Paradise Theatre is the tenth studio album by American rock band Styx, released on January 16, 1981 by A&M Records. It was the band's most commercially successful album, peaking at #1 for three weeks on the Billboard 200 in April and May 1981 (intermittently). It was the band's fourth consecutive album to receive triple platinum status from the RIAA. Four singles from the album hit various charts, and two songs entered the top 10 pop singles. The first single, "Better Times," written by Dennis Deyoung, went to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. "I Have Too Much Free Time," written by Tommy Shaw, reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100, Shaw's only hit in the Styx top 10.Nothing ever goes as planned.", written by Deyoung, reached number 54 on the American pop chart.
"Rockin' the Paradise", a song written by DeYoung, Shaw, and James Young, reached #8 on the Best Rock Tracks chart. Background A concept album, the album is a fictional account of the Paradise Theater in Chicago from its opening in 1928 to its closure in 1956 (and subsequent demolition) used as a metaphor for America's changing times from the late 1970s to the 1980s.
(Dennis Deyoung, who foresaw and developed the entire concept, confirmed this in an episode in the studio with Redbeard about the creation of the album.) DeYoung said that the theme of the album is "the hope and rebirth of the spirit of the American people, to understand the problems facing the world and this country, and to find solutions to these problems ourselves. Don't rely on heroes to do what you have to do yourself. If you don't like your job, but you have a dream, then follow it. Just don't sit back and complain about it."
Newsday critic Wayne Robins stated that the songs "deal with people who are out of sync with themselves and their surroundings." For example, "I Have Too Much Free Time" tells about an unemployed man who has given up, he sees "Single People" as "a modern version of the Beatles." 'Eleanor Rigby"," and "Nothing ever goes according to plan" - about "the inevitability of failure." Vinyl edition On the first vinyl copies of the album, the band's name was laser-etched directly onto the vinyl on side 2 (some copies had a wax drawing of the cover). The vinyl record was in an envelope that was painted by artist Chris Hopkins. On the back cover and label, the name of the record is written as "Paradise Theater", and on the front cover as "Paradise Theatre". The album's title is "Paradise" on the spine. "Joel Whitburn's Best Pop Album" in the Playbill of 1955-2001, the album's title is listed as "Paradise Theater".
"Too Much Time on My Hands" is a song by American rock band Styx, released as the second single from their tenth album Paradise Theatre. It was written and sung by Tommy Shaw, who also plays the lead guitar solo during the break in the song. It was Shaw's only top 10 single as a writer and vocalist with Styx.
Styx - Too Much Time On My Hands (1981)
Yeah, I’m sittin' on this barstool
Talkin' like a damn fool
Got the twelve o’clock news blues
And I’ve given up hope
On the afternoon soaps
And a bottle of cold brew
Is it any wonder I’m not crazy
Is it any wonder I’m sane at all
Well I’m so tired of losin'
I got nothin' to do With all day to do it
Well I’d go out cruisin'
But I’ve no place to go And all night to get there
Is it any wonder I’m not a criminal
Is it any wonder I’m not in jail
Is it any wonder I’ve got
Too much time on my hands
Tickin' away at my sanity
I’ve got too much time on my hands
It’s hard to believe such a calamity
I’ve got too much time on my hands
And it’s tickin' away, tickin' away from me
(Too much time on my hands)
Ti — ti — ti — ti — ti — tickin' away
(Too much time on my hands)
Now I don’t know what to do
(Too much time on my hands)
With It
(Too much time on my hands)
(Too much time on my hands)
(Too much time on my hands)
Now I’m a jet fuel genius
I can solve the worlds problems
Without even trying
I’ve got dozens of friends
And the fun never ends
That is as long as I’m buying
Is it any wonder I’m not the president
Is it any wonder I’m null and void
Is it any wonder I’ve got
Too much time in my hands
Tickin' away with insanity
I’ve got too much time on my hands
It’s hard to believe in such a calamity
I’ve got too much time on my hands
And it’s tickin' away
Tickin' away from me
(Too much time on my hands)
Ti — ti — ti — ti — tickin' away
(Too much time on my hands)
Now I don’t know what to do with myself
(Too much time on my hands)
Mmm-mmmm
(Too much time on my hands)
Ti — ti — ti — ti — tickin' away
(Too much time on my hands)
Mmm-hmmm
(Too much time on my hands)
(whisper)
Too much time on my hands
Too much time on my