Silent Lucidity

"Silent Lucidity" is a power ballad^[4][5] by the American rock 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^[6] and at #1 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart.^[7] "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.^[8]

"Silent Lucidity"
Single by Queensrÿche
from the album Empire
Released	February 1991
Recorded	Spring 1990
Genre	Progressive rock^[1] progressive metal^[2] art rock^[3]^[4]
Length	5:47
Label	EMI America
Songwriter(s)	Chris DeGarmo
Producer(s)	Peter Collins
Queensrÿche singles chronology
"Best I Can" (1990) "Silent Lucidity" (1991) "Jet City Woman" (1991)

Track listing

Original 1991 release

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

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1991–92)	Peak position
Canada RPM^[9]	7
UK Singles (OCC)^[10]	18
US Billboard Hot 100^[11]	9
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)^[12]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1991)	Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	69^[13]
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)	82^[14]

Personnel

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

Additional personnel

• Michael Kamen – orchestrator / conductor

Accolades

Publication	Country	Accolade	Rank
Classic Rock	US	The 40 Greatest Power Ballads^[4]	36
Glide Magazine	US	Favorite Hair Metal Power Ballads^[15]	6
VH1	US	Greatest Power Ballads^[5]	21

See also

• List of Billboard Mainstream Rock number-one songs of 1991

References

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. Criblez, David J. (November 11, 2016). "Three lead singers take LI solo flights". Newsday. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
3. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Queensrÿche | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
4. "The 40 Greatest Power Ballads". Classic Rock. February 14, 2015.
5. . VH1.com. MTV Networks. Archived from the original on November 13, 2006. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
6. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
7. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th ed.). Billboard Publications. p. 514.
8. "34th Grammy Awards — 1992". Rock on the Net.com. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
9. "RPM Top 100 Singles - June 8, 1991" (PDF). collectionscanada.gc.ca.
10. "Queensryche: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
11. "Queensryche Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
12. "Queensryche Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
13. "RPM 100 Hit Tracks of 1991". RPM. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
14. "1991 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. 103 (51): YE-14. December 21, 1991.
15. Bernstein, Scott (January 4, 2007). "THE B List: Favorite Hair-Metal Power Ballads". Glide Magazine. Retrieved February 24, 2021.

External links

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