Light up everybody
Join us in this celebration
Light up and be happy
Sweet, sweet sounds will fill the air

Every day's a holiday when your lips meet mine
The music's keepin' time with our love
You are here, and so am I
The weather's quite divine
So pass me round your wine, lovely one

All I need is just one hit to get me by
'Cause baby when your near I'm halfway high

Light up, everybody
Join us in this celebration
Light up and be happy
Sweet, sweet sounds will fill the air

When I think of Lorelei my head turns all around
As gentle as a butterfly she moves without a sound
I call her on the telephone, she says be there by eight
Tonight's the night she's moving in and I can hardly wait

The way she moves, ooh-ooh
I gotta say
Lorelei let's live together
Brighter than the stars forever
Lorelei let's live together
Brighter than the stars forever

Her eyes become of Paradise, she softly speaks my name
She brightens every lonely night, no one's quite the same
She calls me on the telephone, she says be there by eight
Tonight's the night she's moving in, it's time to celebrate

The way she moves, ooh-ooh
I gotta say
Lorelei let's live together
Brighter than the stars forever
Lorelei let's live together
Brighter than the stars forever



La traduction franзaise

Lonely feelings in the city
One room flat with crumbling walls
Sirens play a distant melody
Neon shadows paint the halls

In the thirteen months I've spent here
With my manuscript and rhymes
I've paid in cash for foolish pleasures
Mother dear you'd call them crimes

Raise the roof
Light the lite
Mother dear I'm returning tonight
Now I see
Your concern
Mother dear how you taught me to learn

I been a Roman for survival
Showing two sides of my face
I need the comfort of your wisdom
I'm coming home to your embrace

If by chance I pass before you
Don't discount my gratitude
You're responsible for me here
And of course my attitude

Raise the roof
Light the lite
Mother dear I'm returning tonight
Now I see
Your concern
Mother dear how you taught me to learn

Stayin' up half the night
Wonderin' if what I'm doin' is right
Raise the roof
Light the lite
Mother dear I'm returning tonight

Lonely child you make it easy
You give me love like no one can
You're my heart, you keep me movin'
It seems you always understand
My love, I'm your man

Lonely child you make me happy
You take my fears and set them free
Every night you hold me closer
Like two notes in harmony
Come spend your life with me

Lonely child be my lover
We'll make love in the morning light
Weave your magic spell around me
And come spend your life with me

Gonna get you while you sleep
Give you a dream you can keep
To yourself little mama gonna make you feel better

I'm your mystery man in a gold Lincoln
Ain't no reason to do any second thinkin'
About it child

Midnight ride I'm gonna shake ya
Midnight ride I'm gonna break ya
Midnight ride I'm gonna take you on a
Midnight ride

Meet you little girl back at my hotel
Between you and me we're really gonna give 'em hell

I got something mighty special up my sleeve
All you got to do is just say please

Midnight ride I'm gonna shake ya
Midnight ride I'm gonna break ya
Midnight ride I'm gonna take you on a
Midnight ride



Interpretation

As is the case for many Styx songs, there is more than one layer of meaning and possible interpretation to this song.

Here are a few possibilities:

1. A story about a girl's one night stand with an unscrupulous stranger. Take the line, "I'm your mystery man in a gold Lincoln, ain't no reason to do any second thinkin' about it child." He's seducing her with his mystery and apparent wealth. But his goals are clear ""I got something mighty special up my sleeve, all you got to do is just say please." The chorus uses the analogy of a rider breaking a wild horse "...I'm gonna shake ya....I'm gonna break ya..." to reinforce the concept of the man using the woman during this "midnight ride."

2. The personification of a girl's dreams about spending a sinful night with a rich and famous man (perhaps a rock star). Note the introduction to the song, "Gonna get you while you sleep, give you a dream you can keep to yourself little mama..." indicating that he is from the forbidden part of her dreams. Then he continues "I'm your mystery man in a gold Lincoln..." indicating that he is wealthy and a stranger, the type of a man and situtation that she would only dare approach in her dreams.

3. A story about a rape from the twisted perspective of the rapist. "Gonna get you while you sleep" could refer to the absense consent. And, the victim keeps the memory to herself "...give you a dream you can keep to yourself little mama." The chorus's analogy of a rider breaking a wild horse "...I'm gonna shake ya....I'm gonna break ya..." could imply that the "midnight ride" between the sheets is his sick view of his conquest.

Another interesting thought: the "midnight ride" in the first chorus is the ride in the car and the "midnight ride" in the second chorus is the "ride" in the hotel after she says "yes" (literally or figuratively) to his "please."

I am the thief of the highway
Rich man you better take hold
'Cause last night while you lie sleeping
I came to steal all your gold

All the King's horses
All the King's men
Surrounded the chapel
To trap me within

A Lady in waiting
Lips red with rouge
She offered me pleasures
I could not refuse
No, no, no

For I was born
Born for adventure
Women whisky and sin
No I'll never surrender
Live by the sword till the end

All the King's horses
All the King's men
Were drinking and dancing
At Fezewig's Inn

They spoke of my capture
And of my escape
They called it misfortune
But I called it fate
No, no, no

For I was born
Born for adventure
Women whisky and sin
No I'll never surrender
Live by the sword till the end

Instrumental

Time after time I sit and I wait for your call
I know I'm a fool but why can I say
Whatever the price I'll pay for you, Madame Blue
Once long ago, a word from your lips and the world turned around
But somehow you've changed, you're so far away
I long for the past and dream of the days with you, Madame Blue

Suite Madame Blue, gaze in your looking glass
You're not a child anymore
Suite Madame Blue, the future is all but past
Dressed in your jewels, you made your own rules
You conquered the world and more ..............heaven's door

America....America...America..America..
America....America...America..America..
America....America...America..America..

Red white and blue, gaze in your looking glass
You're not a child anymore
Red, white, and blue, the future is all but past
So lift up your heart, make a new start
And lead us away from here



Interpretation

Suite Madame Blue is about the decline of America told using the analogy of a woman. It was written as a wake up call in 1975 as the American Bicentennial approached. Note the line "You conquered the world and more...heaven's door" referring to America's accomplishment of landing a man on the moon in 1969. The theme of this song was revived in 1980 as the basis of the concept behind the Paradise Theatre album.



In an August 31, 1999, e-mail, visitor Steve Glazewski suggested a different interpretation:

I would offer that Madam Blue, while representing America, more specifically points to a symbol of America, the statue of liberty.

To me, the song almost speaks of an immigrant family (gee...maybe Italian immigrants to the south side of Chicago ).

Time after time I sit and I wait for your call - waiting to immigrate I know I'm a fool but why can I say - it's a long shotWhatever the price I'll pay for you, Madame Blue - cost to come over Once long ago, a word from your lips and the world turned around - the dreamland of 1900 +/- 20 years

Dressed in your jewels, you made your own rules - isolationism early in the century, "streets paved with gold" mystique among immigrants, etc.

You conquered the world and more ..............heaven's door - supposed quote from a little immigrant girl after seeing the NY skyline: "papa I think I've died and gone to heaven!" to which he supposedly replied "no, we've come to live in America"


La traduction franзaise