Silent Lucidity

"Silent Lucidity"
"Silent Lucidity"
Single by Queensrÿche
from the album Empire
Released	February 1991
Recorded	Spring 1990
Genre	Progressive rock; heavy metal; progressive metal; art rock;
Length	5:47
Label	EMI America
Songwriter	Chris DeGarmo
Producer	Peter Collins
Queensrÿche singles chronology

"Silent Lucidity" is a power ballad^[5]^[6] by the band Queensrÿche from the 1990 album Empire. The song, which was composed by lead guitarist Chris DeGarmo, was the biggest hit for the band, peaking at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100^[7] and at #1 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart.^[8] "Silent Lucidity" was also nominated in 1992 for the Grammy Awards for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.^[9]

Background

Guitarist Chris DeGarmo was inspired to write the song by the 1974 book "Creative Dreaming" by Patricia Garfield, which explained how to tap into one's subconscious to experience a lucid dream.^[10]

DeGarmo noted in an interview that the average person spends 4 1/2 years of their life in a vivid hallucination state during dreaming. During that time, they can do superhuman feats like flying and walking through walls, as well as experience incredible physical sensations. "We created a very real dreamlike landscape for this song. Everything from the vocal delivery to the orchestration, to the melody, the instruments, it’s all trying to create this very lush landscape. It’s a huge-sounding track," he said.^[11]

The song was originally only acoustic guitar and vocals, but additional instrumentation was added during the last week of working on the album. The album's producer was adamant that the song should not be included on the record, but the band members pushed for its inclusion.^[12]

The song was featured in the final season of Cobra Kai,^[13] and in the CW series Supernatural’s season two episode ”Heart.” It was also featured in the Season 1 finale of “Nine Perfect Strangers.”

Track listing

Original 1991 release

"Silent Lucidity" – 5:49
"The Mission" [Live] – 6:17
"Eyes of a Stranger [Live] – 8:03

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1991–92)	Peak position
Canada RPM^[14]	7
UK Singles (OCC)^[15]	18
US Billboard Hot 100^[16]	9
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)^[17]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1991)	Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	69^[18]
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)	82^[19]

Personnel

Geoff Tate – lead vocals, keyboards
Chris DeGarmo – lead guitar, backing vocals
Michael Wilton – rhythm guitar
Eddie Jackson – bass, backing vocals
Scott Rockenfield – drums

Additional personnel

Michael Kamen – orchestrator / conductor

Accolades

Publication	Country	Accolade	Rank
Classic Rock	US	The 40 Greatest Power Ballads^[5]	36
Glide Magazine	US	Favorite Hair Metal Power Ballads^[20]	6
VH1	US	Greatest Power Ballads^[6]	21

References

^ Boehm, Mike (June 27, 1997). "Metal and Its Byproducts : Queensryche Upgrades the Machinery Without Undergoing a Retrofit or Total Conversion". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
^ Jurek, Thom (August 20, 1990). "Queensryche - Empire - Album Review". Allmusic. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
^ Criblez, David J. (November 11, 2016). "Three lead singers take LI solo flights". Newsday. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Queensrÿche | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c "The 40 Greatest Power Ballads". Classic Rock. February 14, 2015.
^ ^a ^b "Greatest Power Ballads". VH1.com. MTV Networks. Archived from the original on November 13, 2006. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
^ "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th ed.). Billboard Publications. p. 514.
^ "34th Grammy Awards — 1992". Rock on the Net.com. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
^ Dome, Malcolm (June 15, 2022). "How a book on dreams inspired Queensryche's biggest ever hit single". Louder. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
^ Miller, Gerri (December 1990). "Queensrÿche build an empire". Metal Edge. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
^ MacIntosh, Dan (November 29, 2012). "Queensrÿche founder Geoff Tate : Songwriter Interviews". Songfacts. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
^ McIntyre, Hugh. "Queensrÿche Scores Another Hit And Reaches A New All-Time High". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - June 8, 1991" (PDF). collectionscanada.gc.ca.
^ "Queensryche: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
^ "Queensryche Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
^ "Queensryche Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
^ "RPM 100 Hit Tracks of 1991". RPM. 17 July 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
^ "1991 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 51. Nielsen Business Media. December 21, 1991. p. YE-14.
^ Bernstein, Scott (4 January 2007). "The B List: Favorite Hair-Metal Power Ballads". Glide Magazine. Retrieved 2023-06-07.

External links

Video clip on YouTube.
Silent Lucidity at Discogs (list of releases)

[1] Boehm, Mike (June 27, 1997). "Metal and Its Byproducts : Queensryche Upgrades the Machinery Without Undergoing a Retrofit or Total Conversion". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 24, 2021.

[2] Jurek, Thom (August 20, 1990). "Queensryche - Empire - Album Review". Allmusic. Retrieved September 18, 2023.

[3] Criblez, David J. (November 11, 2016). "Three lead singers take LI solo flights". Newsday. Retrieved June 28, 2021.

[4] Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Queensrÿche | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved February 2, 2021.

[cr-5] "The 40 Greatest Power Ballads". Classic Rock. February 14, 2015.

[vh1-6] "Greatest Power Ballads". VH1.com. MTV Networks. Archived from the original on November 13, 2006. Retrieved August 7, 2020.

[billboard-7] "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-06-25.

[8] Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th ed.). Billboard Publications. p. 514.

[9] "34th Grammy Awards — 1992". Rock on the Net.com. Retrieved May 7, 2012.

[10] Dome, Malcolm (June 15, 2022). "How a book on dreams inspired Queensryche's biggest ever hit single". Louder. Retrieved June 8, 2023.

[11] Miller, Gerri (December 1990). "Queensrÿche build an empire". Metal Edge. Retrieved June 8, 2023.

[12] MacIntosh, Dan (November 29, 2012). "Queensrÿche founder Geoff Tate : Songwriter Interviews". Songfacts. Retrieved June 8, 2023.

[13] McIntyre, Hugh. "Queensrÿche Scores Another Hit And Reaches A New All-Time High". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-03-17.

[14] "RPM Top 100 Singles - June 8, 1991" (PDF). collectionscanada.gc.ca.

[sc_UKsinglesbyname_Queensryche-15] "Queensryche: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 21, 2021.

[sc_Billboardhot100_Queensryche-16] "Queensryche Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2021.

[sc_Billboardmainstreamrock_Queensryche-17] "Queensryche Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2021.

[18] "RPM 100 Hit Tracks of 1991". RPM. 17 July 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2017.

[19] "1991 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 51. Nielsen Business Media. December 21, 1991. p. YE-14.

[glide-20] Bernstein, Scott (4 January 2007). "The B List: Favorite Hair-Metal Power Ballads". Glide Magazine. Retrieved 2023-06-07.

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v t e Queensrÿche
Michael Wilton Eddie Jackson Todd La Torre Casey Grillo Mike Stone Chris DeGarmo Scott Rockenfield Geoff Tate Kelly Gray Parker Lundgren
Studio albums	The Warning Rage for Order Operation: Mindcrime Empire Promised Land Hear in the Now Frontier Q2K Tribe Operation: Mindcrime II Take Cover American Soldier Dedicated to Chaos Queensrÿche Condition Hüman The Verdict Digital Noise Alliance
Unofficial album	Frequency Unknown
EPs	Queensrÿche
Live / video albums	Operation: LIVEcrime Live Evolution The Art of Live Mindcrime at the Moore
Compilation albums	Greatest Hits Classic Masters Sign of the Times: The Best of Queensrÿche
Singles	"Queen of the Reich" "Eyes of a Stranger" "I Don't Believe in Love" "Last Time in Paris" "Empire" "Silent Lucidity" "Jet City Woman" "Best I Can" "Real World" "I Am I" "Bridge" "Disconnected" "Sign of the Times" "You" "Breakdown" "Open"
Concert tours	Building Empires Tour
Related	Discography Members Operation: Mindcrime (band) Spys4Darwin Soulbender album Slave to the System album "Discordia" Rejoice in the Suffering
Category

v t e MTV Video Music Award – Viewer's Choice
1980s	Michael Jackson – "Thriller" (1984) USA for Africa – "We Are the World" (1985) A-ha – "Take On Me" (1986) U2 – "With or Without You" (1987) INXS – "Need You Tonight/Mediate" (1988) Madonna – "Like a Prayer" (1989)
1990s	Aerosmith – "Janie's Got a Gun" (1990) Queensrÿche – "Silent Lucidity" (1991) Red Hot Chili Peppers – "Under the Bridge" (1992) Aerosmith – "Livin' on the Edge" (1993) Aerosmith – "Cryin'" (1994) TLC – "Waterfalls" (1995) Bush – "Glycerine" (1996) The Prodigy – "Breathe" (1997) Puff Daddy and the Family (featuring The Lox, Lil' Kim, The Notorious B.I.G., and Fuzzbubble) – "It's All About the Benjamins" (1998) Backstreet Boys – "I Want It That Way" (1999)
2000s	NSYNC – "Bye Bye Bye" (2000) NSYNC – "Pop" (2001) Michelle Branch – "Everywhere" (2002) Good Charlotte – "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" (2003) Linkin Park – "Breaking the Habit" (2004) Green Day – "American Idiot" (2005) Fall Out Boy – "Dance, Dance" (2006)

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