Xanadu
Rush Lyrics


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To seek the sacred river Alph
To walk the caves of ice
To break my fast on honey dew
And drink the milk of paradise

I had heard the whispered tales
Of immortality
The deepest mystery
From an ancient book, I took a clue
I scaled the frozen mountain tops
Of eastern lands unknown
Time and man alone
Searching for the lost, Xanadu

Xanadu

To stand within the pleasure dome
Decreed by Kubla Khan
To taste anew the fruits of life
The last immortal man
To find the sacred river Alph
To walk the caves of ice
Oh, I will dine on honey dew
And drink the milk of paradise, oh, paradise

A thousand years have come and gone
But time has passed me by
Stars stopped in the sky
Frozen in an everlasting view
Waiting for the world to end
Weary of the night
Praying for the light
Prison of the lost, Xanadu

Xanadu

Held within the pleasure dome
Decreed by Kubla Khan
To taste my bitter triumph
As a man, immortal man
Never more shall I return
Escape these caves of ice




For I have dined on honey dew
And drunk the milk of paradise, whoa, paradise

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Rush's song "Xanadu" allude to the desire for immortality and eternal life, a common theme in literature and art. The singer of the song seeks the sacred river Alph and dares to climb the frozen mountain tops of unknown eastern lands in search of Xanadu, a mythical land decreed by Kubla Khan, where one can find the pleasure dome and become an immortal man. The lyrics suggest that the singer is tired of the world and its limitations and is looking for something greater, something that will bring him fulfillment and satisfaction that he cannot find in this world.


The imagery evoked in the song is vivid and striking. The listener can imagine the frozen mountain tops, the caves of ice with their mysterious secrets, and the pleasure dome decreed by Kubla Khan. The use of honey dew and milk of paradise as a metaphor for the fruits of life that the singer desires is also interesting. The idea of sweet honey dew and refreshing milk of paradise evoke a sense of richness and fulfillment that the singer seeks.


Line by Line Meaning

To seek the sacred river Alph
I am on a quest to find the mythical river Alph which holds great significance.


To walk the caves of ice
I am willing to endure harsh conditions to achieve my goal.


To break my fast on honey dew
I am seeking sustenance from the nectar of the gods.


And drink the milk of paradise
I yearn to partake in the ultimate pleasure of paradise.


I had heard the whispered tales
I have been intrigued by stories of immortality and have sought them out.


Of immortality
The whispers spoke of everlasting life.


The deepest mystery
Immortality has always been an elusive and alluring mystery.


From an ancient book, I took a clue
I have gained knowledge from texts of ancient wisdom.


I scaled the frozen mountain tops
I have journeyed to great heights and faced unimaginable challenges.


Of eastern lands unknown
I have ventured into unfathomable territory unknown to the mainstream world.


Time and man alone
I am a solitary traveler without companions, only time as my guide.


Searching for the lost, Xanadu
My pursuit is to rediscover the lost and mysterious Xanadu.


To stand within the pleasure dome
My ultimate goal is to fulfill my wildest desires and pleasures within the walls of Xanadu.


Decreed by Kubla Khan
Kubla Khan, the ancient ruler of Xanadu, has proclaimed the pleasure dome for his subjects.


To taste anew the fruits of life
I want to experience the pleasures of life beyond my current understanding.


The last immortal man
I want to be the last man standing, immortalized forever.


A thousand years have come and gone
The passage of a millennium has gone by without me getting any closer to Xanadu.


But time has passed me by
Time has taken its toll on me and left me behind.


Stars stopped in the sky
The universe seems to have stopped moving, reflecting my own stagnancy.


Frozen in an everlasting view
I feel trapped in a never-ending state of isolation and reflection.


Waiting for the world to end
Life has become unbearable and I long for its end.


Weary of the night
I am tired of the darkness that surrounds me, both physically and metaphorically.


Praying for the light
I am desperately hoping for salvation, for some source of light in the darkness.


Prison of the lost, Xanadu
I feel trapped in a prison of my own making, lost in my pursuit of Xanadu.


Held within the pleasure dome
If I ever do reach Xanadu, I will have fulfilled my ultimate desire to be within its walls.


To taste my bitter triumph
While I would have triumphed in reaching Xanadu, the journey has left me embittered.


As a man, immortal man
Being an immortal man would make me the ultimate being, above all else.


Never more shall I return
Once I have achieved my goal, there will be no reason to return to the outside world.


Escape these caves of ice
I long to break free from the harsh conditions I have endured on my journey.


For I have dined on honey dew
My perseverance has paid off, and I have indulged in the ultimate pleasure of the gods.


And drunk the milk of paradise, whoa, paradise
I have achieved my dream of drinking the sacred milk of paradise, and I am finally in a state of pure bliss.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neil Peart

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@Wargasm54

I remember listening to this in my room in 1979 when I was 13. Thinking to myself “why doesn’t everybody know about these guys?”. Each song was a little adventure in my mind. When my parents went to sleep, I would grab my dads Koss headphones and listen all night long. Didn’t matter if I had school the next day. Man, Seems like a lifetime ago. Hell, I guess it was.

@ayoancientone346

Great memories

@ginareddish2730

Very cool

@quadradomus

Koss headphones, lol…. I was right there with you. 😜

@SeeYouUpTheRoad

We are literally the same age group I was 14 in 1979 and was all into them - with headphones!!

@KevinPiland

I’ve always been a fan of KOSS.

129 More Replies...

@brokenheartmender

And here ladies and gentlemen is a reminder why this generation of musicians is one for the ages - 11 minute plus songs that are a true masterpiece in every sense of the word! I am honored I was able to see them in concert on the R40 tour! Thank you for all the years of wonderful listening!

@jameswarnecke2483

My fraternity nickname was from Zappas broken hearts are for assholes. Nice to meet another

@phyllissweeney7602

Saw them "live" 4 times. Spokane , Seattle(twice) and White Water(Auburn) all in WA state. My favorite band of all time. My teenage sons (at that time) were listening to "Tom Sawyer" and I was hooked. Now days I really enjoy the "Rush in Rio" (2 DVD disc set)...and "Clockwork Angels".

@altonleggett7509

I saw them on the R40 tour and also the Clock Work Angels Tour. Both were awesome shows

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