Rush's Dystopian Mega-Album

[Cygnus Xanadu-1]

I was listening to Rush the other day, and a thought struck me.

If you arrange certain songs and albums into a certain order, you could effectively create a "mega-album", focusing on a nuclear (or possibly intergalactic) war that ravages the earth and culminates in the destruction of all electrical appliances, leading to the formation of a clockwork totalitarian government that tries to establish an order for all things, which eventually morphs into the "Temples of Syrinx". Some flee the war and seek out the stuff of legend in order to find solitude, but few are truly successful. Once the temples fall, one citizen flees the chaos in order to seek out the black hole of Cygnus X-1, in order to avert the disasters that have plagued mankind. Cue Hemispheres.

 

Yes, this is crazy and rather idiotic, and this is part of no underlying scheme that the holy triumvirate has concocted, but I still think that it's a pleasant concept, and would make a rather interesting musical.

[x1yyz]

Yes, this is crazy and rather idiotic, and this is part of no underlying scheme that the holy triumvirate has concocted

 

 

... Or is it?

 

;)

[Cygnus Xanadu-1]

Yes, this is crazy and rather idiotic, and this is part of no underlying scheme that the holy triumvirate has concocted

 

 

... Or is it?

 

;)

 

If it is, then Rush sure know how to make a convoluted message...

[losingit2k]

Sounds like the plot if Star Wars Episode VII -"The Bringer of Balance" !

 

http://www.flicksandbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/star-wars-episode-7-movie-poster.jpg

[RushBoingo]

Yeah, I always thought about how you could make a story about the signals album, which ends with the main character going into space, cue Cygnus X-1 Book I and II. And from there with a newly formed society you can mix several other songs into it including a grace under pressure story line, a 2112 story line, a clockwork Angels story line, as well as individual long songs too. Other songs like most off of Power Windows can be slipped for comments on society at the time can be spliced in, and songs from Snakes and Arrows would defiantly fit in with the character traits. Heck, we could probably make an infinite timeline of Rush songs by predicting at what point in time each song would probably have happened, and sticking Cygnus X-1 Book 1 at the end, looping back to the beginning with book II

[Cygnus Xanadu-1]

Yeah, I always thought about how you could make a story about the signals album, which ends with the main character going into space, cue Cygnus X-1 Book I and II. And from there with a newly formed society you can mix several other songs into it including a grace under pressure story line, a 2112 story line, a clockwork Angels story line, as well as individual long songs too. Other songs like most off of Power Windows can be slipped for comments on society at the time can be spliced in, and songs from Snakes and Arrows would defiantly fit in with the character traits. Heck, we could probably make an infinite timeline of Rush songs by predicting at what point in time each song would probably have happened, and sticking Cygnus X-1 Book 1 at the end, looping back to the beginning with book II

 

Similar to my thoughts as well. Rush albums are ones that have the ability to tell a story, especially after "Signals", and each album could be set within the same universe, with Rush acting as historians to document it.

 

My own idea was this:

 

Album One: The Powers that Be

 

1. Manhattan Project (10 seconds of a recorded heartbeat to be played before the start of the song) - How the weapon that would destroy one day destroy us came to be.

2. Distant Early Warning - We tried to warn you, we tried to help you, but you ignored us.

3. The Weapon - How the bomb has affected our society.

4. A Farewell to Kings - Our society is beyond redemption, this is how it stands.

5. Bravado - Their egos blind them. We can not stop them.

 

6. The Big Money - They crave wealth. They want more. Only the bomb will give them what they want.

7. Territories - They want land. They will use it if they have to.

8. Between the Wheels - Surely you will not sacrifice so many for so little?

 

Album Two: Tough Times Demand Tough Talk

 

1. Driven - A coup. War is now certain.

2. Force Ten - We will lead you to victory. We will give you what you want, as long as you listen to us and us alone.

3. Leave That Thing Alone - Don't touch that button! Don't turn that dial!

4. Countdown - All hope is lost. It is time for the war to begin.

 

5. La Villa Strangiato - The madness of war.

6. YYZ - The warbirds arrive, the bombs in tow.

7. Animate - A new type of soldier, for a new type of war.

8. Tom Sawyer - This modern day warrior has mean, mean pride.

 

Album Three: And so it Came to Pass

1. Red Sector A - Is salvation at hand?

2. Bastille Day - All they have left is their fortress. Today, it shall be ours.

3. The Pass - To go quietly into the arms of my enemy is a fate worse than death. I would rather embrace death.

4. Red Barchetta - Just one of our many rules have now been implemented. Expression is not recommended.

 

5. Far Cry - We stood by them for years, but this is not what we expected.

6. Mystic Rhythms - I hear of a distant land, a mystic place, maybe I can save liberate my soul in those lands?

7. Xanadu - A map, a poem, a way to escape from the chains that bind me.

 

Album Four: The Purge

1. Vital Signs - Deviate from the norm! We will lead you into the light!

2. Freewill - Choose Freewill, choose to follow us.

3. Closer to the Heart - Let us show you this new reality.

4. Anthem - To follow us, you must follow yourself.

 

5. The Enemy Within - Purge yourself of your fears. Embrace our concepts!

6. A Passage to Bangkok - We shall keep you satisfied.

7. By-Tor & The Snow Dog - A fable, a retelling, an account of the history we want you to believe in.

8. New World Man - You shall aspire to be this man.

 

Album Five: Clockwork Angels - See the liner notes within the album.

1. Caravan

2. BU2B

3. Clockwork Angels

4. The Anarchist

5. Carnies

6. Halo Effect

 

7. Seven Cities of Gold

8. The Wreckers

9. Headlong Flight

10. BU2B2

11. Wish Them Well

12. The Garden

 

Album 6: The Sign of Things to Come

1. The Analog Kid - Computers fill my world, there is no purity anymore, but I wish to one day break free.

2. Lessons - Did you not hear us when you were in school? Did you not know that your religion does not tolerate tomfoolery?

3. Digital Man - I have grown, I have seen the world change, but I still dream.

 

4. 2112 - I have seen what we could be, there is no point living on this earth anymore. Even now, as the temples collapse around me, I know that it will do no good.

5. Hope - One day, humanity will finally be at peace.

 

Album 7: The End is the Beginning, as the Beginning is the End

1. Fly By Night - The destruction of the temples has brought me no solace. I must fly from here, I must start a new life in the stars.

2. Cygnus X-1 Book I: The Voyage - I begin my voyage, hoping that wherever the jaws of infinity shall take me is better than what awaits me should I return home.

 

3. Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres - And so begins the struggle between Gods, where man shall embark on his destiny, and where the beginning shall meet the end...

4. The same 10 seconds of the recorded heartbeat found at the start of the first album.

[tx_rush]

Yeah, I always thought about how you could make a story about the signals album, which ends with the main character going into space, cue Cygnus X-1 Book I and II. And from there with a newly formed society you can mix several other songs into it including a grace under pressure story line, a 2112 story line, a clockwork Angels story line, as well as individual long songs too. Other songs like most off of Power Windows can be slipped for comments on society at the time can be spliced in, and songs from Snakes and Arrows would defiantly fit in with the character traits. Heck, we could probably make an infinite timeline of Rush songs by predicting at what point in time each song would probably have happened, and sticking Cygnus X-1 Book 1 at the end, looping back to the beginning with book II

 

Similar to my thoughts as well. Rush albums are ones that have the ability to tell a story, especially after "Signals", and each album could be set within the same universe, with Rush acting as historians to document it.

 

My own idea was this:

 

Album One: The Powers that Be

 

1. Manhattan Project (10 seconds of a recorded heartbeat to be played before the start of the song) - How the weapon that would destroy one day destroy us came to be.

2. Distant Early Warning - We tried to warn you, we tried to help you, but you ignored us.

3. The Weapon - How the bomb has affected our society.

4. A Farewell to Kings - Our society is beyond redemption, this is how it stands.

5. Bravado - Their egos blind them. We can not stop them.

 

6. The Big Money - They crave wealth. They want more. Only the bomb will give them what they want.

7. Territories - They want land. They will use it if they have to.

8. Between the Wheels - Surely you will not sacrifice so many for so little?

 

Album Two: Tough Times Demand Tough Talk

 

1. Driven - A coup. War is now certain.

2. Force Ten - We will lead you to victory. We will give you what you want, as long as you listen to us and us alone.

3. Leave That Thing Alone - Don't touch that button! Don't turn that dial!

4. Countdown - All hope is lost. It is time for the war to begin.

 

5. La Villa Strangiato - The madness of war.

6. YYZ - The warbirds arrive, the bombs in tow.

7. Animate - A new type of soldier, for a new type of war.

8. Tom Sawyer - This modern day warrior has mean, mean pride.

 

Album Three: And so it Came to Pass

1. Red Sector A - Is salvation at hand?

2. Bastille Day - All they have left is their fortress. Today, it shall be ours.

3. The Pass - To go quietly into the arms of my enemy is a fate worse than death. I would rather embrace death.

4. Red Barchetta - Just one of our many rules have now been implemented. Expression is not recommended.

 

5. Far Cry - We stood by them for years, but this is not what we expected.

6. Mystic Rhythms - I hear of a distant land, a mystic place, maybe I can save liberate my soul in those lands?

7. Xanadu - A map, a poem, a way to escape from the chains that bind me.

 

Album Four: The Purge

1. Vital Signs - Deviate from the norm! We will lead you into the light!

2. Freewill - Choose Freewill, choose to follow us.

3. Closer to the Heart - Let us show you this new reality.

4. Anthem - To follow us, you must follow yourself.

 

5. The Enemy Within - Purge yourself of your fears. Embrace our concepts!

6. A Passage to Bangkok - We shall keep you satisfied.

7. By-Tor & The Snow Dog - A fable, a retelling, an account of the history we want you to believe in.

8. New World Man - You shall aspire to be this man.

 

Album Five: Clockwork Angels - See the liner notes within the album.

1. Caravan

2. BU2B

3. Clockwork Angels

4. The Anarchist

5. Carnies

6. Halo Effect

 

7. Seven Cities of Gold

8. The Wreckers

9. Headlong Flight

10. BU2B2

11. Wish Them Well

12. The Garden

 

Album 6: The Sign of Things to Come

1. The Analog Kid - Computers fill my world, there is no purity anymore, but I wish to one day break free.

2. Lessons - Did you not hear us when you were in school? Did you not know that your religion does not tolerate tomfoolery?

3. Digital Man - I have grown, I have seen the world change, but I still dream.

 

4. 2112 - I have seen what we could be, there is no point living on this earth anymore. Even now, as the temples collapse around me, I know that it will do no good.

5. Hope - One day, humanity will finally be at peace.

 

Album 7: The End is the Beginning, as the Beginning is the End

1. Fly By Night - The destruction of the temples has brought me no solace. I must fly from here, I must start a new life in the stars.

2. Cygnus X-1 Book I: The Voyage - I begin my voyage, hoping that wherever the jaws of infinity shall take me is better than what awaits me should I return home.

 

3. Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres - And so begins the struggle between Gods, where man shall embark on his destiny, and where the beginning shall meet the end...

4. The same 10 seconds of the recorded heartbeat found at the start of the first album.

 

I think thats crazy, but I have to respect the work and thought you put into it

[MMCXII]

http://youtu.be/9Ou-789FaCA

[Body Electric]

Wow, I kind of already made my own

Mostly describing the Exodus of the Elder Race of Man ( some of which before they were called the elder race of man)

1 Red Sector A obvious choice to open with a song about ww2 concentration camp ( a low point in mankind to be sure)

2 Manhattan project ( lovely song about I am become death)

3 The Weapon

4 Territories

5 Between The Wheels (songs 3,4, and 5 providing social commentary on why the Elder Race might have wanted to "leave the planet long ago")

6 Distant Early Warning ( the proverbial shit hitting the proverbial fan)

7 Countdown (despite some one else's post , it's about space exploration, not war, here is where the Elder Race of man leaves earth)

8 Cygnus x1 (is this where the elder race went "to learn and Grow"?)

9 2112 (despite the ending of grand finale , things often dont end right away for example there were nazis in south America long after ww2 ended, so , when they say "we have assumed control" it may only be the beginning...) it could end here...or

Option 2

Add

10 Cygnus x 2 Hemispheres (this could be the aftermath of battle between the temples of syrinx and the elder race of man, kind of thin , though)

11 Anthem ( 'nuff said) or..

Option 3

Add

10 A Farewell To Kings

11 Bastille Day

12 Anthem

Notes: this could have been bigger for a few reasons

1 Red aggression theres several songs in the 80's that could have easily been added before countdown occurs notably red lenses, red tide, lock and key, etc

2 there are several other political songs that could be added but like the "red " songs they made the playlist unwieldy and awkward (the trees, different strings, witch hunt , closer to the heart etc)

Edited September 18, 2013 by Body Electric

[rushgoober]

All I have to say is