The Grand Illusion (album)

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The Grand Illusion
The Grand Illusion cover
Studio album by Styx
Released July 7, 1977
Recorded 1977 at Paragon Recording Studios, Chicago
Genre Progressive rock, hard rock
Length 38:59
Label A&M
Producer Styx
Professional reviews
Styx chronology
Crystal Ball
(1976)		 The Grand Illusion
(1977)		 Pieces of Eight
(1978)
Not to be confused with Grand Illusion (album), by Nocturnal Rites.

The Grand Illusion is the seventh album by Styx, released in 1977 (see 1977 in music). 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 pageants. 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".

Contents

[edit] Track listing

  1. "The Grand Illusion" (Dennis DeYoung) – 4:36
  2. "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)" (Tommy Shaw) – 5:29
  3. "Superstars" (DeYoung, Shaw, James Young) – 3:59
  4. "Come Sail Away" (DeYoung) – 6:07
  5. "Miss America" (Young) – 5:01
  6. "Man in the Wilderness" (Shaw) – 5:49
  7. "Castle Walls" (DeYoung) – 6:00
  8. "The Grand Finale" (DeYoung, Shaw, Young) – 1:58

[edit] Personnel

  • Dennis DeYoung - keyboards, synthesizer, vocals
  • Chuck Panozzo - bass, vocals
  • John Panozzo - drums, percussion, vocals
  • Tommy Shaw - acoustic and electric guitars, vocals
  • James Young - guitars, keyboards, vocals
  • 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

[edit] Miscellanea

The album cover art is an homage to a painting by Rene Magritte entitled "Carte Blanche."

Released on 7/7/77, "The Grand Illusion" was Styx's 7th album release.

The musical theme from John Carpenter's seminal film, Halloween, sounds remarkably like the interlude to 'Castle Walls.' (The interlude occurs approximately 2:40 into the song.) Carpenter's film was not released until 1978, leading some to suspect the movie's theme may have been inspired by the Styx song.

[edit] Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1978 Pop Albums 6

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year Single Chart Position
1978 "Come Sail Away" Pop Singles 8
1978 "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)" Pop Singles 29

[edit] See also

  • Top 100 Selling Albums of the 1970s
v • d • e
Styx
Tommy Shaw • James "J.Y." Young • Todd Sucherman • Lawrence Gowan • Ricky Phillips • Chuck Panozzo
Dennis DeYoung • John Panozzo • John Curulewski • Glen Burtnik
Studio albums
Live albums
Compilations
Singles
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