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Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

Babe

1 votes

Mr. Roboto

2 votes

The Best of Times

0 votes

Lady

1 votes

Come Sail Away

2 votes

Too Much Times on My Hands

4 votes

Renegade

3 votes

Blue Collar Man

1 votes

Fooling Youself

1 votes

Other (write in)

2 votes

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 07 2016 02:29 PM

Styx! I never gave 'em a second thought after that KILROY album "jumped the shark" but they still exist! And in preparation for their upcoming performance at CitiField you -- yes YOU, and I know you say you hate 'em -- must select one (1) Styx track to be included on the mixtape that accompanies you to a desert island upon which you'll be stranded for all eternity. I KNOW you hate them. I know you call them "Stynx." Voting doesn't make you like Styx; and it won't make you gay! It makes you consider them. I've been considering 'em myself. It hasn't been fun! Styx has traveled the same arc as a lot of Midwest bands in the 70s did: They start off with pretensions of being sum-of-their-parts progressive rockers, stumble into an accidental hit, become superstars on the strength of soft-rock megahits and legacy rocker reputation but can't balance those disparate strains for long, break up, principal songwriters duel as solo artists, make up, break up, release lots of Greatest Hits packages and then play at CitiField. What you can say about them positively: They were diverse (rockers and ballads; prog and pop; 3 lead singers); and if you're a certain age, they were a part of your lives whether you wanted them to be or not. FUN FACTS about Styx: --Formed as the Tradewinds on the South Side of Chicago the 1960s by twin brothers John (drums) and Chuck (bass) Panozzo and their neighbor, Dennis DeYoung (keyboards + vocals). Guitarist/singer James Young ("We will rock CitiField TOGETHA!") joined in 1970. --First 3 records were pretty much theatrical prog-rock. The power ballad "Lady" from second album STYX II (1972) took three years to catch on with radio, but earned them a big-time record contract with A&M. Guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw joined at this time. -- String of AOR hit albums followed (they were so big, 70s rock-radio stations featured "Styx & Stones Weekends") before Shaw/Young's rock leanings and DeYoung's taste for Broadway-style show tunes destroy them. --Post-Styx leanings revealed: -- John Panozzo died at age 47 of alcohol-related illness. Chuck Panozzo came out a few years later as gay, and got AIDS, but still plays with them. -- The group you'll see at CF this week includes Panozzo, Young and Shaw, with Canadian pop star Lawrence Gowan replacing DeYoung as lead vocalist and keyboards; Todd Sucherman on drums; and Ricky Phillips (guitar/bass) Now, choose your Styx! (songs ranked by Billboard peak positions, year) Babe (1-1979) [youtube]uBi61pgDUP8[/youtube] Mr. Roboto (3-1993) [youtube]3cShYbLkhBc[/youtube] The Best of Times (3-1981) [youtube]GFBQ9jKdlS0[/youtube] Lady (6-1975) [youtube]v_LC0HAu8Us[/youtube] (music starts like 2:00 in) Come Sail Away (8-1978) [youtube]xiDhnAoThXA[/youtube] Too Much Time On My Hands (9-1981) [youtube]Xp8b-_qeNMc[/youtube] Renegade (16-1979) [youtube]5QbpGm13aQg[/youtube] Blue Collar Man (Long Nights) (21-1978) [youtube]crG_VQxnfMQ[/youtube] Fooling Yourself (the Angry Young Man) (29-1978) [youtube]L4JSD0pbz6w[/youtube] Charting write-in candidates: Don't Let It End (3-1991); Love at First Sight (25-1991); Why Me (26-1980); Lorelei (27-1976); Madamoiselle (36-1976); Music Time (40-1984); Sing for the Day (41-1979).

TransMonk Aug 07 2016 02:35 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

I was front row at a Damn Yankees concert as a high school freshman. Gimme "Renegade".

d'Kong76 Aug 07 2016 02:47 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

Babe and Lady were decent songs of that ilk but for me they really haven't withstood the test of time and if they come on the radio I'm reaching for the next preset button. Come Sail Away is really played out. Between Renegade and TMTime I go with Renegade by a nose hair.

d'Kong76 Aug 07 2016 02:50 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

Lazy Q: Is the whole band together again? I know there was a rift for some time between the dark hair singer and Shaw was touring without him. They played in our local theater. I didn't see them but my friend's wife said they were really tight.

seawolf17 Aug 07 2016 02:55 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

TransMonk wrote: I was front row at a Damn Yankees concert as a high school freshman. Gimme "Renegade". I LOVED Damn Yankees. Voted "Renegade" too, but I could be talked into "Come Sail Away."

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 07 2016 03:03 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

d'Kong76 wrote: Lazy Q: Is the whole band together again? I know there was a rift for some time between the dark hair singer and Shaw was touring without him. They played in our local theater. I didn't see them but my friend's wife said they were really tight. As mentioned above Shaw, Panozzo and Young are still in; Panozzo the only "original" Shaw and Young definitely turned againt DeYoung and they remain at odds

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 07 2016 03:04 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

My vote btw is for James Young's "Angry Young Man"

d'Kong76 Aug 07 2016 03:09 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

Thanks, sorry I paulied your well-written comments.

TransMonk Aug 07 2016 03:23 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: My vote btw is for James Young's "Angry Young Man" Isn't "Angry Young Man" a Shaw jam?

Mets Guy in Michigan Aug 07 2016 03:25 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

I'm writing in "Lorelei," which is wonderful, and would also give a shoutout to "Rocking the Paradise." Styx was a bit of keyboard-centric when I was a little metal kid, but I grew to appreciate the band. I think Paradise Theater is a very strong album, and Pieces of Eight is really good, too. Cornerstone, which was huge when I was in high school and includes "Babe," hasn't aged well.

Mets Guy in Michigan Aug 07 2016 03:29 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Lazy Q: Is the whole band together again? I know there was a rift for some time between the dark hair singer and Shaw was touring without him. They played in our local theater. I didn't see them but my friend's wife said they were really tight. As mentioned above Shaw, Panozzo and Young are still in; Panozzo the only "original" Shaw and Young definitely turned againt DeYoung and they remain at odds There's a live reunion album that's pretty good, from the brief period when DeYoung was back. The "Behind the Music" episode is interesting. DeYoung said it couldn't tour because of some sort of sensitivity to spotlights or something like that. He seems to be a rather challenging personality to work with. But his solo hit "Desert Moon" is really good.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 07 2016 04:02 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

TransMonk wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: My vote btw is for James Young's "Angry Young Man" Isn't "Angry Young Man" a Shaw jam? it is. i stand corrected. one of my Styx problems is distinguishing one track from the next. Wikipedia tells me Shaw wrote the song about DeYoung.

Frayed Knot Aug 07 2016 04:08 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

I remember those 'Styx & Stones' weekend "themes" and thinking even at the time that it was the ultimate in unimaginative radio programming.

cooby Aug 07 2016 04:09 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

Wow that's funny; I've been 'Styxing' lately Blue collar man

d'Kong76 Aug 07 2016 04:29 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

I'm sure I've said this before in another thread theme but I just remembered that Styx is technically the first arena act that I saw live. Pretty sure they opened with Grand Illusion and it blew us away in the 4-5th row of the New Haven Coliseum. I'd never heard of them and rushed right out to buy the album... that is after all why bands tour, right. Aerosmith headlined and they opened with Back in the Saddle and I don't have to tell you that blew us away five times more. I'll have to google some show site and see if I can figure what year that was, maybe 1977. My friend's father drove us all the way there from No Westchester and back. I'm rambling now, but my friend and I were feuding before the concert and he couldn't find someone to take my ticket and he hadda come knocking at my door the day before with a well are ya gonna go to the show or not. Points me. I haven't seen him in 25 years. I saw his Mom at a wake this spring and asked about him she said he was "a jerk the last couple of years" and she's disowned him. I don't know what he did, his Mom is like the poster-momma for sweethearts, so it must a been a doozie.

batmagadanleadoff Aug 07 2016 05:07 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

Did someone say "Styx"? [fimg=555]https://s.mlkshk.com/r/D4O4[/fimg] Mets Guy in Michigan wrote: I'm writing in "Lorelei," which is wonderful, and would also give a shoutout to "Rocking the Paradise." Deep cuts by Styx? Really? [fimg=666]http://rs207.pbsrc.com/albums/bb263/slimkid_buckeye/animations/vomit.gif~c200[/fimg]

Mets Guy in Michigan Aug 07 2016 09:31 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

"Renegade" gives me the creeps. Songs about executions -- bleech!

smg58 Aug 07 2016 11:20 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

A write-in for "Heavy Metal Poisoning."

Fman99 Aug 08 2016 12:56 AM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

Mr. Roboto came out when I was probably 9 years old and it was one of the first pop songs that I remember noticing.

Edgy MD Aug 08 2016 03:59 AM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

Part of what keeps them at odds with DeYoung ys he's toured with a band deliberately outfytted with a Shaw-lookalike and a Young lookalike. I think he might defend this based on the idea that some of the concept songs were wrytten for characters performed by his co-vocalists and the types they embody, but I think that might make me a little pyssed, too, if I was them. I know it's lame, but I'm going with "Come Sail Away," as there are enough movements in there that if you're sick of one part of the song, another might pique your interest. It also reminds me of the "Have YOU been touching the RADIO?!" wars young me had with my dad whenever we got into the car. One afternoon, he took control of the dial and settled on the piano ballad early part "CSA," and just looking at him, you could tell he thought that was really BIG of him, allowing me to listen to a what he sensed was contemporary act even if he wasn't quite sure who. He was COMPROMISING. All of that big feeling he had about himself turned into OUTRAGE when the song went full metal toward the end. He was CERTAIN his betrayal-minded youngest son in the passenger seat had turned the dial while he wasn't paying attention. I thought he was going to tear my head off. I had to talk fast and slick, brother, to convince him that, no, Dennis DeYoung may be a Midwestern Manilow, but he's a Manilow in a ROCK band and this is still the song YOU chose, DAD!

d'Kong76 Aug 08 2016 02:53 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

Mets Guy in Michigan wrote: "Renegade" gives me the creeps. Songs about executions -- bleech! Seriously? It's rock 'n roll, man! Does Bohemian Rhapsody, for example, creep you out? Just curious. Scaramouch, scaramouch!

Edgy MD Aug 08 2016 03:18 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

[list]I couldn't get no silver! I couldn't get no gold! You know that we're too damn poor To keep you from the Gallows Pole![/list:u] I hear him, though. Executions suck. All the more reasons we need the songs, though. Top songs about executions. [list]10. "Nebraska" — Bruce Springsteen 9. "The Mercy Seat" – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds 8. "Billy Austin" — Steve Earle 7. "Tom Dooley" — Doc Watson, Kingston Trio, everybody 6. "The Long Black Veil" — Chieftains, everybody 5. "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" — Vycki Lawrence (why did they go out for a hanging?) 4. "25 Minutes to Go" — Johnny Cash 3. "Gallows Pole" — Led Zeppelin 2. "Strange Fruit" — Billy Holiday 1. "Ellis Unit One" — Steve Earle[/list:u]

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 08 2016 03:32 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Did someone say "Styx"? I adressed the Vomit Factor right at the top. What's your choice? If you choose not to vote, you get all those songs on your tape, plus each one takes away 1 song from other artists that might populate your tape. A write-in for "Heavy Metal Poisoning." If it were the least bit ironic you'd think this was a Zappa song. Here's a song I hadn't heard before my mini-Styx exploration. Pre-Shaw pomp and circumstance, upbeat, theatrical boogie-glam. Lead cut on Styx II: [youtube]b0nCnTAVcDU[/youtube]

Mets Guy in Michigan Aug 08 2016 04:05 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Aug 08 2016 04:41 PM

I liked Paradise Theater, and the concept as the declining theater as a metaphor for the country as it was just starting to emerge from the Carter-era malaise. You can tell from the songs that DeYoung was more into the concept than the others, though "Too Much Time on My Hands" was a good song that fit well into the theme. The title cut had some interesting lyrics. I think the Kinks' "Catch me Now I'm Falling" and "Charlie Daniel's "In America" came out around the same time with similar thoughts. So whatcha doin' tonight? Have you heard that the world's gone crazy? Young Americans listen when I say there's people puttin' us down I know they're sayin' that we've gone lazy To tell you the truth we've all seen better days Don't need no fast buck lame duck profits for fun Quick trick plans, take the money and run We need long term, slow burn, getting it done And some straight talking, hard working son of a gun. Whatcha doin' tonight, I got faith in our generation Let's stick together and futurize our attitudes I ain't lookin' to fight, but I know with determination We can challenge the schemers who cheat all the rules Come on take pride, be wise, spottin' the fools No more big shots, crackpots bending the rules A fair shot here for me and for you Knowing that we can't lose And we'll be rockin' in Paradise Rockin' the Paradise tonight Rockin' in Paradise Rockin' the Paradise tonight Tonight, tonight... Note that they switch from "Rocking THE Paradise" to "Rocking IN Paradise."

Zvon Aug 08 2016 04:12 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

I always thought KILROY WAS HERE was just called MR.ROBOTO. I wasn't a big fan but my younger brother was REALLY into them and bought all their albums. I used to make these mix-tapes with my fav songs, HOT SHOTS I,II,II, etc., and I recall TOO MUCH TIME making the cut on one of those so I'll vote for that one. Also ROCKIN THE PARADISE was an opener on one. I saw (had to be w/that bro) Styx for the MR. ROBOTO tour and I have to say they were phenomenal on stage and the song MR.ROBOTO brings back some great memories, and that whole MTv era.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 08 2016 04:13 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

I believe "Let's stick together and futurize our attitudes" narrowly lost out to "It's morning in America."

Vic Sage Aug 08 2016 08:38 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

i loved STYX, back in the day... along with the other American prog-rock/power-pop bands KANSAS, FOREIGNER, SUPERTRAMP, BOSTON and MEATLOAF. Ah, the 70s... DeYoung's distinctive vocals and theatricality are what gave STYX its unique aural quality (for good or for ill); otherwise they would have been just another group of mediocre rockers (many think they were anyway). He was also the keyboardist for a keyboard-driven band, and the producer of most of their records, not to mention the writer of many of their hits (including the signature song, COME SAIL AWAY). So any band without DeYoung is not STYX... its a STYX cover band. i voted for COME SAIL AWAY, but would also give a shout out to the following 9 of my top 10: MAN IN THE WILDERNESS BOAT ON THE RIVER CASTLE WALLS FOOLING YOURSELF (ANGRY YOUNG MAN) RENEGADE LIGHT UP GRAND ILLUSION SUPERSTARS MISS AMERICA of the other songs in this poll, i also like BEST OF TIMES, but LADY and BABE are watery ballads and MR. ROBOTO was just dumb shit the day it came out. I didn't remember TOO MUCH TIME ON MY HANDS and BLUE COLLAR MAN very well, but upon rehearing, i remember why.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 09 2016 12:41 AM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

That's about as strong a defense of DeYoung as there is. Both "Sing for the Day" and "Why Me" (big sax solo in that one!) were tracks that useta get mad airplay when they were new but may as well not exist anymore. Forgotten songs are like forgotten smells. They just come back to ya.

Edgy MD Aug 09 2016 01:32 AM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

Right from the opening a cappella harmonies, "Renegade" sounds like bad Queen to me.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 09 2016 02:33 AM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

Never been a 'Renegade' fan myself. I mean it's okay as a Styx offering but I always felt it was considered a classic only by music illiterates. Back in the frat days (1988 to be precise) a bunch of guys whose record collections I wasn't impressed with argued that it should be our selection in the annual "lip-sync" battle of the bands. A small majority somehow rallied them behind a song they'd hardly knew by this new group instead and our version of "Welcome to the Jungle" took home 1st prize. Beat the crap out of another house who were sure their "Bohemian Rhapsody" would win.

batmagadanleadoff Aug 09 2016 02:40 AM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: Did someone say "Styx"? I adressed the Vomit Factor right at the top. What's your choice? If you choose not to vote, you get all those songs on your tape, plus each one takes away 1 song from other artists that might populate your tape. Yeah, right.

batmagadanleadoff Aug 09 2016 02:43 AM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

Vic Sage wrote: i loved STYX, back in the day... along with the other American prog-rock/power-pop bands KANSAS, FOREIGNER, SUPERTRAMP, BOSTON and MEATLOAF. Ah, the 70s... . When I first saw this thread, I figgered fer sure you were a big Styx fan, based on your other posts about prog-rock. The similarity score takes a hit, here. P.S. Didja catch tonight's HBO documentary on Hitchcock, featuing insights from Truffaut, Scorcese, Bogdanovich and many others? Lotsa Vertigo content.

G-Fafif Aug 09 2016 04:19 AM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

Write-in vote. [youtube:3nbyo7uy]YAbpG-dZIZM[/youtube:3nbyo7uy] No. 967 on my Top 1,000. If it hadn't been on the radio within 120 days of getting my driver's license, I can't imagine it would have made the list.

G-Fafif Aug 09 2016 04:24 AM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

BTW, I'm a total fool for solo Tommy Shaw. [youtube:32bl4xdn]ahHsozuh33o[/youtube:32bl4xdn] No. 42. [youtube:32bl4xdn]OrYQS9wZghQ[/youtube:32bl4xdn] No. 606.

Mets Guy in Michigan Aug 09 2016 01:17 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

"Girls with Guns" is a slice of pure 1980s glory!

MFS62 Aug 09 2016 02:35 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

I think I still have their Paradise Theater album around somewhere, and I'm not sure whether it is on cassette or CD. (Probably not 8 track and definitely not vinyl). Later

sharpie Aug 09 2016 02:57 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

I've mentioned several times before here that James Young ("JY") is related to me by marriage (my wife's cousin's husband). He's a decent guy and I have had good times with him at my wife's family reunions. His wife, however, had a severe stroke a couple of years ago and is now barely able to function. He sent out a series of heartbreaking emails around the time of the event (not to me or my wife but they were forwarded from other family members) and he talked about how great the "heavy metal community" had been to him during that period. The matriarch of that family, the last of a generation, died recently in Minnesota. In a video her grandchildren made shortly before she died she said "I want music played at my funeral. I want Styx." So, "Come Sail Away" was played at her funeral (we didn't attend). Despite him being a nice guy and a good husband, neither my wife nor I can stand their music. I'll pass on the poll.

HahnSolo Aug 09 2016 03:00 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

When my sister got married and moved out, she left behind three LPs for me: Rumours, Running on Empty, and … Paradise Theatre. The Styx album was my least favorite. For the purposes of this, I'll go with Too Much Time on My Hands. It's one of the few Styx songs I still find myself singing along to.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 09 2016 04:05 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

Mets Guy in Michigan wrote: "Girls with Guns" is a slice of pure 1980s glory! It's really more like a slice of pure processed American cheese. Enjoyable but artificially flavored and preserved, and overly packaged.

Zvon Aug 09 2016 04:23 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

batmagadanleadoff wrote: P.S. Didja catch tonight's HBO documentary on Hitchcock, featuing insights from Truffaut, Scorcese, Bogdanovich and many others? Lotsa Vertigo content. Shit. I wanted to see that. My older brother had a copy of that book. Read it way back in the 70's (lots of pics too). Great book to pick up over and over and over. And because of this book ( & IIRC, a flick called "Z") I knew who Truffaut was when I saw Close Encounters of the Third Kind (in which he was perfectly cast). I'll see if that's On Demand. That's a must watch.

batmagadanleadoff Aug 09 2016 04:34 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

P.S. Didja catch tonight's HBO documentary on Hitchcock, featuing insights from Truffaut, Scorcese, Bogdanovich and many others? Lotsa Vertigo content. Shit. I wanted to see that. My older brother had a copy of that book. Read it way back in the 70's (lots of pics too). Great book to pick up over and over and over. And because of this book ( & IIRC, a flick called "Z") I knew who Truffaut was when I saw Close Encounters of the Third Kind (in which he was perfectly cast). I'll see if that's On Demand. That's a must watch. If you have TV HBO, it's on again tomorrow on HBO2 East at 11:30PM. http://www.hbo.com/search?type=schedule ... 2FTruffaut It's a lot better than listening to a Styx album, believe me.

Vic Sage Aug 10 2016 07:51 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

yeah, i'll try to catch that. Hitch is a fascinating subject. And i won't try to defend my affection for Styx or any of those other 70s groups... my tastes may well be indefensible. But their my tastes, so i won't apologize for them either. No retreat, no surrender!

Edgy MD Aug 10 2016 07:57 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

sharpie wrote: I've mentioned several times before here that James Young ("JY") is related to me by marriage (my wife's cousin's husband). He's a decent guy and I have had good times with him at my wife's family reunions. His wife, however, had a severe stroke a couple of years ago and is now barely able to function. He sent out a series of heartbreaking emails around the time of the event (not to me or my wife but they were forwarded from other family members) and he talked about how great the "heavy metal community" had been to him during that period. The matriarch of that family, the last of a generation, died recently in Minnesota. In a video her grandchildren made shortly before she died she said "I want music played at my funeral. I want Styx." So, "Come Sail Away" was played at her funeral (we didn't attend). Despite him being a nice guy and a good husband, neither my wife nor I can stand their music. I'll pass on the poll. Yeah, you mentioned he's a killer card shark (Bridge? Hearts? Gin?) and Lunchie speculated that this is an oft-underappreciated skill acquired by rockers over the course of thousands of miles of bus rides. Did these guys already get a DI poll?

seawolf17 Aug 10 2016 08:25 PM Re: Come Sail Away...and get stranded on a desert island

G-Fafif wrote: BTW, I'm a total fool for solo Tommy Shaw. Love this one from one of his more recent records. [youtube]rChSQ5qSaDk[/youtube] I believe it's actually a tune from the shelved Damn Yankees III record.