Superstars
by Styx

Album: The Grand Illusion (1977)
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Songfacts®:

  • In this song, Styx offer a taste of what it feels like to be on stage: like they're superstars. By this time, they weren't exactly superstars but they were playing arenas and getting lots of radio play. The song is from their seventh album, The Grand Illusion, which includes the hits "Come Sail Away" and "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)."
  • Styx guitarist Tommy Shaw does the lead vocal on the track, but at the end of the song, their keyboard player Dennis DeYoung plays the part of a narrator throwing cold water on the concept of fame:

    We want your dreams
    The offer's simple, momentary immortality


    This kind of theatrical flourish was typical of Styx' music at the time and followed a loose theme on the album of illusion.
  • Styx guitarist James Young (JY) wrote this song with Tommy Shaw and Dennis DeYoung. The three combined vocally on the rich harmonies in the song, something Styx is known for. Young told Songfacts: "It's another one where you get the big three-part harmonies and it's a little different rhythm. I think Tommy wrote the verses on that. But it's the big harmony choruses. We used to have fun playing that song and the harmonies work hugely on that song."

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