"Ever Since the World Began" by Tommy Shaw

Song#:  3407

Date:  02/13/1988

Debut:  93

Peak:  75

Weeks:  9

Genre:  Rock

Pop Bits:  Shaw's second solo album, 1985's What If, didn't do that well stopping at #87 after its first single, "Remo's Theme (What If)," faltered at #81 (#18 Rock). It seemed that things between Shaw and his long-time label A&M were not going well, so Shaw then moved over to Atlantic to record his third effort, Ambition. While rock radio picked up on the LP's opening track "No Such Thing," which got to #41 on the Rock chart, for mainstream pop stations, this power ballad track was released as the official first single. It didn't get very far on the Pop chart remaining in the bottom quarter for a couple of months. "No Such Thing" would then be pushed out as a single, but it failed to chart. With little to promote it, the album missed the chart and disappeared quickly. It would be over a decade before Shaw would release another solo disc.

ReduxReview:  I'm just guessing here, but since every track on the album except this one was written by Shaw and producer Terry Thomas, I have a feeling that the label didn't hear a hit song among their tracks and wanted one. It's unclear whether Shaw picked this tune or if it was suggested to him, but he got it recorded. Shaw didn't stray too far from the original (see below) except to give it a heftier rock power ballad production and a different ending. Therefore, the song had to speak for itself. While it was a well-written tune, it wasn't something I'd peg for a hit single. As an album (or side) closer, the tune worked fine.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) This is a remake of a song originally recorded by the band Survivor. Written by members Frankie Sullivan and Jim Peterik, it was included on Survivor's platinum-selling 1982 album Eye of the Tiger and performed by the band's then lead vocalist Dave Bickler. In 1989, Jimi Jamison, who took over as Survivor's lead vocalist in 1984 until their first breakup in 1988, recorded the song for the soundtrack to the Sylvester Stallone prison action vehicle Lock Up. Stallone, who had hired Survivor twice to supply songs for his Rocky films, requested the song, but since Survivor wasn't existing at the time, Jamison stepped in and did a solo version. It was released as a single, but failed to chart. Lock Up was critically panned and did not perform well at the box office.  2) While Shaw's solo career would stall, he would score hits with another band. In 1989, Shaw would help form the rock band Damn Yankees with Jack Blades (Night Ranger), Ted Nugent, and Michael Cartellone. Their 1990 self-titled debut album would be a double-platinum seller thanks to the big #3 power ballad "High Enough." A second album in 1992, Don't Tread, would go gold. The band would split and later in 1995, Shaw would rejoin Styx and remain with them over the years. He would also toss out a couple of solo efforts along the way as well as a couple of LPs with Jack Blades as Shaw-Blades.

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