Music Monday (Styx I, Side 2)

The opening side of Styx I was basically the one extended "suite" followed by a bluesy number. Not much to get into there, but the flip side finally gives us something to grab onto. But before that, remember in the last post I mentioned the Wooden Nickel albums? They were re-issued in 1980 with alternate covers, and sometimes names. This is the Styx I that I had. I actually prefer it over the original cover.

Damn classy!

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Side Two

3) What Has Come Between Us - This is a good little song. Dennis DeYoung finally sings lead, and the music after the opening "flourish" is quite simple and nice. The chorus seems a little forced to me (and overly repeated), but you can tell the vocals for the band are quite good, as are the lyrics. This song is on the Best of Styx album, as well as being the B-side (pictured left) to the first single ever released by the band.

Look at all the people, looking at their dreams

Smiles upon their faces, tell me what they see

Look at all the people, have they gone astray?

Living for tomorrow with dreams of yesterday

Lovely lady

Tell me what you feel

As a child were you mild does it make it so unreal?

Lovely lady

Feel so insecure

When you give all yourself how can you be sure?

What has come between us, what has made us sad

Childhood's forgotten yet it's hiding in the past

What has come between us

There's something in ourselves

Lines upon our faces saying no more time for rest

Lovely lady

Tell me what you feel

As a child were you mild does it make it so unreal?

Lovely lady

Feel so insecure

When you give all yourself how can you be sure?

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4) Best Thing - This is the first single ever released by Styx (also pictured left). It has both James Young and DDY on vocals, and is quite a catchy tune. It is also included on the Best of Styx album. It reached #82 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Your loving seemed to be the best thing that I ever had

Your loving seemed to be the best thing that I ever had

Your loving seemed to be the best thing that I ever had

Your loving seemed to be the best thing that I ever had

Silk and satin make me wonder just who I am

To be with you in times of slumber

Makin' me a man

I haven't known you for a very long time

But it's on my mind what I want to do

A trip to the skies we begin to fly

All the riches I have taken from you every night

Pay you back someday with interest

'Cause your loving makes it right

Your loving seemed to be the best thing that I ever had

Your loving seemed to be the best thing that I ever, ever had

Oh yeah

Best thing

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5) Quick is the Beat of My Heart - This is a rocker and the type of song I have no problem JY singing. DDY plays some wicked sounding keyboards too. The part at the very end where it sounds like prayers at a funeral is the thing that makes Styx stand out to me. They are always going to add something special.

If it's my time to die today

Please God oh, make it fast

Balanced on this point for a year and half

I just don't think I can last

There's a man who's laid to rest

The man who gave me my start

I wish I could quit but I can't and it's rough

Quick is the beat of my heart

Quick is the beat of my heart

So please all you people, don't you grieve for me

The blood in my veins is black and I can't bleed

I've suffered the pain and all I can face is the dark

Oh, Lord, quick is the beat of my heart

Quick is the beat of my heart

Now my bags are almost packed

The train's about to depart

I wish I could quit but I can't and it's rough

Quick is the beat of my heart

Quick is the beat of my heart

Quick is the beat of my heart

Quick is the beat of my heart

Quick is the beat of my heart

Quick is the beat of my heart

If it's my time to die

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6) After You Leave Me - The last song on the album finishes up just like side one did with a bluesy song. JY sings again, but these are the slower type songs that maybe DDY should have been given a shot at. I mean he realistically only had one song on the whole album.

You come to me girl, Tears are in your eyes

Your head's bowed in sorrow, You whisper your good-byes

There's nothing I can tell you to make you want to stay

So let me ask one question before you slip away

After you leave me

Where can I go?

After you leave me

What will I do?

I've seen this moment coming for such a long, long time

I've laid awake for hours rehearsing every line

But now that it's here girl can't think of anything to say

So let me ask one question before you slip away

After you leave me

Where can I go?

After you leave me

What will I do?

Every time that I get next to her

I'm hung up in this ring of fire

If I love her should I let her go

Or should I beg on a bended knee?

How much longer Lord, I just don't know

I just can't take it girl I'm breaking up over you

After you leave me

Where can I go?

After you leave me

What will I do?

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All in all I think this is a good debut album with a couple of highlights: Best Thing, What Has Come Between Us and parts of Fanfare for the Common Man. Only a true Styx collector would want to buy this album though. On a scale of 1-10, I guess I would give it a 5.