the video for Mr. Roboto. Winston went on to work on the James Cameron films Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Avatar.
They were so ahead of their time in the writing of this song! Thanks BP, for all your reactions!
Dennis DeYoung, one of Styx's lead singers, is a visionary. In the 1960s, he was a middle school music teacher. He composed and sang Mr. Roboto (as with all of Styx's songs). This song tells the story of a robot imprisoned in a factory who sings about wanting to be free and wanting to express emotions. Kilroy is a phrase used in military slang to indicate someone has been somewhere. Domo Arigato, BP, for featuring my all-time favorite band!!
Maybe you should re=read the story. It was not a robot, it was a man disguised as a robot.
@@robertself5930 Yes. He says he's a man disguised as a robot. I did a quick copy and paste, not thinking. Thanks for the reminder.
He's escaping from a dystopian prison in the future where musicians are imprisoned by the government it's an actual short movie to go with the album
Dennis DeYoung did not write all Styx songs. He wrote all the wimpy ones though.
@@ThomasFlipseShaw
Styx....always one of my favorite bands. Grand Illusion, Come Sail Away, couple of great songs too.
Grand illusion ❤❤❤
Styx co-lead singer and keyboard player Dennis DeYoung wrote Mr. Roboto and was surprised that it went over so well in concert despite the enigmatic concept. According to DeYoung "They yell 'Kilroy' like they're out of their minds at the end of the song when I play it, and I still don't know why, because I guarantee you, 75% of them have no idea what Kilroy is doing in there."
This song can be viewed as quite prophetic given the decades later rise of smartphones and voice assistants. In fact, DeYoung said in 2020: "That's going to be, like it or not - and I can't say I like it - the defining song over all of them. Because going forward, robots are going to matter."
Supposedly when Dennis pitched the concept to the band Tommy Shaw wanted NOTHING to do with it . . .
I grew up with Styx because they're my dad's favorite band. This was always one of my favorite songs by them.
Mr. Roboto is an EPIC Styx track, but despite being a huge hit, the overall concept behind this song effectively led to the band's initial and most damaging demise in 1984. This initial split ended their amazing streak of hit singles, beginning with the awesome power ballad "Lady" in 1973.
Mr. Roboto is from Styx's succssful concept album "Kilroy Was Here," which was written and championed by co-lead singer/keyboard player Dennis DeYoung. DeYoung's vision focused on the evils of music censorship. "Kilroy", the main character of the album, is a famous rock star who is sent to prison by a group called "The Majority For Musical Morality." In jail, workers have been replaced by robots called "robotos," and Kilroy escapes inside a robot costume (ie, Mr. Roboto).
Unfortunately, Styx's 1983 tour was a stage production based on the album, and was basically a logistical nightmare, lacking the profits of previous tours. Most of the band were neither enthusiastic nor on-board with the "Kilroy Concept", especially Tommy Shaw, who in addition to disliking the new musical direction, also had to do some acting in the show. Tommy Shaw is a great guitarist, songwriter, and was the co-lead vocalist for Styx. He is not an actor....
When the tour ended, the band had effectively split up and did not reform until 1990.
Came here for this spot on my friend. I saw a documentary about Styx and this entire feud between the band trying to get this song done.
The whole Kilroy was here album was awful. I was a huge Styx fan and bought that album as soon as it came out. It was the last Styx album I would buy and I only listened to it once. I still remember the disappointment after listening to that terrible album.
I kind of wrote the same thing in short short form. Dennis loved it - band hated it. Kicked him out - massive lawsuits. Band kept the name but now will do a few lines from the song - once in a while will sing all of it - rare though
@@nunuvyabusiness8550 I don't agree entirely. Now yes, it had a big load of WTF to it but I admit still thinking _Heavy Metal Poisoning_ is a thunderous jam. Or maybe I'm just a sucker for JY's singing. 🤷♂
And then I tend to look past the _"Will Ferrel on line one, he says it's too over-the-top"_ aspect over the whole censorship thing. I loved the _Majority for Musical Morality_ sticker on the album digging at the misnamed _Moral Majority_ we had running around. Freely admitted though, it's a case of picking the couple of bright bits out and sort of letting the rest slide.
Laaaaaaaaday! When you're with me I'm smiling. :)
Yes, Mr. Roboto, 1983. Sytx. I saw them (along with REO Speedwagon) in 2018. Great show. And of course Tommy was in Damn Yankees. You should probably react to Come Again, actually.
Great reaction black Pegasus. As a child of the seventies and eighties, part of the last feral generation, I came to the same conclusion you did about this song maybe 10 years ago. Keep on keepin on 🤖👾🤖
Love Styx ! This came out in 1983. I love anything by Styx.
I'm from Chicago, I saw Styx in a high school gym in the 70s before they were famous. I seen them in concert a lot especially in last few years. Thanx
This is part of a rock opera that starts with a short film called Kilroy was Here. In order to understand what is going on you really need to watch the entire short film, but it also spans the entire album. It's basically about a dystopian society that has outlawed music and the main guy there named Kilroy has been thrown into jail because he is a rebel who has been framed for murder. Then the blond kid is a musician/activist trying to bring back rock music by broadcasting an old Kilroy video (a Styx video). Kilroy then escapes dressed as and using one of masks of one of the Mr. Roboto robots who do all the menial tasks in life including being prison guards. The two find each other at an old rock museum. Then in concert the film would end and the concert would start with Mr. Roboto.
I personally like the whole rock opera, movie and concert together, which I've found before on the internet, even sometimes on UA-cam. Some people think it is hokey, but I like dystopian future sci-fi type things, and I love Styx. I was in 7nth grade when this album came out, so 1983. Styx's music has spanned a couple of decades. At this point in time, Dennis is the older singer (35) who you hear in this song and the blond kid Tommy (23) sings, too, so you would hear him on this album and in the short movie. They are both excellent singers and musicians.
There was a story board that came with the album that helped this make sense. BASICALLY Kilroy was the man in prison. A roboto went into the cell for whatever reason (maybe a security guard) and Kilroy overpowered the robot. He then used the robot clothing and casings to disguise himself as a roboto to escape the prison and rejoin his group of freedom fighters or whatever they were.
"Kilroy" is a nod to WWII. “Kilroy was here” is a phrase that originated during World War II, symbolizing the presence of American soldiers. It became popular graffiti, often accompanied by a doodle of a figure peeking over a wall, and was used to humorously mark where soldiers had been. The phrase represents camaraderie and the desire to leave a subtle mark of presence
This would indicate there was some kind of struggle between man and the new roboto tech.
Back in the very early 80s, Japan's economy was peaking, leaving the rest of the world in the dust. Many companies were relocating there and it felt like things were changing rapidly everywhere. Also, devices with integrated circuits like personal computers were really taking off. So, Japan, computers, high-tech, and the dawning realization that tech could eventually dehumanize or even replace us, all that was in the zeitgeist. So, that's the environment in which this song and movies like "Terminator" and "Blade Runner" were conceived and why you see many Japanese culture references in works around that time. BTW, since you asked: "Domo Arigato" is roughly Japanese for "thank you very much."
This was my first favorite band in the early 80’s. Seen them in concert a couple times. Probably my favorite one was when Kansas opened for them.
Check more Styx. Love ‘em!
Probably the most underrated band of all time
a quick summary from Wikipedia..." The album's somewhat rock-operatic story tells of a future in which a fascist and theocratic government and the "MMM (the Majority for Musical Morality)" have outlawed rock music. The story's protagonist, Robert Orin Charles Kilroy (DeYoung), is a former rock star who has been imprisoned by MMM leader Dr. Everett Righteous (Young).[15] He escapes using a disguise (according to the album's famous song "Mr. Roboto") when he becomes aware that a young musician, Jonathan Chance (Shaw), is on a mission to bring rock music back."
I'm loving your reactions!! We Gen X'rs grew up with the greatest music. Styx isn't just 70's and 80's though. They have actually dropped at least one album in each of the last six decades. Their last one was Crash of the Crown in 2021, and it's one of their best.
I love this song. heard it a million times. And yes it's domo arigato means thank you very much
Man, they have a whole catalog of fire-ass songs. And I saw them on this tour at the Civic Center in Monroe, Louisiana when the Kilroy Was Here album came out. Yes, it was just as good as you’d imagine. My mom drove me and my friends 80 miles to it because we were 15 at the time.
My dad just said styx. " babe" was a classic back in the day....keep pumping out great content BP 👌🏽
Good one!!
This was part of a concept Dennis DeYoung wanted the band to do. He wanted each of the members to write a part of the story, but none of the others other than Tommy Shaw really had any song writing experience. This is the only song off the album to get any air play, and the inly video.
Basically, this project drove enough of a wedge between band members, it was essentially the end of Styx. It also started showing how over the edge Dennis had gone, to the point they didn't invite Dennis for a reunion tour.
Actually, I think Dennis was so far into his fear of crowds, abd being a recluse, that the thought of being up on stage scared him to the point he said no.
I went to this concert (the Mr Roboto tour) in 1983. The concert opened up with the video playing on screens above the stage. When he started pulling the helmet off the video stopped and the stage lights came up and the scene was the same on the stage and they continued from there. It was like a concert and a Broadway show at the same time. Great concert.
Come Sail Away is my favorite Styx song. Love them. I think I mentioned this once before, Hannah Shaw, Tommy Shaw's daughter, is "The Kitten Lady" the famous Internet orphan kitten rescuer, author, and animal advocate. She's all over the Internet promoting animal welfare.😀
"Kilroy was here" was a popular phrase and cartoon drawn by American soldiers during World War II. The phrase was accompanied by a cartoon of a bald-headed man with a large nose peeking over a wall. The phrase and cartoon were a way for soldiers to leave a mark, connect with other soldiers, and boost morale. The phrase became a cultural symbol of the American GI and represented the resilience and camaraderie of American soldiers
This is my all time favorite Styx song. They have so many great songs!
I've loved Styx for years!! Renegade is soo good... talk about things in the past happening - watch you some old Star Trek. Communicators and cel phones. their books and the disk drives.. its crazy! Keep up the reviews!
The album that broke up the band. Styx had been around since 1972 and their music for the most part was driven by melodic hard rock sound & ballads. They were an arena rock band in the late 70's & early 80's, up there with bands like Journey & Foreigner in popularity. In 1983, as MTV was becoming a force for music, Styx released a concept album called KILROY WAS HERE. Dennis De Young, lead singer and founding member of Styx, wrote a lot of song. Many of the songs he wrote were hits for the band. Because of this, he felt like he was the leader of the band and wanted to control the direction. He decided to create a concept album and rock opera about a futuristic world where music was outlawed. In part, this album was a middle finger to Christian groups who put laws into place at the time who had passed a law requiring albums that had Backmasking, which is where an album has content on a track that can be played backwards. Many artists, like the Beatle's, ELO and Styx used it for artistic reasons but these Christian groups felt it was subliminal to screw with kids minds. Anyway, this concept/rock opera album about Kilroy, a musician imprisoned by a Fascist government for the music he played. This album created a lot of tension in the band who felt they needed to stick to making rock music. Dennis wanted to create an album like QUEEN'S - BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY. Dennis got his way but the tour became an expensive concept and it splintered the band who eventually threw him out of the band. Unfortunately, Dennis never returned. But this song was huge! The album went to #10 on Billboard.
Other great Styx songs to try: Crystal Ball, Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man), Man in the Wilderness, Miss America, Snowblind, Too Much Time on My Hands, and so so many more.
Everyone seems to love this song.. It's alright. Their best in my opinion would be "The Grand Illusion" It get's conflated alot with certain extremities of the philosophy behind it; It really does try to send a good message.
I played Styx since I was 13 now 58 and Tommy lead vocals mostly there still rocking in 2024
Long time Styx fan, so many good songs. I enjoy their Pieces of Eight album tremendously, please listen to Blue Collar Man, most of us identify with the working man.
After Styx, Dennis DeYoung had a solo career. His hit 'Desert Moon' is a really great song. It makes you feel very nostalgic when you listen to it.
Love "Desert Moon"
Desert Moon is a great song!
This is a song that when I hear it, I stop what I am doing and enjoy it. Styx was an incredible band.
Saw this concert live and it was amazing. Started out with a movie playing on huge screens and the venue blacked out. Suddenly, the movie stopped and the lights came up. The band was on stage standing exactly where the movie ended. Then it just got better.
Please do the 1983 live version (from “Caught In the Act” tour) of “Suite Madame Blue” and “Man in the Wilderness”!! My fave band!!!!!
I was at Styx's Kilroy was here tour in 83. My first concert. It opened with a short film about Kilroy in a Ultra- Religious dystopian future. Kilroy was the hero that brought back rock in spite of the authority.
Styx has a bunch of great songs grand illusion , fooling yourself, blue collar man, renegade, Suite madam blue, lady, crystal ball
"The problem's plain to see. Too much technology." I'm turning off my computer now.
When this song came out, despite being a big hit-a lot of people hated it which spelled the beginning of the end for Styx.
"Mr. Roboto" is a song from Styx's 1983 album Kilroy Was Here, set in a future where a dictator, Dr. Righteous, tries to ban rock music, claiming it leads young people into trouble. The song tells part of this story, exploring a dystopian world where freedom of expression is under attack. The person singing was convicted of performing Rock music and thrown in jail and as I remember it, he overpowered one of the robots that were the prison guards and took the mechanical parts out of the "shell" of the robot and wore it to hide himself so he could escape. Now, that's a 40 year old memory, so I might be off a bit, but it is something like that in any case.
you really need to check out "Half penny, two penny" one of my personal all time favorites . "Miss America" is an in-creditable toon but "Suite Madame Blue" I think will blow you away.
"Domo arigato" means "Thank you very much" in Japanese.
The albums Paradise Theater (1981) and Kilroy Was Here (1983) by Styx were both basically rock operas, because they each told a full story. I have always thought that they could be joined and make a kick ass stage musical.
When they released Kilroy Was Here, the band made a short film of the basic story told on the album that was less than an hour long, and I think might be on UA-cam. The best songs from this album are "Don't Let It End" and "Just get Through This Night" (Besides "Mr. Roboto", of course).
Sweet Madame Blue. My absolute favorite Styx song.
Absolutely Love Dennis DeYoung's voice. So clear and strong and flexible. Beautiful!!
On a slight Styx reference, I have a book called 'Quonset Hut on the River Styx: the Bomb Shelter Design Book.'
As for the song, it's wonderfully weird but oh so catchy and unforgettable.
Domo arigatou Mr. Pegasus
Truly ahead of its time, great song , and so forward thinking. There were many who laughed at this song, said it was the worst Styx song ever, but 40 years later, Dennis DeYoung has the last laugh. It’s an absolute classic
This is a classic!! I was a teen in the 80's.
Try "Blue Collar Man" by Styx. Instead of Dennis DeYoung, who sings in "Mr. Roboto," Tommy Shaw has the lead vocalist role and sings very passionately about unemployment. It gets me every time.
Haaaaa! You’re reaction is amazing once again❤
This song was from the album "Kilroy Was Here" which was a concept album with a central theme throughout all the songs.
There are so many good songs by Styx (The Best of Times, Babe, etc). Dennis DeYoung is a great singer. I’m pretty sure he started out as a music teacher. I love a song by him from the mid to late 80s. It’s called Desert Moon.
I haven't heard this is forever. Great reaction! ❤
"Mr. Roboto" is a song by Styx, from their 1983 album "Kilroy Was Here". The song's narrative is part of a concept album, telling the story of a future where rock music is banned.
*Lyrics Interpretation*
*Main Themes*
1. Rebellion against oppression
2. Resistance against technological control
3. Importance of human creativity and emotion
*Storyline*
The song's protagonist, Kilroy, is imprisoned for playing rock music. "Mr. Roboto," a robot, serves as a guardian and enforcer of the oppressive regime.
*Key Messages*
1. The struggle for artistic freedom
2. The dehumanizing effects of technological over-reliance
3. The power of music to inspire rebellion
"Mr. Roboto" became a huge hit, reaching #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Totally forgot about this song. Thank you, now this song is going to be spinning in my head for the next week. 😆
Thnakyou for these reaction videos of the music i grew up with. You have brought a tear to my eye a few times with you wonder and joy to the music. I love your appreciation of music in all of its wondrous forms.
I think one of the things you are missing with this piece and others you have reacted to is the way and album would be crafted in those days. Some like the one this song came from told a full story, similar to Pink Floyd’s The Wall. Others were not so much a specific story as they were a specific mood or theme. Others like what Queen or ELO would do were pure experimentation. I think if you would go back and listen to the albums you would gain another view into the music.
Keep up the great work and thank you for sharing your insights and perspective on the music of my youth.
This song is 40 years old! This song at the time was hit or miss with fans because it was more theater-like than rock. I saw this concert 3 times in 83 in 3 different cities. Styx songs have some awesome lyrics. Suite Madame Blue is about America's upcoming 200th birthday in 1976. Check out the 1996 live version!!
This was such a fantastic concept album, one that is well worth listening to from start to finish. Cool thing is as a kid a friend of mine had a video of this album that I think was a full length concert version of this album. I've spent the last 35 years searching for a copy of said video and I have never been able to find evidence it even exists lol
This is a true story…back in 1975 before Styx hit it big right after their first big hit was released….I was a sophomore in high school located in Rockdale County Ga. Our band and music coral director got a 2 hour pep rally ok’d. Only it was not a sports rally. It was a full out rock concert in our gym. Styx was set up and proceeded to rock the hell out of that gym. Our band director unknown to us was the original drummer for Styx. Way cool right! Mr. Bishop proceeded to play the drums on two songs and we all went wild. This is one of my favorite 15 year old memory.
This was 1983, and yeah it confused us back then as well. Dennis DeYoung made an entire stage show about the robot thing.
According to an article online: It was written and composed by Styx's lead singer Dennis DeYoung, who also provided the vocals for the song. The song is a satirical look at futuristic robotic life, as it tells the story of a robot imprisoned in a factory, who sings about wanting to be free and wanting to express emotions.
No it's about a dystopian future where musicians are imprisoned, explains it all in the album, it's a rock opera basically
Similar to 'The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging' on "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" by Genesis. So cool.
Really taking me back with this song. Love STYX! 🙂✌️👍💜
This came out in 82 or 83. The album, “Kilroy Was Here” was a dystopic concept album/rock opera. The style was popular at the time. ELO had put out the album “Time,” in 81; another concept album that dealt with similar themes. Both were received so-so when released but have become more relevant with the passage of time. Check out “Prologue/Twilight,” by ELO.
You should check any song Dennis DeYoung sings on his band he put together when he was 61 years old. It's called the Dennis DeYoung and the Styx band. He could sing great live at 61. The song Lady is a great one to check out!!!
13:57 I grew up on Lone Wolf & Cub & Zatoichi. Lone Wolf was played by Tomisaburō Wakayama and Zatoichi was played by Shintaro Katsu. We used to have this channel here in L.A. in the 70s/80s that showed Japanese movies and I used to watch them.
What an amazing song by an amazing band! Styx produced some different type songs and they all are pure 🔥. I love Dennis DeYoung and also the Lawrence Gowan
Honestly this is one of my favorite songs. Especially from them. The Kilroy part at the end always confuses people though. But it essentially was just a doodle of a man peaking over a wall placed all over us equipment by G.I.'s during WW2. And further back then that it was based on an inspector of U.S. ships who would inspect riveters work at ship construction yards. And riveters would get paid by how many rivets they did on ships. So, when an inspector checked the rivets they left a mark, and the riveters would erase the inspector marks to get double paid. So, one inspector in a shipyard named James Kilroy used to write "Kilroy was here" next to his mark after an inspection so they could not remove his mark and get double paid.
Caught in the Act. The album is rock opera built around the song
One of Styx's best. Highly recommend having a peek at that live version on screen. When it first came out, Styx fans hated it so much, the band was booed out of concerts. When the band reformed (mostly without Roboto's Singer/Writer Denis De Young), they pretty much swore off ever playing the song again, even though opinions had turned greatly, and was seen as a huge hit to fans. It took nearly 20 years before they finally said, "F it, fine, it's your fault if this ends bad." Standing ovations every time now. Way ahead of their time.
I watched the 'opera' not to long ago. I can't decide which caused the breakup...the whole process/arguments/different visions OR Tommy Shaw's acting. Love Styx, though, before and after Tommy coming on board. Truly, one of the best live bands I've ever been lucky enough to see, too.
I cannot imagine being in a rock band and having the lead singer tell us we are doing a Broadway musical styled theme album complete with us playing dancing robots, a psychotic pastor, inmates and freedom fighters trying to save humanity from technology imported from Japan.
@@nealm6764 You got that right. Tommy Shaw and JY James Young wanted to rock.
It is a rock opera. I never listened to the album but I love the song. That visual of Kilroy at the end is creepy enough. Many bands were experimenting with concept albums and Rock Operas. Probably coming off the success of the Who’s Tommy rock opera. It was an interesting time in music. Also the robots 🤖 taking over is a running science fiction subject for decades. I Robot comes to mind. The book and movie are different but the movie is awesome and if you think about it, scary. Star Trek was far far far ahead of its time with communicators, computers and assorted aliens some with Robotic origins. Data on Star Trek Next Generation played brilliantly by Brent Spiner, an android who wants to know what it’s like to be human. And the Borg from the same series who assimilate humans into their machine Robot type existence. And so many more TV shows and movies with Robot Themes. Being a SF nerd, I love this song.
Mr. Roboto was from the album "Kilroy was here." The album was originally planed to be a rock opera about the saga of Kilroy AKA Mr.Roboto.
Styx is still on tour released a new album 2 years ago. They still put on a killer concert. I saw them live february 2023 and they rocked it.
You have to watch the movie Wargames. There are very few of us that were on the internets in the 80s
Thank you so much for the extra support.. I might have to peep that movie!
This song was released in 1983. Cash Box magazine reviewed the single, saying that "the group sings of the struggles of a creature with a human heart and an IBM brain. They communicate their message through such devices as a voice box intro and high tech, synth effects." Billboard called it "a mesh of bouncy melody, electronically distorted vocals and a refrain in Japanese," saying that "the group bemoans the plight of 'modern man' oppressed by technology"
Styx's Man in the Wilderness and Babe are in my opinion some of the best of their work
When you were getting chills, so was I! I love the whole Styx Greatest Hits album that this track is on, but to hear it today, 41 years after it was popular, was a tad bit disconcerting! I'm studying AI right now...😮
This was my first Styx concert. 1984. Amazing show. I’ve seen them nine times now.
Styx is a great group, so many great songs!!❤❤❤❤❤
They were popular in the 70's and early 80's. I had their "Paradise Theatre" album.
In 1982 a group of MIT students programmed a video game as VidKidz and was manufactured by Williams Electronics as *Robotron:2084* in which the demo screen basically tells the Terminator story before the movie was ever written.
They still tour, we saw them two years ago and they killed it.
Tommy Shaw of Styx was also in Damn Yankees with Ted Nugent, Jack Blades, and Michael Cartellone.
BP-- the theme that singer/keyboardist Dennis DeYoung came up with for this album-- Kilroy Was Here,was surely ahead of it's time. But- the actual album was their last as that working unit. The rest of the band hated it,so after the tour--they were done. Any of the prior albums are bangers,tho. You have alot to discover with them. Equinox,Crystal Ball, The Grand Illusion, Pieces Of Eight, Cornerstone, and Paradise Theater are all sublime listens. Dive in! T
These ideas were part of the zeitgeist of the 80's. I watched Styx (and Montrose) live in concert in 1976 and even then they were a head space!
This song is the first song on a concept album from Styx. It is from 1983. The Le ad singer is Dennis De Young.
Great reaction!!! Loved it 🙃