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Crystal Ball is the sixth album by Styx, released in 1976 (see 1976 in music).

This album marked the recording debut of new guitarist Tommy Shaw. The track "Mademoiselle" was Tommy Shaw's vocal debut and the album's Top 40 hit.

The album's title track would become a concert staple for the band as it was performed on every subsequent Styx tour that Shaw was involved with.

"Shooz" was co-written by Shaw and James Young. The bluesy rocker had Shaw on slide guitar while Young contributed a Hendrix-like solo to the middle of the track after Shaw's slide solo.

"This Old Man" was a song that DeYoung wrote for his father and the impact his dad had on his life.

Debussy's classical piece "Clair De Lune" was served as the intro to the album's closing track Ballerina. The version of "Clair De Lune" on Crystal Ball just had DeYoung on piano and changed the key from D flat to C as the next track ("Ballerina") started in C minor.

Although the album stalled at #66 upon its 1976 release, it would go platinum in 1978 after the success of the next album The Grand Illusion.

Track listing

1. "Put Me On" (DeYoung, Shaw, Young) – 4:56
   • Lead vocals: James Young (verse), Dennis DeYoung (bridge after guitar solo), lead guitar: James Young
2. "Mademoiselle" (DeYoung, Shaw) – 3:57
   • Lead vocals: Tommy Shaw, harmony lead guitar solos: Tommy Shaw and James Young
3. "Jennifer" (DeYoung) – 4:16
   • Lead vocals: Dennis DeYoung, lead guitar: James Young
4. "Crystal Ball" (Shaw) – 4:32
   • Lead vocals and lead guitar: Tommy Shaw, synthesizer solo: Dennis DeYoung
5. "Shooz" (Shaw, Young) – 4:44
   • Lead vocals and slide guitar: Tommy Shaw, second guitar solo in middle of song: James Young
6. "This Old Man" (DeYoung) – 5:11
   • Lead vocals: Dennis DeYoung, lead guitar: Tommy Shaw
7. "Clair de Lune/Ballerina" (Claude Debussy/DeYoung/Shaw) – 7:09
   • Instrumental/Lead vocals: Dennis DeYoung, lead guitar solos: James Young (wah-wah induced solos) and Tommy Shaw

Personnel

• Dennis DeYoung – keyboards, synthesizer, vocals
• Chuck Panozzo – bass, vocals
• John Panozzo – drums, percussion, vocals
• Tommy Shaw – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals
• James Young – guitar, vocals

Production

• Producer: Styx
• Engineers: Barry Mraz and Rob Kingsland

Charts

Album – Billboard (North America)

Singles – Billboard (North America)

• Articles lacking sources from June 2008
• Pages with empty short description
• 1976 albums
• A&M Records albums
• Styx albums