Styx is best known for the hit songs "Lady", "Come Sail Away", "Babe", "Boat on the River", "The Best of Times", "Too Much Time on My Hands", "Renegade" and "Mr. Roboto". The band has had four consecutive albums certified multi-platinum by the RIAA.
Great Expectations
Styx Lyrics
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Just to see what can you do
They'll be waiting, anticipating
For the genius to come through
So raise the bar up
A little higher
They expect so much of you
Feel the madness accelerating
Cause you feel the same way too
Great, Great, Great Expectations
Everybody's masturbating
Wondering what you're gonna do
And all the doctors are contemplating
Can the smart ass still pull through
Mister big shot
With all the answers
One more time through the hoop for you
Light a fire
To the whole thing
Feel the flame as you go through
Great, Great, Great Expectations
Did you think that your ambition
Would ever end up in remission
Did ya
Now did ya
Did you think your sacrifices
Would turn your dreams into your vices
Now did ya
How could ya
All the cynics & the ciphers
Make you question what you do
So turn your amp up a little louder
To drown out that void in you
While the mantra keeps repeating
There are dreams you must pursue
If you just try a little harder
There ain't nothing you can't do
Great, Great, Great Expectations
The song Great Expectations by Styx talks about the pressure that creative people feel when they are expected to perform at their very best. The lyrics talk about how everyone will be watching and anticipating the genius to come through. They feel the madness accelerating, which means that they feel the same pressure as everyone else. They have to raise the bar higher, which means that the expectations are already very high. The song refers to masturbation as a metaphor for the mental and emotional anticipation from everyone who is watching the artist.
The lyrics talk about how the doctors are contemplating whether the smart ass can still pull through. This means that the artist's intellectual ability is being questioned. The artist is described as a big shot with all the answers, but they still have to go through the hoop one more time. The lyrics encourage the artist to light a fire to the whole thing and feel the flame as they go through. This means that they have to give their best, and they will succeed.
Furthermore, the lyrics talk about how the cynics and the ciphers make you question what you are doing. Cynics are people who believe that people are motivated only by self-interest, while ciphers are people who have no influence. The artist is encouraged to turn the amps up a little louder to drown out the void in them. This means that they have to focus on what they are doing rather than what others are saying.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody will be watching
All eyes are on you, waiting to see what you'll do next.
Just to see what can you do
People are curious to see what you're capable of achieving.
They'll be waiting, anticipating
People are eagerly waiting to see your next move.
For the genius to come through
People have high expectations of you because they believe you're a genius.
So raise the bar up
You're being challenged to raise the standards and excel yourself.
A little higher
Aim even higher than before.
They expect so much of you
People expect great things from you.
Feel the madness accelerating
The pressure is building up, and it's making you feel more stressed out.
Cause you feel the same way too
You're equally anxious about meeting the expectations placed on you.
Great, Great, Great Expectations
The immense pressure to meet (great) expectations.
Everybody's masturbating
Everyone is overthinking and wondering what you'll do next.
Wondering what you're gonna do
People are anticipating and concerned about your next move.
And all the doctors are contemplating
People who are experts in their field are discussing what you'll do next.
Can the smart ass still pull through
People are doubting if you can still achieve great things.
Mister big shot
Referring to someone who is confident about their ability to succeed.
With all the answers
Referring to someone who thinks they have all the solutions to any problem.
One more time through the hoop for you
You're being challenged to overcome a hurdle (metaphorically).
Light a fire
Get motivated and inspired.
To the whole thing
Be passionate about everything you do.
Feel the flame as you go through
Experience the excitement and passion as you pursue your goals.
Did you think that your ambition
Are you surprised that your goals are too difficult to achieve?
Would ever end up in remission
Have you had to put your ambitions on hold?
Now did ya
Did you expect this to happen?
Did you think your sacrifices
Are you surprised that the sacrifices you made are not paying off?
Would turn your dreams into your vices
Are you struggling to balance your work and personal life?
All the cynics & the ciphers
People who are skeptical about your goals, and the negative thoughts in your mind.
Make you question what you do
They make you doubt your abilities and what you're pursuing.
So turn your amp up a little louder
Get motivated to work harder and ignore the negativity.
To drown out that void in you
Fill the emptiness within you with hard work, passion, and dedication.
While the mantra keeps repeating
The phrase or quotation, you always repeat to yourself when you are feeling low.
There are dreams you must pursue
Your inner voice is telling you to follow your dreams.
If you just try a little harder
You can only achieve your goals by putting in more effort than before.
There ain't nothing you can't do
You can achieve greatness if you believe in yourself and work hard.
Lyrics © DELLA BLUE MUSIC LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind