Styx

tpj1965 · August 7, 2007

"Come Sail Away" is a song by Styx from their album The Grand Illusion. One of the band's biggest hits, it was released in 1977 rising to number 8 on the Pop Singles chart and helping The Grand Illusion reach multi-platinum sales.

Musically, "Come Sail Away" combines a plaintive, ballad-like opening section (including piano and synthesizer interludes) with a bombastic, guitar-heavy second half. In the middle of the second half is a psychedelic minute-long synthesizer instrumental. The lyrics use the metaphor of a voyage of discovery and make reference to angels and spaceships. The song is typical of the music the band played in the 1970s — pop meets progressive rock.

Styx member Dennis DeYoung revealed on In the Studio with Redbeard (which devoted an entire episode to the making of The Grand Illusion), that he was depressed when he wrote the track after Styx's first two A&M offerings, Equinox and Crystal Ball, sold fewer units than expected after the success of the single "Lady".

DeYoung now closes nearly all of his live concert performances with a rendition of "Come Sail Away". As he approaches the end of each verse, he stops singing and queues the audience to finish the verse for him, which they do heartily. The audience can be heard very clearly singing along with DeYoung and his band during the chorus of "Come Sail Away" on DeYoung's comeback live album, The Music of Styx--Live with Symphony Orchestra.

Styx - Come Sail Away

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"Babe" was the lead single from Styx's 1979 triple-platinum album Cornerstone. The song was Styx's first, and to date only, U.S. number-one single.

The song was written by member Dennis DeYoung as a birthday present for his wife Suzanne. The finished track was recorded as a demo with just him and Styx members John Panozzo and Chuck Panozzo playing on the track with DeYoung singing all of the harmonies himself.

The song was not originally intended to be a Styx track, but then Styx members James "J.Y" Young and Tommy Shaw convinced DeYoung to put the song on the Cornerstone album. As a result, DeYoung's demo was placed on Cornerstone with Shaw overdubbing a guitar solo in the song's middle section. The track became a major hit.

Styx - Babe

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"Lady" is a popular song written and performed by the rock band Styx. It was first released on Styx II in September 1972 and was a local hit in the band's native Chicago, but failed to chart nationally. The song gained success when Styx left Wooden Nickel Records to move to A&M Records, and the song was re-released in 1974, peaking at #6. It was written by Dennis DeYoung for his wife.

The track would be re-recorded for the 1995 Styx compilation Styx Greatest Hits due to a contractual dispute between A&M and Wooden Nickel.

This song has been featured in various television programs, including episodes of The

Styx - Lady (Live)

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