Renegade (Styx song)

"Renegade"
File:StyxRenegade.jpg
Single by Styx
from the album Pieces of Eight
B-side	"Sing for the Day"
Released	January 9, 1979 (1979-01-09)
Format	7"
Recorded	1978
Genre	Hard rock
Length	4:15
Label	A&M
Writer(s)	Tommy Shaw
Producer(s)	Styx
Styx singles chronology
"Sing for the Day" (1979) "Renegade" (1979) "Babe" (1979)

"Renegade" is a 1979 hit song recorded by the American rock band Styx. It was on their Pieces of Eight album. It reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the spring of 1979.

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. Years after its release it remains a staple on classic rock radio playlists, and is usually the final song Styx plays at its concerts.

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.

Although songwriter Tommy Shaw and fellow Styx guitarist James Young usually played lead guitar on their own compositions, Shaw asked Young if he could take the solo on "Renegade". Young agreed, and later returned the favor by allowing Shaw to play lead on his "Half-Penny, Two-Penny" on the Paradise Theatre album.

Since 2001, the song has become a de facto theme song for the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. The song is frequently played on the Heinz Field jumbotron, accompanied by a video featuring members of the defense. According to lore, during the 2008 season that saw the Steelers win Super Bowl XLIII, the defense was able to keep the opposing team from scoring nine times out of the ten times the song was played. On January 11, 2009 Styx performed the national anthem and sang the introduction to "Renegade" before the Steelers-San Diego Chargers playoff game. They also performed the song in between the 2nd and 3rd period of the 2011 NHL Winter Classic.

This song was also included in Chris Cole's "ZERO: Dying to Live" video part.

Personnel

• Dennis DeYoung-organ, vocals
• Tommy Shaw-rhythm guitar, lead vocals
• James Young-lead guitar, vocals
• Chuck Panozzo-bass guitar, vocals
• John Panozzo-drums, vocals

Uses in other media

• "Renegade" was included on the Billy Madison soundtrack.
• The song was played in the TV series Freaks and Geeks, Supernatural and Ash vs Evil Dead in addition to the ski documentary Hit List.
• Christian parody group ApologetiX parodied the song retitled "Lemonade".
• On American Idol, "Renegade" was covered by Chris Daughtry in the fifth season; and Kris Allen and Danny Gokey in the eighth season.
• The song is featured in the two expansion packs for Grand Theft Auto IV, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony.
• The song was re-recorded and released as downloadable content for the music video game series Rock Band and the main setlist of Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock.
• The song was once rumored to be included in the Deadpool video game soundtrack.
• The song was used in "Beer Run", a 2004 Heineken beer commercial, starring Brad Pitt, first shown during Super Bowl XXXIX. The same commercial has also been shown using "Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones.
• Part of the opening lines were heard in the promo for the DVD release of Sons of Anarchy season 7.
• Braiden Sunshine picked "Renegade" in the song choice selection on The Voice

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics