A Farewell to Kings Songs Ranked
A Farewell to Kings is the fifth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in September 1977 by Anthem Records. After touring their previous album 2112 (1976), which saw the group reach a new critical and commercial peak, they started work on a follow-up. They decided to record at Rockfield Studios in Wales, the first time Rush recorded an album outside of Toronto. The band expanded their sound with each member playing new instruments that they had not previously used, and recorded a mix of concise and long songs. A Farewell to Kings reached No. 11 in Canada and helped the group to breakthrough internationally, reaching inside the top-40 in the UK and the US for the first time. “Closer to the Heart” was released as the album’s first single, which reached No. 36 in the UK. Rush toured the album from August 1977 to June 1978 which saw the group headline major venues across Canada and tour the UK. Here are all of A Farewell to Kings songs ranked.
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6. Madrigal
“Madrigal is a lightweight song, one of the few ballads that Rush wrote. It’s nothing special but is a nice little breather before the madness of the last track, Cygnus X-1, where we are treated to a foray into the outer reaches of galaxies unknown.”
5. Cinderella Man
“Cinderella Man is a fine rocker which is perhaps underrated in the Rush catalogue. Cinderella Man is completely average, with silly lyrics and boring guitar work.”
See more: Rush Albums Ranked
4. A Farewell to Kings
“The opening title track is a tour de force for the band, combining their almost unmatched technical craftsmanship with meaningful lyrics that manage to convey an idea without turning into Storytelling Time. The delicate acoustic opening segues beautifully into the crashing electric guitars; I think the chord changes and shifting time signatures are incredibly epic.”
3. Closer to the Heart
“Closer to the Heart is the best pop song the group ever wrote. It is bouncy, fun, and has a playful feeling to it that the band almost never showcased. The fact that it is significantly shorter than the first two songs also helps the pacing of the album.”
See more: Rush Songs Ranked
2. Xanadu
“Xanadu is an extremely lush track; dubbed in sound effects, slow, gentle electric lines laid over fleeting drum fills before building to an explosive intro when all three being playing in-synch. The amount of depth on this track is really amazing, as is the band’s ability to emphasize instrumentation while still pushing the song forward, working in melody and not just letting each go off in a different direction.”
1. Cygnus x – 1 Book I: The Voyage
“I absolutely adore Cygnus X-1; it’s an incredibly atmospheric song. I love when you first hear the guttural bass begin to creep in over the echoing background noises. The opening has an incredibly spacey and haunting feel to it. The song conveys a sense of isolation during the first section; the feeling of being a small fish in the very big pond that is space”