The Grand Illusion

about this album

Other than being their first platinum-selling album, The Grand Illusion led Styx steadfastly into the domain of AOR rock. - Mike DeGagne/AMG (4/5 Stars) - The Grand Illusion is the seventh studio album by Styx, released in 1977. It became the band’s first Triple Platinum album, and spawned the Top 10 hit “Come Sail Away” and the Top 30 hit “Fooling Yourself”. The album was the subject of an episode of the US radio show In the Studio with Redbeard featuring interviews with several band members. According to lead singer Dennis DeYoung, the album’s theme was the struggle to overcome self-deluding superficiality in order to affirm one’s genuine value. This theme was reflected in the lyrics of the album’s title track: so if you think your life is complete confusion ’cause your neighbor’s got it made just remember that it’s a grand illusion and deep inside we’re all the same DeYoung also revealed that the title of The Grand Illusion had been considered dating back to the 1975 album Equinox. The track “Miss America” was guitarist James Young’s scathing attack on the Miss America pageant. Young, in his interview on the In the Studio program, said the track came to him in the middle of the night and that its riff was inspired by the Jethro Tull song “Minstrel in the Gallery”. Track listing “The Grand Illusion” (Dennis DeYoung) – 4:36 Lead vocals: Dennis DeYoung First guitar solo and guitar fills: Tommy Shaw Second guitar solo: Jam

tracks

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