Released: February 22, 1983

Songwriter: Tommy Shaw

Producer: Dennis DeYoung Chuck Panozzo John Panozzo James Young Tommy Shaw

I'm tired of your psychology
To bring me to my bended knees
And if I could only talk to you
I'm sure that I could make you see
'cause time has a way
Of bringing even mountains down, down, down
Storm clouds are coming
I suggest you head for higher ground
I say you're a thing of the past
And you ain't gonna last
No matter what you say or do
It's all caught up to you
You're duty-free, you're tax-exempt
You party with the president
And you dance the dance so naturally
Why not believe you're heaven-sent
But time has a way of bringing
Even mountains down, down, down
There's a storm cloud a-comin'
I insist you head for higher ground
You talk talk and you get so intense
That you almost make sense
And that's what scares me the most
You as the host of celebrity lies
It's prime time, baby
Can't you see in my eyes, it's a
Cold war-runnin' in the streets
Everybody you meet knows
It's going down, don't you know
Cold war-blowing in the air
Everyone everywhere says it's time
To get ready for a cold war
Don't you look now
But the skinny boy's becoming a man
You say it's the luck of the draw
And you can't have it all
And I'll die young trying to make it
Into something that ain't gonna last
You ought to reconsider
'cause I'm coming fast with a
Cold war-running in the streets
Everybody you meet
Know's it's going down, don't you know
Cold war-blood is in the air
Everyone everywhere says it's time
To get ready for a cold war-looking at me
From behind every tree
There's a scared man running from a
Cold war-don't you look now
But the skinny boy's a streetfighting man

[extra verses sung in concert during the kilroy tour:]
Try as you will, you can't escape the chill
That penetrates your clothing
Demanding that you feel
All the trouble that surrounds you
The bad mixed with the good
The heartless bits of data waiting to be understood
Information central promptly processed your request
The task we're told honestly requires you acquiesce
Well, blind faith put you where you are now
You're a selfish old cow gettin' high on society's milk
We pay your bills, life should be so tough
You'd better watch your fat ass, 'cause we've had enough!
With this cold war-running in the streets
Everybody you meet
Knows it's going down, don't you know
Cold war-blood is in the air
Everyone everywhere says it's time
To get ready for a cold war-looking at me
From behind every tree
There's a scared man running from a
Cold war-don't you look now
But the skinny boy's a streetfighting man

Styx

Styx is a rock band from Chicago formed in 1970. They enjoyed great success with pop rock and hard rock songs, and became famous for their power ballads and album releases of the mid 1970s and early 80s.

The band has gone through some famously nasty internal struggles, drug problems, illnesses and deaths, but continues to perform today (with a significantly altered line-up). Tommy Shaw, from Montgomery, AL, left but returned to the band. Drummer John Panozzo developed a debilitating drinking problem and ultimately died. Dennis DeYoung developed an acute case of photosensitivity, and he left the band. They fought among themselves for control of the band name. Glen Burtnik also left and returned, this time on bass, to replace Chuck Panozzo (John’s brother), who had also left the band. (whew.)