Album: A Farewell to Kings (1977)

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• When they turn the pages of history
  When these days have passed long ago
  Will they read of us with sadness
  For the seeds that we let grow?
  We turned our gaze from the castles in the distance
  Eyes cast down on the path of least resistance
  
  Cities full of hatred
  Fear and lies
  Withered hearts and cruel, tormented eyes
  Scheming demons dressed in kingly guise
  Beating down the multitude and scoffing at the wise
  
  The hypocrites are slandering the sacred halls of truth
  Ancient nobles showering their bitterness on youth
  Can't we find the minds that made us strong?
  Oh, can't we learn to feel what's right and what's wrong?
  What's wrong
  
  Cities full of hatred
  Fear and lies
  Withered hearts and cruel, tormented eyes
  Scheming demons dressed in kingly guise
  Beating down the multitude and scoffing at the wise
  
  Whoa, can't we raise our eyes and make a start?
  Can't we find the minds to lead us closer to the heart? Writer/s: Alex Zivojinovich, Gary Lee Weinrib, Neil Elwood Peart
  Publisher: Anthem Entertainment
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 12

• Cinderella Man from U.s.I think it’s this: Monarchy has been derided for the last few centuries as an oppressive sociopolitical system that has rightfully been extinguished in favor of the republic or the “brotherhood of man”. The latter is an Enlightenment era concept that fuels all political revolution. Sounds like a good idea to give the power to the people, but a revolution itself becomes a power struggle that is eventually captured and guided for the benefit of the wealthy. So Monarchy is destroyed in favor of Oligarchy, and the people wind up mere individuals against an ever increasing power threat that has no sense of responsibility to them.
• Phil from NyThis song makes me think of the end of WWI when the monarchies of Europe were pretty much eradicated and replaced with liberal democracies. Then raising the question that maybe the old ways weren’t as bad as we thought. We just replaced one flawed system with another more flawed system. The best way forward is to move closer to the heart whatever that means. If Peart was still a reading Ayn Rand at the time I suspect he was thinking of a natural order supporting individual rights, free markets and limited government.
• Dirt from CanadaI had a friend many years ago, a very well learned scholarly lady and polyscI honours graduate.
  
  I cant go to her with this question, as she has passed away an untimely death :(
  
  I have always loved Rush, even after I became more aware of Ayn Rand philosophy. She had epic taste in music, and her protest had not to do with whether the music was good or not.
  
  My friend lost love for Rush on 2 items that were huge for her, the Ayn Rand promotion ( do they promote that philosophy or merely write on it ? ), and a farewell to kings
  
  Please realize its been a few decades since I last spoke to her, so I may misrepresent her with a fogged recall.
  
  About AFTK, there was apparently something about that LP that was plagarized from an authour whom they failed to credit. As I remember it was the title track AFTK . Im feeling certain they gave credit for Xanadu to Coleridge?
  
  I was shocked a writer of such epic proportions would even need to plagarize anything.
  
  Can someone please enlighten me on this fogged memory of a conversation many years ago?
  
  Cheers
• Jamie from Riverside, CaThis song and album is amazing.
• Drake from Huntington Beach, CaLike Pink Floyd's Animals, this shows similarities of crocked governments from back then to now. Don't let them put you down, look up and know that their rule will end, but unfortunately we know that the hypocrite leaders will keep on coming like clones. Just know that the true king is coming soon and will set things right. +(Christian Cross)
• Barry from Austin, TxI try not to place too much credence in song meanings persay...in some instances, like "farewell" there are strong leanings towards speaking out against croaked governments...I just love to sit back in my easy chair (I'm 54 ) and crank it up! There is nothing like a good bombastic Rush anthem to perk up my spirit!
• John from New York, NyThanks to Wade and Josh we have the exact meaning Rush was going for in this song. Perhaps someone who is in authority on this web site can modify the opening comments.
• Josh from Columbia, MdI don't think this song is a tribute in any way shape or form. I think it's a criticism of our elected leaders who tend to think of themselves as royalty, "the scheming demons dressed in kingly guise." But the song does not let us, the multitudes, off the hook. We allow the scheming demons to act as they do by keeping our "eyes cast down on the path of least resistance." We buy into the empty promises our elected officials throw at us, which they use to gain more power for themselves. Ultimately though, the people have the power to change this, and the song challenges us to "find the minds to lead us closer to the heart."
• Crizzle from Rincon, GaI agree with wade.
• Crizzle from Rincon, GaThe first time i heard this song i turned the volume up high in the soft intro. The loud part coming in scared the CRAP out of me. Love the guitar solo.
• Clay from Gonzales, TxI loved this song!
  I loved the guitar intro.
• Wade from Vancouver, BcCorrect me if I'm wrong, but I think song is more a criticism of the way we're doing things today than "tribute to what the kings of the middle ages built up over the course of their rule".

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