Styx is the first musical act to ever have four consecutive triple platinum albums, and remain one of the most popular musical acts in history. The group originally formed in the Chicago, Illinois, area in 1961 as "The Tradewinds". This earliest line-up of the group included vocalist, pianist, keyboardist, and accordion player Dennis DeYoung, and a rhythm section comprising brothers Chuck and John Panozzo on bass and drums, respectively. Changing their name briefly to "TW4", the band added guitarists/vocalists James "J.Y." Young and John Curulewski. The band members decided to choose a new name when they signed to Wooden Nickel Records; several suggestions were made and, says DeYoung, Styx was chosen because it was "the only one that none of us hated." Guitarist Tommy Shaw joined the group in 1975 following the departure of Curelewski.
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Blue Collar Man Lyrics

Styx

Written by tommy shaw
Lead vocals by tommy shaw

Give me a job, give me security
Give me a chance to survive
I'm just a poor soul in the unemployment line
My god, i'm hardly alive
My mother and father, my wife and my friends
I see them laugh in my face
But i've got the power, and i've got the will
I'm not a charity case

I'll take those long nights, impossible odds
Keeping my eye to the keyhole
If it takes all that to be just what i am
I'm gonna be a blue collar man

Make me an offer that i can't refuse
Make me respectable, man
This is my last time in the unemployment line
So like it or not i'll take those

Long nights, impossible odds
Keeping my back to the wall
If it takes all that to be just what i am
I'm gonna be a blue collar man

Keeping my mind on a better life
When happiness is only a heartbeat away
Paradise, can it be all i heard it was
I close my eyes and maybe i'm already there