Honestly I think GI was what got me into prog in my mid teens. From this poppy/proggy I moved on to true prog giants like Yes, ELP, Genesis,. Floyd etc etc.
@@David-iv6je Yeah, they did a great job of being proggy and accessible at the same time. A bit like Kansas in that respect (though they have different sounds).
''Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)'' is phenomenal on multiple levels. Just a fantastic listen that never gets old. Guitarist Tommy Shaw shows off his stellar lead-singing chops.
They didn't rate it. They gave it a favorable reaction. I think they save their rankings for the YT Channel reactions. They really liked it though but they didn't like FY nearly as much as they loved CSA. @@peterwalsh2470
About 20 years ago on WLS an AM station in Chicago Dennis was doing a live interview. A guy called in and told him he had bought a house that Dennis once owned. Dennis asked enough questions to know which house it was. He told the guy to go to the room in the back and to put a chair in the middle of the room looking out all the windows toward the woods and water. It was in that very place he had written "Come Sail Away".
This song has always been a constant favorite throughout my life. “Suite Madame Blue” is another great one to check out. It takes you on quite a musical journey.
"Miss America" only is not only a well-written, well recorded banger of a rock song, but the lyrics are a fantastic commentary on America and how she sees herself. "In your cage at the human zoo/They'll all stop to look at you/Next year, what will you do/When you have been forgotten?"
You need to check out another Styx song, Lady. It's another song that starts slow, but kicks in with a driving beat and reaches an amazing crescendo at the end.👍
You are so right. I saw them in 77 and they started with Lady and the power for the amps went off. The PA still worked and Dennis continued to sing it. The power came back about a minute later and the band just started right where he was in the song. Amazing!
Tommy Shaw - Montgomery, Alabama's own. I have a dear friend who grew up in Montgomery in the 1970s, and he "knew him back when." The mother of a mutual friend of his told him about the time that a shy, uncertain 14-year-old Tommy Shaw was over at her house, and sat at her kitchen table with an acoustic guitar to play her some of the new song he was working on. It was called "Crystal Ball." It would be a while yet before he got the phone call from Styx to replace John Curulewski.
This was my gateway album into Styx. (graduated '80) This song was everywhere. Styx became my favorite group. I begun searching their past albums and couple of my favorite songs are from the Wooden Nickel era.
One of my greatest concert disappointments in the early '80's was the Styx concert I attended in Salina, KS...the Mr. Roboto album tour....they played/sounded great, but they did a "rock opera" show based on that song, dressed in space age suits, and played ZERO encores while avoiding playing some of their greatest hits....but even so, still a big fan!
This is an excellent album. The original LP was made from different colored vinyl. I had a green one and a yellow one, they also came in red. My favorite track is Man in the Wilderness, with honorable mention for Miss America, a banger
Agreed on album and songs! Miss America is DEFINITELY a rocker, thank you James Young! Quite out of character compared to the rest of their oeuvre. Speaking of out of character rockers, check out The Osmond Brothers "Crazy Horses". Brass fueled anti pollution/combustion engine rocker with a crazy screaming lyrics hook. Not very Mormon-y at all...
My favorite is also "Man In The Wilderness". Such a powerful track. That and "Queen Of Spades" are probably my favorite Styx songs, although "Suite Madame Blue" is right up there for me, too.
@@markjacobsen8335Will do, thanks! EDIT: Oh hell ya! I just hit it now. SO dirty and gritty blues! Reminds me of Muddy Waters' Electric Mud on a much more white boy level. lol! Thanks for the suggestion!
My local rock radio station used to, once a year around July 4th, play the 500 most requested songs of the year. 15 years after this song was released, it was still the 3rd most requested song behind Won't Get Fooled Again and Stairway To Heaven.
Wow, those are great songs for sure, not surprised. Can't say I've ever requested any of em, I'm 64 by the way. Seen the Who with and without Keith, saw Styx twice, great concert, but Dennis De Young was always a little too spritzy for me. It seemed like here's Dennis prancing around behind the keyboards ( great keyboard player and vocals), and over here we have these four other guys hammering away at their instruments, all Killin it. Thats all 😁👍👍✌
"Come Sail Away" is part of a specific sub-category of Styx songs; there are only three of them and they are far and away my favorite Styx recordings. In order: "Lady" (from Styx II/1973), "Lorelei" (from Equinox/1976) and "Come Sail Away" (Grand Illusion/1977). All were written and sung by keyboardist Dennis DeYoung, all three start with a soft keyboard intro before exploding into a chugging rock rhythm, and all climax with a blazing guitar solo by Dennis' brother James. You need to hit the other two, or do a special video where you play all three back-to-back-to-back. I've seen them do all three live and they kick ass.
My very first Styx album. It was so cool hearing this for the first time in 1977. To think this was just everyday radio airplay when I was 19 still blows my mind.
Bombastic and beautiful. Something that is missing in today's music. Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight are 2 of the late 1970 albums that stand the test of time.
1977 This song, and Cold as Ice by Foreigner dominated the top 40 radio for rock tunes 😎 all the players rock, but John's Drumming is 'S' tier perfection 🥁🤘! John Ponozo and Myron Grombocher from Benetar are so overlooked by the masses and are truly awesome drummers!
Styx is my mom's favorite band. My childhood was heavily formed around these songs, so i get massive wave of nostalgia every time i hear any Styx song. That intro specifically.
So much good music from my teen years in the 70's. So much of Styx's songs never got airplay and are so good and deep. Their albums Equinox, The Grand Illusion, Pieces Of Eight, Cornerstone, Paradise Theater were all must haves.
The one thing I miss when I hear Suite Madam Blue is not very many people play Prelude 12 the track before it. It just sets up the whole mood for Suite.
The only thing better hearing than this song? Hearing it LIVE! Four times. And it never fails to blow your mind. Was standing up on the hill at Riverport Amphitheater, outside St Louis, at a Styx concert. The rain finally stopped. Tommy is tearing the guitar a new one. The guy next to me was like "man, does it get better than this?" Couldn't argue.
Tommie Shaw did a bunch of Styx songs with Daryl Hall on Live From Daryl's House!!! Great versions to check out on YT!! edit- Live From Daryl's House is coming back for a 7th season!
The Grand Illusion album is totally killer!! Other songs like Castle Walls, Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man), Man In The Wilderness, Miss America, are all fire!
I didn't sppreciate Styx when they were a thing but boy, howdy, I do now!!!! This song is genius and so so uplifting. The arrangement alone is so beautiful.
Most Styx songs, are so well crafted it is sick. Their songs build up in various layers, into a crescendo of powerful emotional orchestral endings. Absolutely one of my favorite bands ever. Seen them live 8 times. As for the drummer…. John Panozzo, (R.I.P.)Sooooo underrated, sooooo under appreciated. He really should be ranked up with the likes of Danny Carey, Bonham, Peart, Bruford, Portnoy, Roger Taylor, and Ringo. The entire band during any one of their line ups, has been and is top of the class talent.
Paradise Theater guys! Concept album loosely based on the true history of the Paradise theater in Chicago. STYX was originally a Chicagoland band. I would love to hear your thoughts about that albbum
Their best albums are Paradise Theater, The Grand Illusion, and Pieces of Eight (which has Renegade). Other songs to hit from Styx are "Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)", "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)", and "Suite Madame Blue", which is their epic closer to the Equinox album.
Styx made a full concert video called Return to Paradise that was filmed at the Paradise Theater in Chicago before it closed. It’s a great live concert!
Huge in junior high school. Staple at every school dance. If you’ve never seen the short lived awesome show Freaks and Geeks, this song is placed at the end of the pilot episode in a perfect scene capturing 1980 perfectly.
OK, that seals it: I'm gonna FINALLY watch that damn series I've heard so many good things about, lol! Props. I also like the 80's-ish vibe that Smashing Pumpkins vid "1979" exudes.
@joescott8877 It's a tough watch if you are in your mid 50s (due to realism - I could find every character in my high school yearbook) but well worth it.
For me, this song is why the radio was so important. Just me, now, I might think of this song to play on Spotify or whatever, but I'd think "oh sure, I know that song" and never bother. On the radio a DJ played it for us, so we'd have to listen - and remember all over again how GOOD this was. That's the experience I got watching this video - gratitude for the reminder of how much I liked this song. Cheers guys
Great reaction A&A! Just wanted to say I really appreciate you reading the lyrics along with songs now - as with this tune, you may miss a lot of the content/enjoyment of a song without understanding the lyrics. Rock on, Gents!
Haven’t heard it for a minute, and recalled the first time! A seductive, melancholy start building to full-on joy and wonder! Huge emotional range in one song. Loved your reaction.
I adored this band in high school! I had everyone of their albums and saw them live in concert twice at the Lakeland Civic Center in Lakeland, Florida. This song reminds me of summer days at the beach.
This is Styx’s signature song, much like “Carry On Wayward Son,” by Kansas. It’s amusing to look back to the 60’s and 70’s when we were listening to this, Zepplin, Yes, Moody Blues, etc while reading Tolkien because Peter Jackson made Tolkien cool and so many younger folks are rediscovering the music.
YES!!! I suggested this to you all on your last Styx listen. GREAT song... GREAT!! Looking forward to seeing your reaction to the ending lyrics reveal! Grand Illusion, this one, as their record to hit entirely. Definitely their Magnum Opus/top of the curve!
When I was in college, at almost every party I attended someone would crank up this Styx song that had lyrics like “Light up, everybody. Join us in this celebration” and “I just need one hit to get me high. Because when I’m with you baby, I’m halfway high”. Does any Styx fans recognize this song? Pretty sure it was Styx.
Great analysis of the instrument mix. The bass and drum tone and mix have a finesse and sound that has not been replicated since. I recommend to listen to Grand Illusion from the same album, the mix is just as unique.
Styx is a group that certainly deserves and belongs to be in the RRHOF. This, to me, is their greatest song. You could spend a week delving in to the different eras of their career that has spanned 50 years. Some seriously good songwriting and in-turn records. My favorite group, and yes…a perfect song.
As overblown and silly as Styx sometimes get, I remember hearing this song at age 12 (1981 for me) and thinking this was indeed a perfect rock song. It does feel "dated" but hasn't lost any of it's magnificence. Really chuffed to see you guys enjoying it so much.
I wore this LP OUT back in the day! Styx was and IS STILL a true favorite of mine. Tommy Effin Shaw! They are all great performers. LOVE IT! PARADISE THEATER NEXT PLEASE!!!
i still love this song to death. i have two specific memories of it: one, the sound of every girl in my 8th grade class going "AWWWWW!!!" when it came on during a dance, and two, the local news station in Denver used the music after the synthy break (when the guitars come ripping back in) on one of their commercials to highlight their new helicopter news team. I can't hear it without thinking of epic shots of this helicopter flying around Denver, lol.
Thank YOU for doing this!!!! Someone asked me why I was here because I requested them. What a D_ _ _! If you haven't seen it on Styx's channel, they have a concert they played live and did The Grand Illusion and Pieces Of Eight. It is so good!!! Done in 2012, I believe. It is done as though you are listening on vinyl, old school, side A, Side B. Then ,The next record. I am going to see them in summer 2024!
"S"tyx. This song really encapsulates what made 70s era Styx so incredible....prog, hard rock, ballad, maybe even a bit psychedelic because of the middle instrumental section. Released on 7/7/77 The Grand Illusion album was released the same year as "Star Wars: A New Hope" so going from a ship to a starship made this song even cooler. Full album needs to be "The Grand Illusion" or "Pieces of Eight".
Love this! Styx was a favorite when I was in high school. I also loved the Paradise Theater album. We thought it was so cool because it had a hologram? design on it.
Think of the breadth and depth of skill to pull this off with analog gear. Totally underated. Masters. I love that you guys get to discover this for the first time. The anticipation of wishing, dreaming, hoping it would come on the radio again before you saved enough lawn mowing money to finally get the album made all that much better when you finally got to hear it again.
You guys finally got back to my favorite band, and yes there's lots more. "Come Sail Away" has a lot of usual Styx elements in multiple movements: beautiful opening melody with Dennis' soaring voice and his piano that has a classical feel and pseudo-random high notes, tempo pickup with drums and guitars kicking in, keyboard or guitar solo(s), and then everything coming together in rockin' climax (you should see that in a live performance). Best album debate between "The Grand Illusion" and "Pieces Of Eight" has been around a while, and when the current lineup did some special shows playing the whole albums start to finish they did "The Grand Illusion" one night and "Pieces Of Eight" the next night (and plenty more songs afterwards). I'm with "The Grand Illusion" album being the best. It has all good songs, with maybe "Superstars" being the less appealing to me. It has the hit that shot them to rockstar status, "Come Sail Away", and the deep cuts that are loved (just never promoted as singles). Just take a look at my handle and you'll know how I feel about "CASTLE WALLS", which has deep meaning for Dennis DeYoung. The track before it, "Man In The Wilderness" is a meaningful song by Tommy Shaw - sort of a follow-on to his song "Crystal Ball"(which he wrote before joining Styx) in that he's questioning his path in life. "Fooling Yourself" is the second track, and the song that got me into Styx when I heard it on a friend's car 8-track tape player.
Late to the game, but singing along thinking S the whole time... just takes me right back to being young! And then you both hit the S - so happy you both loved it, too!!
Sea World used CSA in their Shamu Show and the Orca would come jumping out of the water when the full band kicked in! It was amazing! My son's favorite rock song of all time!!!
I have no clue but RRHOF have no meaning to me anymore.... Hell Ozzy only got in with Black Sabbath but not for his solo work. I love Eminem but why the hell is a rapper in the RRHOF and not Ozzy or Styx? And other bands that aren't in but Lionel Ritchie is.... they are letting in Rap, R&B, Pop and country keeping out people that should be in
I think it’s easy to forget how good this song is. It had been a while since I just sat and listened to it like this. The ready of this album is pretty amazing too. I always liked the cover art too. Just brilliant. If you want to do a whole Styx album, this is the one to do.
Dennis at his best. It sucks what has happened between Dennis and the rest of the band over the last 20 years. He was the driving force since "Lady." Tommy and JY and Dennis need to be locked in a room and not let out until they figure it out - and then maybe we will see them finally in the R&R HOF.
From all the interviews I've seen, it's all on JY. He comes across so bitter. Let it go man. Tommy seems willing, but is trying to respectful. Dennis seems to have apologized and wants to make it happen. Not sure what circumstances JY needs... it is sad.
If you're going to hit a full album, "The Grand Illusion" is easily their best, IMO. Absolute classic.
You're so not wrong.
Honestly I think GI was what got me into prog in my mid teens. From this poppy/proggy I moved on to true prog giants like Yes, ELP, Genesis,. Floyd etc etc.
@@David-iv6je Yeah, they did a great job of being proggy and accessible at the same time. A bit like Kansas in that respect (though they have different sounds).
Agreed, this is the one to do. I especially love the last song on that album. One of the best concept albums.
Man in the Wilderness is by far my favorite.
it is criminal that styx is still not in the rock and roll hall of fame.
Truth
Especially since Missy Elliot (yes, a fucking rapper) just got inducted into it a few days ago.
@@H0und0fHircin3 there are a lot of non-rock&roll artists in the rock&roll hall of fame. they've really lost their way imho.
insane isn't it...yet Dolly Parton is in it...and never sang a rock song in her life...
Got to make room for RUN DMC.😏
''Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)'' is phenomenal on multiple levels. Just a fantastic listen that never gets old. Guitarist Tommy Shaw shows off his stellar lead-singing chops.
They’ve reacted to that one on Patreon.
@@Vaelsung1 what did they rate it?
They didn't rate it. They gave it a favorable reaction. I think they save their rankings for the YT Channel reactions. They really liked it though but they didn't like FY nearly as much as they loved CSA. @@peterwalsh2470
Missed it. Thx.
That's one of my favorites, along with The Best of Times.
About 20 years ago on WLS an AM station in Chicago Dennis was doing a live interview. A guy called in and told him he had bought a house that Dennis once owned. Dennis asked enough questions to know which house it was. He told the guy to go to the room in the back and to put a chair in the middle of the room looking out all the windows toward the woods and water. It was in that very place he had written "Come Sail Away".
Very cool! Old wls fan here
Wow!❤
This song has always been a constant favorite throughout my life. “Suite Madame Blue” is another great one to check out. It takes you on quite a musical journey.
Suite Madame Blue is an absolute inescapable must.
Hell Yeah!!! I just Suggested "Queen of Spades", which Very Few Reactors have done!!!
No Auto-Tune or Pro Tools. Just a group in a studio using analog tape and mixing boards... making art.
God this whole "Grand Illusion" album is soooo good. As far as pure bangers go "Miss America" crushes "Renegade" Dudes on boats- hahahaha
Dudes on boats? Wasn't that "Rio" by Duran Duran?
I agree about "Miss America"! Need it as a single drop if they don't do the whole album!
oh sweet Jesus - Miss America!!! Pure brilliance!!!!
"Miss America" only is not only a well-written, well recorded banger of a rock song, but the lyrics are a fantastic commentary on America and how she sees herself. "In your cage at the human zoo/They'll all stop to look at you/Next year, what will you do/When you have been forgotten?"
Totally agree. I've always like Miss America. Didn't get the credit it is due.
You need to check out another Styx song, Lady. It's another song that starts slow, but kicks in with a driving beat and reaches an amazing crescendo at the end.👍
I'm keeping this song in my back pocket as a robot test. If you're not air drumming at the end of Lady, you're 100% a robot.
Totally agree!
You are so right. I saw them in 77 and they started with Lady and the power for the amps went off. The PA still worked and Dennis continued to sing it. The power came back about a minute later and the band just started right where he was in the song. Amazing!
@@arsbadmojo that’s the classic Bolero drum beat!
I think Lady was their first hit, or was it Renegade? Anyway, both are awesome!
Dennis is a theatrical genius, while Tommy is a guitar monster. Styx earned their place in history.
Have a great day!
Tommy Shaw - Montgomery, Alabama's own. I have a dear friend who grew up in Montgomery in the 1970s, and he "knew him back when." The mother of a mutual friend of his told him about the time that a shy, uncertain 14-year-old Tommy Shaw was over at her house, and sat at her kitchen table with an acoustic guitar to play her some of the new song he was working on. It was called "Crystal Ball." It would be a while yet before he got the phone call from Styx to replace John Curulewski.
James Young is the hard rocker of the band. Go straight to any song he wrote if you want to rock out!
That riff in Suite Madame Blue🤩
James Young is a badass too! All of them are outstanding song writers as well.
Have you heard Dennis do Pilate's Dream 10 from Broadway.... ?
The Grand Illusion album is a complete masterpiece.
this was a high school staple my junior and senior years in the late seventies. they always put on a great concert also. hope you enjoy.
The live versions are SO full of emotion, too, they absolutely have to be experienced!
Senior year anthem.
This was my gateway album into Styx. (graduated '80) This song was everywhere. Styx became my favorite group. I begun searching their past albums and couple of my favorite songs are from the Wooden Nickel era.
One of my greatest concert disappointments in the early '80's was the Styx concert I attended in Salina, KS...the Mr. Roboto album tour....they played/sounded great, but they did a "rock opera" show based on that song, dressed in space age suits, and played ZERO encores while avoiding playing some of their greatest hits....but even so, still a big fan!
We were blessed with music sent by the Gods that is for sure.
Styx are an awesome band. They played at my brother's prom in Chicago before they were even known.
Wow!!!!!! That's so😀 cool
This is an excellent album. The original LP was made from different colored vinyl. I had a green one and a yellow one, they also came in red. My favorite track is Man in the Wilderness, with honorable mention for Miss America, a banger
Agreed on album and songs!
Miss America is DEFINITELY a rocker, thank you James Young!
Quite out of character compared to the rest of their oeuvre.
Speaking of out of character rockers, check out The Osmond Brothers "Crazy Horses".
Brass fueled anti pollution/combustion engine rocker with a crazy screaming lyrics hook.
Not very Mormon-y at all...
@@DrNothing23 Try "Traffic In My Mind" by the Osmonds from their album 'The Plan'. Better than "Crazy Horses" in my opinion. Awesome blues rock song.
My favorite is also "Man In The Wilderness". Such a powerful track. That and "Queen Of Spades" are probably my favorite Styx songs, although "Suite Madame Blue" is right up there for me, too.
@@markjacobsen8335Will do, thanks!
EDIT: Oh hell ya!
I just hit it now.
SO dirty and gritty blues!
Reminds me of Muddy Waters' Electric Mud on a much more white boy level. lol!
Thanks for the suggestion!
@@markjacobsen8335 Madame Blue is SO haunting!
Doesn’t get any better classic rock than Styx Grand Illusion. Love this era.
That song still gives me the chills after all these years ...
My local rock radio station used to, once a year around July 4th, play the 500 most requested songs of the year. 15 years after this song was released, it was still the 3rd most requested song behind Won't Get Fooled Again and Stairway To Heaven.
Wow, those are great songs for sure, not surprised. Can't say I've ever requested any of em, I'm 64 by the way. Seen the Who with and without Keith, saw Styx twice, great concert, but Dennis De Young was always a little too spritzy for me. It seemed like here's Dennis prancing around behind the keyboards ( great keyboard player and vocals), and over here we have these four other guys hammering away at their instruments, all Killin it. Thats all 😁👍👍✌
What part of Indiana are you from?
Not the part that manufacturers that fart spray.
Suite Madame Blue is the one Styx song that still gives me goosebumps.
My personal favorites,, Styx "Suite Madame Blue" & "Lady"
"Come Sail Away" is part of a specific sub-category of Styx songs; there are only three of them and they are far and away my favorite Styx recordings. In order: "Lady" (from Styx II/1973), "Lorelei" (from Equinox/1976) and "Come Sail Away" (Grand Illusion/1977). All were written and sung by keyboardist Dennis DeYoung, all three start with a soft keyboard intro before exploding into a chugging rock rhythm, and all climax with a blazing guitar solo by Dennis' brother James. You need to hit the other two, or do a special video where you play all three back-to-back-to-back. I've seen them do all three live and they kick ass.
The quintessential Styx album is The Grand Illusion, which had Come Sail Away on it.
My very first Styx album. It was so cool hearing this for the first time in 1977. To think this was just everyday radio airplay when I was 19 still blows my mind.
Takes me back to High School. What a fantastic time to be alive!! Man, I miss those days!!!
One of the greatest rock songs ever...for sure.
"You were the apple, of the public's eye" MISS AMERICA!
STYX puts on a fantastic show ❤...this particular song is a highlight ✨️
Yes they did.
Except for that "Mr. Roboto" tour...😒
Bombastic and beautiful. Something that is missing in today's music. Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight are 2 of the late 1970 albums that stand the test of time.
1977 This song, and Cold as Ice by Foreigner dominated the top 40 radio for rock tunes 😎 all the players rock, but John's Drumming is 'S' tier perfection 🥁🤘! John Ponozo and Myron Grombocher from Benetar are so overlooked by the masses and are truly awesome drummers!
"I think of childhood friends and the dreams we had" hit me even when I was a kid.
Styx is my mom's favorite band. My childhood was heavily formed around these songs, so i get massive wave of nostalgia every time i hear any Styx song. That intro specifically.
Dennis DeYoung wrote the Styx standard song in this! Lady made me a fan, but CSA blew my mind. You should check out Suite Madame Blue, too.
So much good music from my teen years in the 70's. So much of Styx's songs never got airplay and are so good and deep. Their albums Equinox, The Grand Illusion, Pieces Of Eight, Cornerstone, Paradise Theater were all must haves.
Agreed
Can't forget "Crystal Ball"!!!
@@tinalinge2782 Forgot that one. Thanks for the reminder. 👍
My first concert ever was Styx in 1981. The live performance of "Come Sail Away" was amazing and beyond description.
Paradise Theater tour, I'm guessing. Such a great album.
I bet! Another band from then I can kick myself again for missing, lol!
You guys GOTTA listen to Prelude 12/Suite Madame Blue next!
Styx did a lot of great songs, but if you want to hear another S tier candidate, you should do "Suite Madame Blue."
You speak truth and wisdom, kind Sir.
The one thing I miss when I hear Suite Madam Blue is not very many people play Prelude 12 the track before it. It just sets up the whole mood for Suite.
@@kallsop2yes, I've been wanting this told for years!!Thank you!!
Build up and crescendo close to perfection.
And they're not in the sham that is the Rockand Roll Hall of Fame. Awesome song!
The only thing better hearing than this song?
Hearing it LIVE!
Four times. And it never fails to blow your mind.
Was standing up on the hill at Riverport Amphitheater, outside St Louis, at a Styx concert. The rain finally stopped. Tommy is tearing the guitar a new one. The guy next to me was like "man, does it get better than this?" Couldn't argue.
Tommie Shaw did a bunch of Styx songs with Daryl Hall on Live From Daryl's House!!! Great versions to check out on YT!!
edit- Live From Daryl's House is coming back for a 7th season!
"Dirty S" and "Clean S" - describes it perfectly!! Great reaction to one of my all-time favorite songs.
The Grand Illusion album is totally killer!! Other songs like Castle Walls, Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man), Man In The Wilderness, Miss America, are all fire!
Tommy Shaw's version of Foolin Yourself withe the Cleveland Youth Orchestra (?) is fantastic. Very cool to see those kids rock out.
I didn't sppreciate Styx when they were a thing but boy, howdy, I do now!!!! This song is genius and so so uplifting. The arrangement alone is so beautiful.
The Drummer for this band has to be one of the best ,!
This is the kind of song you are grateful for having a good sound system or headphones.
Great song!
I’m a big fan of Blue Collar Man (Long Nights) from their Pieces of Eight album.
This song set the tone for one of the greatest episodes of one of the greatest shows on TV - Freaks and Geeks.
worthy of a full album review.
Most Styx songs, are so well crafted it is sick. Their songs build up in various layers, into a crescendo of powerful emotional orchestral endings. Absolutely one of my favorite bands ever. Seen them live 8 times. As for the drummer…. John Panozzo, (R.I.P.)Sooooo underrated, sooooo under appreciated. He really should be ranked up with the likes of Danny Carey, Bonham, Peart, Bruford, Portnoy, Roger Taylor, and Ringo. The entire band during any one of their line ups, has been and is top of the class talent.
This was my high school graduating theme song.. Always brings back lots of memories! When I think of Styx, this is the song that comes to mind!
Mine too! DVHS
I saw Dennis on his last tour before the pandemic - his voice was amazing, still!!!
Finally. One of my all-time favorite songs.
Paradise Theater guys! Concept album loosely based on the true history of the Paradise theater in Chicago. STYX was originally a Chicagoland band. I would love to hear your thoughts about that albbum
Their best albums are Paradise Theater, The Grand Illusion, and Pieces of Eight (which has Renegade). Other songs to hit from Styx are "Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)", "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)", and "Suite Madame Blue", which is their epic closer to the Equinox album.
Styx made a full concert video called Return to Paradise that was filmed at the Paradise Theater in Chicago before it closed. It’s a great live concert!
Huge in junior high school. Staple at every school dance. If you’ve never seen the short lived awesome show Freaks and Geeks, this song is placed at the end of the pilot episode in a perfect scene capturing 1980 perfectly.
Debatably the best use of a song in a tv show ever
I was 14 Laura.......starting to figure out what life is about
OK, that seals it: I'm gonna FINALLY watch that damn series I've heard so many good things about, lol! Props. I also like the 80's-ish vibe that Smashing Pumpkins vid "1979" exudes.
@joescott8877 It's a tough watch if you are in your mid 50s (due to realism - I could find every character in my high school yearbook) but well worth it.
@@larryk731 agreed, I 100% identified with Lindsay. And had friends just like the whole group.
Great reminder of my high school days. Styx were my first rock concert. Had this album and wore the grooves off.
This has to be a playlist theme set with “After the Gold Rush” and “Children of the Sun.”
For me, this song is why the radio was so important. Just me, now, I might think of this song to play on Spotify or whatever, but I'd think "oh sure, I know that song" and never bother. On the radio a DJ played it for us, so we'd have to listen - and remember all over again how GOOD this was.
That's the experience I got watching this video - gratitude for the reminder of how much I liked this song. Cheers guys
Great reaction A&A! Just wanted to say I really appreciate you reading the lyrics along with songs now - as with this tune, you may miss a lot of the content/enjoyment of a song without understanding the lyrics. Rock on, Gents!
Haven’t heard it for a minute, and recalled the first time! A seductive, melancholy start building to full-on joy and wonder! Huge emotional range in one song. Loved your reaction.
When I was a teenager, this was one of my favorite headphone songs...a lot going on here!
I adored this band in high school! I had everyone of their albums and saw them live in concert twice at the Lakeland Civic Center in Lakeland, Florida. This song reminds me of summer days at the beach.
This is Styx’s signature song, much like “Carry On Wayward Son,” by Kansas. It’s amusing to look back to the 60’s and 70’s when we were listening to this, Zepplin, Yes, Moody Blues, etc while reading Tolkien because Peter Jackson made Tolkien cool and so many younger folks are rediscovering the music.
I saw Styx in concert doing this album and they sounded exactly like their recorded music. Great concert! Thank you for this reaction!
I had this on vinyl and used to listen to it all the time.
I saw them in concert last year. They are still amazing and incredibly entertaining.
YES!!!
I suggested this to you all on your last Styx listen.
GREAT song... GREAT!!
Looking forward to seeing your reaction to the ending lyrics reveal!
Grand Illusion, this one, as their record to hit entirely.
Definitely their Magnum Opus/top of the curve!
Great reaction. I was fortunate enough to see Styx 5 or 6 times in he 70's and 80's. Always a great show.
I love Eric Cartman's version of this. Once he starts singing it, he can't stop until it's done. :)
The super-speed singing kills me every time.
Dennis DeYoung himself got a kick out of that. He says Parker and Stone actually asked for his permission to use it, and he said why the hell not?
Yep, Cartman pops into my head everytime I hear this now.
I simply can't listen to this song anymore without 90's teenager me breaking out into a stupid laugh hearing the "YEAH...!!!".
I was 16yrs old when Grand Illusion came out. Driving & listening to it on 8-track over & over & over…
When I was in college, at almost every party I attended someone would crank up this Styx song that had lyrics like “Light up, everybody. Join us in this celebration” and “I just need one hit to get me high. Because when I’m with you baby, I’m halfway high”. Does any Styx fans recognize this song? Pretty sure it was Styx.
Oh yes. Light Up, from the Equinox album.
Yep the song was called Light Up as a matter of fact and it was on the Equinox album
I went to a Styx concert in the late 70s. when they played that, let’s just say a good portion of the crowd did in fact lit up
My class song. Pretty cool class song I think. How these guys aren't in the Hall of Fame is beyond me!
You gave both lead singers an S! Love it!
One of the greatest albums ever. Man in the Wilderness and Castle Walls are a MUST!!!!
Great analysis of the instrument mix. The bass and drum tone and mix have a finesse and sound that has not been replicated since. I recommend to listen to Grand Illusion from the same album, the mix is just as unique.
Styx is a group that certainly deserves and belongs to be in the RRHOF. This, to me, is their greatest song. You could spend a week delving in to the different eras of their career that has spanned 50 years. Some seriously good songwriting and in-turn records. My favorite group, and yes…a perfect song.
Lots of airplay for this one back in the day.... hit Castle Walls for a special treat.
Oh my..what memories. Always such a beautiful song and now at 72 it takes on a whole new vibe
As overblown and silly as Styx sometimes get, I remember hearing this song at age 12 (1981 for me) and thinking this was indeed a perfect rock song. It does feel "dated" but hasn't lost any of it's magnificence. Really chuffed to see you guys enjoying it so much.
I wore this LP OUT back in the day! Styx was and IS STILL a true favorite of mine.
Tommy Effin Shaw! They are all great performers. LOVE IT! PARADISE THEATER NEXT PLEASE!!!
Tommy's daughter is famous in her own right... Hannah Shaw, AKA "Kitten Lady"
Alex, that's what you give us all the time, a new appreciation for music we have always loved. Thanks guys
I saw them my senior year of hs. Great concert. When this song exploded, so did the crowd!
i still love this song to death. i have two specific memories of it: one, the sound of every girl in my 8th grade class going "AWWWWW!!!" when it came on during a dance, and two, the local news station in Denver used the music after the synthy break (when the guitars come ripping back in) on one of their commercials to highlight their new helicopter news team. I can't hear it without thinking of epic shots of this helicopter flying around Denver, lol.
Thank YOU for doing this!!!! Someone asked me why I was here because I requested them. What a D_ _ _! If you haven't seen it on Styx's channel, they have a concert they played live and did The Grand Illusion and Pieces Of Eight. It is so good!!! Done in 2012, I believe. It is done as though you are listening on vinyl, old school, side A, Side B. Then ,The next record. I am going to see them in summer 2024!
You two will love this song. With Styxx, you can never go wrong.
Suite Madame Blue is easily my favorite Styx song. Need to hit it....another banger.
"S"tyx. This song really encapsulates what made 70s era Styx so incredible....prog, hard rock, ballad, maybe even a bit psychedelic because of the middle instrumental section. Released on 7/7/77 The Grand Illusion album was released the same year as "Star Wars: A New Hope" so going from a ship to a starship made this song even cooler. Full album needs to be "The Grand Illusion" or "Pieces of Eight".
I saw him live a few years ago at a sort of impromptu show. Did not disappoint. His voice still holds up
Hey guys, thanks for Styx. Styx was big in high school for me.
Think new wave needs another minute. Check Romeo Void Never Say Never for a sick sax
I'm all in on "Never Say Never"!!!
@@garyschill7923me too!
Definitely a sick, wailing sax!!!
Love this! Styx was a favorite when I was in high school. I also loved the Paradise Theater album. We thought it was so cool because it had a hologram? design on it.
Can't believe Styx is not in the R&R Hall of Fame.
Think of the breadth and depth of skill to pull this off with analog gear. Totally underated. Masters. I love that you guys get to discover this for the first time. The anticipation of wishing, dreaming, hoping it would come on the radio again before you saved enough lawn mowing money to finally get the album made all that much better when you finally got to hear it again.
You guys finally got back to my favorite band, and yes there's lots more.
"Come Sail Away" has a lot of usual Styx elements in multiple movements: beautiful opening melody with Dennis' soaring voice and his piano that has a classical feel and pseudo-random high notes, tempo pickup with drums and guitars kicking in, keyboard or guitar solo(s), and then everything coming together in rockin' climax (you should see that in a live performance).
Best album debate between "The Grand Illusion" and "Pieces Of Eight" has been around a while, and when the current lineup did some special shows playing the whole albums start to finish they did "The Grand Illusion" one night and "Pieces Of Eight" the next night (and plenty more songs afterwards).
I'm with "The Grand Illusion" album being the best. It has all good songs, with maybe "Superstars" being the less appealing to me. It has the hit that shot them to rockstar status, "Come Sail Away", and the deep cuts that are loved (just never promoted as singles). Just take a look at my handle and you'll know how I feel about "CASTLE WALLS", which has deep meaning for Dennis DeYoung. The track before it, "Man In The Wilderness" is a meaningful song by Tommy Shaw - sort of a follow-on to his song "Crystal Ball"(which he wrote before joining Styx) in that he's questioning his path in life. "Fooling Yourself" is the second track, and the song that got me into Styx when I heard it on a friend's car 8-track tape player.
Late to the game, but singing along thinking S the whole time... just takes me right back to being young! And then you both hit the S - so happy you both loved it, too!!
Do a reaction to this entire album. There’s not a bad song on it. I saw Styx live again in June of this year and they still put on an amazing show!
I absolutely love the drums on this track. Always been one of my favs.
I'm gonna vote for doing "Snowblind". Not their biggest hit, but an immaculate song.
Sea World used CSA in their Shamu Show and the Orca would come jumping out of the water when the full band kicked in! It was amazing! My son's favorite rock song of all time!!!
Can anyone explain why Styx isn’t in the Hall of Fame? They are masters at their craft and their induction is long overdue.
Pretentious types who care more about image than music don't like them.
I have no clue but RRHOF have no meaning to me anymore.... Hell Ozzy only got in with Black Sabbath but not for his solo work. I love Eminem but why the hell is a rapper in the RRHOF and not Ozzy or Styx? And other bands that aren't in but Lionel Ritchie is.... they are letting in Rap, R&B, Pop and country keeping out people that should be in
I think it’s easy to forget how good this song is. It had been a while since I just sat and listened to it like this. The ready of this album is pretty amazing too. I always liked the cover art too. Just brilliant. If you want to do a whole Styx album, this is the one to do.
Dennis at his best. It sucks what has happened between Dennis and the rest of the band over the last 20 years. He was the driving force since "Lady." Tommy and JY and Dennis need to be locked in a room and not let out until they figure it out - and then maybe we will see them finally in the R&R HOF.
From all the interviews I've seen, it's all on JY. He comes across so bitter. Let it go man. Tommy seems willing, but is trying to respectful. Dennis seems to have apologized and wants to make it happen. Not sure what circumstances JY needs... it is sad.
"So much cool." Yup! And I have a new appreciation for a CHANNEL I thought I already loved! Excellent reaction, guys. Starship-class.