Lyr Req: Come Sail Away (Dennis DeYoung; Styx)

Subject: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: GUEST,Dan
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 05:04 PM

In the early eighties there was a rock song that started out slow and easy and romantic-a slow dance type tune, then in about the middle of the tune it just kicks out and becomes a fast rock tune. If you are dancing to it you can't even stay in slow dance position. You had to split up and just dance fast...
Anybody have a clue the name and group that did that song, or even the lyrics to it?????

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Scoville
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 05:07 PM

Um, got any more clues? Even partial lyrics?

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Wesley S
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 05:08 PM

How about a little more info? Do you remember any lyrics at all?

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: GUEST,Dan
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 05:12 PM

Nope. Not a thing. I danced to it a dozen times but the name and lyrics never took. There is a very important reason I need to find this tune.
I met a girl back then and life had its way with us. We split.
Twenty years later we ran into each other and ...we were still in love. We're going to get married.
That song was the first song we ever danced to. Just didn't know it would be that important then...and, I never did know the name. It just characteristically changes in the middle and goes from a slow grindy tune to a fast rock jam.
That's all I got....

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: skipy
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 05:15 PM

Try harder Dan, you must be able to give us something no matter how small!
Skipy

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Matt_R
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 05:15 PM

Would it be Styx's "Come Sail Away"?

Subject: Lyr Add: COME SAIL AWAY (Dennis DeYoung; Styx)
From: Matt_R
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 05:17 PM

Im sailing away, set an open course for the virgin sea
Ive got to be free, free to face the life thats ahead of me
On board, Im the captain, so climb aboard
Well search for tomorrow on every shore
And Ill try, oh lord, Ill try to carry on

I look to the sea, reflections in the waves spark my memory
Some happy, some sad
I think of childhood friends and the dreams we had
We live happily forever, so the story goes
But somehow we missed out on that pot of gold
But well try best that we can to carry on

A gathering of angels appeared above my head
They sang to me this song of hope, and this is what they said
They said come sail away, come sail away
Come sail away with me
Come sail away, come sail away
Come sail away with me

I thought that they were angels, but to my surprise
They climbed aboard their starship and headed for the skies
Singing come sail away, come sail away
Come sail away with me
Come sail away, come sail away
Come sail away with me

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 05:17 PM

It just characteristically changes in the middle and goes from a slow grindy tune to a fast rock jam.

The Smiths song 'Miserable Lie' fits all of your criteria.

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: GUEST,Dan
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 05:17 PM

I just can't do better---BUT--it was "characteristic" to this song...that change where it starts to go just to fast to stay all cuddled to your date...

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: GUEST,TIA
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 05:18 PM

Styx was more of a 70's deal, but the middle switch sure fits.

Try perusing this:

http://www.inthe80s.com/july1995/1980/music.html

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 05:20 PM

Sheesh, DANCERS, what are ya gonna do with em? My sympathies dude, I can no more remember dance steps than you can lyrics.

Was it disco? Was it soft rock? Did a guy sing it or a girl? Was the instrumental part heavy on guitar or piano or whatever?

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: GUEST,Dan
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 05:22 PM

Oh, trust me, I'm no dancer, it was a rock tune. No disco but from that era maybe-coulda come from the seventies. It was a band-I Think- and it was a guy band. The take off was guitar heavy and seriously rocked.

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Matt_R
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 05:24 PM

So was it "Come Sail Away" or not?

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 05:24 PM

" it was a rock tune"

Then why would you ask on a folk/blues message baord?

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Wesley S
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 05:25 PM

Ask HER was the song was called. Get offended when she doesn't remember, sulk, and then she'll do the legwork for you and find the title.

Or it could backfire and she'll break all land speed records trying to get away from you.

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: GUEST,Dan
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 05:29 PM

Styx COME SAIL AWAY!!!   I just went and listened and that was it!!
Thank You, Brother!! That ends a LONG LONG SEARCH!!!
I'm so grateful!!!

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Matt_R
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 05:42 PM

Sweet!

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Keef
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 05:44 PM

Unbelievable Matt, Are you psychic or wot???

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Matt_R
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 05:49 PM

Well it was the first thing I though of. Also, it reminded me of a scene from the late great cancelled series about the early '80s, "Freaks & Geeks". In one episode, the main character kid is at a dance with this girl he really likes, and they're dancing slowto "Come Sail Away". He wants to get close to her and really slow-dance, but just as he does, the song shifts gears into the fast part and she starts jiving, killing his play.

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: GUEST,Dan
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 06:05 PM

Matt, Whoever you are and all the rest who offered their energies---THANKS WAY MORE THAN I CAN SAY!!!
Our wedding can have a song now!! That's GREAT!!

Be a lot less boring with a song and a theme sorta thing...

Funny, I even bought a boat since then..go figure!

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 06:19 PM

The slow start, with a switch into "break speed" is actually fairly common in a number of traditions. Quite a number of "old time fiddle" tunes are commonly played with switches of the sort, and there have been a few country/western tunes that were ("are," in my circles) often played in that style. A couple of "big band" numbers from the 40s and earlier used the change. It possibly is more common in "dance" (or at least danceable) tunes than in straight "vocals."(?) Of course, with older traditions it was a change from slow dance to fast dance, rather the the rock switch from "dance" to "convulsions."   ; > ]

I was about to suggest that a Google on "Top 40" (or 50, etc), or "Hit Parade" with the year (or decade) should get a lot of sites that list titles, even if not giving much more; but since the answer has been found I won't make that suggestion.

John

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Matt_R
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 06:23 PM

It's also a hallmark of Slavic music, with the slow "lassan" and faster "friska" sections.

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 06:27 PM

Other possibles (apart from date) could ahve been Yardbirds "For your Love" and Patti Smith's "Because the NIght".

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Jeri
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 06:29 PM

I figured this was it, went and found the lyrics and discovered Matt had already named the song. Matt Rules!

Tarantella? There are other circle dances and their tunes from other cultures that do this. I think the increasing speed is one of the fundamental things people do to make music interesting.

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Azizi
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 06:37 PM

"The slow start, with a switch into "break speed" is actually fairly common in a number of traditions"

This is also characteristic of some music from the African Diaspora, including religous and non-religous African American music.

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Helen
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 07:16 PM

Well done, MattR! The less clues, the cleverer the finder.

(Styx - they did that really good song called Boat on the River, with the mandolin.)

Helen

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Matt_R
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 07:24 PM

Yeah! Boat on the River was a good, folky-style tune with that mandolin and accordion.

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 07:31 PM

What came to my mind when I saw the request was Hazel O'connor..the punk lass... singing 'Danny Boy' which starts slow and WOW does it speed up or what?...great song when she does it.

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Rockhen
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 07:37 PM

Hey, I remember that, I think I had it on an album...bloomin' 'eck....brings back some memories ...I could never remember the words of songs but I knew all the instrumental breaks...sad, or wot?!

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 07:57 PM

I still have the LP with it on Helen and if you have a record player you are welcome to borrow it and perhaps tape it if you want, or I can tape it for you. I had a thing about our 'azel.....I was not punk but if she wanted me to be I would have!!!. My favourite Hazel O'connor song was "Will You"..which typifies teenage love and innocence.
Best wishes, Mike.

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: alison
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 08:12 PM

well done MattR, my first thought was the awful "Say you, say me" by Lionel Ritchie, that scuppered many a fellas plans for a slow dance back in my disco days.

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Charley Noble
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 08:35 PM

Awesome, Matt R!

I wouldn't dare make a serious suggestion to this type of request.

Dan should invite you to the wedding as a special guest.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: GUEST,Dan
Date: 05 Aug 06 - 11:52 AM

Whaddya say, Matt?
You gonna be in Michigan on August 17, 2007??
If you are, you will be welcome!!

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Matt_R
Date: 05 Aug 06 - 01:39 PM

hahah I'm not sure. I may be getting married myself around that time.

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: Helen
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 04:37 AM

Thanks for the offer, Georgiansilver. I think borrowing the LP would be an interesting logistical exercise because I am in Oz. I was thinking I could maybe pick up a CD from the used & new CD's section of Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Usually the prices are pretty good.

I never did have the album. It's one of the joys and also frustrations of living in shared houses when I was younger. I got to hear a lot of different people's music preferences but also I didn't necessarily get around to buying the ones I liked.

So, I don't know about sending me a taped copy of the LP. I usually only say yes to that if the album is no longer available, for copyright reasons. Then I would accept if there was something I could tape or get for you in exchange and if you were prepared to pay overseas postage in exchange for me sending you something.

So thanks for the kind offer, but I'll leave it up to you about what you want to do.

Helen

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 08:07 AM

If/when you get bored with Come Sail Away, there was a pretty good Phil Collins record 'Somethin in the Air' which starts off minus drums, which then come crashing in half way through.

Enough to wake anyone up.

Subject: RE: Looking for a song from early eighties
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 08:55 AM

The slow-fast combo is so common that it has given rise to the expression "same old song and dance." My mother used that expression a lot to refer to politician's rhetoric. I never knew where it came from until I bought a gypsy LP which offered "Romanian song and dance", "Bulgarian song and dance", etc. Each piece started out with a slow, soulful song followed by a fast dance.

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Q. "it's a rock song. Then why would you ask on a folk/blues message baord?"

A. nyah-nyah nyah-nyah nyaaaah nyah!