‘Too Much Time on My Hands’ is a song by American rock band Styx, released as the second single from their tenth album Paradise Theatre. It was written and sung by Tommy Shaw, who also plays the lead guitar solo during the break in the song. It was Shaw's only top 10 single as a writer and vocalist with Styx. It reached #9 on the US Billboard Hot 100 the week of May 23 1981, No. 2 on the Top Rock Tracks chart, and No. 4 on the RPM Top Singles chart of Canada.
Shaw says he was asked to write one more song for the album, which followed the theme of a concert hall rising to prominence and then crumbling (based on a real venue: the Paradise Theatre in Chicago). Shaw liked the concept, but was having trouble writing songs that fit, which is why ‘Too Much Time On My Hands’ doesn't follow the theme. He had a long drive to the recording studio, and on one trip, the bassline popped into his head: "dun-dun dun-dun dun-dun-dun-dun." When he arrived, he quickly had the band record what was in his head so he wouldn't lose it. He found himself calling out chord changes as they played, which laid the groundwork for the track.
Tommy Shaw drew inspiration from a real bar in Niles, Michigan, where he was living. He told Styxworld: "I think officially it was called Mark's Tavern, but everybody called it Mark's Bar. It was the local watering hole. The drinks were good, and the drinks were cheap. You could go in there with 20 bucks and be a hero, you know - buying rounds of drinks. And you'd always run into somebody you knew in there. That was the basis of the song."
Record World said that "Tommy Shaw's vocal is a perfect vehicle for this message about modern man's boredom and praised the "brisk beat and winding guitars." Allmusic critic Eduardo Rivadavia regarded ‘Too Much Time on My Hands’ as one of Shaw's best singles. Classic Rock critic Malcolm Dome rated it as Styx 6th greatest song, saying that it shows a "new wave aptitude" linking Styx's 1970s material with 1980s music.
Label – A&M
Songwriter – Tommy Shaw
Producers – Styx
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]Yeah, I'm sitting on this barstool, talking like a damn fool
Got the twelve o'clock news blues
And I've given up hope for the afternoon soaps
And a bottle of cold brew
[Pre-Chorus 1]
Is it any wonder I'm not crazy?
Is it any wonder I'm sane at all?
[Verse 2]
Well, I'm so tired of losing, I got nothing to do
And all day to do it
Well, I'd go out cruisin', but I've no place to go
And all night to get there
[Pre-Chorus 2]
Is it any wonder I'm not a criminal?
Is it any wonder I'm not in jail?
[Chorus]
Is it any wonder I've got too much time on my hands?
It's ticking away with my sanity
I've got too much time on my hands
It's hard to believe such a calamity
I've got too much time on my hands
And it's ticking away, ticking away from me
Too much time on my hands
(It's t-t-t-t-ticking away)
Too much time on my hands
(And I don't know what to do with myself)
Too much time on my hands
[Guitar Solo]
Too much time on my hands
Too much time on my hands
Too much time on my hands
[Verse 3]
Now, I'm a jet fuel genius - I can solve the world's problems
Without even trying
I got dozens of friends, and the fun never ends
That is, as long as I'm buying
[Pre-Chorus 3]
Is it any wonder I'm not the president?
Is it any wonder I'm null and void?
[Chorus]
Is it any wonder I've got too much time on my hands?
It's ticking away with my sanity
I've got too much time on my hands
It's hard to believe such a calamity
I got too much time on my hands
And it's ticking away, ticking away from me
Too much time on my hands
(T-t-t-t-ticking away)
Too much time on my hands
(And I don't know what to do with myself)
Too much time on my hands
Too much time on my hands
(T-t-t-t-ticking away)
Too much time on my hands
Too much time on my hands
(Too much time on my hands)
(Too much time on my)