Styx released their 14th album Cyclorama on this date back in 2003. It was the first first album since they replaced Dennis DeYoung with Lawrence Gowan. It's been basically Tommy Shaw's band ever since and that might be a good thing. The band just seems to have more fun without DDY. Wonder why...
Side One
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1) Do Things My Way - We start off by a song sung by Tommy. Funny title if you think about it because with DDY gone, now the band is finally "his".
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2) Waiting For Our Time - Another great song sung by Tommy. This was also released as the first single from the album, but failed to chart.
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3) Fields of the Brave - This is one of the songs I was most anticipating because I wanted to know what Lawrence Gowan sounded like with the band and in an original song. I wasn't disappointed.
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4) Bourgeois Pig - This is a little snippet of a "song" that only lasts 49 seconds and has Billy Bob Thornton on vocals. Yeah, you read that last part right. Some say that this is also a dig a DDY, but I don't see it.
Bourgeois Pig
You got too big
You forgot where you came from
You big pop star
You took it too far
You better get humble and then some
Bourgeois Pig
You got too big
You forgot where you came from
You big pop star
You took it too far
You better get humble and then some
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5) Kiss Your Ass Goodbye - This is one my favorite songs on the album. Sung by Glen Burtnik and features some very cool keyboard work by Gowan. That, and it's very humorous.
Here we go again
Hands making circles that you can't turn back again
Sky turning purple at the funeral of a friend
Who wasn't ready for the ending yet
He made a giant mess, sloppy disaster
And he left it for the rest to clean up after
Now the lawyers do their best
To try to divvy up what's ever left
In the ending you can bet
Everyone feels cheated
Kiss your ass good-bye
Boy you're out of time
You didn't choose life
It's just your luck
You got your turn now
Give it up and
Kiss your ass good-bye
What's left to say
When it's over everyone but you remains
Little children will still go out and play
Just like it's any other sunny day
Oh yeah
In the ending you can bet
Everyone's an equal
Kiss your ass good-bye
Dude you're past your prime
First you lose your looks
Then you lose your luck
Take the hit now
Pony up and
Kiss your ass good-bye
Everybody gets to go around one time
(And they said it wouldn't last)
After that baby gonna go bye-bye
(Before you know it you're the past)
Everybody got to check out sometime
You go first
I'll catch up right behind
In the ending you can bet
Everyone's a loser
Kiss your ass good-bye
Man it's closing time
It never seems fair
It's never enough
Take a bow, pucker up and
Kiss your ass good-bye
(Nothing left to say, now that it's over you can)
Kiss your ass good-bye Good-bye
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6) These Are The Times - JY gets a chance at lead vocals this time and it's another great song. The live version here looked so much cooler so I used that video instead.
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7) Yes I Can - Mostly acoustic song here sung by Tommy. It actually has an official video (that reminds me of something from Tears for Fears), but as far as I can tell it was never released as a single.
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Side Two
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8) More Love For The Money - We get another Gowan sung song here. I wondered what kind of tracks we would get from him. One thing is for sure, we knew it wouldn't be more crappy love ballads.
The album peaked significantly higher on the Billboard album charts than Styx's previous release, Brave New World, ending up 48 slots higher at #127. The album's first single was "Waiting for Our Time". It failed to chart.
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9) Together - Tommy does it again.
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10) Fooling Yourself (Palm of Your Hands) - Here's a little song you may have heard before. It's just a little snippet of a track, almost a capella.
You see the world through your cynical eyes
You're a troubled young man I can tell
You've got it all in the palm of your hands
But your hands wet with sweat
And your head needs a rest
You're fooling yourself
If you don't believe it
You're kidding yourself
If you don't believe it
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11) Captain America - When I saw this track listed I knew it had to be a JY song. Yep, and it was. I think he has actually gotten better through the years.
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12) Killing the Thing That You Love - Hey, look. Glen Burtnik is still in the band. And I am glad he is because this might be the best song on the whole album. Awesome song and keyboards.
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13) One With Everything - I said the last song "might" be the best on the whole album. If it wasn't for this song it would definitely be. This one is what I always want from Styx: a positive outlook and optimistic future. There are some crazy ass keyboards on this song too. First time I heard it I was like "when did ELP join the band?". Awesomeness.
Hold on tightly to your innocence and don't you let go
Until you know it's gonna be your way
Through the tangle and the bramble
There's a thread that runs through and it's true
There's no need to be afraid
Smiling ear to ear it's something in the atmosphere
Every star above reflecting in your sea of love
Is it just a dream or are things as they really seem
Somebody help me make the call
You could be the light that shines so bright
You show the way to go and if it's so
Don't be too surprised
Just give yourself a chance
And take a glance around to see the glow
Burning in my eyes
Smiling ear to ear it's something in the atmosphere
Every star above reflecting in your sea of love
This is not a dream it's just the way it's always been
You've got to rise above it all
Somewhere down the road that we follow
We'll be one with everything
I know as soon as tomorrow
We could be arriving
Somewhere down the road that we follow
We'll be one with everything
I know as soon as tomorrow
We could be arriving
And in my dreams I'm there by your side
Learning to fly again
The world we see (World we see and hear)
Is a mystery (Mystery but we)
But we hold the key (Hold the key to the door)
If we have the faith to live (Have the faith anymore)
And believe
Somewhere down the road that we follow
We'll be one with everything
I know as soon as tomorrow
We could be arriving
And in my dreams I'm there by your side
Learning to fly again
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14) Genki Desu Ka - I don't really see this as a track on the album, just mostly some extra parts added onto the end. I could not find a video of it on YouTube so I made one. I expect to be sued any day now.
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First comes the Genki Desu Ka part which basically says the same thing over and over:
Genki desu ka, genki desu ka, genki desu ka
Do you feel all right
Genki desu ka, genki desu ka, genki desu ka
Genki desu ne
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After that there is a little skit with Tommy and Tenacious D getting a bogus letter about being on the album. Then they all sing the chorus of "Kiss Your Ass Goodbye" together. After that is another little hidden track called "The Chosen One" which has these lines:
If you were the one, the chosen one
To sacrifice yourself in the moment of danger
Would you have the grace, the courage it takes
To save the life of a stranger
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