“Flight of the Rat” is the fourth track off of Deep Purple’s fourth studio album Deep Purple in Rock.
The song follows the leave of a tyrant, possibly a king, and the apparent happiness of the people. A true highlight of this song is Ian Paice’s blistering drumming. The ending of the song shows off...
[Verse 1]
Spread the word around, the rat is leaving town
The message is a song, the misery is gone, ooh yes, it is
Once I had a dream to sing before the queen
She didn't want to know, she wouldn't see the show
[Chorus]
What a fright, I couldn't do it right
Oh, what a night, oh, what a night
[Verse 2]
Mystic demons fly all about the sky
With memories of a clown, the saddest show in town, yeah
When I was seventeen, my mother said to me
"Be careful what you touch, you shouldn't take so much"
[Chorus]
I blew my mind, she was so kind
I could have cried, oh
[Bridge]
Ooh, in my mind I had to find
A kind of new way of being oh so cool
Like a blue blooded, well studded English fool
[Instrumental Break]
[Verse 3]
Speak about the past, the times are changing fast
Once I was so weak, I couldn't even speak, not a word
Shaking out a curse, nothing could be worse
Walking through the door, who could ask for more?
[Chorus]
And now I'm free and I can see
And I am me, yes, I am me
[Instrumental Break (2:40 - 5:24)]
[Organ Solo]
(Yeah! work it out, now, ooh)
[Guitar Solo]
[Verse 4]
Spread the word around, the rat is leaving town
The message is a song, the misery is gone
Shaking out a curse, nothing could be worse
Walking through the door, who could ask for more?
[Chorus]
Now I'm free and I can see
And I am me, yes, I am me
[Instrumental Break (5:56 - 6:46)]
[Outro]
Oh, please stay away
[Instrumental Outro]
[Drum Solo]
Flight of the Rat was written by Ritchie Blackmore & Ian Gillan & Roger Glover & Jon Lord & Ian Paice.
Flight of the Rat was produced by Deep Purple.
Deep Purple released Flight of the Rat on Wed Jun 03 1970.
We were an anti-drug band. Into The Fire, Flight Of The Rat.
Ian Paice