WOW! Never in a million years would I have thought this ass kickin JY classic off the grand illusion would ever be reacted to. That's why I follow you guy's, much respect .

"Miss America" is from the album "The Grand Illusion" which was released 7/7/77 and sent the popularity of STYX into the stratosphere! Every song from this album is fire!🔥

When this came out, America actually revered Miss America. At times Hundreds of Millions watched the competition on Mainstream TV every year. It was one of the most important positions in America at that time. Now, very few even care, and it is no longer on one of the major channels but on TLC and through streaming.

That riff is epic! I also love how thought-provoking the lyrics are. To describe it as a “human zoo.” Top notch song.

A great Styx song. I love when they sing "does your smile seem to wear you down" or a disease for which they're is no cure" Priceless!😆. Asia has it right.

This album is part of the source code for my musical DNA - I had a copy on eight-track courtesy of my teenage Uncle, when I was five years old in 1977. An underrated classic. This song is definitely about the literal Miss America, but if you would like to hear an absolutely epic rock song that actually is a metaphor for singing a love song to America with all her greatness and faults, you definitely want to check out "Suite Madame Blue," particularly the ripping live version from the concert album "Caught In The Act."

Love this song. The album itself is a gem too. Do “the grand illusion, fooling yourself and man in the wilderness”

My very first live concert was Styx, Foghat, and Head East! It was great! Thank you both!❤

I never get tired of this classic song, the whole album is a gold mine.

So glad you finally got to this one. Great song with lots of hidden meanings. Styx was absolute genius in their presentation and this is no exception. The entire Grand Illusion album is nothing but fire from start to finish. Rare occurrence that just a few have accomplished. Boston "Boston", Bob Seger both "Night Moves" and "Against The Wind, Nazareth "Hair Of The Dog", Heart "Dreamboat Annie", Cat Stevens "Tea For The Tillerman" and just about every Pink Floyd album. There are others I'm sure, but I am not feeling well and this is what I got. It sounds like a long list... until you stop and think of how many thousands of bands, putting millions of albums out yet just a tiny fraction truly get it totally together start to stop. Styx is such a highly underrated band. It constantly surprises me how many people have never even heard of them (and that's such a sin that it borders on blasphemy)

The Grand Illusion. Not a bad song on the entire album.

Big Jim on the lead here - this is such a great album!

He's talking about the Miss America pageant The line about judges reading between your lines is referring to sexual favors for the judges

Imagine a band with 3 different lead singers. James JY Young sings this one. My first concert, Styx 1977 at the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island. So many hits. Check out JY singing Put Me On. Another rocker. By the way, you guys are awesome!

Every song on this album is golden!

Styx has always been one of my favorite band this song is amazing

Love the way Asia figured it out...beauty pageants were HUGE deals back in the day of 3 or 4 tv channels, millions watching, front page news...then when they sing "In your cage at the human zoo, they all stop to look at you. Next year what will you do, when you have been forgotten..." Asia actually flinches as she realizes just how totally DARK this song is...what a cool moment that was. Because Miss America, Miss Universe, etc, all that stuff begat child beauty pageants, which are even Nastier & Darker than the adult "beauty" contests. Anyway. I always loved how dark this song is, I keep repeating that word but "dark" describes it best, & "the human zoo" line has always been one of my favorites...

Grand Illusion and Fooling Yourself next please.

Thank you VERY MUCH for giving voice to James Young, whose contributions to Styx are often forgotten, with Dennis DeYoung's songs and Tommy Shaw's being the go-to for reactions. All are good, I just wish James got his propers as well. More from James: "Midnight Ride" "The Great White Hope" "Witch Wolf" and my favorite, "Half-Penny, Two-Penny". Even better live, because then JY gets to cut loose with his guitar. Also, on the very first Styx album, the record company (a minor local Chicago outfit) wasn't entirely confident in the band's songwriting, so they made them record covers of songs by other unknown artists on similar smaller labels. James was the lead singer on these, because the idea was that he had the typical "rock" voice and Dennis DeYoung and John Curulewski (the guitarist who preceded Tommy Shaw in the band) would do the high harmonies. All four of those songs are ROCKERS (the difference between their version of "After You Leave Me" and the version by a group called Overland Stage [who covered the same song] is palpable). My favorite is "Quick is the Beat of My Heart", which was actually their concert opener, even after they were allowed to record their own songs. As I said above, thank you very much.

James Young- JY - wrote this and sings lead vocalist and I believe lead guitar on this one. Dennis DeYoung & Tommy Shaw sing most their songs but JY just has that rockin edge. Horns out 🤘 Hahaha

Great LP for sure. The first concert I ever went too was for this album. "Castle WALLS" from this LP is a real good one with an eerie/airy mood to the music. And it's NOT The Styx BJ it's just Styx. I think I've told you that once before-lol. James Young one of the guitarist wrote this and usually wrote one or two songs on each of the albums. They were usually the more rockin' tunes.

Love this RIFF🤘

The synth opening is a minor key version of the song "There She Is, Miss America" which Bert Parks would sing after the winner was crowned at every Miss America pageant.

Asia & BJ, you’ll love their "The Best of Times" and “"Too Much Time on My Hands"!!!

One of my favorites from Styx, along with "Man in the wilderness" and "Castle Walls". Although every song on this album is a banger!

I learned to play this on guitar about 40 years ago. Cool ass riff. Until watching this video w/ lyrics I never had truly understood and analyzed the lyrics. Cool beans!!!

I used to sneak in my brothers room when I was 10 and listen to his cassettes. I slept on this Styx song til I was 15 or 16. I had the headphones on reading and ot was John Panozzos drums on the bridge that caught me off guard and I was like damn, the complexity of his change ups had me rewinding over and over. over

FINALLY, someone reacts to the studio version of this. I've been asking for it for years. In my opinion, it's JY's best Styx track, (although in my opinion, he has many). No this is a cynical take at all beauty pageants. But the "Miss America" pageant specifically. And everything which comes along with that. JY is the 3rd lead vocalist in Styx. This album was released July 7, 1977...

Fantastic reaction. Asia's reaction from 2::14 and on was so subtle and expressive. Re-watched a dozen times.

Styx fans set thru the babe songs to get to the core like this. Snowblind... Half penny two penny. Ect. 🤘😎🤘

When I was a kid I must have listened to this album before Sweet Give us a Wink all the time, because as soon as I hear something off this one, I want to listen to that one. lol

Love this song. The vocal harmonies are awesome. Watched them live a few times and they nailed it perfectly.

My favorite Styx song, thank you! And Asia is right on this one.

Thanks for covering this gem.

So, I had to take a look at "Pretty Hurts" (not familiar with it) and it's true, it's a companion piece to this song theme wise. Good pick up. In both songs you get lines about judges and disease and crowns. I'm going to have to look it up.

MORE FROM THAT ALBUM ( GRAND ILLUSION ) : CASTLE WALLS, FOOLING YOURSELF, COME SAIL AWAY 😊GREAT ROCK LISTENING

OMG! I saw the thumbnail and I clicked on it. I've been WAITING for someone to do a Styx song besides "Come Sail Away", or "Angry Young Man". This is one of my favorite Styx tunes since the late 70s! I haven't seen you guys listen to it yet. But I'm sure you'll love it. So I already gave it a thumbs up! 👍 Now I'm going to watch your reaction to this tasty offering! Peace!😃. Edit: one of the things I love most about Styx, was that they would often have life lessons being brought up in their songs. From the heavier lyrics in this song to the lighter, uplifting lyrics of "I'm O.K." "Pieces of Eight" is a great,IMO, song warning against not only greed and such, but also not to spend the one life you have on earth being so absorbed by gaining, earning, accomplishing things, that you never LIVE. Meanwhile you become strangers to your kids, your spouse, siblings, friends, the very ones you said you were doing these things for to begin with. It served as a guidepost of sorts to me throughout my young adulthood. Now, I'm glad that I took some of their "message" to heart. Well, I've gone on a long ramble. So good night!

More Styx!

Sung by James JY Young, the Guitarist

RENEGADE ! Good song.

I can remember coming home from school, putting this song on and starting homework. Great music,

Do Crystal Ball by Styx! Blue Collar Man is another good one!

I grew up with Styx and love this song. Oddly, I find it describes the events/situation of the Vanessa Williams scandal of 1984 almost perfectly even though it was released in 1977. Still, excellent commentary either way...plus it rocks...and so do you guys.

James Young wrote the song about the fleeting nature of fame......

Had it on 8 Track. Wore it out. Styx was great music on the road when growing up! Crystal Ball. Suite Madsme Blue. Renegade.

You guys are so much fun!

My interpretation of what this song is about is the superficial front put on and achievement judged for someone seeking fame. The particular example in this song is how someone can become famous without doing something meaningful, is trapped in the demands of that fame, and that fame can be so fleeting. Miss America was a big deal in the 70's where for only one year someone is famous and then is forgotten. Other than the usual awesome music, the lyrics paint such vivid points "A mirage for both you and us", her put on "smile seems to wear" her down as the real person in there is "screaming to jump out". "The cover sometimes makes the book" refers to the value of her looks over the substance of the person as "the judges" do not ask "to read between your lines". They also point out that she is also a victim of her own desire for fame and is trapped in her "cage at the human zoo"; and all that "success" is fleeting: "Next year, what will you do When you have been forgotten". Today this theme can be applied to those many who "just want to be famous", and those who are famous for being famous with not much substance demonstrated. This song fits in with the overall theme of "The Grand Illusion" album of the promoted fake facades of people or lifestyles. "Fooling Yourself", "Castle Walls", and "Man In The Wilderness" are other tracks on this album to check out along with the title track "The Grand Illusion". A few other songs that James "JY" Young sings lead on are: "Young Man" and "Snowblind".

Great reaction. 😃

BANGGGERRRRRR!!! 😊FROM THEIR EXPLOSION MASTERPIECE 76 ALBUM ( GRAND ILLUSION ) 😊

Great album!!

From The Grand Illusion. Styx best album. A concept album. You have to hear it all to appreciate it. Came out in 1977. James Young songs lead on Miss America. He has a more rock and roll edge. Thanks for reacting to one of my favorite songs. You need to react to Come Sail Away. And the Styx Masterpiece Suite Madam Blue from the Equinox album. There is an awesome video of that song from Return to the Paradise Theater. Have fun discovering Styx. 🎸

I like your singing voice Asia’s. Very pretty.

really nice choice... this one often overlooked

Great song and album

It's about the whole beauty pageant screen!

The drums are so sick on this song.

Guitarist JY “James” Young sings this one.

My fave is Crystal Ball... then Suite Madam Blue.

This songs for my ex I'm from Indianapolis this song goes out to her. Breaking Benjamin " lights out"

Disliked by critics. Loved by us regular folks. Been a fan since the 70s when I heard Crystal Ball for the first time. Nice choice!! 🤘🤘

Awesome album....

I think you would like Crystal Ball , and boy don't we wish we had one of those.

EPIC

Hey , here is a deep cut....check out "Young Man" off the 1st release...Serpent is rising

Sometimes, I'll go a while without hearing them, and I'll be thinking: "Eh, Styx, I don't know why I liked them"...Then if I hear something like this, I'll remember: "Oh, yeah. That's why."

Not often a JY song gets reacted to well done guys

Madam blue by styx great song is about America listen to it

Next…..Put Me On from Crystal Ball. Make sure to have the lyrics.

I believe this is the only Styx song where James Young is the lead vocalist. He wrote the song about his wife, not Miss America.

Snowblind by Styx and Castle Wall

One of the guitarists wrote it about his wife, who had porphyria and passed away in 2022.

A James Young song. Most of his songs gave Styx more of a rock edge.

Try Man in the Wilderness off this very same album. This is a GREAT album with no weak links.

Please do Styx "Prelude 12/Suite Madame Blue "! My opinion is the best! Thank you from long time Sub!

Nice throwback from '75's Equinox album. Such a diverse blend of ballads and hard rockers. Takes me back to being a kid in the 80's when I bought everything of theirs I could get my hands on. To me this song is saying that Miss America is shallow, plastic, exhausting and unsustainable. After getting the dream she'll be discarded for next year's model. You got what you wanted, but do you want what you got?

By the styx....good god

Styx has the coolest album covers

😎👍

Describes what America has sadly become.

The Statue of Liberty Miss America

James Young point that talk about his wife who pass away in 2022 had rare skin disease since he married her since 1970's and this have no cure....

Miss America, is Lady Liberty

This sing describes the controversy surrounding Vanessa Williams losing her Miss America title and the whole concept of the pageant itself

This makes you think about Miss America differently now, haha shoot.

Note to self: never post black font on a bright red background :)

STYX, BTW, is the name of the river you have to cross to get to Hades, aka Hell. This song is only a little cynical, just a little. "The Queen Of the United States". LOL.

cynical yet cold hard facts about the vapid nature of pageantry. love Styx. This is one of the rare instances when James Young ("JY") gets to sing. Off their best album, too "Grand Illusion". If you want another JY song that is awesome go for "Snow Blind" about addiction. Tommy Shaw gets to share the vocals on this one and is one of the band's best songs IMO.

I think he was comparing the United States to miss America from the perspective of another country

Did the judges ever ask to read between you lines... can have a different meaning...

Come on Not the STYX Just “STYX” .

Really never paid attention to the lyrics, kinda deep.

your only her for 1 year, so it is fleeting ,so don,t let go to your head, .

Don't you like the lyric about the human zoo where everyone comes to look at you like looking at a zoo animal

Please do not use fan-made videos, they ALWAYS contain errors in the lyrics. Like this one.

Have y’all done- too much time on my hand..

I always thought this was a bit of a dig at the intersection of vanity and fantasy. You have these women spending their entire lives to compete where the grand prize is a year living in a fishbowl and pretending to be some disney princess version of a human being. From Styx's perspective it was all a hypocritical lie. On the parts of the contestants, the judges, and the public.

They did a song about America. Suite Madame Blue

Miss America, is Lady Liberty