Monday, February 5, 2018

Music Monday (Styx/The Serpent is Rising, Side 1)

Now here is an album I cant make heads or tails out of. After Styx II you figured they would be on their way, but no - they release this klunker. The back cover blames thanks Chuck Lofrano for the "Serpent" concept. It would have been nice to know what the hell the concept actually was. To make a horrible album? It does comes off as medieval or something out of the dark ages so maybe thats the idea? I mean we get songs about werewolves, pirates, wenches, a rising serpent (ahem) and well, basically....errrr, well....a vagina. And don't even get me started on the plexiglas toilet thing...




As I have recounted before, I bought all 1980 re-issues at once (except for one unknown "mystery" album, but more that later) and as I got them home I listened to them in order. I thought Styx I was ambitious, and Styx II blew me away. But then I put on "Serpent"... and wondered what the Hell happened. It was so radically different from the other albums. I even had to check and see if the members of the band were the same. They were. I didn't get it, and to this day I still don't. The only thing I can think of is that since "Lady" had not hit yet, they were still experimenting and trying new things. Be thankful the band didn't continue down this road.


Now for the tails part: there are times I actually like this album. It is very dark and grungy and some of the music on it is done quite well. JY sings a lot more (yay?) after being almost silent on the previous record. Taken individually, the songs aren't quite that bad but as a whole I just don't feel a balance to the music. I mean its all dark and thats just something you don't expect (or even want) from Styx.

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1) Witch Wolf - For the third album in a row JY sings the first song. It's a dark rocker so it fits him well. For some reason, this song is included on the Best of Styx album. As far as I know it was never released as a single.

Reoccurring symptoms
Answer the baleful howl
Bringing me dreams of darkness
The doer of all that's foul
Raping the minds of infants
Sower of unplanted seeds
Full moon warrior
Doer of sordid deeds

Witch Wolf
Night Rider
Why do you call for me?

Thirteenth hour madman
Bringing my soul to fire
Visions of my sweet Beulah
To torment soon retire

Witch Wolf
Night Rider
Why do you call for me?

Got my one-way ticket
on this hell bound train
I can't seem to stop falling
I bear the wrath of Cain

Witch Wolf
Night Rider
Why do you call for me?

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2) The Grove of Eglantine - DDY gets very little time on this record, and when he does he gets to sing this song that basically describes a woman's private parts. Yeah. Regardless of that, I have always liked this song and the music is especially good. This is also included on the Best of Styx album. I mean they basically had to right?


Hey you there, cast an eye this way
You with that young lust virgin smile
Don't pretend that you're quickly melting before my eyes
That's a lie

'Cause I see all of you quite clearly now
I like our looks your moves you know everything
So when I ring you up in the evening I shall meet you

In the Grove of Eglantine
Just south of man's delight
Close to a soft flowing stream

In the Grove of Eglantine
We will join as lovers might
Between the lines of a dream

Your magic lips have made me realize
All of the pleasures man can fantasize
So don't pretend that you're sad to see me say goodbye
That's a lie

You're a wicked wench...ha
But thanks for all the laughs
You and your young lust virgin smile
And when I'm gone for awhile I'll once more want to meet you

In the Grove of Eglantine
Just south of man's delight
Close to a soft flowing stream

In the Grove of Eglantine
We will join as lovers might
Between the lines of a dream

In Eglantine...of a dream (fade)

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3) Young Man - Another dark song sung by JY with a very anti-war sentiment. During the time period I would guess Vietnam? Anyway, taken individually it is a song that is very good as well.

People say with age there comes experience
But as soon as you are born you start to die
Older men are chosen to speak wisely
But call the child to the sacrificial rite

Who can we get to win the fight? Young man!
Who can we get to make love all night? Young man!
Who do we send away to die? Young man!
I heard a lonely woman cry for a young man!

The fire bombs in distant lands are burning
Jarring every synapse in your soul
Life and death are a meaningless profession
Tomorrow brings a horror yet untold

Who can we get to win the fight? Young man!
Who can we get to make love all night? Young man!
Who do we send away to die? Young man!
I heard a lonely woman cry for a young man!

Come home my son we'll give you a rest
Welcome my son we'll give you the best
Time's stowaway, the young man
Short are the days of the young man

Young man!
Young man!

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4) As Bad As This - Probably the best song on the album. John Curulewski comes through again. Just him singing a melancholy song on acoustic guitar with a beautiful musical interlude between the second and third verses.

Did you ever in your life before feel as bad as this?
Did you ever in good time think my life had gone amiss?
Now I feel I've been unfair 'cause I catch you hanging there.
Did you ever in your life before feel as bad as this?

God knows I tried a half a year but it didn't do no good.
My damnedest try to make it work, I knew it never would.
Now there's nothin' wrong with you, and there's nothing you could ever do.
God knows I tried a half a year but it didn't do no good.

The times were good, but over now, a pleasant memory.
I'm sorry, there's another face one that's close to me.
You know 'bout what I learned and there's no stone left unturned.
The times were good, but over now, a pleasant memory. 
(Sigh)

Once you reach the end of this song around the 3:40 mark, stop. Just please stop. After that, this fantastic song is ruined by a bonus hidden track called "The Plexiglas Toilet". When I first heard this song I thought my album was misprinted and had some weird Spanish error on it. Seriously. But alas no. So on this album when they finally get something right, they mess it up.

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So that ends side one. Kind of leaves you feeling dark (there's that word again) with a sense of foreboding. Like I said before, individually I like all the songs, but all together it's just not what I want my Styx to be. I am sure someone out there will say it's the greatest evar!, but even DDY said this album was "one of the worst recorded and produced in the history of music."

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