A Farewell to Kings
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| A Farewell to Kings | ||
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| Missing image Rush_A_Farewell_to_Kings.jpg A Farewell to Kings | ||
| Album by Rush | ||
| Released | September 1977 | |
| Recorded | June 1977 at Rockfield Studios in South Wales, England | |
| Genre | Progressive Rock | |
| Length | 37 min 13 sec | |
| Record label | Mercury Records | |
| Producers | Terry Brown and Rush | |
| Professional reviews | ||
| RollingStone | 2½/5 | link (http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=58558) |
| Artistdirect | 3/5 | link (http://www.artistdirect.com/store/artist/album/0,,157484,00.html) |
| Rush Chronology | ||
| All The World's a Stage (1976) | A Farewell to Kings (1977) | Hemispheres (1978) |
A Farewell To Kings is the fifth studio album by the Canadian band Rush, released in 1977 (see 1977 in music). The album was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales and mixed at Advision Studios in London.
The lyrics of the long cut "Xanadu" were inspired by the 56-line poem Kubla Khan, written in 1798(?) by English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. In this respect there is a link to Welcome To The Pleasuredome by English pop band Frankie Goes to Hollywood.
The lyrics of Cinderella Man are based on the Frank Capra film "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town."
The final track, "Cygnus X-1", is meant to lead into "Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres", the lead and title track of Rush's next album, Hemispheres.
Track listing
- "A Farewell To Kings" - 5:51
- "Xanadu" - 11:08
- "Closer To The Heart" - 2:53
- "Cinderella Man" - 4:21
- "Madrigal" - 2:35
- "Cygnus X-1" - 10:25
All music and lyrics by Lee, Lifeson and Peart except "Closer To The Heart" where the lyrics were co-written with Talbot.
Personnel
- Geddy Lee - bass guitar, twelve string guitar, Mini-Moog Synthesizer, vocals
- Alex Lifeson - electric and acoustic guitars, synthesizer
- Neil Peart - drums, cowbells, orchestra bells, wind chimes, triangle, tubular bells
- Terry Brown - engineer
- Hugh Syme - art direction and graphics
- Yosh Inouye - cover photography
- Fin Costello - band photograph
| Rush |
| Geddy Lee | Alex Lifeson | Neil Peart | John Rutsey |
| Original studio albums |
|---|
| Rush | Fly by Night | Caress of Steel | 2112 | A Farewell to Kings | Hemispheres | Permanent Waves | Moving Pictures | Signals | Grace Under Pressure | Power Windows | Hold Your Fire | Presto | Roll the Bones | Counterparts | Test for Echo | Vapor Trails |
| Other studio records |
| Not Fade Away | Feedback |
| Live albums |
| All The World's a Stage | Exit...Stage Left | A Show of Hands | Different Stages | Rush in Rio |
| Compilations |
| Archives | Chronicles | Retrospective I | Retrospective II | The Spirit of Radio: Greatest Hits 1974-1987 |
| Side projects |
| Burning For Buddy | Burning For Buddy, Vol. 2 | Victor | My Favorite Headache |