Music Monday (Styx/Crystal Ball, Side One)

The next studio album by Styx was in 1976. It was called Crystal Ball, and it marked the first time since they started recording that the band membership changed.

So, the bomb was dropped in my last post how John Curulewski left Styx after the release of Equinox in 1975. The band went into a frantic search to find a replacement for their upcoming tour. Soon after, they found... Tommy Shaw. Hell to the yeah!

Tommy Shaw was born in Montgomery, Alabama (that's right, he's a Bama boy), and played with many local bands in his early years. He left Montgomery to join The Smoke Ring and then MSFunk, a Chicago-managed outfit that he played with for three years, which gave him a chance to be noticed by Styx during a 2-week club gig in Chicago. After MSFunk disbanded, he got the call to audition for Styx. 

Shaw said: "I got on the plane and went up there the next day, and they didn't ask me to play the guitar at all. The guitar never came out of the case." Once Styx had listened to Shaw's demo tape and Shaw had proven he could sing high notes in "Lady", he was hired.

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1) Put Me On - ... and play me loud! James Young gets his usual spot back as the first cut on the album. This song is not quite a rocker though it is very upbeat. The musical intro is awesome as is the keyboards. DDY sings a verse at the end as the song comes to a very unusual climax. When I first got this album I had to replay it several times just to ensure my turntable wasn't messing up.

Put me on I'm your brand new record album

Side one, cut one listen to the songs

Play me loud don't you worry 'bout your nieghbors

Hope I make you feel good all day long

All day long

Put me on and play me loud

I'm the madman screaming in your living room

I'll soon be coming to your town

To sing and play a little tune

I said put me on and play me loud

Turn your stereo up all the way

ALL THE WAY

Now your body's immersed in sound

So hear the synthesizers play

And now you're in the mood

Let the melody just drift your cares away

It's got to do you good

As it mesmerizes you in its own way

So drift away...

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2) Mademoiselle - As the liner notes from the album states, "hot damn Tommy Shaw". This is his vocal debut and the first single released from the album. It peaked at #34 on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart and became Styx's third top 40 hit. Its B-side was "Light Up", from the previous album, Equinox. Hey, that man can sing!

Tell me where are you going

Sweet mademoiselle

To London or Paris

To the Grand Hotel

Where do you go at the end of the day

Where do you go, when you spend time away

To islands in the tropic sands

Or pleasure trips to distant lands

You're searching for a dream

Well maybe it's me.

I tell you hello

And what do you say

As I stop you go

There's no reason to stay

It all began so harmlessly

You gave me love so easily

I never realized you were just spending time

Tell me where are you going

Sweet mademoiselle

To London or Paris

To the Grand Hotel

Even though you're far away

I think about you every day

And wonder if you're thinking of me

In a fond memory

Sweet mademoiselle

Tell me where are you going

Sweet mademoiselle

To London or Paris

Ou Montreal

Sweet Mademoiselle

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3) Jennifer - DDY finally gets to sing and it's a typical ballady love song from him (though apparently about a young 17 year old). Think "Lonely Child" and you get the idea. This was apparently released as the third single from the album, but I could find no charting information which I am guessing means it did not chart at all. I do like how the pace slows down at the very end, which is a good lead in for the next song.

Jennifer

She drinks her sherry wine

She keeps her lady's love for me all the time

She's seventeen, barely old enough to cry

A child in her father's eyes

A woman every night

Her love gives me the power

Her dreams carry me on

Jennifer, so inviting

That I sing

Jennifer

She took me by surprise

She told me that she's much too young to keep me satisfied

Jennifer, ah so delicate and shy

A child in her mother's eyes but

A woman every night

Her love gives me the power

Her dreams carry me on

Jennifer, so inviting

That I sing...

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4) Crystal Ball - Tommy was definitely the defining moment in the band's history where things changed to propel them to super-stardom. I'm not sure they would have reached the same heights with JC. I think Tommy's songwriting abilities elevated the band even higher, especially to the point where they weren't totally dependent on Dennis writing the hits. This is easily the best song on the album, and another freaking classic.

This was released as the second single, but once again I find no charting information. Surely this song hit the charts right? And while searching for the lyrics I noticed the "extra verse". Umm, whut?!? Does anyone know of a recording where this was sung live?

I used to like to walk the straight and narrow line

I used to think that everything was fine

Sometimes I'd like to sit and gaze for days through sleepless dreams

All alone and trapped in time

All alone and trapped in time

I wonder what tomorrow has in mind for me

Or am I even in it's mind at all

Perhaps I'll get a chance to look ahead and see

Soon as I find myself a crystal ball

Soon as I find myself a crystal ball

Tell me, tell me where I'm going

I don't know where I've been

Tell me, tell me, won't you tell me

And then tell me again

My heart is breaking, my body's aching

And I don't know where to go

Tell me, tell me, won't you tell me

I've just got to know

Crystal ball

There's so many things I need to know

Crystal ball

There's so many things I've got to know

Crystal ball

["extra verse" used occasionally live]

If you should see me walking

Through your dreams at night

Would you please direct me

Where I ought to be

I've been looking for a crystal ball

To shed the light

To find a future in me...

To find a future in me...

Crystal ball

There's so many things I need to know

Crystal ball

There's so many things I've got to know

Crystal ball

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So the first side gives us a song by JY, one by Dennis, and two by newcomer Tommy Shaw. It also has all three singles released from the album. Side two must be pretty lame then right? Check in next week to find out...

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