Other than being their first platinum-selling album, The Grand Illusion led… Read Full Bio ↴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: James Young
“Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)” (Tommy Shaw) – 5:29
Lead vocals and guitar: Tommy Shaw
Synthesizer solos: Dennis DeYoung
“Superstars” (DeYoung, Shaw, James Young) – 3:59
Lead vocals and lead guitar: Tommy Shaw
Soliloquy: Dennis DeYoung
“Come Sail Away” (DeYoung) – 6:07
Lead vocals and synthesizer solo: Dennis DeYoung
ARP Odyssey: James Young
Lead Guitar: Tommy Shaw
“Miss America” (Young) – 5:01
Lead vocals and lead guitar: James Young
“Man in the Wilderness” (Shaw) – 5:49
Lead vocals and lead guitar: Tommy Shaw
“Castle Walls” (DeYoung) – 6:00
Lead vocals: Dennis DeYoung
Guitar fills and harmony fills: Tommy Shaw
Guitar solo: James Young
“The Grand Finale” (DeYoung, Shaw, Young) – 1:58
Lead vocals: Dennis DeYoung
Guitar fills and first guitar solo: Tommy Shaw
Melodic Guitar Lead: James Young
Personnel
Dennis DeYoung – Keyboards, Synthesizers, Vocals
Chuck Panozzo – Bass, Vocals
John Panozzo – Drums, Vocals
Tommy Shaw – Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Vocals
James Young – Guitar, Keyboards,Vocals
Production
Barry Mraz – Production Assistance, Engineer
Rob Kingsland – Engineer
Mastered by Mike Reese at the Mastering Lab, Los Angeles, California
Derek Sutton – Management and Direction
Jim Vose – Tour Manager
Jeff Ravitz – Lighting Designer
John “Tarkus” Schaefer – Stage Manager
Bob “Yaz” Jastrzembski – Equipment and Motorcycle Stunts
Judson Terry Phelps – Monitors
Roland Young – Art Direction
Jim McCrary – Photography
Chuck Beeson – Album Design
Kelly and Mouse – Album cover painting
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: James Young
“Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)” (Tommy Shaw) – 5:29
Lead vocals and guitar: Tommy Shaw
Synthesizer solos: Dennis DeYoung
“Superstars” (DeYoung, Shaw, James Young) – 3:59
Lead vocals and lead guitar: Tommy Shaw
Soliloquy: Dennis DeYoung
“Come Sail Away” (DeYoung) – 6:07
Lead vocals and synthesizer solo: Dennis DeYoung
ARP Odyssey: James Young
Lead Guitar: Tommy Shaw
“Miss America” (Young) – 5:01
Lead vocals and lead guitar: James Young
“Man in the Wilderness” (Shaw) – 5:49
Lead vocals and lead guitar: Tommy Shaw
“Castle Walls” (DeYoung) – 6:00
Lead vocals: Dennis DeYoung
Guitar fills and harmony fills: Tommy Shaw
Guitar solo: James Young
“The Grand Finale” (DeYoung, Shaw, Young) – 1:58
Lead vocals: Dennis DeYoung
Guitar fills and first guitar solo: Tommy Shaw
Melodic Guitar Lead: James Young
Personnel
Dennis DeYoung – Keyboards, Synthesizers, Vocals
Chuck Panozzo – Bass, Vocals
John Panozzo – Drums, Vocals
Tommy Shaw – Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Vocals
James Young – Guitar, Keyboards,Vocals
Production
Barry Mraz – Production Assistance, Engineer
Rob Kingsland – Engineer
Mastered by Mike Reese at the Mastering Lab, Los Angeles, California
Derek Sutton – Management and Direction
Jim Vose – Tour Manager
Jeff Ravitz – Lighting Designer
John “Tarkus” Schaefer – Stage Manager
Bob “Yaz” Jastrzembski – Equipment and Motorcycle Stunts
Judson Terry Phelps – Monitors
Roland Young – Art Direction
Jim McCrary – Photography
Chuck Beeson – Album Design
Kelly and Mouse – Album cover painting
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The Grand Illusion
Styx Lyrics
Castle Walls Once in a dream Far beyond these castle walls Down by the…
Come Sail Away I'm sailing away Set an open course for the virgin sea 'Caus…
Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man) You see the world through your cynical eyes You're a trouble…
Man In The Wilderness Another year has passed me by Still I look a myself…
Miss America You were the apple of the public's eye As you…
Superstars You've read about me in the papers You've seen me on…
The Grand Finale Sail away superstars Sail away superstars So if you think y…
The Grand Illusion Welcome to the Grand illusion Come on in and see what's…