Is This The Train

[BlackWall]

I've seen the song come up from time to time, and I guess I'm just curious, how do fans really feel about Dennis' biggest solo hit? For the most part, it seems as though people could kind of take it or leave it, and from what I've seen, mostly leave it..

Personally, I think it's a great song, it runs a little deeper(to me) than ballads like "Babe", "Best Of Times", and especially "Don't Let It End". Is it not looked upon as favorably, simply because it wasn't done with Styx?

Btw, if the studio version wasn't your thing, check out the version on the new live album, I think it's in the best form ever.

As a last note(woke up way too early today, too much time), does anyone know what exactly "Desert Moon" was? Is it somewhere fictional, or a real location that was near the Chicago area?

[SuiteMadameBlue]

Black Wall, I enjoy your posts.

I'll try to find the article about "Desert Moon". At first I thought it was about the train (I forgot which one) that went from Chicago to Indiana. I'll have to find that article too. But it wasn't about that. Sadie, do you remember? (She's awesome at remembering).


I personally love "Desert Moon". I enjoy hearing it live more than the cd (studio version) now.

[froy]

I've seen the song come up from time to time, and I guess I'm just curious, how do fans really feel about Dennis' biggest solo hit? For the most part, it seems as though people could kind of take it or leave it, and from what I've seen, mostly leave it..

Personally, I think it's a great song, it runs a little deeper(to me) than ballads like "Babe", "Best Of Times", and especially "Don't Let It End". Is it not looked upon as favorably, simply because it wasn't done with Styx?

Btw, if the studio version wasn't your thing, check out the version on the new live album, I think it's in the best form ever.

As a last note(woke up way too early today, too much time), does anyone know what exactly "Desert Moon" was? Is it somewhere fictional, or a real location that was near the Chicago area?

I love Desert Moon its a great song the best Solo Styx effort from any member , I think its a town If you look at the video you see the sign at the end.

[sadie65]

Dennis has said that Desert Moon is an idea, not necessarily a place. While he first wrote the song (or some form of it) for the movie Dune, I think he then changed it to reflect a sense of nostalgia, lost youth, etc.

I personally love the lyrics. As for the video, Desert Moon was a closed resort of sorts, I believe set by a lake.

The train that Suite is referring to, was I believe, the Dunes going to Duneland in Indiana. It was thought that this place might be where Dennis got the idea for the setting.

Hope that helps.

Favorite line...the waiter poured our memories into tiny cups....

[SuiteMadameBlue]

Thanks Sadie!! Yes, what she said

It was the South Shore Line going to the Dunes. Here's one of the sites:

http://www.vrbo.com/9490

I always thought this was interesting.

[bugsymalone]

I really love this song (alert the media again!). It actually is one of my favorite songs-- period -- Styx, DDY solo, every other performer I like, you name it.

I find it haunting and evocative on so many levels. It really connected with me in many ways.

The song and the video tell two different stories but, ultimately, come to the same conclusion. I think the video did an admirable job of conveying the spirit of the song.

Sadie hit on all the salient points up there as to where the inspiration came from for the song, and the Desert Moon sign in the video. The video was actually filmed in Santa Paula, CA, which was in the news recently for the terrible flood there.

My favorite lines: "Those summer nights, when we were young. We bragged of things we'd never done. We were dreamers."

I also identify strongly with "And in our haste to grow too soon we left our innocence on Desert Moon."

I won't even go into how beautifully arranged and sung it is. Everyone knows that, right???

Bugsy

[ChicagoSTYX]

I thought Dennis had said that Dessert Moon was supposed to be on the follow up to Kilroy at the time but when the boys decided to take a break he used it for his solo album.

[evileyes]

"Desert Moon" is a beautiful song, haunting yes, but hopeful too. As I understand it, this wasn't really a place and I kind of like that. I mean, this way, 'Desert Moon' can refer to any place you want it to, not some little dot on the map. Adds to the personal feel of the song. Come on, don't we all have memories of a young love lost and wonder what it would like to bump into them again? (sigh) I know I do.

(And, one day, I'll own a 'tang just like the one in the video!)

EE

[sadie65]

Owning a classic Mustang is a definite goal! Now to "drive off into that fake Miswestern sunset"...

[Rockindeano]

Hey Styx friends. I work for the railroad and can tell you that Desert Moon is NOT a train name. That would be Desert Wind It was a train that ran from Chicago to LA..Trains often use the name "Zephyr" meaning westerly wind, but it was already taken by so many other trains, Amtrak went with Desert Wind.

Sorry to get too anal...

Cya

[Monker]

While he first wrote the song (or some form of it) for the movie Dune

Huh? I can't imagine ANY form of this song being in Dune. It makes little sense to have a pop singer on a soundtrack for a movie like this.

It's a good song with good lyrics. But, i don't think it's anything spectacular.

I grew up with my dad restoring Mustangs. we always owned one of one type or another. At the time Desert Moon was released, he owned a 1968 candyapple red convertible...which he kept until around 1990 or so.

[sadie65]

While he first wrote the song (or some form of it) for the movie Dune

Huh? I can't imagine ANY form of this song being in Dune. It makes little sense to have a pop singer on a soundtrack for a movie like this.

Here you go. I agree Dune would not be a choice for a song, but indeed that is the case. Oh and very cool about your dad.

http://www.desertmoonart.com/Page4.html

Peace

[sadie65]

Hey Styx friends. I work for the railroad and can tell you that Desert Moon is NOT a train name. That would be Desert Wind It was a train that ran from Chicago to LA..Trains often use the name "Zephyr" meaning westerly wind, but it was already taken by so many other trains, Amtrak went with Desert Wind.

Sorry to get too anal...

Cya

Thanks for the info, however I don't think that's where he got the name from.

[bugsymalone]

I grew up with my dad restoring Mustangs. we always owned one of one type or another. At the time Desert Moon was released, he owned a 1968 candyapple red convertible...which he kept until around 1990 or so.

Those were just the dang coolest cars ever.

Bugsy

[SuiteMadameBlue]

Rock'deano says:

Hey Styx friends. I work for the railroad and can tell you that Desert Moon is NOT a train name. That would be Desert Wind It was a train that ran from Chicago to LA..Trains often use the name "Zephyr" meaning westerly wind, but it was already taken by so many other trains, Amtrak went with Desert Wind.

Very interesting, thanks for the info My Dad retired a few years ago from the railroad (Union Pacific, before that Chicago & North Western). I've spent years riding and chasing trains around the U.S.

BTW, nothing is anal on this board

Thanks Sadie for the info

[styxfanNH]

I liked Desert Moon and can picture it being one of Dennis' contributions to the next Styx Album if it was ever meant to be, but I like Black Wall much better. Actually Back to the World was his best solo stuff.

[Abitaman]

I liked Desert Moon and can picture it being one of Dennis' contributions to the next Styx Album if it was ever meant to be, but I like Black Wall much better. Actually Back to the World was his best solo stuff.

I thought Back tot he World was his weakest solo cd, except for Hunchback. Some really good songs, but as a whole not the best-ERIC

[sadie65]

I liked Desert Moon and can picture it being one of Dennis' contributions to the next Styx Album if it was ever meant to be, but I like Black Wall much better. Actually Back to the World was his best solo stuff.

I thought Back tot he World was his weakest solo cd, except for Hunchback. Some really good songs, but as a whole not the best-ERIC

I lean towards Boomchild as being his best solo material. Isn't it great that we all enjoy different things?

Peace

[kiddo]

"Desert Moon" is a beautiful song, haunting yes, but hopeful too. As I understand it, this wasn't really a place and I kind of like that. I mean, this way, 'Desert Moon' can refer to any place you want it to, not some little dot on the map. Adds to the personal feel of the song. Come on, don't we all have memories of a young love lost and wonder what it would like to bump into them again? (sigh) I know I do.


Desert Moon is many places- lost youth and the joy of a sweeter time come to mind.

IMO the most brilliant of all DeYoung lyrics: "the waiter poured our memories into tiny cups, we stumbled over words we'd long to hear".

As Suite suggests the SouthShore Line train runs from Chicago to the Indiana Dunes where many city folks in the 60s found retreat in the beauty of the inland lakes and refuge from the urban 9-5.


kiddo

[ek88]

Hands down, Desert Moon is my favorite one-hit wonder of all time! (no slam intended)

[classicstyxfan]

but ek !!!! DDY wasn't a 1 hit wonder...........CALL ME made it all the way to #83 on the charts !

now dont you just feel silly saying something like that ???

[ek88]

[kansas666]

My thoughts on Desert Moon?.....If it didn't come so early in his concert, it would be the perfect opportunity for a bathroom break

[BlackWall]

Wow, looks like more people care about this one than I thought.
Suite and Sadie, thanks for the info..

I think this is a pretty creative effort on a couple of different levels. For one thing, it evokes several images, along with expressing the point that you can't go back again-

"When a whistle cut the night, and shook silence from our lives, as the last train rolled toward the Dune".

"The night we stood and waited for the Desert Train, all the words we meant to say, all the chances swept away, still remain on the road to the Dune".

They ran into each other again, while both attempting to go back to another time, but in the end, they missed the last train. This is an incredible way to express the point..

To me, even though it's on the softer side, it ranks among his finest efforts: "Suite Madame Blue", "Black Wall", "Castle Walls"...

[evileyes]

Those were just the dang coolest cars ever.

Bugsy

"were"? Whadaya mean "WERE"?!

EE

[ek88]

Yeah, what EE said

[SuiteMadameBlue]

BlackWall says:

Wow, looks like more people care about this one than I thought.

I care about this one, good thread

I agree, that he expressed the point that you can't go back again.

Great song, I'm glad that I have this song in my head today