Listening Party - Cornerstone

[Toph]

"Don't Look Now, But Here Come The 80s!"

With that announcement to kick off side 2 of Cornerstone, Dennis DeYoung implies that the 80s will be bringing an evolved Styx sound. Although it was technically released in late 1979, Cornerstone is the true start of Styx's 80s sound. Gone are the 5 and 6 minute progressive influenced songs - they have been replaced by 3 - 4 minute pop-oriented tunes. In addition to the pop and rock charts, the AC chart is now fair game for this band and an expanded audience is sought after. True, some prog-like influences remain, but all in all, Cornerstone is a tighter, more slickly produced adventure in the pop-rock realm.

A few other Cornerstone Facts
- It is the most personal of the Styx albums - the band members even give the names of the streets that they live on (end of Borrowed Time)
- It was the only Styx album to ever be nominated for a Grammy for Record of the Year
- It was only 1 spot away from being Styx's first #1 album (peaked at #2). That honor would come in 1981 with Paradise Theatre.
- Its unique foldout cover was truly innovative - the cornerstone itself was inside the foldout cover.
- It was the only Styx album to not be based on a concept from Grand Illusion through to Kilroy.
- If you have the album, look at all the secret symbols on the "cornerstone" - lots to see and discover there.
- Its the only Styx album with a song dedication (To Paul as in Paul McCartney on First Time)

Cornerstone might be the most polarizing of the Styx albums - loved by some, disliked by others. Clearly a change in direction, but yet still as successful and arguably more given its goal of bringing in a new audience. What is your opinion of it? Give it a fresh listen....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSPWfd0Ok1A

[masque]

to me it has never really bothered me to see bands change their sound over time......I'm a musician myself and when I write songs it's obvious to me that what I wrote five years ago sounds different than what I write today......so I usually "go with the flow" on my favorite bands better than most fans....i try to be accepting of their changing tastes as artists......and it helps me grow as a music listener.

there are times when I listen to this album that I freaking love it and then there are times that I love some of it and not so much some of it either.

for me it contains some of styx's absolute finest moments with the songs; "lights", boat on the river" and "borrowed time".

the one remaining "proggy" song, "love in the midnight" is a real good tune but not as good as stuff like "man in the wilderness', "castle walls" and "pieces of eight".

"eddie" is a song that I like OK but it's not at the top of my favorite JY tunes....but i probably like it a bit better than most on this board.

"why me" i think is a brilliant and quirky song......to me it's DDY's second best tune on the album behind BT........I freaking love the sax solo and guitar and sax trading off with each other and then ultimately harmonizing together. great song.

"never say never" is a good song but mostly and album filler type of song.....i'm a huge tommy fan so i enjoy it alot but i recognize that the song is average.

and for the record, I do think that "babe" and "first time" are brilliantly written songs, especially "babe"....but it truly represents the type of song and sound I prefer the least from this band......and in all honesty from any band......i dont know if this makes sense but a song like "boat on the river" would never be considered a "rocker", but it just sounds completely different to my ears than songs like babe, first time or stuff like open arms from journey. so my favorite songs dont have to be heavy but the pure gentle ballad is not what I usually prefer. but i do respect DDY's ability to write those songs. but when I typically listen to this album they are skipped.

with all of that said this is still a fantastic album and certainly an important styx album......overall rating 8.3

[Baron Von Bielski]

With the exception of Eddie, First Time and Boat on a River I really like the rest of the tracks on Cornerstone. I've always loved Babe... ever since I was a kid. Lights is a good opener and a catchy tune, Why Me is a bit better with Borrowed Time being my favorite on the album. Never Say Never is a pretty catchy tune IMO and I love the prog influences of Love in the Midnight. It's a great closer. Obviously a step down the previous records overall IMO, but still a really good album deserving of it's Billboard status.

[Everett]

Not my all time favorite album but it still get's heavy play in my rotation. I can stand babe as the only good part in the song is
tommy's solo. First time is ALWAYS skipped. Other then that great album not THAT great but still good. BTW love in the midnight= best tune on the album.

[scarab]

i guess this would be similar to Journeys ROR, good, but a real let down from previous works.
Never liked Babe or First Time, and DDY is my favorite member. JY's song is once of my leas favorites.
Lights, Never say never and why me are ok MOR songs. Tommys boat on the river was refreshing throwback to Crystal Ball sounding music. I am glad Borrowed Time and Love in the midnight are there, they are great.
Probably my least favorite with the classic lineup. It went 3x platinum so i guess lots loved it.

[Kilroy1983]

Of all the Styx's albums released by the label A&M, Cornerstone is my least favorite album. But still a great album.
The Styx gives a new direction in their musical style, where that distinctive sound of synthesizers (present in previous albums) have disappeared. "Don't look now, but here come the eightees!"
After the release of Cornerstone, Styx was elected the #1 group by american teenagers and "Babe" was the first and only Styx song that reached #1 in US.
In my opinion "Borrowed Time" is the highlight from this album. Nice keyboards intro and strong Dennis DeYoung vocals.

[yogi]

ANOTHER great album. Love In The Midnight, Lights, Borrowed Time are my three favs on this VERY VERY underrated Styx album.

The album felt like a collection of singles from a band that had been pretty much been a loosely concept melodic with a hint of prog type of band up to this point.

Babe is a great ballad, and I love the way Eddie leads into LOVE IN THE MIDNIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Dennis was ripped by band members for his ballads and changing the direction of the band on this album but in my opinion Tommy had far and away the most drastic change from his previous work( Renegade, Blue Collar Man) with the songs Boat On The River( at the time I couldn't figure out what in the hell this song was) and Never Say Never ( which could of been a hard rockin Partridge Family tune).

Still all in all I loved the album at the time and still really like it today.

[masque]

d, and I love the way Eddie leads into Borrowed Time.

???????????? did you mean the way eddie leads into love in the midnight?

[yogi]

Absolutely the way it leads into LOVE IN THE MIDNIGHT- My bad

[brywool]

First Time and Eddie- for me, these were two of the worst songs since the band got the A&M contract.
I know some here like First Time. I've always just thought it was so "beneath" Styx. "Babe" was decent, but First Time is just a bad song and it's always been tough to reconcile that as a Dennis DeYoung tune... at least until his solo career.
Eddie- Just a way annoying song with Jy's annoying vocals. Up to this point, I liked JY's A&M tunes. This one though, I thought it was just terrible. Funny, I think this is the first one I heard on the radio up here.
The rest of the album is okay to me.
Borrowed Time is a classic Styx song (although I've always thought the "Yes"/"No" bit was kind of funky). Great name for a band too!
The rest of the tunes on the album are decent.

[Baron Von Bielski]

First Time and Eddie- for me, these were two of the worst songs since the band got the A&M contract.
I know some here like First Time. I've always just thought it was so "beneath" Styx. "Babe" was decent, but First Time is just a bad song and it's always been tough to reconcile that as a Dennis DeYoung tune... at least until his solo career.

I honestly don't see how anyone could like First Time either. It's just a bad song. Everyone knows here that I love DDY's music and especially his voice... but how they let that sappy, God awful song on the album is beyond me. Babe on the other hand is an excellent song. Wouldn't change a thing about it. Just my opinion on the matter.

I think the first single should have been Borrowed Time followed by Babe. Why Me or Love in the Midnight would go as the final single. It's obvious that Dennis' input is the strongest IMO on this album. I realize they released all 3 Dennis songs that I chose as well, I just changed the order. A ballad as the first single is odd to me. You always start off with a rocker and maybe even a mid-tempo track to follow. But usually the ballad in the second single... it's a safe formula. Could have given the album more legs.

[ztyxlynne]

This sure is another turning point for the band. I agree I don't like First Time at all. I have heard Babe way to much also but I don't blame any one in Styx who ever that was for not wanting First Time as a single. I love Lights,Borrowed Time is one of my all time favorites also. Lights is a great song to open with. Eddie and Love in the Midnight are fillers in my book. Over all a 7 for me.

[Cassie May]

Cornerstone was a head-scratcher for me when I initially bought the album in 1979. GI was the first album by Styx I ever bought, in early 1978, and I loved every track on it, except Miss America (simply because I can't stand JY's voice). Po8 I of course bought next, and I wasn't as wild about that one as I was GI, but I still liked most of it. When I got Cornerstone, I couldn't believe this was the same band. I loved Lights, Boat on the River, and Borrowed Time. First Time and Eddie I listened to only once; I'd get up and pick up the needle and skip those tracks ever after. First Time is just cringe-worthy, IMO, and Babe I can't stand at all. Never Say Never and Love in the Midnight were just middling, for me. Overall, Cornerstone is a sentimental favorite mainly because this album's tour was the first time I saw the band live in October of 79. However, I haven't listened to the album itself in years. The only albums I do listen to anymore are Crystal Ball and Grand Illusion.

[FormerDJMike]

This is the ONLY Styx album that has songs I DON'T like. Eddie & First Time. I picked this up in the early 80's after I already had Kilroy. I might have been 13 or 14 when I bought this. To this day it is my least favorite Styx album. However, when I bought it I really liked "First Time". I guess I was a stupid kid. But now I cannot stand that or Eddie. Only 2 Styx songs I do not like. Borrowed Time is the best track on the album. Everything else is mediocre, including Boat On The River, Lights & Love In The Midnight. I haven't listened to Cornerstone in years and honestly I don't miss it. Just an OK album and a huge disappointment.....

With all of that said I have been eyeing the 180 gram vinyl remaster of this for some reason but it not being essential to me I might just be blowing money.

[Toph]

My take on Cornerstone -

Overall I think Cornerstone was a needed transition and I really like it. The production is solid - the record sounds crisper and clearer. Now, here's the kicker, I actually like the Tommy songs more than any others on this album. I love his contributions to this record. I love Tommy Shaw with an acoustic guitar. It just works. I think this becomes the first of several missed opportunities for the band primarily as a result of in fighting. Cornerstone was huge - imagine how much bigger it could have been if they had executed the right strategy on it.

The songs -

Lights - Missed opportunity #1. Why this wasn't released as a single is beyond me. Great, catchy, uplifting song in the spirit of Foolin Yourself. The Oberheim and acoustic guitar really work well together and the harmonies are fantastic. Sure, you would have needed to trim out the middle guitar solo/interlude a bit, but if not the first, should have been the second single off this album.

Why Me - Missed opportunity #2 - releasing this song as a single. Not a bad album track, but a single? Way more catchier options. Sure this had to do with the First Time debacle and wanting to have another song with DeYoung's voice out there after Babe. But it doesn't feel like Styx. To my knowledge, the first introduction of a "horn" - trumpets and saxophones would become huge on both PT and Kilroy. I think what might have me a bit perplexed is the chorus - very non Stygian with the one voice echo to DDY's - no three part harmonies. A decent track, but the second single to follow mega hit Babe? Don't think so...

Babe - OK, I like many am a bit tired of Babe. But you cannot downplay its impact, not just on this album, or with this band, but with rock bands in general. Think about it for a second - Babe preceded Open Arms, Keep on Loving You, Waiting For A Girl Like You, Who's Cryin Now, etc. etc. I argue that if Babe doesn't make that album and be released as a single, those songs don't see the light of day. Sure, someone would have discovered the rock ballad, but I credit Styx and DDY for really taking a risk and putting it out there. It shouldn't have been a huge surprise - Styx certainly had ballad-esque hits and songs in the past - Lady, Come Sail Away, Crystal Ball, Ballerina, Pieces of Eight all are very melodic, ballad-like songs for their first half before getting louder and heavier. Babe just doesn't do it to the same extent. And boy did it make an impact. It was released on Oct 6. 4 weeks later it was in the top 10. It went on an incredible run 72-42-26-14-7 on the weekly pop chart its first month after release and stated top 10 for at least 2 months. If you want to make an argument for Styx to be in the HOF, one is this - Babe was arguably the first straight rock ballad and paved the way for years of rock band love song. You may hate the song and hate the concept of a rock ballad, but you have to give credit where credit is due.

Never Say Never - Some people call this filler. I don't. I call it Tommy Shaw acoustic magic. Love this song - upbeat and somewhat similar to the much maligned She Cares. Would have made this a single over Why Me

Boat on the River - Another great song. Missed Opportunity #3. If you listen to DDY interviews, he argues that had the band launched the right singles here, they would have found out that BOR was a European hit while they were still marketing the album and it would have been a great 3rd or 4th single. As such, it was never released here despite its popularity in Europe because by the time it hit there, the promotion for Cornerstone was done.

Borrowed Time - This songs shows us that, yes, Styx can STILL rock. First real powerful guitar chords. Just took us 5 songs to get there. Missed Opportunity #4 - Did this get released to Rock Radio? If not, it should have. Could have done a good job of keeping Styx's rock cred going with longtime fans while bringing in a new legion of fans. Instead, it became the third pop single - too hard rock to make much headway as a pop song IMO. But could have hit big time if released to rock stations when Babe was released to pop/AC.

First Time - Missed Opportunity #5. Yes, its schmaltzy. Yes, its corny. Yes, its got way too much sugar. And yes, it should not have been the second single. But should it have been the third single? Absolutely. Teen girls swooned over this song. And it is not much different than an Open Arms IMO. You have to admit, DDY knows how to write a ballad with a hook and despite its sickening sweetness, it definitely has that. Release it number 3 after Babe and Lights and I think you are looking at an album (like Journey's ESCAPE) with three top 10 singles.

Eddie - Thud. JY's weakest song in YEARS. Just doesn't do it for me. The chorus isn't very strong either. Does anyone else notice that after the fade out that is fades back in backwards? And there sounds like there is a voice saying something in slow motion. What is that and has anyone every tried to figure out what is going on there?

Love In The Midnight - Missed Opportunity #6. An ode to the prog roots. A solid song that could have been release #2 to rock radio and kept the band's rock heritage in tact and pleased the rock/prog fan set. Love the "looking for love" part.

So, Cornerstone is sub-optimal not necessarily because of the songs (IMO) - the band needed to make some changes. Cornerstone is sub-optimal because of how it was marketed. Its reputation is Babe and a bunch of fillers. Beside Boat on occasion, nothing ever gets played live on this album. That is a shame. The right single release order Pop - Babe - Lights - First Time - BOR - Never Say Never(?) and Rock - Borrowed Time - Love In The Midnight would have set this album up nicely to be a HUGE seller. As it was it peaked at #2 and was the band's highest album chart position to date. That is until a little record called Paradise Theatre came along....

[FormerDJMike]

I believe Borrowed Time was released as a single and peaked on the charts at 64.

[Kilroy1983]

Here´s a collection of "Cornerstone" singles (and related) that I know:

## BABE ##
USA
[AM-2188] – Babe (Stereo) b/w Babe (Mono) - ℗1979 A&M Records, Inc. [7-inch] (White Label Promo Copy)
[AM-2188] – Babe b/w I’m O.K. - ℗1979 A&M Records, Inc. [7-inch]
[AM-8626] – Babe b/w Why Me - ℗1980 A&M Records, Inc. [7-inch] (A&M Forget Me Nots Series)
[75021-8626-4] – Babe b/w Why Me - ℗1989 A&M Records, Inc. [CS] (Digital Memories Series)
[31458-0740-2] – Babe b/w Why Me - ℗1995 A&M Records, Inc. [CDS] (A&M Digital Memories Series)

AUSTRALIA
[K-7682] – Babe b/w I´m OK – ℗1979 A&M Records [7-inch]

BRAZIL
[31C 006 63429] – Babe b/w I´m O. K. – ℗1979 A&M Records/EMI-Odeon [7-inch]

CANADA
[AM-2188] – Babe b/w I´m OK – ℗1979 A&M Records [7-inch]
[AM-8626] – Babe b/w Why Me - ℗1980 A&M Records [7-inch] (A&M Memories Series)

CHILE
[11345] – Babe (Chica) b/w I´m OK (Estoy Bien) – ℗1979 A&M Records [7-inch]

ECUADOR
[7-88035] – Babe (Niño) b/w I´m OK (Estoy Bien) – ℗1983 A&M Records [7-inch]

GERMANY
[AMS-7637] – Babe b/w I´m O.K. – ℗1979 A&M Records [7-inch] (CBS Blitzinfo Promo Only Cover)
[AMS-7637] – Babe b/w I´m O.K. – ℗1979 A&M Records [7-inch] (PS)
[877 832-2] – Babe / Boat On The River – ℗1990 A&M Records [CDS] (PS)

ITALY
[JC-15019] – Babe – ℗1979 A&M Records [7-inch] (While Label Promo Copy)
[AMS-7637] – Babe b/w I´m O.K. – ℗1979 A&M Records [7-inch] (PS)
[12PRM005-1L] – Babe b/w Great White Hope – ℗1979 A&M Records [12-inch] (Promo Copy)

JAPAN
[AMP-1051] – Babe b/w Renegade – ℗1979 Alfa/A&M Records [7-inch] (PS)
[AMP-737] – Babe b/w Why Me – ℗1981 Alfa/A&M Records [7-inch] (PS)
[S12Y-3034] – Babe / Mr. Roboto / Boat On The River – ℗1987 A&M Records [CDS] (3-inch)(PS)

MEXICO
[33C006-63429] – Babe (Nena) b/w I´m O.K. (Estoy Bien) – ℗1979 A&M Records [7-inch] (PS)

NEW ZELAND
[K-7682] – Babe b/w I´m OK – ℗1979 A&M/Festival Records [7-inch]

PERU
[01.09.1558] – Babe b/w I’m O.K. - ℗1979 A&M/IEMPSA Records [7-inch]
[CSR 1158] – Babe b/w Why Me - ℗1979 A&M/CBS Records. [7-inch]

PHILIPPINES
[AM-70508] – Babe b/w I´m OK – ℗1979 A&M Records [7-inch]

PORTUGAL
[P-2188-F] – Babe b/w I´m O.K. – ℗1979 A&M Records [7-inch] (PS)

SPAIN
[AMS-7637] – Babe (Nena) b/w I´m O.K. – ℗1979 A&M Records [7-inch] (PS)

UK
[AMS-7637] – Babe b/w I´m O.K. – ℗1980 A&M Records [7-inch] (PS)
[OG-9545] – Babe b/w The Best Of Times – ℗1985 Old Gold/A&M Records [7-inch] (PS)
[OG-4013] – Babe b/w The Best Of Times – ℗1987 Old Gold/A&M Records [12-inch] (PS)

URUGUAY
[2.334] – Babe b/w Why Me - ℗1979 A&M Records, Inc./Sondor S.A. [7-inch] (Promo Copy)

ZIMBABWE
[…] – Babe b/w I´m O.K. – ℗1986 A&M Records [7-inch]


## WHY ME ##
USA
[AM-2206] – Why Me (Stereo) b/w Why Me (Mono) - ℗1979 A&M Records, Inc. [7-inch] (White Label Promo Copy)
[AM-2206] – Why Me b/w Lights - ℗1979 A&M Records, Inc. [7-inch]

AUSTRALIA
[K-7735] – Why Me b/w Lights – ℗1979 A&M Records [7-inch]

CANADA
[AM-2206] – Why Me b/w Lights - ℗1979 A&M Records [7-inch]


## BORROWED TIME ##
USA
[AM-2228] – Borrowed Time (Stereo) b/w Borrowed Time (Mono) - ℗1979 A&M Records, Inc. [7-inch] (White Label Promo Copy)
[AM-2228] – Borrowed Time b/w Eddie - ℗1979 A&M Records, Inc. [7-inch]


## BOAT ON THE RIVER ##
AUSTRALIA
[K-7850] – Boat On The River b/w Come Sail Away – ℗1980 A&M Records [7-inch]

CZECHSLOVAQUIA
[R-1103] – Boat On The River – ℗1979 Tonpress [7-inch] (Square Flexi-Disc)

GERMANY
[AMS-7652] – Boat On The River b/w Borrowed Time – ℗1979 A&M Records [7-inch]

HOLLAND
[AMS-7652] – Boat On The River b/w Borrowed Time – ℗1979 A&M Records [7-inch] (PS-1)
[AMS-7652] – Boat On The River b/w Borrowed Time – ℗1980 A&M Records [7-inch] (PS-2)

JAPAN
[AMP-1068] – Boat On The River b/w Borrowed Time – ℗1980 Alfa/A&M Records [7-inch] (PS)
[AMP-775] – Boat On The River b/w Babe – ℗1983 Alfa/A&M Records [7-inch] (PS)

PHILIPPINES
[AM-70532] – Boat On The River b/w Never Say Never – ℗1979 A&M Records [7-inch]

UK
[AMS-7512] – Boat On The River b/w Come Sail Away – ℗1980 A&M Records [7-inch] (PS)

[AMRS-1312] – Boat On The River b/w Eddie – ℗1979 A&M Records [7-inch]

## LIGHTS ##
HOLLAND
[AMS-7678] – Lights b/w Renegade – ℗1980 A&M Records [7-inch] (PS)

UK
[AMS-7528] – Lights b/w Renegade – ℗1980 A&M Records [7-inch] (PS)
[AMSP-7528] – Lights b/w Renegade/Light Up – ℗1980 A&M Records [12-inch] (PS) (with Free Patch)


## NEVER SAY NEVER ##
MEXICO
[33C006-63500] – Never Say Never (Nuca Digas Nunca) b/w Borrowed Time (Tiempo Prestado) – ℗1980 A&M Records [7-inch] (PS)


## FIRST TIME ##
PHILIPPINES
[AM-70524] – First Time b/w Borrowed Time – ℗1979 A&M Records [7-inch]

[Toph]

I believe Borrowed Time was released as a single and peaked on the charts at 64.

Yes it was. I said it was. And it didnt do very well (unless you think 64 is good). it wasnt a good decision for a pop single.I don't think it was released or promoted at rock radio.

[masque]

Toph i think you are pretty much spot on with your extended review….i agree with nearly everything you said.

[gr8dane]

Having adjusted to the new Styx sound of GI with PO8,
I was excited about arrival of Cornerstone.
Oh dear oh boy.
I was in for a rather negative surprise.
At the time it was totally depressing what was dished out here.
Dennis' and Styx' 2 worst songs of all time, in Babe and First Time.
WTF.You guys wanna rock the world,or do you wanna get on the Donny and fkn Marie show.?
Good grief,absolute cheese.Nauseating.
Now Tommy and JY is dishing out totally below average stuff too,and their worst songs to date also.
Never Say Never boring song.JY's Eddy is a song that doesn't go anywhere.
Lights,Why Me,Boat On The River,Love In The Midnight and Borrowed Time are good songs.
In the old days when I had the vinyl, I dropped this pretty quick, as I would have to get off my ass to skip the totally shitty songs.
Nowadays I have the fortune of putting the good songs on my I-Pod, and good riddance to the others.
I now have a perfectly good 5 song Cornerstone mini album.

Forgot to say,That the best part of the album at the time,
was it brought Styx to Europe and I saw them for the first time in Copenhagen.