Styx

Songwriter: Dennis DeYoung

Producer: Chuck Panozzo John Panozzo John Curulewski James Young Dennis DeYoung Barry Mraz

When Captain Jonas Psalter
Sailed his ship to sea
Anne Bonny kept him company

The skull and crossbones flew
Above the ocean blue
The captain's men where a pirate's crew

The ships they sought to take
Were of the Spanish Main
A gift from Ferdinand of Spain

And though you rob and kill to find your dream
Your crimes are hardly what they seem

Tortuga held the treasure of a thousand kings
So Jonas planned to steal everything

Two hundred men stood guard
Around the fortune's nest
But Psalter's steel slew all the rest

And when the smoke had cleared
And bloody bodies lay
Everyone could hear the minstrel play

Woo woo Jonas Psalter
You've captured every prize
There is to dream of in one life

And so we wonder why
We found you in your bed
With that bullet in your head

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.)

more tracks from the album

The Serpent Is Rising

From the album

The Serpent Is Rising (1973)

Styx popular songs

Jonas PsalterStyx

Styx

The Serpent Is Rising