Rank 10 Rush epic songs!

[WildRanger]

My list:
1.2112
2.Xanadu
3.Natural Science
4.La Villa Strangiato
5.Necromancer
6.Cygnus I
7.By-Tor and Snow Dog
8.Cygnus II Hemispheres
9.The Camera Eye
10.The Fountain of Lamneth

How would you rank them?

[KevShmev]

INB4 someone foolishly refers to Cygnus X-1 and Hemisphere as one song...

1. 2112
2. La Villa Strangiato
3. Xanadu
4. By-Tor and the Snow Dog
5. Natural Science
6. The Necromancer
7. Hemispheres
8. The Camera Eye
9. Cygnus X-1
10. The Fountain of Lamneth

[SleeperAwake]

Something like this...

1. Natural Science
2. La Villa Strangiato
3. Xanadu
4. The Necromancer
5. Cygnus II Hemispheres
6. 2112
7. The Camera Eye
8. By-Tor and the Snow Dog
9. Cygnus X-1
10. The Fountain of Lamneth

[The Walrus]

1. Hemispheres
2. The Necromancer
3. The Fountain of Lamneth
(big drop off)
4. La Villa Strangiato
5. Natural Science
6. Xanadu
7. By-Tor and the Snow Dog
8. 2112
9. The Camera Eye
10. Cygnus I

[King Postwhore]

1. Cygnus II Hemispheres
2.2112
3.Xanadu
4. La Villa Strangiato
4. Natural Science
5. The Camera Eye
6. By-Tor and Snow Dog   
7. Cygnus I
8. By-Tor and Snow Dog 
9. The Fountain of Lamneth
10. Necromancer

[IDontNotDoThings]

#1. The Fountain Of Lamneth
#2. Natural Science
#3. 2112
#4. The Necromancer
#5. The Camera Eye
#6. Cygnus X-1
#7. Xanadu
#8. La Villa Strangiato
#9. By-Tor & The Snow Dog
10. Hemispheres

[The Letter M]

I'm going to reply before reading anything past the first couple of posts so as to not influence my ranking decisions...though these could fluctuate with the phases of the moon, so it's not set into stone.


01. Xanadu
02. La Villa Strangiato
03. 2112
04. Cygnus X-1, Book I: The Voyage
05. Cygnus X-1, Book II: Hemispheres
06. Natural Science
07. By-Tor & The Snow Dog
08. The Necromancer
09. The Camera Eye
10. The Fountain Of Lamneth

Considering how much I *LOVE* the run of 2112-AFTK-HEMI, those songs HAD to make up my top 5. "Natural Science" is an easy next because of just how heavy and rocking that song is, especially the beginning. After that, having "By-Tor" and "Necromancer" come next because of the earlier epics, those are my favorites from the first three albums. I never really LOVED "The Camera Eye", it has some neat ideas and holds together well enough (in a "Xanadu"-ish sort of way, with two major parts with different lyrics after a lengthy intro), but I at least like it a bit more than TFOL, which also has some neat ideas, but its disjointedness means it falls to tenth place.

Honorable mention to "Jacob's Ladder", for being an amazing mini-epic at nearly seven and a half minutes, which I would rank between 6th and 7th place if it were included.

-Marc.

[jammindude]

INB4 someone correctly refers to Cygnus X-1 and Hemisphere as one song...

FTFY

 

[robbob]

Top 6 are so close together they change day by day
1. Natural Science
2. Cygnus X1
3. By-Tor and The Snow Dog
4. 2112
5. La Villa Strangiato
6. Xanadu

7. Hemispheres
8. The Necromancer
9. The Fountain of Lamneth
10. The Camera Eye

[jammindude]

1. Cygnus X-1: Books 1 & 2
2. Natural Science
3. La Villa Strangiato
4. Xanadu
5. The Necromancer
6. 2112
7. By-Tor and the Snow Dog
8. The Camera Eye
9. The Fountain of Lamneth

[IDontNotDoThings]

I'm really surprised at the lack of love for Fountain of Lamneth? Do you guys actually dislike the song or is it just a caser of "it's good but all the other songs amazing"?

[Cool Chris]

1.2112

2.Xanadu
3.Natural Science

4.Cygnus II Hemispheres
5.Cygnus I
6.La Villa Strangiato

7.The Camera Eye


8.By-Tor and Snow Dog

9.Necromancer
10.The Fountain of Lamneth

[ChuckSteak]

No order:

Jacob's Ladder
Working Man
2112
Cygnus X-1
La Villa Strangiato
Xanadu
In The End
Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres
Tom Sawyer
By-Tor & The Snow Dog

[jammindude]

I'm really surprised at the lack of love for Fountain of Lamneth? Do you guys actually dislike the song or is it just a caser of "it's good but all the other songs amazing"?

Interesting that you say that, because I very nearly put that exact disclaimer on my list. 

I LOVE Fountain of Lamneth....It’s just overshadowed by the rest. 

Maybe it’s the fade outs, but moreso than their other two side long tracks, it does feel much more like it was just 5 or 6 ideas that were patchworked together with a similar piece at the beginning and end to make it *seem* like it was one song.  The other two side long tracks (to me) actually feel like a single piece of music.  But Fountain (as good as it is) almost feels like a beta test. 

I love the individual bits, but it doesn’t feel like a cohesive piece of music like the other two do.

[Freeze]

1.Natural Science
2.Cygnus X-1
3.La Villa Strangiato
4.2112
5.Xanadu
6.The Camera Eye
7.Cygnus X-1 Book II
8.By-Tor & The Snow Dog
9.The Necromancer
10.The Fountain Of Lamneth

[Stadler]

Aren't Cygnus X-1 and Hemispheres one song?   

My list:
1. La Villa Strangiato
2. The  Camera Eye
3. Cygnus X-II: Hemispheres
3. Xanadu
5. The Fountain of Lamneth
5. 2112
6. Cygnus X-I
7. By-tor And The Snow Dog
7. Necromancer
7. Natural Science

[Nekov]

1. 2112
2. The Camera Eye
3. Xanadu
4. La Villa Strangiato
5. Natural Science
6. By-Tor and the Snow Dog
7. The Fountain of Lamneth
8. Hemispheres
9. Cygnus X-1
10. The Necromancer

I think this is accurate

[busty sinclair]

this is too hard guys

1.the camera eye
2.natural science
3. 2112
4. villa strangiato (top 5 favorite guitar solo)
5. xanadu
6. cygnus x1
7. the fountain of lamneth
8. cygnus x2 hemispheres
9. necromancer
10. by-tor and the snow dog

that top 5 would probably change daily. good thing jacobs ladder wasnt longer or else i'd have to wrestle that one too

[The Curious Orange]

Hmmm, let me think...

1. Bravado
2. Cold Fire
3. Secret Touch
4. Clockwork Angels
5. Headlong Flight
6. Animate
7. Peaceable Kingdom
8. Chain Lightning
9. The Pass
10. We Hold On


Yes, I know I've missed the point, but I prefer New Rush to Old Rush...

[King Postwhore]

Hmmm, let me think...

1. Bravado
2. Cold Fire
3. Secret Touch
4. Clockwork Angels
5. Headlong Flight
6. Animate
7. Peaceable Kingdom
8. Chain Lightning
9. The Pass
10. We Hold On


Yes, I know I've missed the point, but I prefer New Rush to Old Rush...

That's curious, Orange!

[?]

Natural Science
2112
Xanadu
The Camera Eye
La Villa Strangiato
Hemispheres
Cygnus X-1
The Necromancer
The Fountain of Lamneth
By-Tor & the Snow Dog

This made me realize how few epics are among my all-time favorites from Rush - as good as the majority of these are, only the first 3 are songs that I would put in my personal top 10 or 20.

[pg1067]

1. Hemispheres
2. Xanadu
3. Natural Science
4. 2112
5. La Villa
6. By-Tor
7. Camera Eye
8. Cygnus
9. Necromancer
10. Fountain

I'm really surprised at the lack of love for Fountain of Lamneth? Do you guys actually dislike the song or is it just a caser of "it's good but all the other songs amazing"?

A little of both, really.  It's nowhere close to the other two side-long songs or really anything else on this list, and parts of it are completely forgettable.  Didacts and Narpets was amusing the first time I heard it, but now it's only saving grace is that it's only a minute long (it's a lot like Five Percent for nothing by Yes except slightly more coherent), and Panacea is a snoozefest.  No One at the Bridge is strong, but the rest of it is no better than good.  If there were a condensed version that included only the best parts and were about half as long, I'd probably listen to it a lot more frequently.

[Mladen]

Oh man, really? This is going to be hard...

1. Natural Science
2. The Camera Eye
3. 2112
4. Cygnus II Hemispheres
5. Cygnus I
6. La Villa Strangiato
7. The Fountain of Lamneth
8. Xanadu (it kills me to rank it this low, though)
9. By-Tor and Snow Dog
10. Necromancer

[Stadler]

I'm really surprised at the lack of love for Fountain of Lamneth? Do you guys actually dislike the song or is it just a caser of "it's good but all the other songs amazing"?

A little of both, really.  It's nowhere close to the other two side-long songs or really anything else on this list, and parts of it are completely forgettable.  Didacts and Narpets was amusing the first time I heard it, but now it's only saving grace is that it's only a minute long (it's a lot like Five Percent for nothing by Yes except slightly more coherent), and Panacea is a snoozefest.  No One at the Bridge is strong, but the rest of it is no better than good.  If there were a condensed version that included only the best parts and were about half as long, I'd probably listen to it a lot more frequently.

Well, I put it 5th, tied with 2112, often recognized as their opus.  And in context, "La Villa Strangiato" is easily my favorite Rush song of all time and The Camera Eye is in my top ten.  So... it's pretty highly regarded. 

For the record, I actually like The Necromancer and By-Tor musically, but those are two of the few cases where lyrics kind of tarnish or diminish the song for me.   Especially By-Tor. 

[KevShmev]

I'm really surprised at the lack of love for Fountain of Lamneth? Do you guys actually dislike the song or is it just a caser of "it's good but all the other songs amazing"?

It's good, but the others are all better.

I love the No One at the Bridge and Bacchus Plateau sections.

[King Postwhore]

Or Lifeson kicks ass.

[The Walrus]

I do love Necromancer and Lamneth... very very cool and fun epics to me, they're a delight. 2112 by comparison is too... predictable, I guess? Now obviously I have a skewed perspective because it's of course one of the pioneers of the 'epic epic' and I spent 20 years listening to bands who came way later but... I dunno, it's not interesting to me in any way.

Hemispheres though resonates with me on another level. Unbelievably good song. 

[IDontNotDoThings]

Hemispheres though resonates with me on another level. Unbelievably good song. 

I never got the appeal of Hemispheres...

Okay, that's a lie, I do like the production & guitar tones, but in comparison to Rush's other epics, it seems incredibly lacking. Not necessarily in quality, but in variety. Every section (bar the last one) sounds exactly the same to  be & it doesn't feel like it really goes anywhere in its massive 18-minute runtime. At least while you could argue Fountain was disjointed & feels like 6 separate songs, Hemispheres to me sounds like 1 shorter song put on loop 3 times.

Idk, I don't get it. 

[jammindude]

Hemispheres though resonates with me on another level. Unbelievably good song. 

I never got the appeal of Hemispheres...

Okay, that's a lie, I do like the production & guitar tones, but in comparison to Rush's other epics, it seems incredibly lacking. Not necessarily in quality, but in variety. Every section (bar the last one) sounds exactly the same to  be & it doesn't feel like it really goes anywhere in its massive 18-minute runtime. At least while you could argue Fountain was disjointed & feels like 6 separate songs, Hemispheres to me sounds like 1 shorter song put on loop 3 times.

Idk, I don't get it. 

It's the most cohesive musically, and from a story standpoint.   And it's message of balance shaped my viewpoint on the world from a very young age.  I've strived (not always successfully) for balance of heart and mind always.     .....it's a goal

[IDontNotDoThings]

Hemispheres though resonates with me on another level. Unbelievably good song. 

I never got the appeal of Hemispheres...

Okay, that's a lie, I do like the production & guitar tones, but in comparison to Rush's other epics, it seems incredibly lacking. Not necessarily in quality, but in variety. Every section (bar the last one) sounds exactly the same to  be & it doesn't feel like it really goes anywhere in its massive 18-minute runtime. At least while you could argue Fountain was disjointed & feels like 6 separate songs, Hemispheres to me sounds like 1 shorter song put on loop 3 times.

Idk, I don't get it. 

It's the most cohesive musically, and from a story standpoint.   And it's message of balance shaped my viewpoint on the world from a very young age.  I've strived (not always successfully) for balance of heart and mind always.     .....it's a goal

I guess I can understand that. Admittedly I'm usually not one to focus on lyrics, but that is probably the deepest Neil got in his themes.

I did kind of exaggerate my opinion though. Even though it's my least favourite Rush epic, it's still a great song, just a little too heavy on the repetition side.

[The Letter M]

What's "Cygnus X-2"? 

-Marc.

[pg1067]

I'm really surprised at the lack of love for Fountain of Lamneth? Do you guys actually dislike the song or is it just a caser of "it's good but all the other songs amazing"?

A little of both, really.  It's nowhere close to the other two side-long songs or really anything else on this list, and parts of it are completely forgettable.  Didacts and Narpets was amusing the first time I heard it, but now it's only saving grace is that it's only a minute long (it's a lot like Five Percent for nothing by Yes except slightly more coherent), and Panacea is a snoozefest.  No One at the Bridge is strong, but the rest of it is no better than good.  If there were a condensed version that included only the best parts and were about half as long, I'd probably listen to it a lot more frequently.

Well, I put it 5th, tied with 2112, often recognized as their opus.

2112 was historically significant for reasons that anyone posting in this thread knows.  However, Lamneth is far more musically complex (and I might even go as far as to say musically interesting, although I don't enjoy it nearly as much).  2112 is basically a bunch of I-vi-vii progressions in two keys.  Despite being a "side long epic," it's WAY more accessible than Lamneth.  If 2112 had come first, followed by Lamneth, then Lamneth (and, by extension, CoS) might have gotten a lot more love.

[Stadler]

What's "Cygnus X-2"? 

-Marc.

Can't speak for anyone else, but for me it's just being funny.  I also call Yes' albums "90210" and "Big Penetrator".

[Architeuthis]

Oh man, really? This is going to be hard...

1. Natural Science
2. The Camera Eye
3. 2112
4. Cygnus II Hemispheres
5. Cygnus I
6. La Villa Strangiato
7. The Fountain of Lamneth
8. Xanadu (it kills me to rank it this low, though)
9. By-Tor and Snow Dog
10. Necromancer

Great list, I like all of those in no particular order.
 I would like to add Jacobs Ladder, and Clockwork Angels title track and Headlong Flight to the list. 

[ChuckSteak]

Jacob's Ladder is my favorite Rush song.