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A Farewell to Kings Released: August 29th, 1977



Certified Gold by RIAA: November 16, 1977

Certified Platinum by RIAA: December 1, 1993

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Highest Billboard Chart Position: 33

Liner Notes

Articles

Track Listing

A Farewell to Kings

Music: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart / Lyrics: Neil Peart

Xanadu

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

Closer to the Heart

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart and Peter Talbot

Cinderella Man

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Geddy Lee

Madrigal

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

Cygnus X-1: Book One: The Voyage

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

Prologue

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- Drums, orchestra bells, tubular bells, temple blocks, cowbells, wind chimes, bell tree, triangle, vibra-slap- Bass guitar, twelve string guitar, Mini Moog, bass pedal synthesizer, vocals- Six and twelve string electric guitar, six and twelve string acoustic guitar, classical guitar, bass pedal synthesizerProduced by Rush and Terry BrownRecorded at Rockfield Studios, Wales, June 1977Engineered by Pat Moran and Terry Brown (Broon)Mixed at Advision Studios, LondonEngineered by Terry Brown, Assisted by Declan (not Norman!) O'Doherty and Ken ThomasArt direction and graphics by Hugh SymeCover photography by Yosh InouyeSleeve photography by Roger StowellLiner photographs by Fin CostelloDesign assistance by Bob KingMastered at JAMF, Toronto by George Graves(Remastered by Bob Ludwig and Brian Lee atGateway Mastering Studios, Portland, Maine)Management by Ray Danniels, SRO Management, Inc., TorontoExecutive Production--Moon RecordsRoadmaster and lighting director--Howard (Herns) UngerleiderConcert sound engineer and effects consultant--Major Ian GrandyStage right technician--Liam (Elfbjörn) BirtStage left technician--Skip (Slider) GildersleeveCentre stage technician--Larry (The Saint) AllenStage Manager--Mike (Lurch) HirshChauffeur extraordinaire--(Ms.) Jorge HoadleyHello and thank you to National Sound and Crew, See FactorLighting and Crew (U.K. too!), Electrosound U.K. and Crew,Graham The Coach Driver, Alans Moore and Kearsley, all atRockfield and Pat (Duffo) Moran, (Farewell to Kingsley),Max Websters' Dancing and Crew, The Cult and Crew, Fabrissio,The Percussion Centre, Tony (Old School Thai) Kelly,Continental Tom Berry, and all our friends in the U.K.(and everywhere!) we remember Brooklyn.A special thank you to Dirk, Lerxst, and Pratt.Our thanks also go out to the good people of Gibson Guitars,Rickenbacker Guitars, and Slingerland Drums for their personalhelp and consideration.Dedicated to Nancy, Charlene, and Jacqueline© 1977 Mercury Records © 1977 Anthem Entertainment1. A Farewell to Kings (5:51)2. Xanadu (11:08)3. Closer To The Heart (2:53)4. Cinderella Man (4:21)5. Madrigal (2:35)6. Cygnus X-1: Book I: The Voyage (10:25)When they turn the pages of historyWhen these days have passed long agoWill they read of us with sadnessFor the seeds that we let growWe turned our gazeFrom the castles in the distanceEyes cast downOn the path of least resistanceCities full of hatredFear and liesWithered heartsAnd cruel, tormented eyesScheming demonsDressed in kingly guiseBeating down the multitudeAnd scoffing at the wiseThe hypocrites are slanderingThe sacred halls of TruthAncient nobles showeringTheir bitterness on youthCan't we findThe minds that made us strongCan't we learnTo feel what's right and wrongCities full of hatredFear and liesWithered heartsAnd cruel, tormented eyesScheming demonsDressed in kingly guiseBeating down the multitudeAnd scoffing at the wiseCan't we raise our eyesAnd make a startCan't we find the mindsTo lead us closer to the Heart"To seek the sacred river AlphTo walk the caves of iceTo break my fast on honey dewAnd drink the milk of Paradise..."I had heard the whispered talesOf immortalityThe deepest mysteryFrom an ancient book. I took a clueI scaled the frozen mountain topsOf eastern lands unknownTime and Man aloneSearching for the lost --- XanaduXanadu --- To stand within The Pleasure DomeDecreed by Kubla KhanTo taste anew the fruits of lifeThe last immortal manTo find the sacred river AlphTo walk the caves of iceOh, I will dine on honey dewAnd drink the milk of ParadiseA thousand years have come and goneBut time has passed me byStars stopped in the skyFrozen in an everlasting viewWaiting for the world to endWeary of the nightPraying for the lightPrison of the lost --- XanaduXanadu --- Held within The Pleasure DomeDecreed by Kubla KhanTo taste my bitter triumphAs a mad immortal manNevermore shall I returnEscape these caves of iceFor I have dined on honey dewAnd drunk the milk of ParadiseAnd the men who hold high placesMust be the ones to startTo mould a new realityCloser to the HeartThe Blacksmith and the ArtistReflect it in their artForge their creativityCloser to the HeartPhilosophers and PloughmenEach must know his partTo sow a new mentalityCloser to the HeartYou can be the CaptainI will draw the ChartSailing into destinyCloser to the HeartA modest man from MandrakeTravelled rich to the cityHe had a need to discoverA use for his newly-found wealthBecause he was humanBecause he had goodnessBecause he was moralThey called him insaneDelusions of grandeurVisions of splendourA manic depressiveHe walks in the rainEyes wide openHeart undefendedInnocence untarnishedCinderella ManDoing what you canThey can't understandWhat it meansCinderella ManHang on to your plansTry as they mightThey cannot steal your dreamsIn the betrayal of his love he awakenedTo face a world of cold realityAnd a look in the eyes of the hungryAwakened him to what he could doHe held up his richesTo challenge the hungryPurposeful motionFor one so insaneThey tried to fight himJust couldn't beat himThis manic depressiveWho walks in the rainWhen the dragons grow too mightyTo slay with pen or swordI grow weary of the battleAnd the storm I walk towardWhen all around is madnessAnd there's no safe port in viewI long to turn my path homewardTo stop awhile with youWhen life becomes so barrenAnd as cold as winter skiesThere's a beacon in the darknessIn a distant pair of eyesIn vain to search for orderIn vain to search for truthBut these things can still be givenYour love has shown me proofIn the constellation of CygnusThere lurks a mysterious, invisible forceThe Black HoleOf Cygnus X-1Six Stars of the Northern CrossIn mourning for their sister's lossIn a final flash of gloryNevermore to grace the night...InvisibleTo telescopic eyeInfinityThe star that would not dieAll who dareTo cross her courseAre swallowed byA fearsome forceThrough the voidTo be destroyedOr is there something more?Atomized --- at the coreOr through the Astral Door ---To soar...I set a course just east of LyraAnd northwest of PegasusFlew into the light of DenebSailed across the Milky WayOn my ship, the 'Rocinante'Wheeling through the galaxies,Headed for the heart of CygnusHeadlong into mysteryThe x-ray is her siren songMy ship cannot resist her longNearer to my deadly goalUntil the Black Hole ---Gains control...Spinning, whirling,Still descendingLike a spiral sea,UnendingSound and furyDrowns my heartEvery nerveIs torn apart....