Silent Lucidity – Queensrÿche | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning

Chart Performance: Pop (#9) & Mainstream Rock (#1); 1991

Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne

A meeting at a Bellevue, Washington record store in 1981, between operatically-trained singer Geoff Tate and four friends in a cover band called The Mob, proved fortuitous when Geoff joined them. Before long, the five were writing original songs and calling themselves Queensrÿche (after their song Queen Of The Reich).

An indie EP brought the group a major label deal, its debut long-player in 1984, and a sophomore effort in 1986. Queensrÿche finally hit its stride with 1988’s Operation:mindcrime, on which they blended elements of progressive rock and heavy metal with orchestral arrangements courtesy of Oscar-nominated Michael Kamen.

The mixture lifted the band to platinum sales and paved the way for Empire. The title track and Best I Can received moderate rock radio airplay in autumn of 1990, before Silent Lucidity – penned by guitarist Chris DeGarmo – sprinted to #1.

When the dust settled, rock radio had embraced six tracks from Empire; helping to propel it into three-times-platinum territory.

This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.

Produced by:

• Peter Collins

Lyrics Written by:

• Chris DeGarmo

Awards:

• “Silent Lucidity” was nominated in 1992 for the Grammy Awards for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group
• The music video for “Silent Lucidity” won the award for Best Group Video at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards
• The song’s music video was also nominated for Video of the Year at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards