What's that word doing in a rock song? Styx edition

Today's word: "lad."

Dennis DeYoung is a cheeseball. We all know this. I mean, he's written songs about his wife called "Lady" and "Babe." (Props to them for 40 years of marriage!) But still, decades before he wrote and performed The Hunchback of Notre Dame, DeYoung was already demonstrating his ability to 100% commit himself to a topic and run with it, no matter how nerdy. (I'm reminded of Tommy Shaw, or was it JY Young, saying in Behind the Music, "I just couldn't write any more songs about robots." Incidentally, I still own my copy of "Mr. Roboto.") In the classic jam, "Come Sail Away," DeYoung sings about angels cum aliens who urge him to, well, come sail away. But in the midst of all the late 1970s cheesetasticness, he takes it even one step further by throwing in the word, "lad," as in: "come sail away, come sail away, come sail away with me, lad." Why do that? Why take it over the top? I mean, who even uses the word "lad" in the US anyway? While you ponder that question, please enjoy this video, featuring Tommy Shaw in a delightful white, short-sleeve, v-neck, bell-bottom pantsuit.