Rush - Cygnus X-1, Book One: The Voyage Lyrics






[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 her 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
Drown my heart
Every nerve
Is torn apart...

To be continued...





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Rush Cygnus X-1, Book One: The Voyage Comments
  1. S.... A....

    .....to boldly go where no rock group has gone,RUSH!!

  2. J.... H....

    Heavy for 1977.

  3. G.... G....

    I first heard this when I was 10 years old, and the intro scared the Hell outta me. Thanks Rush :)

  4. e.... w....

    Pretty awesome 5 minute intro!

  5. B.... B....

    BEHOLD !!!! THE 4001 RICKENBACKER BASS, SUCH A BEAST....

  6. D.... ....

    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
    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
    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
    Spinning, whirling
    Still descending
    Like a spiral sea
    Unending
    Sound and fury
    Drowns my heart
    Every nerve
    Is torn apart

  7. L.... -....

    Like so many Rush songs: too short... (I love their long songs)

  8. A.... P....

    Powerful story, powerful music, powerful themes, performed by THE power trio. Doesn't get better than this, folks (:

  9. M.... C....

    wtf? 11 Paul Stanley's didn't get it! LOL....

  10. E.... B....

    Masturbate to this song every day

    E.... B....

    Such perverted disgrace and disrespect does not belong in the thread of such a truly unique masterpiece.
    Go check yourself into the nearest mental ward.
    Have them pump you full of thorazine until you are mature enough to appreciate and give the respect due to the greatest musicians of all time.

    E.... B....

    @Fire Praise lol

    E.... B....

    @Fire Praise Welcome to the internet. I agree it's immature.

  11. T.... ....

    Ah, the warship Rocinante.

  12. I.... R....

    You ever just listen to Rush at 1:00 AM?

    I.... R....

    No, it's 1:15 and I'm listening.

    I.... R....

    1:45 actually

    I.... R....

    No, I listen wherever it comes on!

  13. J.... A....

    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

    I.

    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

    II.

    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

    III.

    spinning whirling
    still descending
    like a spiral
    sea unending

    sound and fury
    drowns my heart
    every nerve
    is torn apart

  14. S.... D....

    So how many listeners do you think are musicians? How many drummers? Bassists?
    Guitarists?

    S.... D....

    Guitar and drums

    S.... D....

    guitar & synth

    S.... D....

    Drummer here

    S.... D....

    I heard a fact that when you teach a kid to play a musical instrument, it raises their IQ by ten points. My Dad taught me to play the Armpit Accordion.

  15. J.... R....

    mike carbones job
    jody runs home turns the knob
    verner prays to god

  16. D.... D....

    #TheresAliensInOurMidst

  17. R.... D....

    I guess you have to high to get this song. A way overrated song by Rush that had about a 40 second snippet (5:45 to 6:25) that should have been expanded into a real song. Too much slow, droning music with a couple of upbeat sections. Rush is my favorite band, but this song sounds to me like them having to throw together 10 minutes of music to fill up the album. A true definition of a "filler" song to me. I know the intolerant Rush fanatics will flame me for this, but I don't care. IMHO, this song is one of their weakest.

    R.... D....

    @Adam Austin PERFECT reply Adam!!! ;-)

    R.... D....

    The thing is, I was like that when I heard it the first time, however when I bought the album, listened to it as a whole (as it should) I loved it. BUT, finding out that the lyrics to the end of the song says"to be continued" there had to be something pretty good to continue this story, and Hemispheres is just......pure eargasm!!!!

    R.... D....

    I see your bet and raise you an "At The Speed Of Love"...

    R.... D....

    @Andrew Stoten agrees

    R.... D....

    Rush ain't Pink Floyd.
    They are the tightest three - piece orchestra in history
    To have raised the bar so high above themselves
    Which caused Pink Floyd to reconsider their position as the de facto prog rock band of the '70s.
    What's even better?
    Rush followed up AND connected their story of Cygnus with an even more fluid and immediate opus entitled " Hemispheres " in 1978.
    All while staying sober.
    Not touching ANY drugs NOR alcohol.
    Period.
    Pink Floyd?
    Half of the members are already dead or have stayed in mental institutions ( Syd Vicious ) to the point of incapacitation.
    Spending what little fortunes they've earned in their heydays
    ( Probably from the sales of " Dark Side... " and " The Wall " )
    Too busy recovering from whatever substances they chose to abuse to this day ( LSD, Barbituates, etc. ).
    Two contrasting legends.
    Two great and talented bands of the prog rock era of the '70s.
    Go figure.
    You make the call.
    Neil Peart.
    Alex Lifeson.
    Geddy Lee.
    Still influencing and manufacturing great talent to this day.
    For a millinium,
    And more...
    To come.
    Stay tuned.

  18. J.... P....

    8:54 for A5

  19. T.... C....

    I love how Rush incorporates science fiction/space fantasy into so much of their work! Simply, one of the greatest bands ever!

    T.... C....

    And philosophy,plus a little bit of quantum physics 😃

    T.... C....

    And a bunch of references to Greek mythology, a reference to Don Quixote, and maybe a bit of Shakespeare... Which means I get to write my final term paper on this song, instead of something boring! Thanks Rush!

  20. C.... O....

    BEST
    MOTHER
    FUCKING
    BAND
    EVER

  21. Z.... T....

    Lyrics:

    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

    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

    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

    Spinning, whirling
    Still descending
    Like a spiral sea
    Unending 

    Sound and fury
    Drowns my heart
    Every nerve
    Is torn apart

    Z.... T....

    Written when people were still debating the existence of Black Holes.

    Z.... T....

    bring me your universe's ultimate cup of coffee. black.

    you have 5 earth minutes. make it perfect!

    Z.... T....

    @QuesoCFH FETID! How dare you present this to me!? FOUL!

  22. P.... V....

    Sweet sweet Rickenbacker. Chris Squire had to be goin WTF?? Then he realized he was the inspiration.

  23. J.... ....

    8:08-8:33

  24. O.... N....

    Woah... and those screams at the end! Magnificent!

  25. O.... N....

    After all those years, this song is still wonderful!!!

  26. L.... J....

    Creepy song. Fricking good tho

  27. C.... S....

    Lol..one dislike. What heathen would dislike this beast of a song??

    C.... S....

    Totally huh?!?

    C.... S....

    Someone who does not know anything about music, but maybe they think they do !!!!

    C.... S....

    Darren Lock lol

    C.... S....

    A chick, duh!!! A RUSH concert is a sausage fest.

    I don't understand why the ladies don't love RUSH. They are the talented thoughtful males they say they want.

  28. R.... ....

    Gotta love jammin' on ya sum Rush...

  29. L.... ....

    The ending section might be the heaviest thing recorded in 1977 ! Rush mixed dynamics with genuine agression back in the day...

    L.... ....

    It is brutal before brutal was even brutal

    L.... ....

    Just sessioned Africa. Don't know why i dig it. But actually i do.

  30. D.... W....

    InˈviɡərādiNG !

  31. M.... ....

    Incredible song

  32. C.... D....

    The part at about 7:30 convinced me if Rush ever composed a game soundtrack it would absolutely fantastic

    C.... D....

    I agree!

  33. D.... S....

    6:31 to 7:13 is the syrup on the pancakes

    D.... S....

    Freakin delicious!

  34. D.... K....

    Yo. Check this so out there man. You’d never understand a guy like me. You can’t even play like me. Lol.
    Or?? Show up at who’s place. N try n keep up. No more interest 2 Harm. Not me not u rany1.
    Play as fast as I do or can’t. Lee. Shut yer mouth. Play something who ain’t heard it. Numb nut on attain. To the train you’ll never give up. Got it DORKHOLIO. PUSH IS A SHOVE. NOW YER GOING 2 HAVE 2 E F FM GETIN LEE PISSED OFF NOW. OPEN AGAIN
    N ILL SHUT U DOWN. I DO THINGS 2 U
    U wish u coulda DREAMT LIKE ME. NOW IM PIESSED OFF.
    There. JONNY JUMP LATELY. KIKN TER AZZ FROM A2 Z. 2 Egffen Easy. Show up HEAR. N ILL TEch ye. How 2 or when 2. SHUT UOP
    BBBEEEEEEAACHHHHHHHHHHBOY
    NOW THEN AGAIN I SAY.
    WHI ALL CAN SAY. A-_-N N Look me n Da face. Blow me.

    D.... K....

    I cant explain it but something relieves me to know this comment is still here.

    D.... K....

    This is what happens when one drops way too much acid.😵

    D.... K....

    My cousin is on flacca too.

    D.... K....

    I think just had a stroke reading this