The Sci-Fi and Hard Rock Relationship Continues with Rush's Cygnus X-1 SagaJun 12 '02 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line Hearts and mind collide... During my last entry in the Science Fiction Writer's Category, I discussed how Rush, the Canadian Rock Power Trio, has often been labeled as a Sci-Fi influenced rock band. Their 1976 concept album 2112 gave birth to that label and it was further established when Rush released a 2-song series which spanned their next two albums. The songs, entitled Cygnus X-1, Book I: The Voyage from their A Farewell to Kings album and Cygnus X-1, Book II: Hemispheres from their Hemispheres album show just how versatile, how inspirational, how dynamic Rush could be. And most of all, it showed how Science Fiction, even if only relegated to 2112 and this Cygnus series, did have an influential impact into the future of Rush, as perceived by the band members and their adoring fans. With 2112, the lyrics alone (with the added liner notes) told a very detailed story. And while the music certainly brought 2112 together, it's easy to see how it could have succeeded just as easily as the beginnings of a novel. With the Cygnus suite, while the lyrics are quite powerful on their own, the simple marriage of these well-crafted words along with the incredibly powerful and dynamic music really needs to be experience together to understand the full scope of the story. But since I can't share the musical side of the equation with you via Epinions, I wanted to at least share the lyrical side. But, by all means, if these lyrics pique your interest, I strongly urge you to seek out these songs and experience them as a whole. You will be blown away...almost literally... Cygnus X-1 Book One - The Voyage Prologue ♫ "In the constellation of Cygnus There lurks a mysterious, invisible force The Black Hole Of Cygnus X-1 Six Stars of the Northern Cross In mourning for their sister's loss In a final flash of glory Nevermore to grace the night..." 1 ♫"Invisible To telescopic eye Infinity The star that would not die..." All who dare To cross her course Are swallowed by A fearsome force... Through the void To be destroyed Or is there something more? Atomized - at the core Or through the Astral Door - To soar..." 2 ♫"I set a course just east of Lyra And northwest of Pegasus Flew into the light of Deneb Sailed across the Milky Way... On my ship, the 'Rocinante' Wheeling through the galaxies, Headed for the heart of Cygnus Headlong into mystery The x-ray is her siren song My ship cannot resist her long Nearer to my deadly goal Until the Black Hole - Gains control..." 3 ♫"Spinning, whirling, Still descending Like a spiral sea, Unending Sound and fury Drowns my heart Every nerve Is torn apart...." To be continued... Cygnus X-1 Book Two - Hemispheres I. Prelude ♫"When our weary world was young The struggle of the ancients first began. The gods of Love and Reason Sought alone to rule the fate of Man. They battled through the ages, But still neither force would yield. The people were divided, Every soul a battlefield..." II. Apollo: Bringer of Wisdom ♫"I bring truth and understanding, I bring wit and wisdom fair, Precious gifts beyond compare. We can build a world of wonder, I can make you all aware. I will find you food and shelter, Show you fire to keep you warm Through the endless winter storm. You can live in grace and comfort In the world that you transform." The people were delighted Coming forth to claim their prize They ran to build their cities And converse among the wise. But one day the streets fell silent, Yet they knew not what was wrong. The urge to build these fine things Seemed not to be so strong. The wise men were consulted, And the Bridge of Death was crossed In quest of Dionysus, To find out what they had lost..." III. Dionysus: Bringer of Love ♫"I bring love to give you solace In the darkness of the night, In the Heart's eternal light. You need only trust your feelings; Only love can steer you right. I bring laughter, I bring music, I bring joy and I bring tears. I will soothe your primal fears. Throw off those chains of reason And your prison disappears. The cities were abandoned, And the forests echoed song. They danced and lived as brothers; They knew love could not be wrong. Food and wine they had aplenty And they slept beneath the stars. The people were contented And the Gods watched from afar. But the winter fell upon them And it caught them unprepared, Bringing wolves and cold starvation, And the hearts of men despaired..." IV. Armageddon: The Battle of Heart and Mind ♫"The Universe divided As the Heart and Mind collided, With the people left unguided For so many troubled years. In a cloud of doubts and fears, Their world was torn asunder into hollow Hemispheres. Some fought themselves, some fought each other. Most just followed one another, Lost and aimless like their brothers, For their hearts were so unclear, And the truth could not appear. Their spirits were divided into blinded Hemispheres. Some who did not fight Brought tales of old to light. My Rocinante' sailed by night On her final flight. To the heart of Cygnus' fearsome force We set our course. Spiralled through that timeless space To this immortal place..." V. Cygnus: Bringer of Balance ♫"I have memory and awareness, But I have no shape or form. As a disembodied spirit, I am dead and yet unborn. I have passed into Olympus As was told in tales of old, To the city of Immortals, Marble white and purest gold. I see the gods in battle rage on high Thunderbolts across the sky. I cannot move, I cannot hide, I feel a silent scream begin inside. Then all at once the chaos ceased. A stillness fell, a sudden peace. The warriors felt my silent cry And stayed their struggle, mystified. Apollo was atonished; Dionysus thought me mad. But they heard my story further, And they wondered, and were sad. Looking down from Olympus On a world of doubt and fear, Its surface splintered Into sorry Hemispheres. They sat a while in silence, Then they turned at last to me. 'We will call you Cygnus, The god of Balance you shall be...'" VI. The Sphere: A Kind of Dream ♫"We can walk our road together If our goals are all the same. We can run alone and free If we pursue a different aim. Let the truth of love be lighted, Let the love of truth shine clear. Sensibility, armed with sense and liberty, With the Heart and Mind united in a single perfect Sphere..."  |
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