Renegade – Styx | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#16); 1979
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
A Chicago-based band that single-handedly invented the arena rock sound, Styx evolved out of a 1960’s group called The Tradewinds, then TW4, before adopting the name of the mythological river that circled the underworld.
In 1974 – four albums into their career – Windy City’s WLS began spinning Lady off the second LP. As Lady rose to #6, Styx II also picked up steam two years after its original release; topping out at #20.
Almost three years elapsed before Styx recaptured its 1975 momentum with the #8 single Come Sail Away and three-times-platinum selling album The Grand Illusion. Blue Collar Man (Long Nights), the lead-off single from Pieces Of Eight, was followed by Sing For The Day b/w Queen Of Spades.
Sing For The Day rose to #41 and fell off the chart, radio started airing its flip side, which had been changed to Renegade after the first pressing. That proved to be a good move. Renegade reached #16; giving Styx its only two-sided hit single.
This content and the Song Meaning article was created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2025 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Styx
Lyrics Written by:
- Tommy Shaw
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).