( October 2020)Īlthough the song hit its chart peak in 1978, "Come Sail Away" has had tremendous longevity in popular culture. Please relocate any relevant information into other sections or articles. This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. On superstation WLS-AM in their home city of Chicago, the song spent two weeks at #3 and was ranked at #26 for the year. In the United States, "Come Sail Away" reached #8 on Billboard and spent two weeks at #9 on Cash Box. James Young - rhythm guitar, synthesizer, backing vocalsĬash Box said that "a solitary voice introduces the melody to light piano accompaniment" and that then "the pure fury of the drum, guitar and vocal explosion that follows will pleasantly startle expectations." Record World said that "The melody here is most appealing the message of escape seems just right for the spirit of the seventies." Ĭlassic Rock critic Malcolm Dome rated "Come Sail Away" as Styx 7th greatest song, calling it "one of the all time great power ballads.".Tommy Shaw - lead guitar, backing vocals.Dennis DeYoung - lead vocals, piano, synthesizer. In the middle of the second half of the album version is a minute-long synthesizer-heavy instrumental break. Musically, "Come Sail Away" combines a plaintive, ballad-like opening section (including piano and synthesizer interludes) with a bombastic, guitar-heavy second half. The lyrics touch on nostalgia of "childhood friends," escapism, and a religious thematic symbolized by "a gathering of angels" singing "a song of hope." The ending lyrics explain a transition from a sailing ship into a starship, by narrating that "they climbed aboard their starship and headed for the skies".ĭeYoung 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". Lyrically, the song uses sailing as a metaphor to achieve one's dreams. It is one of the biggest hits of Styx's career. Upon its release as the lead single from the album, "Come Sail Away" peaked at #8 in January 1978 on the Billboard Hot 100, and helped The Grand Illusion achieve multi-platinum sales in 1978. " Come Sail Away" is a song by American progressive rock group Styx, written and sung by singer and songwriter Dennis DeYoung and featured on the band's seventh album The Grand Illusion (1977). We didn’t play rock & roll yet." Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)" We were kids playing weddings, just trying to have some fun and make a little dough. John and Chuck were practicing in their living room So I told to bring their stuff over to my basement and we’ll have some fun. When I was 14, I just happened to hear (twin brothers) John and Chuck Panozzo, who were the founders of Styx along with myself. So I started playing the accordion and I took lessons for seven or eight years. At the time, the most popular instruments in the United States were the piano and the accordion-the electric guitar hadn’t come into its own yet. In 1954, there was no rock & roll…it was bubbling under. You have to understand how long ago that was, around 1954. My mother was Italian, so it was the law (laughs)-I had to do that. DK: When you were growing up in Chicago, when did you start playing keyboards, and start writing songs?ĭennis DeYoung: Well, I started to play accordion when I was seven years old.
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