As with the other re-issues, there was a minor name change and this album was shortened down to just Miracles.
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6) Unfinished Song - Now this is where things get a little bit tricky. The original issue of this album has "Best Thing" from Styx I as the first song on side two. A second issue of this album (I'm guessing once "Lady" hit it big) had the remake of a song called "Lies". The 1980 version has an amazing little gem called Unfinished Song. This is the song I am going with here. Once again, DDY and a piano...
Where am I going
How do I get there
What should I bring along
Are people kind there
Is peace of mind there
Will I finally belong
Cause you know ships sail their courses, and heroes ride horses
They know where they belong
But I travel in circles quickly to nowhere
Singing my unfinished song
Some poets say that
There'll come a day that
I'll find a place for me
Why aren't I there yet
Why can't I share yet
Why can't my heart be free
Cause you know ships sail their courses, and heroes ride horses
They know where they belong
But I travel in circles quickly to nowhere
Singing my unfinished song
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7) Evil Eyes - And here's another one with DDY on piano. Good song too but sometimes I just feel that he is way overdoing it. Maybe it's another song about Suzanne? Who knows?
Evil eyes stole my heart on a dark December night
Souls of flame, loving her has made me half insane
The way she cast me in her spell
Secrets I couldn't tell
Were for me and for you
Once I knew the joys of loving were for me and you
But now she's here and with her secrets I know I'll have to bear
To let her take me from your side
Rob me of all my pride
And my love, oh sweet love
Evil eyes
She's got those evil eyes
Though I'm only her friend
I know I'll love her till the end of my life
Oh sweet life
Evil eyes
She's got those evil eyes
Though I'm only her friend
I know I'll love her till the end of my life
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8) Southern Woman - Time for another awesome rocker by JY. This is another song that I already knew from the Best of Styx compilation. Sounds like someone had a real good time with a southern belle.
First met you in a southern town on a warm November day
You made me smoke like a whirlwind
I knew we had nothing to say
Love me but don't try and make me stay
Southern woman take my soul but don't you take my life
Southern woman make me feel good but don't you tell my wife
Once again in the early spring I touched your raven's crown
Your wild eyed stories of rare delight like to knock me down
It's getting so damn hard to put you down
Southern woman take my soul but don't you take my life
Southern woman make me feel good but don't you tell my wife
[instrumental solos]
Southern woman take my soul but don't you take my life
Southern woman make me feel good but don't you tell my wife
Southern woman take my soul but don't you take my life
Southern woman make me feel good but don't you tell my wife
Southern woman
Yeah
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9) Christopher, Mr Christopher - This is another song that I compare to "Father O.S.A" because of its church derivations. Sung by DDY, it deals with Saint Christopher and his commemoration being dropped by the church in 1970.
I remember Christopher, such a man so brave and tall
He took the baby Jesus in his arms across the waterfall
People cried, "he's holy!
He's a saint not a man!"
All at once it was written
In the book of the land
Christopher, Mr. Christopher
Why won't they leave you alone?
Christopher, Mr. Christopher
Why won't they leave you alone?
There was Mary Margaret, a Christian lady dressed in black
She believed St. Christopher helped her find a way back
She told him all her secrets
And the dreams of her years
So when they took that saint away
All that's left were her tears
Mary cried "they're crazy! The world is changing too fast!"
It was then she discovered that her faith couldn't last
Christopher, Mr. Christopher
Why won't they leave you alone?
Christopher, Mr. Christopher
Why won't they leave you alone?
Christopher, Mr. Christopher
Why won't they leave you alone?
Christopher, Mr. Christopher
Why won't they leave you alone?
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10) Man of Miracles - The title track obviously, and one I feel would have been better off on The Serpent is Rising. It just doesn't fit this album to me. The music starts off promising like something special is about to happen. And then JY has some soaring vocals which are certainly "special". Not a good thing for him. I do like the keyboard solo by DDY towards the end.
He was a man of miracles
Fighting the solar windstorm
A winged horse guides his way
Oracle of the ancient midnight
Calls forth everlasting pain
And I know, yes I know
He was a man of miracles
Riding golden meteorites
Ruler of distant galaxies
Born of the northern lights
Of the northern lights
Sorcerer of the dark moon
Who dare incur his rage?
First child of the scorpion
Prophet of the crystal age
And I know, yes I know
He was a man of miracles
Riding golden meteorites
Ruler of distant galaxies
Born of the northern lights
Of the northern lights
He was a man of miracles
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I have heard a lot of people comment that the contents of this album did not match the album cover. That they were hoping for a lot more. I get that. With a wizard on front they were hoping for something more like Serpent (my God why would they want that?). It turned out to be a 50/50 mix of JY's rockers and DDY on piano. I can live with that.
The album peaked at #154 on the album charts.
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