Greatest Hits (Styx album)

Styx Greatest Hits
Greatest hits album by Styx
Released August 22, 1995
Recorded 1975 - 1995
Genre Rock
Progressive rock
Hard rock
Pop rock
Length 75:25
Label A&M
Producer Styx and Dennis DeYoung
Styx compilation chronology
Styx Classics Volume 15
(1987)		 Styx Greatest Hits
(1995)		 Styx Greatest Hits Part 2
(1996)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide [2]

Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the American rock band Styx. It was released by A&M Records on August 22, 1995. It contains 16 tracks, 8 of which were Billboard Top 10 Pop Singles, another 4 that were Billboard Top 40 Pop Singles, and 4 that received heavy airplay on FM album oriented rock stations.

This album essentially replaced Styx's previous greatest hits album, Styx - Classics, Volume 15, which was released by A&M in 1987. That previous album had excluded the hit song "Lady" because the song was originally recorded for and released through Wooden Nickel Records (which also had a distribution arrangement with RCA Records). Because A&M/Polygram had been unable to secure distribution rights to the song, most of the classic lineup of Styx (Dennis DeYoung, Tommy Shaw, Chuck Panozzo and James "J.Y." Young) reunited to re-record the track at Dennis' home studio, The White Room. They were joined by uncredited session drummer Todd Sucherman, who filled in for John Panozzo due to Panozzo's failing health; Sucherman joined the band permanently in 1996, during the Return to Paradise tour. The track, which is very similar to the original, was titled "Lady '95".

With the exception of "Lady '95", Styx - Greatest Hits features the original album versions of all the other songs included in the compilation. "Come Sail Away" is presented here in its full 6:05 version and "Miss America" is here in its original studio version (despite the CD's packaging showing incorrect time listings for both tracks).

Aftermath

The "Lady '95" session led to Styx reuniting.

Notable omissions

While Styx Greatest Hits is by far and away the best selling Styx compilation (certified 2x platinum) and contains all of 8 Top 10 Singles and many key classic rock radio tracks, there are some notable omissions. Most notably, "Rockin' the Paradise" which peaked at #8 on the Top Rock Tracks chart in 1981 and is a concert staple, and "Boat on the River" which is Styx's biggest international hit, are both absent from the compilation. In addition, top 30 hits "Love at First Sight" (#25), "Why Me" (#26) are also absent. Other missing mid-chart hits include "Mademoiselle" (#34), "Music Time" (#40), "Sing for the Day" (#41), "High Time" (#48), "Nothing Ever Goes as Planned" (#54), and "Borrowed Time" (#64). Notable missing rock tracks include "Love Is the Ritual" (#9 Rock Tracks), "Snowblind" (#24 Rock Tracks), and "Light Up". Most of these are included in the follow up collection Styx Greatest Hits Part 2, or the career-spanning Come Sail Away – The Styx Anthology (aka Styx Gold). The only charted songs that have never been included in a compilation are "Why Me", "Music Time" and "High Time".

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s)Original album Length
1. "Lady '95" (Re-recorded for the compilation)Dennis DeYoungOriginally from Styx II, 1973 3:05
2. "The Best of Times"  DeYoungParadise Theatre, 1981 4:18
3. "Lorelei"  DeYoung, James YoungEquinox, 1975 3:22
4. "Too Much Time on My Hands"  Tommy ShawParadise Theatre 4:33
5. "Babe"  DeYoungCornerstone, 1979 4:24
6. "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)"  ShawThe Grand Illusion, 1977 5:28
7. "Show Me the Way"  DeYoungEdge of the Century, 1990 4:36
8. "Renegade"  ShawPieces of Eight, 1978 4:14
9. "Come Sail Away" (erroneously listed as 5:30 on label)DeYoungThe Grand Illusion 6:05
10. "Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)"  ShawPieces of Eight 4:06
11. "The Grand Illusion"  DeYoungThe Grand Illusion 4:35
12. "Crystal Ball"  ShawCrystal Ball, 1976 4:32
13. "Suite Madame Blue"  DeYoungEquinox 6:33
14. "Miss America" (erroneously listed as 6:23 on label)YoungThe Grand Illusion 4:59
15. "Mr. Roboto"  DeYoungKilroy Was Here, 1983 5:30
16. "Don't Let It End"  DeYoungKilroy Was Here 4:54

Personnel

References

  1. ↑ Allmusic review
  2. ↑ Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 789. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
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