Rush

Lyrics

[I. Prelude 00:00-04:29]

[Instrumental Intro 0:00-2:58]

[Verse 1]
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

[Verse 2]
They battled through the ages
But still neither force would yield
The people were divided
Every soul a battlefield
Every soul a battlefield

[II. Apollo: Bringer of Wisdom 04:29-06:59]

[Verse 3]
"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"
[Verse 4]
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

[Guitar Solo]

[III. Dionysus: Bringer of Love 06:59-09:05]

[Verse 5]
"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"
[Verse 6]
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 09:05-12:01]

[Verse 7]
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

[Verse 8]
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
[Verse 9]
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

[Instrumental Break]
[V. Cygnus: Bringer of Balance 12:01-17:02]

[Verse 10]
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

[Verse 11]
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

[Verse 12]
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 astonished
Dionysus thought me mad
But they heard my story further
And they wondered and were sad

[Verse 13]
Looking down from Olympus
On a world of doubt and fear
Its surface splintered into
Sorry Hemispheres

[Verse 14]
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 17:02-18:04]
[Verse 15]
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

Rush’s “Cygnus X-1, Book II: Hemispheres” is a masterpiece of prog-rock, taking the listener on a journey through a musical narrative that delves deep into philosophical and metaphysical themes. Co-written by Neil Peart, the band’s drummer and wordsmith, the song is the first track on their sixth album, Hemispheres. It acts as a continuation of the story begun in their previous album’s closing track, “Cygnus X-1, Book I: The Voyage”, and is an epic track that clocks in at 18:08, its scope and beauty is boundless. It’s an explosion of sound, emotion, and artistry that showcases the band’s musicianship and their ability to create music that transcends genres and eras.

About Cygnus X-1, Book II: Hemispheres

The song is divided into six distinct sections or movements, each with its own character and theme, but all of which come together to form an intricate and cohesive narrative. The first movement, “Prelude,” serves as an introduction to the story, setting the tone for the rest of the song and building anticipation for what’s to come. The next two movements, “Apollo (Bringer of Wisdom)” and “Dionysus (Bringer of Love),” explore the opposing forces of logic and emotion, and how they relate to each other. The fourth movement, “Armageddon (The Battle of Heart and Mind),” represents a conflict between these two forces, culminating in a musical explosion that mirrors the intensity of the theme.

The fifth movement, “Cygnus (Bringer of Balance),” serves as a resolution to the conflict, offering a glimpse of hope and balance in the midst of chaos. The final movement, “The Sphere (A Kind of Dream),” takes us on a journey into the unknown, exploring strange new worlds and ideas through complex, layered instrumentation and soaring melodies. Throughout the song, Geddy Lee’s dynamic vocals and intricate bass lines, Alex Lifeson’s virtuosic guitar work, and Neil Peart’s complex and powerful drumming combine to create a sound that is uniquely Rush.

Beyond the music itself, the lyrics of “Cygnus X-1, Book II: Hemispheres” are dense and philosophical, exploring themes of balance, duality, and the search for meaning and purpose in a complex and confusing world. The song’s narrative centers around the Greek gods Apollo and Dionysus, who represent the opposing forces of logic and emotion, respectively. The conflict between these two forces is personified in the main character of the story, who searches for balance and harmony amidst the chaos of life.

Each movement of the song explores a different facet of this theme, from the abstract explorations of “Prelude” to the intense battles of “Armageddon” and the meditative hopefulness of “Cygnus.” The lyrics are dense and poetic, filled with complex metaphors and allusions that require careful interpretation to fully understand their meaning. But even without a full understanding of the lyrics, the emotional power and grandeur of the music is enough to move the listener on a visceral level.

“Cygnus X-1, Book II: Hemispheres” is a triumph of artistic expression and technical skill, showcasing Rush at the height of their powers. It’s a masterpiece of prog-rock that stands the test of time, continuing to inspire and move listeners decades after its initial release.

• Release Date: October 29, 1978
• Artist: Rush