Over the course of its career, the band has sold more than 40 million records and has charted thirteen Top 40 hits, including the number ones "Keep On Loving You" and "Can't Fight This Feeling". REO Speedwagon's mainstream popularity waned in the late 1980s, but the band remains a popular live act.
In the fall of 1966, Neal Doughty entered the electrical engineering program at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois, coming in as a junior. On his first night, he met another student, Alan Gratzer. They held an impromptu jam session in the basement of their Illinois Street Residence Hall dormitory, and soon started a rock band. Gratzer had been a drummer since high school, and was playing in a local group on the weekends, while Doughty had learned some Beatles songs on his parents' piano.
Doughty started to follow around Gratzer's band, eventually sitting in on a song or two. The keyboard player was the leader, but several other band members were unhappy with the situation. On the last day of the university's spring semester, guitarist Joe Matt called the band's leader and told him that he, drummer Gratzer, and bassist Mike Blair had decided to leave the band and start a new one with Doughty.
They made a list of songs to learn over the summer break, and Doughty landed a summer job to buy his first keyboard. On his Farfisa organ, he learned "Light My Fire" by The Doors. The members returned to school in the fall of 1967, and had their first rehearsal before classes even started. They named the band REO Speedwagon, from the REO Speed Wagon, a flatbed truck Doughty had studied in transportation history, and the initials are those of its founder Ransom E. Olds. Rather than pronouncing REO as a single word as the motor company did, they chose to spell out the name with the individual letters each pronounced ("R-E-O"). An ad in the school newspaper produced their first job, a fraternity party that turned into a food fight. They continued to perform cover songs in campus bars, fraternity parties, and university events. The first lineup consisted of Doughty on keyboards, Gratzer on drums and vocals, Joe Matt on guitar and vocals, Mike Blair on bass and vocals.
In early 1968, Terry Luttrell became lead singer, and Bob Crownover joined as the guitar player, replacing Matt. When Mike Blair left the band in the summer of 1968, Gregg Philbin replaced Blair, Marty Shepard played trumpet and Joe McCabe played sax until McCabe moved to Southern Illinois University. Crownover played guitar for the group until the summer of 1969 when Bill Fiorio replaced him. Fiorio then departed in late 1969, eventually assuming the name Duke Tumatoe, and went on to form the All Star Frogs. Steve Scorfina (who would go on to found progressive rock/album-oriented rock band Pavlov's Dog) came aboard for over a year, composing with the band and performing live, before being replaced by Gary Richrath in late 1970.
Richrath was a Peoria, Illinois-based guitarist and prolific songwriter who brought fresh original material to the band. With Richrath on board, the regional popularity of the band grew tremendously. The Midwestern United States was the original REO Speedwagon fan stronghold and is pivotal in this period of the band's history.
The band signed to Epic Records in 1971. Paul Leka, an East Coast record producer, brought the band to his recording studio in Bridgeport, Connecticut where it recorded original material for its first album. The lineup on the first album consisted of Richrath, Gratzer, Doughty, Philbin, and Luttrell.
Richrath was a Peoria, Illinois-based guitar player and prolific songwriter who brought original material to the band including REO's signature song "Ridin' the Storm Out". With Richrath on board, the regional popularity of the band grew tremendously. The Midwestern United States was the original REO Speedwagon fan stronghold and is pivotal in this period of the band's history.
The band signed to Epic Records in 1971. Paul Leka, an East Coast record producer, brought the band to his recording studio in Bridgeport, Connecticut where it recorded original material for its first album. The lineup on the first album consisted of Richrath, Gratzer, Doughty, Philbin, and Luttrell.
The band toured relentlessly under guidance from early manager Irving Azoff. The band's most successful period featured lead vocalist Kevin Cronin who joined the band briefly for their second album T.W.O in 1972, and left in the middle of recording the Album "Ridin' The Storm Out" and returned in 1976, co-producing with Richrath their landmark Live: You Get What You Play For. Ridin' the Storm Out was completed with Michael Bryan Murphy on the microphone. Murphy stayed on for two more albums, "Lost in a Dream" and "This Time We Mean It", before Cronin returned to the fold in January 1976 and recorded "R.E.O.", which was released that same year.
They grew in popularity in the Midwestern United States during the early 1970s and peaked in popularity in the early 1980s. The band's first mid 70s FM hit was the Richrath composed concert fave "Ridin' The Storm Out", and their first gold record was a live album, 1977's "Live: You Get What You Play For". Their hard rocking live show was so integral to their success, their label released another live album in 1978, "More Live".
In 1977, Philbin was replaced with Bruce Hall to record the first studio album that reached platinum, "You Can Tune a Piano, But You Can't Tuna Fish", released in 1978 which received FM radio airplay but fell short of the Top 40. In 1979, the band took a turn back to hard rock with the release of Nine Lives.
By 1981's "Hi Infidelity" they had reached a new peak, and the LP spawned several major radio hits including "Keep On Loving You", "Don't Let Him Go" and "Take It on the Run" which went to #5 on the US charts, and the Cronin composed "Time For Me To Fly, released on the "Tuna" album.
REO Speedwagon followed up the "Hi Infidelity" LP with the power ballad "Can't Fight This Feeling" from Good Trouble in 1982, and dented the charts again with 1984's "Wheels Are Turning" album, 1987's "Life as We Know It" was the last new release to go gold, before popularity waned, and their long winning streak subsided. Founding members Richrath & Gratzer left the band, essentially ending a 20 year arena rocking run, but the band's collections continued to sell and earn classic rock & retro power pop airplay. Richrath and Gratzer was replaced by Miles Joseph and Graham Lear, Cronin's band members from jazz ensemble called "The Strolling Dudes". And soon Lear and Joseph was replaced by Bryan Hitt (formerly of Wang Chung) and Dave Amato.
Nowadays Reo Speedwagon remains a U.S concert circuit staple, mostly known as a crowd pleasing classic AOR genre rock band. Still fronted by longtime vocalist Cronin, currently the only original member in the 21st century touring lineup is keyboardist Neil Doughty. The hired guns brought in since have had stints in band's like Ted Nugent and Wang Chung. Spurred on by numerous re-packagings of their back catalog, and successful newer live recordings, in 2007 they released "Find Your Own Way Home" the group's first new studio album in more than ten years. Though it did not chart as an album, it produced two singles which appeared on Billboard's Adult Contemporary radio chart.
REO Speedwagon continues to tour regularly, performing mostly their classic hits. They are popular on the fair and casino circuits, but still team with other acts to play larger venues.
REO Speedwagon's birth place was reportedly a Red Lion Inn, on Green Street near the U of I campus (Champaign-Urbana, IL).
Principal Members (1971)
Gary Richrath - Guitar
Alan Gratzer - Drums
Gregg Philbin - Bass
Terry Luttrell - Vocals
Mike Murphy - Vocals
Current Lineup
Kevin Cronin - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Dave Amato - Lead Guitar, Vocals
Bruce Hall - Bass Guitar, Vocals
Neal Doughty - Keyboards
Bryan Hitt - Drums, Percussion
http://www.speedwagon.com
The Key
REO Speedwagon Lyrics
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I left so much behind to find the dream that I was chasin'
And now I have a need to take a look at what is real
I need to learn to live and love and breathe and touch and feel
But all I really know is what I see
And everybody sees it differently
I wish someone would open up my heart and look inside of me
Your body aglow as if to show you peacefully dreamin'
So only you could know that deep inside somebody was screamin'
And callin' out to anyone who could help you through the night
And hopin' that someone would come along to make it right
But all you really know is what you see
And everybody sees it differently
I wish someone could open up your soul and set the demon free
But you're the only one who holds the key
The lyrics to REO Speedwagon's song "The Key" explore the themes of self-discovery and the search for inner truth. The opening lines describe a restless night as the singer's mind races with thoughts of what they left behind to pursue their dreams. The second stanza speaks to a need to examine what is real and learn to live, love, and feel. The chorus describes a longing for someone to open up their heart and look inside, but ultimately realizing that they are the only one who holds the key to their own identity and understanding.
The second half of the song continues to explore these themes through the story of someone who appears peaceful on the outside but is calling out for help on the inside. The lines "all you really know is what you see, and everybody sees it differently" suggest that perception is subjective and that one's true self may be hidden from the outside world. The singer wishes that someone would help this person release the inner demons that are causing them pain, but ultimately acknowledges that only the individual can hold the key to their own healing.
Overall, "The Key" is a reflection on the struggle to find oneself and the importance of self-discovery. It emphasizes the idea that true understanding and healing come from within.
Line by Line Meaning
I couldn't fall asleep all last night my mind was racin'
The singer was restless and couldn't sleep because they were thinking too much.
I left so much behind to find the dream that I was chasin'
The singer sacrificed many things in their life to pursue their dream.
And now I have a need to take a look at what is real
The singer wants to reassess their life and determine what is truly important and meaningful.
I need to learn to live and love and breathe and touch and feel
The artist feels that they have been neglecting these essential aspects of life and want to reconnect with them.
But all I really know is what I see
The artist's perspective and understanding of the world around them is limited to their own experiences.
And everybody sees it differently
Others have their own unique perspectives and interpretations of the same situation.
I wish someone would open up my heart and look inside of me
The singer desires for someone to truly understand them and what they are feeling.
But I'm the only one who holds the key
However, the artist realizes that ultimately they are the only one who can unlock their true emotions.
Your body aglow as if to show you peacefully dreamin'
The listener is physically at ease, but may be hiding their inner turmoil.
So only you could know that deep inside somebody was screamin'
Despite appearances, the listener is struggling with intense emotional pain and distress.
And callin' out to anyone who could help you through the night
The listener desires for someone to come to their aid and provide comfort in their time of need.
And hopin' that someone would come along to make it right
The listener wishes for someone to help alleviate their suffering and fix their problems.
But all you really know is what you see
The listener's limited perspective may prevent them from seeing potential solutions and alternative perspectives.
And everybody sees it differently
Others may have differing opinions or solutions to the listener's struggles.
I wish someone could open up your soul and set the demon free
The singer wishes for someone to deeply understand the listener's troubles and help them overcome their inner demons.
But you're the only one who holds the key
Ultimately, the listener is the only one who can unlock their own emotional healing and growth.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: KEVIN PATRICK CRONIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind