By Brad Gallagher:
When I was growing up my father would frequently tell us jokes. These jokes were similar to what our society now refers to as “Dad Jokes”, but back then they were just humorous little stories that he told us over and over. Like the story about the little boy who ran into the kitchen one day and said to his mother, “Mom, I just saw a guy get hit in the ass by a speeding car.” Shocked by the little boy’s language, the mother, in order to correct him, said, “Rectum, Timmy!!” The little boy responded by saying, “Wrecked him Heck, Mom! It almost killed him”.
Another story he frequently told us was the one about a husband and wife who were sitting in a restaurant having dinner when a man approached the wife and said, “Hey Lady”. But before the man could say anything else, the husband jumped up out of his chair, point his finger at the man, and said, “Hey! That’s no Lady, that’s my wife!” Ha Ha, funny Dad,.
Now obviously this is just a joke, and there is probably not a single husband out there who would say that his wife is not a lady, but there are few husbands who have written songs about there wife. This is the account of one of those men.
As The Story Goes:
Way back in 1970, Dennis DeYoung, who is a singer, song writer, and founding member of the band “Styx”, married his high school sweetheart Suzanne Feusi. Two years later he wrote the song “Lady”, which is one of three songs he wrote about her during his career. Lady is a ballad/love song in which DeYoung tells about how just being in Suzanne’s presence makes him smile and how just the touch of her hand builds him up and makes all of his troubles fade away. He alludes to the thought that when they met, it was love at first sight. She was shy like a child then, but she was also everything he ever needed. It is a beautiful song which begins with a slow and gentle piano solo and then progresses as the rest of the band joins in.
This song is a true love story, but not everyone thought so at first. In fact, it was rejected by their record label, “Wooden Nickle”, when DeYoung tried to get it put on the first Styx album in 1972. The next year, in 1973, he tried again to get this song on an album, and was somehow successful, but only barely. It ended up being the second track on the “Styx II” album, but it did not get a warm reception from the critics or the fans. Apparently, the radio stations back then just didn’t know what to do with a love song that started out calm and then evolved into a full out rock and roll bombardment of drums, guitars, and tremendous vocals. So, most of them didn’t even play it.
It was also released as a single in 1973, but didn’t reach the charts. Then one day in 1974, a DJ from Chicago named Jim Smith heard it playing on a juke box in a pizza restaurant and immediately fell in love with it. Smith had a radio show that aired every Saturday night and reach audiences in 38 states and several foreign countries. He was determined to make “Lady” a hit, so he convinced his boss to let him play the song every night on his show. By 1975 it was the #2 most popular song on that radio station, and at the end of 1975 it was ranked as the 29th biggest hit on their year-end count down. Nationally it reached #6 on the Billboard Top 100 charts that year, and is credited with being the very first rock and roll Power Ballad.1
DeYoung is no longer a member of Styx, but to this day both Styx and DeYoung play “Lady” at each of there live concerts. In fact, after after making four albums with the Wooden Nickle label, Styx signed with A&M Records, and now “Lady” is the only Styx song produced by Wooden Nickle records that is still played live.
At the time of this post, Dennis and Suzanne DeYoung are still married, and in case you are wondering, the other two songs he wrote for her are “Babe” which reached #1 on the charts in 1980, and “The Best Of Times” which reached #3 in 1981.
Lady, by Styx: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR4if4ble1A
Well, that is the story as I heard it. I can’t wait to see you again, so come back and visit me real soon right here on As The Story Goes.
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[1] Dominic, Serene. “Power Me, Ballad Me: The Power Ballad Timeline”. Detroit Metro Times. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
AS THE STORY GOES 