Lorelei (Styx song)

"Lorelei" is a song from rock band Styx. It is on their 1975 album Equinox, and was released as a single in 1976.

"Lorelei"
Single by Styx
from the album Equinox
B-side	"Midnight Ride"
Released	February 1976 (US)[1]
Recorded	1975 at Paragon Recording Studios, Chicago
Genre	Rock
Label	A&M
Songwriter(s)	Dennis DeYoung James Young
Styx singles chronology
"You Need Love" (1975) "Lorelei" (1976) "Mademoiselle" (1976)

Background

The song peaked at #27 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in April 1976 and was the band's second top 40 hit single.^[2] Lorelei also hit number six on the Canadian charts during the weeks of May 8 and 15, 1976.

Chicago radio superstation WLS, which gave the song much airplay, ranked "Lorelei" as the 77th most popular hit of 1976.^[3] It reached as high as number eight (for two weeks) on their surveys of April 17 and 24, 1976.^[4]

Record World described the song as "a hard rocking number with overtones of The Who and Raspberries in its fiery rhythms.^[5]

"Lorelei" was one of the songs that Styx re-recorded for their Regeneration: Volume 1 EP in 2010 with James Young on lead vocals. It was re-recorded again for the 2023 CD Now Playing, a Styx compilation sold at their concerts, with Lawrence Gowan on lead vocals.

Personnel

• Dennis DeYoung: lead vocals, keyboards
• James Young: lead guitar, backing vocals
• John Curulewski: rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Chuck Panozzo: bass
• John Panozzo: drums

Composition

"Lorelei" is written in D-major with a moderately fast rock tempo.

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1976) Peak position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[6] 6 US Billboard Hot 100[7] 27

Year-end charts Chart (1976) Peak position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[8] 77 U.S. (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual)[9] 163