Too Much Time On My Hands

"Sitting on this barstool talking like a damn fool"-oh been there.

Too Much Time on My Hands, off Styx's Paradise Theater, fits in with the theme they had for that album. Paradise Theater was about the recession, and this track delved a little into those effected by it.

Here you have a jet-fuel genius, a fellow who is highly educated and skilled, but he can get no job because he had been laid off//fired. He is reduced to watching soap operas and aimlessly cruising about town. It's no wonder that he is amazed his sanity remains.

To me it's a song about alcoholism. The "jet feuled genius" is the wasted guy who thinks he has the simple solution to all the world's problems, jet fuel referring to alcohol which at times is used for jet or airplane fuel. There's also a mistake in the lyrics. He's given up hope FOR the afternoon soaps and a bottle of cold brew. This is what he's reduced to doing in the abscense of hope, might as well just hang around getting drunk in some nameless bar watching afternoon soaps. In this way it has more meaning. Can't help thinking this song is somewhat about Tommy himself, who had his struggles with alcoholism. Although it seems unlikely he had too much time on his hands during the writing of this. Styx was going strong touring and such and was just coming off of a succesful album(Cornerstone) before Paradise Theater.

The song is about alcoholism. One of my favorite "Styx" right next to "Lady" & "Mr. Roboto"!

How I see the song is two very different individuals, one guy kind of a loser trying to kill time because he is perfectly content with just getting by in life. Living day by day, paycheque to paycheque. Sits in front of the TV drinking beer to kill his spare time. The "jet-fuel genius" I've always taken to be a rocket scientist (or just a smart guy in general) who has essentially beaten the game of life (money, smarts, good looking, etc). He is always surrounded by friends (if you can call them that) "as long as he's buying". Although the two guys are incredibly different, they've still got the same problem... too much time on their hands. I've always heard the song this way, but I love the fact that everyone has a different interpretation of it.

And the music video for this song's hilarious and entertaining. I've got screenshots from it as my computer wallpaper.

Excellent song! So much fun to party to.

remastered0 is right except I've always seen this guy as not a "genius." He's a guy who thinks he should have Huge Job Offers coming his way and instead is sitting on his Unemployment and everything is against him attitude.

I think we're in a sad state and I can relate to this song. Even though I have a job, I STILL have too much time on my hands.

amazing song. styx rox my sox.