A Farewell to Kings is noted for the band expanding their sound with greater use of synthesizers and each member playing more instruments than before, and having long and short tracks such as the 11-minute "Xanadu" and the under 3-minute "Closer to the Heart", both of which became live favourites.

At one of those nights at the Apollo, Geddy changed his lyrics on Working Man singing that when he got home at five O'clock he took out a McEwan's beer, which led to a large cheer from the crowd, and one in Sweden, which attracted widespread praise from fans and critics.

[3] It was around this time when Rush decided against their usual post-tour break to continue momentum and produce a follow-up album, but wanted to record somewhere other than Toronto, Canada.

[4][5][6] Rush were keen to work in England as they were fans of British pop music, and the seclusion eliminated the distractions they usually faced at home.

Peart said it was the result of the decision to put out All the World's a Stage, which caused an extended creative hiatus that gave the band time "to think about ourselves as musicians.

[9] The trio had looked back on 2112 and felt their sound was too confined, so they decided to feature new and different instruments that they were comfortable enough with on their new material without bringing in a fourth member, which Peart said would have been "the easy way out.

"[8] The album's title track features an acoustic guitar introduction from Lifeson that was recorded outside the studio building as he walked around a stereo microphone, with Lee outside with him playing a Minimoog.

[5] Although Lee considered the track difficult to reproduce on stage it became a group favourite, as Peart wrote in the album's tour book: "It seems to encapsulate everything that we want Rush to represent.

[8] After playing an initial run-through of the track to gauge the balance and tone of the microphones in the recording room, the group performed it a second time once the equipment was set up, which was used on the album.

[11] It was the first Rush song in which Peart collaborated with someone on the lyrics; the title and first verse was written by Peter Talbot, a friend of the group who, in addition to being a writer, worked in the media.

[5][6] Lee thought the science-fiction genre presented limitless musical ideas which inspired the band to "use all your goofy, weird sounds because that's what's happening out in space.

[4] The cover artwork was produced by longtime Rush art director and graphic artist Hugh Syme, who started on the design before the band had left to tour England.

[13] A resident of the Niagara region, Syme had spotted a "beautiful, dilapidated" building in ruins in nearby Buffalo, New York, and visited it with guitarist Josh Anderson, his bandmate in the Ian Thomas Band.

In post-production Syme altered the mouth, jaw, and eyes, and added the sky, smokestack and strings, plus a prosthetic to make the character appear more mechanical.

[13] A Farewell to Kings was released on August 29, 1977 on Anthem Records, an independent label formed in May 1977 by Danniels and business partner Vic Wilson in order for Rush to have greater creative control over their product.

On release, Billboard wrote that "this trio has abated its heavy metal thunder somewhat for a lavishly orchestrated extravaganza that has a rock opera feel to it".

All lyrics are written by Neil Peart, except where noted; all music is composed by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, except where notedRush Additional personnel Production ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.