Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)

"Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)"
Single by Styx
from the album Pieces of Eight
B-side "Superstars" / "Aku-Aku"
Released 1978
Format 7"
Genre Progressive rock, Hard rock
Label A&M
Writer(s) Tommy Shaw
Styx singles chronology
"Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)"
(1977)
"Blue Collar Man"
(1978)
"Sing for the Day"
(1978)

"Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)" is the first single that Styx released from the Pieces of Eight album. The single was released in two 7" vinyl formats, one with the b-side "Superstars", a track from The Grand Illusion, and a second single with the instrumental album track "Aku-Aku" as the b-side. Some printings of the single were also issued in a translucent blue vinyl, these blue vinyl releases are now highly sought after collectors items. As read in a Circus magazine (or the like) of the time, the song was composed by Tommy Shaw after hearing the sound of his motor boat engine when it failed to start; making the riff of the song. He said it sounded like a good riff to a song. The song reached No. 21 in the United States As well as No. 9 on the Canada RPM Top 100 Singles chart.[1]

A promo video for this song was filmed by director Bruce Gowers of the band performing on a soundstage. Videos were also shot for "Sing for the Day" and "I'm OK".

The song is in natural minor.[2]

It was featured on the TV show WKRP in Cincinnati on the episodes "Fish Story" and "Johnny Comes Back". A re-recorded version has been released as downloadable content for the Rock Band video game.

Sources

  1. "Styx: Billboard Singles". All Music Guide. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  2. Stephenson, Ken (2002). What to Listen for in Rock: A Stylistic Analysis, p.89. ISBN 978-0-300-09239-4.

External links