MR

Just curious what you Styx fans think of the two studio versions of Lady...

The original version is great but I like the older Dennis' voice much better and also like the addition of Tommy on backing vocals.

'95, no contest. Better production, better vocals...in retrospect, it's sad about the lack of JP, but still.

stabbim wrote:'95, no contest. Better production, better vocals...in retrospect, it's sad about the lack of JP, but still.

It had to happen sooner or later, bro, but I disagree with ya. I prefer the original. I thought the 1995 version, while all of the things you mentioned (tho, one might argue it sounded a little bit OVER-produced), didn't have the same the same sincerity as its predecessor.

Also, I'm not as much of a cheerleader for Denny's "new" voice as I was for his earlier recordings.

Zan wrote:

stabbim wrote:'95, no contest. Better production, better vocals...in retrospect, it's sad about the lack of JP, but still.

It had to happen sooner or later, bro, but I disagree with ya. I prefer the original. I thought the 1995 version, while all of the things you mentioned (tho, one might argue it sounded a little bit OVER-produced), didn't have the same the same sincerity as its predecessor.

Also, I'm not as much of a cheerleader for Denny's "new" voice as I was for his earlier recordings.

I'm with Zan here - original all the way. Todd's drumming is really the tipping point believe it or not. It's good, it does what it needs to do, but I think he was using DW at the time and it just isn't well, JP's sound. I would also probably agree it's a tad overproduced and doesn't have the emotion of the original.

Although Zan, I have to say, DDY has lost some of that affectation. The problem with "Lady '95" is that it happened (and so did the RTP tour) right after he came off of Jesus Christ Superstar and 10 On Broadway. His voice now is not what it was rock-wise even in 1981, but it's much closer now than it was in 1995. Just saying ...

StyxCollector wrote:Although Zan, I have to say, DDY has lost some of that affectation. The problem with "Lady '95" is that it happened (and so did the RTP tour) right after he came off of Jesus Christ Superstar and 10 On Broadway. His voice now is not what it was rock-wise even in 1981, but it's much closer now than it was in 1995. Just saying ...

LOL...I've heard it, Allan. Not remotely similar what it was. Less Broadway than 1995, sure, but still light years away from the 70s. Not knocking it, the man's got pipes, but I much prefer the old sound (he refers to it as nasally, but the "pure" sound he has today doesn't fit, IMO).

Regardless, "Lady" 1973 is way better. I'm glad they were able to find the "loophole" to get it on the CD compilation, but it's just not the same for me.

This is my fave STYX tune and there is no other version
I care for more than the original.

Zan wrote:LOL...I've heard it, Allan. Not remotely similar what it was. Less Broadway than 1995, sure, but still light years away from the 70s. Not knocking it, the man's got pipes, but I much prefer the old sound (he refers to it as nasally, but the "pure" sound he has today doesn't fit, IMO).

Oh, I know you have, and believe me, I'm not saying it's back to a pure rock voice. I know that (and being a musician myself, I know it's not easy to lose something like that anyway). It is what it is, and it's better than it was in the mid-90s. I need to listen to some '91 shows to see if it was creeping in even then.

I mean, if you listen to that Mantra studios boot and compare it to RTP it is night and day vocally.

Tommy's voice has changed a bit over the years to my ears, but nothing to the extent that DDY's did. Then again, Tommy didn't try to do Broadway ...

StyxCollector wrote:

Zan wrote:LOL...I've heard it, Allan. Not remotely similar what it was. Less Broadway than 1995, sure, but still light years away from the 70s. Not knocking it, the man's got pipes, but I much prefer the old sound (he refers to it as nasally, but the "pure" sound he has today doesn't fit, IMO).

Oh, I know you have, and believe me, I'm not saying it's back to a pure rock voice. I know that (and being a musician myself, I know it's not easy to lose something like that anyway). It is what it is, and it's better than it was in the mid-90s. I need to listen to some '91 shows to see if it was creeping in even then.

I mean, if you listen to that Mantra studios boot and compare it to RTP it is night and day vocally.

Tommy's voice has changed a bit over the years to my ears, but nothing to the extent that DDY's did. Then again, Tommy didn't try to do Broadway ...

FWIW, Denny was SENSATIONAL in JCS. I LOVE his broadway voice - for Broadway.

It will be interesting to compare the lot of them, Allan. Let me know what you think.

<---also prefers Elton John's "younger" voice to today's

Original, all the way.. "Lady '95" isn't bad(it's also been a pretty long time since I've heard it, I haven't been able to find that disc for a couple of years), but JP's drumming at the end, and the way Dennis enunciates on some of the lyrics, just makes the original the most memorable for me.

In the interest of full disclosure, as I read this discussion it occurs to me that I haven't actually listened to "Lady 95" since...well, since 95-96. I'll have to see if I can track down a copy and give it an honest, present-day evaluation, rather than one based on A) the fact that I've never cared for most of the production on Styx II and B) that lightning-bolt moment of "OMG that's TS on the harmony! Bitchin!"

As far as DDY's voice then vs now: I actually was a big fan of the post-JCS voice at the time, and didn't see it clashing with the Styx sound particularly, at least not on a song like this one. ("Queen Of Spades" circa 97 is another story, but I don't think its flaccidity was entirely about the vocal style.) Between his growth as a singer and TS's, I really thought the RTP era was a fine blend, vocally. It worked for me.

Zan wrote:FWIW, Denny was SENSATIONAL in JCS. I LOVE his broadway voice - for Broadway.

It will be interesting to compare the lot of them, Allan. Let me know what you think.

<---also prefers Elton John's "younger" voice to today's

100% agree about Elton. After Elton's surgery (polyps?), he was NEVER the same. The MTV Unplugged is the last time he sang with his "old" voice in 1990 or so.

When I get some time I'll do my comparison with the 91 shows I have ... I'm curious myself as to when the voice changed. Personally, I love the 10 on B'way album he did for the most part. I know it's about as anti-Styx as it gets, but I've been in a lot of pit bands and I guess it rubbed off lol

Though I enjoy something from all era's of Elton.
Empty Sky is the musical jewel of his efforts for me.
Anyone have that beauty?

Elton almost sounds like a different person.. I didn't think the change was so bad at first(early to mid '90s), but every time I hear him perform, he seems to get a little deeper. He still can have that certain grit to his vocals that lets you know it's him, but he does sound pretty different from anything he did in the '70s.

Dennis from any time period is gold. I can tell a difference, but he still sounds great. His voice is richer now, which can work in his favor on songs where the notes can be held out a little longer, but might be "slightly" off when he has to sing quickly, or in a higher register(but he can still hit those notes). He sounds in top form on the new album, and just about every performance was solid on his "Live With Symphony Orchestra" CD a few years back.

I would say the change was already taking place with the recording of "EOTC"; check out his vocals on "Love At First Sight". Not quite what they are like today, but a little deeper than "Kilroy".

the original is way better.

Lady (Styx II version) was the song that brought me to Dennis DeYoung's incredible voice and the harmonies of Styx. The '95 version is quite good, but nothing compares to that original version I heard on the radio years ago.




Bugsy

conversationpc wrote:Just curious what you Styx fans think of the two studio versions of Lady...

The original version is great but I like the older Dennis' voice much better and also like the addition of Tommy on backing vocals.

I'll take the original, but I have to give the group credit for keeping the redone one as close as possible to the original. Thank goodness they didn't try to drastically change it - "Don't Stand So Close To Me '87" - Terrible.

rajah2165 wrote:

conversationpc wrote:Just curious what you Styx fans think of the two studio versions of Lady...

The original version is great but I like the older Dennis' voice much better and also like the addition of Tommy on backing vocals.

I'll take the original, but I have to give the group credit for keeping the redone one as close as possible to the original. Thank goodness they didn't try to drastically change it - "Don't Stand So Close To Me '87" - Terrible.

Good point. Thank god they broke up in time not to do the rest of them. As for Lady, i prefer the original, but the 95 version is pretty damn good too.

BlackWall wrote:Original, all the way.. "Lady '95" isn't bad(it's also been a pretty long time since I've heard it, I haven't been able to find that disc for a couple of years), but JP's drumming at the end, and the way Dennis enunciates on some of the lyrics, just makes the original the most memorable for me.

Yeah, I noticed a bit of the enunciation differences, not to mention the slight lyrics change when I first heard "95". Plus DDY's voice has a bit more bass to it.

That's natural, though. Nobody sounds EXACTLY like they did 20-30 years ago. They might be able to hit nearly every note they've always been able to (like Sammy Hagar), but if nothing else, the TONE changes. Sammy can sing every song he ever did, but he doesn't sound the same. Neither does DDY. It's just a natural process taking place.

And Elton John....his voice is so deep now it's like not even the same person singing.