How does the “second side” of the Paradise Theatre LP (i.e., from “Lonely People” song onward for those only familiar with the CD) relate to the story of Paradise Theatre? Ok, while “Lonely People” is not so much a stretch, but what about the others???
Side two of the album deals with the decline and fall of the Paradise Theatre and the songs address the various social aspects of the decline. Snowblind is an anti-drug song that ties back to drug use amoung the enterrainers at teh Paradise. Half-Penny Two Penny is about the financial decline of the theater. A.D. 1958 is about the closing of the Paradise and bookends with A.D. 1928. State Street Sadie is a memory of the Paradise’s glory days past.
Good analysis! I also like Best Of Times as it is right at the pivot where things change from going up to going down. One of my favorite Styx albums.
And She Cares is, once again, Tommy striking defianly out on his own and still writing an awesome song. He’ll do it again on Kilroy and Brave New World.
While Cornerstone and Pieces of Eight are my favorite albums, I have to say that Half-Penny Two Penny is freaking genius.
The LP slip cover made the dichotomy of the album pretty obvious. The front of the cover had the Paradise in its heydey, and the back had it closed and abandoned.
2nd side? You mean… Programs 3 & 4?
Paradise Theater is the 8-track from my parents collection that I have the strongest memory of. As I recall, songs were cut across the “programs”…was that normal in the days of 8-Tracks?
Yes, the format of 8-tracks wasn’t that compatible with albums that were cut for LP sides. Converting an LP to a CD, in comparison, is much simpler.
As far as I remember, the ONLY 8-track I ever heard that didn’t have songs broken up was The Who’s ‘Quadrophenia’.
It was supposed to be recorded in quad format but the technology for playing that was so miserable that they just mixed it as stereo.
With some, yes. Some albums would get their tracks rearranged to fit better into the four programs of an 8-track, but I can see where a concept album wouldn’t be a good candidate for that and thus would get its tracks split up. My old 8-track of Jesus Christ Superstar is the same way, I believe.
Thanks for that memory.
What’s the Buzz? Tell me what’sa happening!
What’s the Buzz? Tell me what’sa happening!
Yeah, I’ve watched that movie way too many times, and I used to have the album, but I don’t know where it’s gone to.
I get the rise and fall of Paradise Theatre. I lived through the “wonderful” '80s when deep-rooted businesses were failing left and right. It was the beginning of the road we’re joyriding down today. I love this album (yes, album as-in “collection”) because it really sums up all the mixed emotions over lost nostalgia in the name of “progress”.
BTW, what curve-ball song did Tommy add on “Kilroy Was Here”? I WAG it was “Don’t Let It End”? To me, this song is sure out of place…a robot lovesong?
Don’t Let it End is a DeYoung song. I think the Tommy Shaw song in question would be Haven’t We Been Here Before. That was the song who’s video did not use footage from the minifilm that went with the live performances.
… in spades.