What Was the First U.S. Top-40 Hit by Styx?

Styx’s first U.S. Top-40 single was recorded for their second album. Four albums into their career, Styx still didn’t have a hit single to their name. Strangely enough, the preceding two sentences actually do not contradict themselves.

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As it turns out, the song that made Styx a household name and opened up their commercial floodgates hit big only after it received a second chance thanks to a radio station’s push. Let’s look back at how one of the most successful bands in the arena rock genre finally broke it big.

A Long Road to the Top

It’s somehow fitting that Styx’s breakthrough song took a few years to find its footing. After all, this was a band that kicked around for more than a decade before it finally earned a record deal. When their earliest incarnation originated, they were a three-piece and one of the three pieces was an accordion!

The Chicago outfit eventually ditched the squeeze box and started playing rock covers. By the time they did score that deal with a local label in 1972, they were a five-piece band. None of the five members were all that adept at writing songs at that point.

As a result, a good chunk of Styx’s self-titled debut album came from outside sources. It was only on their second album (you guessed it, Styx II) they started to write all their own stuff. One of those songs was a ballad written by keyboardist Dennis DeYoung, the first time he would be featured as sole writer and lead singer on a Styx track. And it turned out to be a pretty important one.

The Song That Wouldn’t Quit

“Lady” was written by DeYoung as a tribute to his wife Suzanne. The elegant, heartfelt track included a feature that would soon become a Styx trademark: high-pitched harmony vocals. In this case, they were provided by DeYoung, James Young, and John Curulewski. (When Curulewski was later replaced by Tommy Shaw, Shaw filled in those vocal parts when the band played “Lady” live.)

In September 1973, “Lady” was released as the lead single from Styx II. It went nowhere. Styx carried on, releasing two more albums that did minimal business. They were just barely making enough to keep their record deal, but the members were beginning to doubt if it might be time to cut and run. DeYoung, for example, considered going back to teaching, something he’d done before the band became a full-time concern.

Luckily, Jim Smith, who worked at the powerful Chicago radio station WLS, became its champion, playing the song week after week. This helped the band get a major label deal at A&M Records. With the renewed interest and the bigger promotional push, “Lady” peaked on the charts at No. 6 in the spring of 1975, close to two years after its first release.

A Big Boost

When Styx came back with the album Equinox in 1975, it was with their national status secured. Things took another leap for them when Shaw joined in 1976, leading to the classic run of albums on which their reputation is built.

One other fun note about “Lady”: The relationship it celebrated is still going strong. Dennis and Suzanne DeYoung have been married since 1970. That’s some serious staying power, very reminiscent of the song that gave Styx the difference-making career boost they needed.

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