QUEENSRŸCHE - SILENT LUCIDITY

Released: February 1991

Charted:  US: #9    UK: #18 

"Silent Lucidity" is a ballad by the band Queensrÿche from their 1990 album "Empire." Written by lead guitarist Chris DeGarmo, it became the band's biggest hit, reaching #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. The song was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 1992: Best Rock Song and Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.

"Silent Lucidity" written by guitarist Chris DeGarmo, delves into the concept of lucid dreaming. Inspired by the book "Creative Dreaming," the song explores the idea of being aware within a dream and having control over it, similar to the premise of the movie "Inception." DeGarmo discussed the recurring nature of dreams and their therapeutic potential, noting that the average person spends a significant portion of their life in the vivid hallucinations of the subconscious mind.

Geoff Tate, Queensrÿche's lead singer, expressed his fondness for "Silent Lucidity," describing it as a beautiful piece that he had a significant role in shaping, despite not being its primary writer. He highlighted his contributions to the song's melody, vocal delivery, and mixing process. Tate revealed that the song's inception was unconventional, starting as a simple acoustic guitar and vocal composition. It wasn't until the final stages of the album's production, just a week before completion, that additional instrumentation was added. Despite the resistance from the album's producer, who was against including the song, the band members advocated for its inclusion, leading to its eventual release on the album.

"Silent Lucidity" remains Queensrÿche's sole entry on the Hot 100 chart in America, despite their extensive career. However, they found more success on the UK charts, with six songs reaching the Top 40.