A Passage to Bangkok

After the epic intensity of the title suite, Side 2 opens with this cheeky, riff-driven rocker about drug tourism across Asia. The song references various cities known for their cannabis and opium cultures, with a swaggering groove and tongue-in-cheek "exotic" musical motifs. It's one of Rush's most fun and lighthearted songs.

Rolling Stone's album-by-album guide singled it out as a key track, calling it "an oft-overlooked blast on the LP's second side." The song provided a perfect palette cleanser after the heavy concept piece — proof that Rush could balance progressive ambition with sheer rock-and-roll fun.

It remained a live favorite for decades, often appearing as a lighthearted encore number. It was included on the Exit...Stage Left live album and continued to pop up in setlists throughout the band's career.