Music Monday: Styx/Kilroy Was Here (Side Two)

In the previous post covering side one of Kilroy Was Here I detailed how Dennis DeYoung came up with the story for this concept album. Now it is time to take a look at side two and see how it finishes out.

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5) Heavy Metal Poisoning - This song continues the story of the album and has the character of Dr Righteous (JY) preaching the "evils" of rock and roll. The song got some minor airplay on FM rock radio but its music video got significant airplay on MTV upon release. The song begins with the backmasked Latin words "Annuit Cœptis, Novus Ordo Seclorum" ("God has favored our undertakings; a new order for the ages") - part of the Great Seal which encircles the pyramid on the back of the American dollar bill. I remember when I bought this album it had a "sarcastic" warning of backwards messages on the wrapping.

The video has Dr. Righteous performing a sermon on The Dr. Righteous Show with his two henchmen (portrayed by the Panozzo twins) by his side. Interspersed is footage of people and members of The Majority for Musical Morality setting fire to guitars and records (one person can be seen holding Paradise Theater). On the TV show, Righteous brainwashes a youth who was inflicted with the "evils" of rock and roll which was almost thwarted when Jonathan Chance (Tommy) tried to save the youth only to escape from being arrested by the MMM. While the Tommy Shaw character mimes the guitar solo, it is actually played by Young. At the end of the clip, Righteous succeeds in "curing" a youth from the "evils" of rock and roll.

What the devil's goin' on

Why don't your turn that music down

You're going deaf and that's for sure

But all you do is scream for more

Get the lead out go for broke

Pop your pills and drink and smoke

Shoot those chemicals into your vein

Anything to ease the pain

Heavy metal (heavy metal) poisoning (it's a poison)

A toxic wasteland (got a toxic wasteland) in your ear canal (in your ear canal!)

Overloaded (I'm overloaded), suffering (yeah!)

Overloaded (overloaded) on sex and drugs

Everything is black and white

You are wrong and we are right

First we'll spank your big behinds

Then we'll twist your little minds

I'm Dr. Righteous (I'm Dr. Righteous), and I'm here to sing (yeah!)

That heavy metal (heavy metal) is poisoning

It's a music wasteland, that destroys the young (yeah!)

They're overloaded (overloaded) on sex and drugs, sex and drugs, sex and drugs

And rock and roll!

sterces eht sdloh nataS

I'm Dr. Righteous (I'm Dr. Righteous), and I'm here to sing (yeah!)

That heavy metal (heavy metal) is poisoning

It's a music wasteland, that destroys the young (yeah!)

They're overloaded (overloaded) on sex and drugs, sex and drugs, sex and drugs

And rock and roll!

Heavy metal (heavy metal) poisoning (it's a poison)

A toxic wasteland (got a toxic wasteland) in your love canal love canal!)

Overloaded (I'm overloaded), suffering (yeah!)

Overloaded (overloaded) on sex and drugs, sex and drugs, sex and drugs

sex and drugs, sex and drugs, sex and drugs, sex and drugs, sex and drugs

"Righteous! Righteous!..."

"Shut up!"

"...Righteous! Righteous! Righteous! Righteous! Righteous! Yeah!"

"Shut up! Shut up!"

[giggles]

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6) Just Get Through This Night - This is a Tommy song and a great one at that. This has always been one of my favorite songs off the album. It doesn't really work with the flow of the story to me, other than the whispering you can barely make out at the beginning of the song.

[whispered]

"Help me, Kilroy....We'll make history tonight "

"Jonathon, I hear you...Meet me at the Paradise Theatre"

This could be the longest night in recorded history

And as for sleep, you might as well just cross it off the list of possibilities

(now) I'm as brave as the next man

I won't turn and run from a fight

And I could last a million years

If I just get through this night

I could be a novelist

Tell secrets never heard

Pour my soul into each and every sentence but I just can't find the words

Still I know that you're out there and you can relate to it all

And I could bear the cold and stormy winter

If I just get through this fall

Don't you know there's no place on this earth

Where you can run to escape the pain of a broken heart

It's useless to spend the time it takes you try

But can't you see that I'm here

And I'm looking just the same

And I don't know why...

I could be a movie star

The king of hollywood

Make them cry, dramatically pretending to keep romance alive

And I would humbly thank my director and everyone involved from the start

I could blow them all away if I'd only find the the part

If I just get through this night

If I just get through this night

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7) Double Life - To me, this is the best song on the album. How many times have we been able to say that about a JY song? Another one that doesn't work into the storyline for me. Maybe if I had seen the stage show? Dunno.

In the dark so all alone

Slowly reach for the telephone

A message waits just for you

A secret place, another rendezvous

It's not always honesty

That is the best policy

But little lies can give you away

Though you'll deny it if they say maybe you're just

Leading a double life

Friends in the daytime, strangers at night

Leading a double life

Can it be wrong when you know that it's right?

The other side of the Berlin Wall is

Not far enough to avoid the call

Somebody knows, somebody's seen

Somebody knows right where you've been

And that you're just

Leading a double life

Friends in the daytime, strangers at night

Leading a double life

Can it be wrong when you know that it's right?

Nowhere to hide, though we both might try

I'm schizophrenic, and so am I

Double life, a double life, a masquerade

You know we all live a masquerade

I know you're out there!

Leading a double life

Friends in the daytime, strangers at night

Leading a double life

Can it be wrong when you know that it's right?

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8) Haven't We Been Here Before - Another great Tommy song (with additional vocals by Dennis) about not repeating mistakes of the past. This was the song that Tommy didn't want released (even though it had an official video), which forced A&M to release "High Time" from side one instead. Dunno why. Great song.

Haven't we been here before

Footsteps lead down to the note on the door

That says I can't stay here anymore

And haven't we felt this same way

Sure in our hearts, but afraid just the same

To say I can't stay one minute more

You might think that it's hopeless, beyond our control

But that's not necessarily so

Can't you see there's a chance f

or the daring young soul

Who's finally learned to say no

No, I won't be misused

Ignored or refused

And I won't just give up and let go

So tonight hold me close to you

And don't give up what's important to you

And as time rolls on nothing can stand in our way

And I believe if we learn from the past we'd say haven't we been here before

And I believe if we open our hearts we'd find keys to unlock every door

Dark would turn into light

We'd be strong

We'd be right

So tonight hold me close to you

And don't give up what's important to you

And as time rolls on nothing will sta

nd in our way

And I believe if we learn from the past we'd say haven't we been here before

And I believe if we open our hearts we'd find keys to unlock every door

Hearts could change overnight

We'd be strong...We'd be right

So stay with me now

The future is ours

And we'll be the ones who go on

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9) Don't Let It End (Reprise) -  No please, let it end! This brings back the "Roboto" theme and then uses a little "Don't Let It End" to close out the album. I guess the good guys won?

I am the modren man

With this guitar in hand

I'll do my best and try

To keep rock and roll alive

...Keep it alive

...Keep it alive

...Keep it alive...

Don't let it end

Don't let it end

Don't let it end

Don't let it end

I'm gonna keep on rockin' all through the night

Shake it, shake it, baby, 'cause it feels so right

Motivate your body, gonna cure your soul

Keep on rockin' 'til I lose control

Don't let it end

I shake to soul music

Don't let it end

I gotta gotta have that music

Don't let it end

Chuck Berry

Don't let it end

The Platters

Don't let it end

Little Richard - ahoo!

Don't let it end

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Now let me say this, as bad as side one is, I really enjoy side two of this album. I do not think it wraps up the storyline at all considering the whole concept of the thing. Paradise Theater was perfect. This wasn't. However, if you were to throw out the story completely (and the reprise) you get two really good JY and Tommy songs apiece and that's not too shabby.

Even though the album hit #3, the tour was a disaster. Styx lost lots of revenue because they played the stage show in smaller theaters and venues. When they attempted to bring "Shakespeare to football stadiums" it got even worse.

And then Tommy Shaw quit y'all.