A Farewell To Kings

When they turn the pages of history
When these days have passed long ago
Will they read of us with sadness
For the seeds that we let grow?

And again. . .
To seek the sacred river Alph
To walk the caves of ice
To break my fast on honey dew
And drink the milk of Paradise

And then. . .
And the men who hold high places
Must be the ones who start
To mold a new reality
Closer to the heart

A Farewell To Kings remains among my top three Rush albums of all time – reason: the lasting impression it left in my mind of the train of thought that ran right through the album, the musical arrangement and the degree of lyrical prowess demonstrated by the Professor in weaving such a powerful emotional tapestry.

Take this, the first track, A Farewell to Kings – which is about a “person” contemplating the current state of affairs and an almost resigned tone of despair and sorrow at what he sees around him. This then segues into Track 2, Xanadu – which is what our interlocutor in the song wishes for – a tale about a fabled land of milk and honey. I personally thought this was a good adaptation of Samuel Coleridge’s poem Kubla Khan; and then onwards to track 3, Closer To The Heart, a ballad about the need to build a new world (order?).

Tracks 4 and 5, Cinderalla Man and Madrigal lent enough ballast to the first three tracks without appearing out of place. For me personally, the two greatest songs were Xanadu and track 6, Cygnus X-1, the last a meandering tale about a black hole in the Cygnus constellation. I adored the quaint reference to Quixote’s steed, Rocinante, a curious name to give a vessel but then again, our voyager in Cygnus X-1, like the Don himself was traveling in mysterious depths of space in his trustworthy space ship.

As for Xanadu, it was musically enriching to listen to the song’s slow start explode into sound, with Lee’s voice and bass, Lifeson’s rapidly shape shifting riffs and Peart’s percussion, each demonstrating individual talent before coming together for a song finale. I was left breathless. Incredible melodies, powerful lyrics borrowing on fantasy and literary themes and a wondrous arrangement that bring them both together made this album a total must have in my collection.

Summary: Just buy it. A must have album for any music lover, all the more so if you like Rush.
Lyrical content: 8/10
Arrangement: 8.5/10

S