Renegade (song)
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| “Renegade” | |||||
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| Single by Styx from the album Pieces of Eight |
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| B-side | "Sing for the Day" | ||||
| Released | 1978 | ||||
| Format | 7" | ||||
| Genre | Hard Rock | ||||
| Label | A&M | ||||
| Writer(s) | Tommy Shaw | ||||
| Styx singles chronology | |||||
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"Renegade" is a 1979 hit song recorded by the American rock band Styx. It was on their album Pieces of Eight. It reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is a first-person narrative of an outlaw, captured for a bounty, who recognizes that he is about to be executed for his criminal activities. The execution will be by hanging, as the outlaw laments, "Hangman is coming down from the gallows and I don't have very long." Some pressings of the single were made with translucent, red vinyl.
When performed live from 1978 to 1983, drummer John Panozzo increased the tempo of the drum pattern during the guitar solo sections. Also, the track would serve as the drum solo spot for Panozzo during that time frame save the Paradise Theater tour of 1981/82.
Although songwriter Tommy Shaw and fellow Styx guitarist James Young usually played lead guitar on their own compositions, Young asked Shaw if he could take the solo on "Renegade". Shaw agreed, and later Young returned the favor by allowing Shaw to play lead on J.Y.'s "Half-Penny, Two-Penny" on the Paradise Theatre album.
[edit] Uses In Other Media
- "Renegade" was included in the Billy Madison soundtrack.
- It was also featured briefly in the 2006 film Stick It, though it was not included on its soundtrack.
- In 2006, the song was performed by Chris Daughtry on American Idol.
- It was used during a preview of the 2nd season of the television show Prison Break.
- The song was also played in the pilot episode of the comedy-drama television series Freaks and Geeks.
- The song was parodied by the Christian parody group ApologetiX, retitled "Lemonade".
- It is very popular at Pittsburgh Steeler games, where it is played while images of the opposing team's quarterback being hit are shown.
- It was played during the last scene of "Nightshifter," an episode of the TV series Supernatural, when main characters Sam and Dean manage to escape from the FBI.
- In the latest concert DVD, at the end of the song, it is revealed that the song, I shot the sheriff by Bob Marley, was the backbone of the song. Bob Marley's tune is the second voice at the beginning of the song. In the Concert, after the song is over, the band members hold out the last chord for several seconds, and both Deyoung and Shaw sing "I Shot the Sheriff"
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