Rush achieved commercial success in the 1970s with Fly by Night (1975), 2112 (1976), A Farewell to Kings (1977) and Hemispheres (1978). The band's popularity continued throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with albums charting highly in Canada, the US and the UK, including Permanent Waves (1980), Moving Pictures (1981), Signals (1982), Grace Under Pressure (1984) and Counterparts (1993). Rush continued to record and perform until 1997, after which the band entered a four-year hiatus due to personal tragedies in Peart's life. The trio regrouped in 2001 and released three more studio albums: Vapor Trails (2002), Snakes & Arrows (2007), and Clockwork Angels (2012). Rush ceased touring at the end of 2015, and Lifeson announced in January 2018 that the band would not continue, which was cemented by Peart's death from glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer, on January 7, 2020, at the age of 67.
Rush were known for their musicianship, complex compositions and eclectic lyrical motifs drawing heavily on science fiction, fantasy and philosophy. The band's style changed over the years, from a blues-inspired hard rock beginning, later moving into progressive rock, then a period in the 1980s marked by heavy use of synthesizers, before returning to guitar-driven hard rock at the end of the 1980s. Their final work from 2012, marked a return to progressive rock. The members of Rush have been acknowledged as some of the most proficient players on their respective instruments, with each winning numerous awards in magazine readers' polls over the years.
As of 2022, Rush ranks 84th in the U.S. with sales of 26 million albums and industry sources estimate their total worldwide album sales at over 42 million. Rush has been awarded 14 platinum and 3 multi-platinum albums in the US plus 17 platinum albums in Canada. Rush was nominated for seven Grammy Awards, won several Juno Awards, and won an International Achievement Award at the 2009 SOCAN Awards. The band was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rush_(band)
Studio albums
Rush (1974)
Fly by Night (1975)
Caress of Steel (1975)
2112 (1976)
A Farewell to Kings (1977)
Hemispheres (1978)
Permanent Waves (1980)
Moving Pictures (1981)
Signals (1982)
Grace Under Pressure (1984)
Power Windows (1985)
Hold Your Fire (1987)
Presto (1989)
Roll the Bones (1991)
Counterparts (1993)
Test for Echo (1996)
Vapor Trails (2002)
Snakes & Arrows (2007)
Clockwork Angels (2012)
A Passage To Bangkok
Rush Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To check Colombian fields
The natives smile and pass along
A sample of their yield
Sweet Jamaican pipe dreams
Golden Acapulco nights
Then Morocco, and the East
We're on the train to Bangkok
Aboard the Thailand Express
We'll hit the stops along the way
We only stop for the best
Wreathed in smoke in Lebanon
We burn the midnight oil
The fragrance of Afghanistan
Rewards a long day's toil
Pulling into Kathmandu
Smoke rings fill the air
Perfumed by a Nepal night
The Express gets you there
We're on the train to Bangkok
Aboard the Thailand Express
We'll hit the stops along the way
We only stop for the best
We're on the train to Bangkok
Aboard the Thailand Express
We'll hit the stops along the way
We only stop for the best
Yes, we're on the train to Bangkok
Aboard the Thailand Express
We'll hit the stops along the way
We only stop for the best
In the song "A Passage to Bangkok," Rush takes the listener on a journey through various exotic locales, detailing the experiences they might have at each stop along the way. Starting in Bogota, Colombia, the song describes the locals who offer samples of their yields, presumably referring to marijuana plants grown in the area. From there, the song takes the listener to other smoking hotspots in Jamaica, Acapulco, Morocco, and Lebanon. The Afghanistan line suggests a nod to opium, which has a long history in that part of the world. The singer describes the fragrance of the opium as "reward(ing) a long day's toil."
The final stop is in Nepal, where the singer's experience of smoke rings filling the air speaks to the popularity of hashish in the region. The train itself is referred to as the Thailand Express, which represents a nod to the country's place as a hub of the global drug trade. The song's detailed descriptions of these locales and their associated drugs speak not to a glamorization of addiction, but rather to a sense of adventure and fascination with the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
Our first stop is in Bogota
Starting our journey, we first visit Bogota to check out the Colombian fields.
To check Colombian fields
The purpose of visiting Bogota is to examine the Colombian fields.
The natives smile and pass along, A sample of their yield
The friendly locals offer us a sample of their yield with a warm smile.
Sweet Jamaican pipe dreams, Golden Acapulco nights
We indulge in the sweet pipe dreams of Jamaica and the golden nights of Acapulco.
Then Morocco, and the East, Fly by morning light
After Jamaica and Acapulco, we journey to Morocco and then travel further East by the morning light.
We're on the train to Bangkok, Aboard the Thailand Express
Finally, we're on the train to Bangkok, traveling on the luxurious Thailand Express.
We'll hit the stops along the way, We only stop for the best
As we travel, we stop at various destinations, but only for the best experiences and sights.
Wreathed in smoke in Lebanon, We burn the midnight oil
In Lebanon, surrounded by smoke, we work hard until the late hours of the night.
The fragrance of Afghanistan, Rewards a long day's toil
The sweet aroma of Afghanistan's produce is our reward for working hard all day.
Pulling into Kathmandu, Smoke rings fill the air
As we arrive in Kathmandu, the air is filled with the smoke rings of the locals.
Perfumed by a Nepal night, The Express gets you there
The Express takes us there, through Nepal's fragranced night.
Yes, we're on the train to Bangkok, Aboard the Thailand Express
Repeating the opening line, we confirm that we're indeed still on the train to Bangkok, on the Thailand Express.
We'll hit the stops along the way, We only stop for the best
Again, we state that we'll stop at various destinations, but only for the best experiences and sights.
Lyrics ยฉ Anthem Entertainment
Written by: Neil Elwood Peart, Gary Lee Weinrib, Alex Zivojinovich
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@smokinjz
Our first stop is in Bogota
To check Colombian fields
The natives smile and pass along
A sample of their yield
Sweet Jamaican pipe dreams
Golden Acapulco nights
Then Morocco, and the East
Fly by morning light
We're on the train to Bangkok
Aboard the Thailand Express
We'll hit the stops along the way
We only stop for the best
Wreathed in smoke in Lebanon
We burn the midnight oil
The fragrance of Afghanistan
Rewards a long day's toil
Pulling into Kathmandu
Smoke rings fill the air
Perfumed by a Nepal night
The Express gets you there
We're on the train to Bangkok
Aboard the Thailand Express
We'll hit the stops along the way
We only stop for the best
We're on the train to Bangkok
Aboard the Thailand Express
We'll hit the stops along the way
We only stop for the best
Yes, we're on the train to Bangkok
Aboard the Thailand Express
We'll hit the stops along the way
We only stop for the best
@javierrestrepo1720
Rush The Very Best Of
1. Limelight
2. Tom Sawyer
3. Freewill
4. Time Stand Still
5. A Passage To Bangkok
6. 2112 Overture
7. Closer To The Heart
8. Working Man
9. Subdivisionsย
10.ย New World Manย
11.ย Red Barchettaย
12.ย YYZ
13. Spirit Of The Radio
14. Fly By Night
15. 2112 The Temples Of Syrinx
@bro7269
I was married in Thailand to my now wife of 17 years. The second time we were in Thailand we were traveling by train to Hua Hin. On the way back I was shuffling through my Ipod and had to listen to Rushโs โPassage to Bangkokโ as I was literally on a train to Bangkok. I felt so cool.....and geeky! She could have cared less!
@rokyericksonroks
Did you hit the stops along the way?
@michaeldavis5107
couldn't
@bro7269
Michael Davis Merriam Webster says either is correct. Have a nice day!
@michaeldavis5107
@Wahfreak I prefer to respect the English language. To say she "could have cared less", indicates that she cared to a significant degree.
@bro7269
Michael Davis what ever blows youโre dress up.....like I said, have a nice day.
@daviddigital6887
There might not ever be another band like like Rush. Those of us old enough should feel lucky
@bigbearlogic6414
Being born in the 60s allowed the best exploration of the best music....
@Malpercio97
And those of you who became fathers and passed it on to your children, we thank you! Iโm so thankful for my fathers taste in music, heโs taken me to see Rush 3 times and was impressed every time
@kevinbauer6580
Saw them with Max Webster ( The Drummer for Webster lived at end of my street , good friend ) @ Woodbridge High School in Ontario before they had Neil Peart on Drums. They had John Rutsey ( Rest in Peace John )
Peace Y