The Twilight Zone Lyrics
A pleasant faced man steps up to greet you
He smiles and says he's pleased to meet you
Beneath his hat the strangeness lies
Take it off, he's got three eyes
Truth is false and logic lost
Now the fourth dimension is crossed
[Chorus]
You have entered the Twilight Zone
Beyond this world strange things are known
Use the key, unlock the door
See what your fate might have in store
Come explore your dreams' creation
Enter this world of imagination
[Verse 2]
You wake up lost in an empty town
Wondering why no one else is around
Look up to see a giant boy
You've just become his brand new toy
No escape, no place to hide
Here where time and space collide
[Chorus]
You have entered the Twilight Zone
Beyond this world strange things are known
Use the key, unlock the door
See what your fate might have in store
Come explore your dreams' creation
Enter this world of imagination
About
Released in 1976 on April Fools' Day, “The Twilight Zone” is the third track on Rush’s fourth studio album, 2112.
The song is a clear homage to Rod Serling and the 1959 sci-fi anthology TV show that he created, The Twilight Zone. The song describes two episodes of The Twilight Zone: “Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?” (first verse) and “Stopover in a Quiet Town” (second verse). In addition to this, it also briefly paraphrases the iconic opening narration of the series.
It is no surprise that Rush, including primary lyricist and drummer Neil Peart, were huge fans of Mr. Serling and his series, as it was not the first time, nor last time, that credits to Rod Serling had appeared on a Rush album. On their previous album, Caress of Steel, released in 1975 (3 months after the death of Rod Serling), the liner notes state:
Dedicated to the memory of Mr. Rod Serling.
-Caress of Steel liner notes (Rush – Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart.)
In addition to this, their following album, 1977’s A Farewell to Kings, was fully dedicated to Rod Serling.
The new album is dedicated to Rod Serling, because he was one of our great teachers, and at times, the band tends to be very Rod-like.
-Geddy Lee
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning