Paradise Theater Songs Ranked
Paradise Theatre is the tenth album by the rock band Styx, released in January 1981. It was the band’s most commercially successful album, peaking at #1 for 3 weeks on the Billboard 200 in April and May 1981 (non-consecutively). It was also the band’s fourth consecutive album to be certified triple-platinum by the RIAA. Four singles from the album charted on various charts, with two songs reaching the top 10 pop singles chart. The lead single “The Best of Times”, written by Dennis DeYoung, went to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Too Much Time on My Hands”, written by Tommy Shaw, went to #9 on the Billboard Hot 100, Shaw’s only top 10 hit for Styx. “Nothing Ever Goes as Planned”, written by DeYoung, went to #54 on the US Pop Chart. “Rockin’ the Paradise” — written by DeYoung, Shaw and James Young — went to #8 on the Top Rock Track Chart. Here are all of Paradise Theater’s songs ranked.
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10. A.D. 1958
“Paradise Theater is a work of art, a labor of love, from vocalist, keyboardist, Dennis Deyoung. From the opening piano note, of A.D. 1928, to the closing note of A.D. 1958, Pardise will hold you in awe. Not since the Grand Illusion, has STYX made an album this good.”
9. A.D. 1928
“Dennis’ keyboards and vocals dominate on this album. His contributions which he wrote and sang were nothing short of SUPERB! The opening “AD 1928″ (the song that sets the tone for this album)”
8. Half Penny Two Penny
“JY’s greatest contribution to Styx is on the album with the scathing rocker “Half Penny Two Penny” and one of his best rockers. One of the lyrics “yes Mrs Cleaver your son’s home to stay” was referring to ex-Black Panther member Eldridge Cleaver and not the Beaver from Leave it to Beaver as some people think and mainly about the decline of the US’ economy at the time (which saw the US in a bad recession which would end in 1983).”
See more: Styx Albums Ranked
7. Nothing Ever Goes as Planned
“This is the last “true” Styx classic, with the line up of Dennis, Tommy, JY, John, and Chuck. There would be other STYX cds with this line-up, and different line-ups, but no other cd this great, has come out since.”
6. Lonely People
“Lonely People” is one of my favorites. It’s one of those songs with sad lyrics but happy music, and it works. I think it takes a very skilled writer to do something like this, and the horns in it (and the rest of the album) sound great too.
5. The Best of Times
“Though not a concept album in the sense that there is no storyline, the album returns again and again to themes of a declining America, drawing a lyrical parallel between the decline and eventual ruin of the once-grand Paradise Theatre in Chicago and the state of decline in America at the dawn of the Eighties.”
See more: Styx Songs Ranked
4. She Cares
“Tommy Shaw’s “She Cares” is the only weaker song here, and even that’s not a BAD song, per se; it just doesn’t fit the style or theme of the collection. But it’s not enough to put a dent in an album that’s one of the standout records of the early Eighties.”
3. Too Much Time on My Hands
“Rockin’ The Paradise really gets it rocking. Too Much Time On My Hands is a Styx classic. All the way through this album shows how awesome Styx was. This is a must have for any Styx or classic rock fan.”
2. Snowblind
“Snowblind, a rock radio classic, written by Dennis and JY, and sung by JY and Tommy, is a good song about drug abuse, and JY’s singing on the beginning of it, is very haunting.”
1. Rockin’ the Paradise
“Rockin’ The Paradise” starts the album with some style and, I may be wrong here, is the first time the band’s three main songwriters (Dennis De Young, Tommy Shaw and James Young) have collaborated together for some time.”
