"The Grand Illusion" is a song written by

Dennis DeYoung Dennis DeYoung (born February 18, 1947) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. He was a founding member of the rock band Styx, and served as its primary lead vocalist and keyboardist from 1972 until 1999. DeYoung was th ...

that was released as the title track of Styx's 1977 album ''

The Grand Illusion ''The Grand Illusion'' is the seventh studio album by American rock band Styx. Recorded at Paragon Recording Studios in Chicago, the album was released on July 7, 1977, by A&M Records. (Intentionally choosing the combination 7th on 7-7-77 f ...

''. Not only is it the title track, but it provides the theme of the entire album. Although not released as a commercial single, it received significant radio airplay.

Lyrics and music

The theme "Grand Illusion", as well as the ''Grand Illusion'' album, is that things aren't always what they appear to be and it is a "grand illusion" that success will make you happy, and failure will make you miserable. The song's theme also reflects on the pressures of being a media star. The band found that once they became successful, it did not make them any happier. The theme is set up by lyrics such as "Don't be fooled by the radio/the TV or the magazines/They'll show you photographs of how your life should be/But they're just someone else's fantasy...Just remember that it's all a Grand Illusion/And deep inside we're all the same." DeYoung said of the song's theme that: Styx guitarist James Young said of the theme that "You expect that you yourself are going to change as a person, when in fact everything around you changes. The physical things you have to deal with change, but your own emotions, your own emotional makeup, are still there." After DeYoung wrote the title track, he and other band members wrote additional songs on these themes to fill out the album.

Reception

"The Grand Illusion" became popular on the radio despite not being released as a single. ''

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'' rated "The Grand Illusion" as one of the "best cuts" on ''The Grand Illusion'' album. In his review of the album,

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

critic Mike DeGagne said that "De Young pretentiously struts his singing prowess throughout the title track." ''

Classic Rock Classic rock is a US radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid 1990s, primar ...

'' critic Malcolm Dome rated "The Grand Illusion" as Styx's greatest song. Dome said called it "pomp rock with style, confidence, command and ingenuity" with lyrics "about separating reality from fantasy." ''Classic Rock History'' critic Tony Scavieli rated it Styx's 3rd best song, calling it " a bombastic celebration of progressive rock wrapped in slick production, tight arrangements, and brilliant musicianship." ''Ultimate Classic Rock'' critic Sterling Whitaker rated it DeYoung's 4th best rock song, calling it "a rumination on the media and the illusory nature of success, set to a track that juxtaposes heavy guitar power chords, blazing solos and DeYoung's flair for classical composition.

Other appearances

"The Grand Illusion" appeared on several of Styx's

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and

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s. It appeared on the compilation albums such as '' Styx Classics Volume 15'', ''

Greatest Hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...

'' in 1995, ''Singles Collection'' in 2000, '' Styx Yesterday & Today'' in 2001 and '' Come Sail Away – The Styx Anthology'' in 2004. It has remained in Styx's live repertoire over the decades since its release and has appeared on the live albums '' Return to Paradise'', '' Arch Allies: Live at Riverport'' and '' At the River's Edge: Live in St. Louis''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grand Illusion, The Styx (band) songs 1977 songs Songs written by Dennis DeYoung