Show Me the Way (Styx song)
Encyclopedia
"Show Me the Way" is the second single released from Edge of the Century
by Styx
.
Lead vocalist/keyboardist Dennis DeYoung
, a devout Roman Catholic, originally wrote the song for his son, Matthew, as a pseudo-hymn about the struggle to keep the faith in a "world so filled with hatred". Released in December 1990, the song was slowly scaling the charts in January 1991, just prior to the United States
' entry into the Gulf War
, and many radio DJs mixed the song with voice tracks of parents whose children were headed off to fight in the war.
The single rose up the Billboard Hot 100
all the way to #3 and remained in the top 40 for 23 weeks. The song also hit #3 on the Adult Contemporary chart, remaining in the top 40 of that chart for 31 weeks. While that association undoubtedly buoyed the song's success and contributed to its lingering appeal, in fact, the single had not yet peaked when the war officially ended, on February 28, 1991.
The song was Styx's fourth and final top 5 single to date (and 8th top 10 single), and comes in at #68 on the Billboard
rankings of the top Hot 100 singles of 1991. The song also placed Styx among a handful of artists to have top 10 singles in 3 different decades, the 70s ("Lady," "Come Sail Away"), the 80s ("Babe," "The Best of Times," "Too Much Time on My Hands," "Mr. Roboto," "Don't Let It End"), and the 90s ("Show Me the Way").
On the year end charts for 1991, "Show Me The Way" was listed at #68 for 1991. It was Styx's 4th highest charting song of its career.
Edge of the Century
Edge of the Century is the twelfth studio album by Styx, released in 1990. It was the first Styx album featuring A&M solo artist Glen Burtnik, the only album to feature the Dennis DeYoung/James Young/Glen Burtnik/Chuck Panozzo/John Panozzo lineup, and the last album to feature John Panozzo on drums...
by Styx
Styx (band)
Styx is an American rock band that became famous for its albums from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Chicago band is known for melding the style of prog-rock with the power of hard rock guitar, strong ballads, and elements of American musical theater....
.
Lead vocalist/keyboardist Dennis DeYoung
Dennis DeYoung
Dennis DeYoung is an American singer, songwriter, musician and producer best known for being a founding member of the rock band Styx, a tenure that lasted from 1970 to 1999.-Early life:...
, a devout Roman Catholic, originally wrote the song for his son, Matthew, as a pseudo-hymn about the struggle to keep the faith in a "world so filled with hatred". Released in December 1990, the song was slowly scaling the charts in January 1991, just prior to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' entry into the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, and many radio DJs mixed the song with voice tracks of parents whose children were headed off to fight in the war.
The single rose up the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
all the way to #3 and remained in the top 40 for 23 weeks. The song also hit #3 on the Adult Contemporary chart, remaining in the top 40 of that chart for 31 weeks. While that association undoubtedly buoyed the song's success and contributed to its lingering appeal, in fact, the single had not yet peaked when the war officially ended, on February 28, 1991.
The song was Styx's fourth and final top 5 single to date (and 8th top 10 single), and comes in at #68 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
rankings of the top Hot 100 singles of 1991. The song also placed Styx among a handful of artists to have top 10 singles in 3 different decades, the 70s ("Lady," "Come Sail Away"), the 80s ("Babe," "The Best of Times," "Too Much Time on My Hands," "Mr. Roboto," "Don't Let It End"), and the 90s ("Show Me the Way").
On the year end charts for 1991, "Show Me The Way" was listed at #68 for 1991. It was Styx's 4th highest charting song of its career.
Charts
| End of year chart (1991) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 68 |