"Editorial abstract illustration evoking the emotional arc of a song titled "A Farewell to Kings" by Rush. Dramatic quiet-to-loud arc, stormy climax. dense layered composition, atmospheric complexity. Mood: energetic, introspective, transcendent. Visual style: 1970s editorial print aesthetic, sun-faded color. Painterly, grainy film texture, muted palette with strategic accent colors. The composition should read left-to-right like a timeline — calm on one side, intensifying toward the other. Strictly no faces, no text, no logos, no literal objects, no band imagery. Pure color-field abstraction with emotional weight. 16:9 editorial format."
Real momentum, more energetic than 92% of our 19,209 measured songs — measures out best for workout.
140
BPM
A Farewell to Kings by Rush is 140 BPM — Allegro (fast).
Half-time 70 BPM · Double-time 280 BPM · released 1977
Fan image for "A Farewell to Kings"
An abstract illustration of what this song feels like. Each image is built from a prompt — the text description fed to the image generator. Listeners submit their own prompts, upvote the ones that fit best, and the top-voted prompt drives the next regeneration. After 100 image votes, we make a new picture.
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Song DNA
Notes: Complex progressive rock arrangements with intricate instrumentation, odd time signatures, and shifting sections create a rich, unpredictable auditory experience. High technical proficiency in bass, drums, and guitar adds layered intensity without excessive harshness.
Misophonia Triggers
Recommended for: deep listening focus study
The title track opens the 1977 progressive rock album with a medieval acoustic intro transitioning into complex riffs, entangled drums, and dynamic bass, exemplifying Rush's shift to art rock with synthesizers and multi-instrumentalism.
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Moods: energetic, introspective, transcendent
Traditions: progressive rock
Intense — what to expect
"A Farewell to Kings" is in our intense band.
At least one of our five sensory dimensions crosses the threshold that means "this can be a lot." Most commonly: dynamic vocals or complex texture, or a dynamic range of 8/10. The full breakdown is below. If you arrived here looking for a calmer alternative, our use-case verdicts section flags songs with similar mood but lower intensity.
How this song sits on each sensory axis
A dynamic range of 8/10 is in the upper band of our library. This song has a significant quiet-to-loud arc. For sensory-sensitive listening, set the opening volume well below your comfortable top-end; the climax will land harder than the intro suggests.
Sudden changes: present. This song uses surprise as a feature. For focus or background listening, it's likely to pull your attention away; for active listening, that's often the point.
Texture: complex.
Predictability is low — this song does not follow standard verse-chorus form closely, and rewards active listening more than passive listening.
Vocal style: dynamic vocals.
Where this sits in Rush's catalog
We have 22 songs from Rush in the library. Of those, 0 are rated Safe, 12 Moderate, and 10 Intense. This song's dynamic range of 8/10 sits above the artist average of 7.6, making it the #7 most dynamic track of theirs in our library.
Other tracks from A Farewell to Kings
We have 3 songs from this album. Overall, the album leans intense in sensory profile.
- Closer to the Heart — moderate DR 6
- Xanadu — intense DR 9
1977 context
Released in 1977. We have 226 songs from that year in our library, averaging a dynamic range of 6.4/10. This track is about average than the year average. Explore more from the 1970s.
Explore by mood and tradition
Traditions
progressive rock · 300Guides that may help
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How fast is "A Farewell to Kings"?
140 BPM — Fast (workout / running pace)
For running
Steady-state running pace. Matches most recreational runners' natural cadence.
For workouts
Running, cycling, aerobic workouts, dance cardio.
For daily life
Active tasks, getting pumped up, party, anything high-energy.
Browse more songs at 140 BPM.
When "A Farewell to Kings" works, and when it doesn't
Use-case verdicts computed from the song's tempo, dynamics, and sensory profile.
✗
Focus / studying
No — too dynamic or too many surprises. Save for active listening.
✓
Running / workout
Yes — 140 BPM sits squarely in the running / cardio band. Matches natural stride cadence.
✗
Sleep / winding down
No — contains elements that will keep an awake nervous system engaged.
~
Driving / road trip
Maybe — the intensity / sudden changes are fine for solo highway driving but skip for city or rainy-weather driving.
✗
Cooking / dinner background
No — too active to function as background; will pull attention away from what you're doing.
✓
Emotional release / catharsis
Yes — this is a song for actively feeling what you came to feel, not for background.
Related reading
Editorial guides that cover this song's use cases, moods, or artist.
Why lo-fi study beats might be lying to you
Lo-fi hip hop is the default focus soundtrack for millions, but the science is messier than the marketing. Why it can quietly hurt deep work…
Why Post-Rock Works for Focus — The Logic of Slow Builds
Why post-rock holds attention that slides off everything else: long builds, few sudden changes, and enough happening to occupy the part of y…
Why Video Game Soundtracks Are Perfect for Focus and Study
Why Video Game Soundtracks Are Perfect for Focus and Study — A guide for sensory-sensitive listeners on musiciwant.com
Why this rating
We rate this song Intense. Our rule is deliberately conservative: any one of high dynamic range, present sudden changes, harsh texture, or a strained/screamed vocal is enough to trigger Intense on its own. Full scoring rubric: methodology.
This song in the Music Studio
75/100 intensity
See how “A Farewell to Kings” sits against your own sensitivities, or use it as a waypoint in a calmer set.
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Rating last reviewed: 2026-04-14. Reviewed by the Music I Want editorial team against the documented methodology.
Think this rating is wrong? Contact the editor — every message is read and ratings get revised.
By the numbers: how this song compares
Computed from this song’s place among the 19,209 songs we’ve measured.
Where it sits in 19,000 songs
This is one of the more intense things in our library — more energetic than 92% of the 19,209 songs we've measured. Its intensity reading of 75/100 comes from a dynamic range of 8/10, complex texture, moderate shifts, and dynamic vocals. Relatively few songs occupy this exact corner of the spectrum.
What makes it unusual
What stands out most about this song is blazing intensity: more extreme on that axis than 92% of everything we've measured. At the far opposite end of the library sit the songs built on near-total stillness — steady volume, no surprises, a slow and unhurried pulse — the kind of track this one is the counterpoint to.
Feels almost identical to
Begging You — The Stone Roses · 99%Ya Ya — Beyoncé · 95%Machine Gun — Jimi Hendrix · 95%Left Alone — Fiona Apple · 95%
Closest matches by feel across all 19,209 measured songs — not by genre or artist, by how they actually move.
What it’s good for
Sleep0/10
Focus2/10
Workout8/10
Dinner5/10
Party / hype8/10
Scored from this song’s tempo, intensity, dynamics and texture — not crowd votes.
1977 in context
The 226 songs we’ve measured from 1977 average a dynamic range of 6.4/10. At 8/10, this track is louder and more dynamic than its year.
Mixes smoothly with
Within a few BPM and close in feel — they flow without a jarring transition.
The fingerprint
Intensity75
Dynamics78
Tempo56
Surprise50
Density60
Predictability100
Vocal force75
Trigger load25
The 8-dimension measurement behind every rating on this page.
Frequently asked about "A Farewell to Kings"
Quick answers pulled from the song's sensory analysis.
What is the BPM of "A Farewell to Kings" by Rush?
"A Farewell to Kings" by Rush has a tempo of 140 BPM (Allegro (fast)). At half-time that is 70 BPM, and at double-time 280 BPM.
What is the sensory intensity of "A Farewell to Kings" by Rush?
"A Farewell to Kings" by Rush rates as Intense. Dynamic range 8/10, moderate sudden changes, complex texture, dynamic vocals vocal style. Any one of high dynamic range, present sudden changes, or harsh texture triggers the Intense rating.
How loud is "A Farewell to Kings" — what is its dynamic range?
"A Farewell to Kings" has a dynamic range of 8/10. Substantial quiet-to-loud arc. Start at a volume well below your top-end; the climax will land harder than the intro suggests.
Does "A Farewell to Kings" have sudden or surprising changes?
Yes. "A Farewell to Kings" uses surprise as a compositional feature. Expect unsignaled transitions.
What is "A Farewell to Kings" best for?
In our library "A Farewell to Kings" is recommended for: deep listening, focus, study. These tags are assigned only where the song's sensory profile genuinely supports the use case.
When was "A Farewell to Kings" released?
"A Farewell to Kings" is from 1977, on the album "A Farewell to Kings". It appears in our 1970s catalog.
What is the emotional mood of "A Farewell to Kings"?
We tag "A Farewell to Kings" as energetic, introspective, transcendent. Moods are tonal descriptors based on how the song reads emotionally — separate from the sensory intensity axes.
What is the vocal style of "A Farewell to Kings"?
The vocal style is dynamic vocals.
Is "A Farewell to Kings" good for running?
Yes — at 140 BPM it sits in the running-cadence band (120-180 BPM). Match your stride to the beat and it keeps pace with most recreational runners.
Is "A Farewell to Kings" good for studying?
Only partially. The song's dynamic range (8/10) means there will be loud moments that break focus during deep work.
Can I use "A Farewell to Kings" for sleep?
Not recommended for sleep. Too intense overall.
Should I listen to "A Farewell to Kings"?
"A Farewell to Kings" is Intense in our ratings — dramatic dynamics, possible sudden changes, or strong vocal or textural energy. Best with intention rather than ambient use. If you are sensory-sensitive, the alternatives section surfaces calmer songs in the same mood family.
Songs with the same DNA
complex texture, similar intensity — across any genre or era.
Safer alternatives with a similar feel
These songs share similar moods but with a gentler sensory profile.
What this song means to people
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Where to next?
You know how this one feels — now go find the next one.