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RUSH
Rush
© 1974 Mercury Records © 1974 Anthem Entertainment , 1974
cd, album
Recorded at Toronto Sound Studios and Eastern Sound Remixed at Toronto Sound Thanks to Mike & Jules Belkin for their early belief. Moon Records is a subsidiary of SRO Productions Ltd.
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RUSH
Fly By Night
© 1975 Mercury Records © 1975 Anthem Entertainment , 1975
cd, album
Recorded and Mixed at: Toronto Sound Studios Toronto, Canada By-Tor Characters inspired by: Herns Belated Mention: Mr. O. Scar FOR BEST RESULTS PLAY THIS ALBUM
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RUSH
Caress of Steel
© 1975 Mercury Records © 1975 Anthem Entertainment , 1975
cd, album
Recorded and mixed at Toronto Sound Studios Toronto, Canada A personal thank you, Terry, for your intimate courtesy and native grace of favour. Dedicated to the memory of Mr. Rod Serling
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RUSH
2112
© 1976 Mercury Records © 1976 Anthem Entertainment , 1976
cd, album
Recorded and mixed at Toronto Sound Studios Toronto, Ontario
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RUSH
A Farewell to Kings
© 1977 Mercury Records © 1977 Anthem Entertainment , 1977
cd, album
Recorded at Rockfield Studios Wales June 1977 Mixed at Advision Studios London Assisted by Declan (not Norman!) O’Doherty and Ken Thomas
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RUSH
Hemispheres
© 1978 Mercury Records © 1978 Anthem Entertainment , 1978
cd, album
Recorded at Rockfield Studios Wales June and July 1978 Vocals recorded at Advision Studios London Mixed at Trident Studios Soho, London August 1978 Tape Operators: Simon Hilliard, Mike Donegoni, and Reno Ruocco This album was processed through the Duffoscope!
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RUSH
Permanent Waves
©1980 Mercury Records ©1980 Anthem Entertainment , 1980
cd, album
Recorded at Le Studio Morin Heights, Quebec September and October 1979 With general assistance from Robbie Whelan Mixed at Trident Studios Soho, London November 1979 Assisted by Adam Moseley, Craig Milliner, and Geddy Lee, with cameo appearances by Steve S. Hort
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RUSH
Moving Pictures
© 1981 Mercury Records © 1981 Anthem Entertainment , 1987
cd, album
Recorded and mixed at Le Studio Morin Heights, Quebec October and November, 1980 Assisted by Robbie Whelan, and our computerized companions: Albert, Huey, Dewey, and Louie Digital mastering engineered by Peter Jensen
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RUSH
Signals
© 1982 Mercury Records © 1982 Anthem Entertainment , 1982
cd, album
Recorded and mixed at Le Studio Morin Heights, Quebec April, May, June, and July 1982 Assisted by Robbie Whelan (Right Field) Digitally mastered by JVC Hydrant courtesy of the Department of Public Works, Toronto
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RUSH
Grace Under Pressure
©1984 Mercury Records ©1984 Anthem Entertainment , 1984
cd, album
Recorded at Le Studio Morin Heights, Quebec Between November 1983 and March 1984 In memory of Robbie Whelan PPG Synthesizer programming assisted by Jim Burgess and Paul Northfield
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RUSH
Power Windows
©1985 Mercury Records ©1985 Anthem Entertainment , 1985
cd, album
Recorded at The Manor, England Assisted by Steve Chase and AIR Studios, Montserrat Assisted by Matt Butler and Sarm East, London Assisted by Dave Meegan, Heff Moraes, and Paul Wright Mixed at Sarm East
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RUSH
Hold Your Fire
©1987 Mercury Records ©1987 Anthem Entertainment , 1987
cd, album
Recorded at The Manor, Oxfordshire Between January and April 1987 Assisted by Micheal Ade and Ridge Farm Studio, Surrey Assisted by Reynold Swan and Air Studios, Montserrat Assisted by Ken Blair and McClear Place, Toronto Assisted by Martin Lee and Lerxst Mobile Assisted by Lerxst
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RUSH
Rush
© 1974 Mercury Records © 1974 Anthem Entertainment , 1974
cd, album
Recorded at Toronto Sound Studios and Eastern Sound Remixed at Toronto Sound Thanks to Mike & Jules Belkin for their early belief. Moon Records is a subsidiary of SRO Productions Ltd.
Buy this record
1Finding My Way (5:06) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
I’m runnin’ here,
I’m runnin’ there.
I’m lookin’ for a girl.
‘Cause there’s nothin’ I need,
there’s nothin’ I want more
in the whole wide world.
Well, I need it quick
and I need it now,
before I start to fade away.
That’s why I’m searchin’,
that’s why I’m lookin’
each and ev’ry day.
Oo, I need some love.
I said I need some love!
Oo yes, I need some love
This feelin’ I can’t rise above.
Yeah, yeah!
Well I been hustlin’ here,
I been hustlin’ there.
I been searchin’ for about a week.
And I started feelin’
this strange sensation.
My knees are startin’ gettin’ weak.
Well I need what keeps
a young man alive;
I’m sayin’ I need it now.
I’m gonna get the message
across to you
someway, somehow.
Oo, I need some love.
I said I need some love!
Oo yes, I need some love
This feelin’ I can’t rise above.
Oo, yeah yeah!
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
I’m runnin’ here,
I’m runnin’ there.
I’m lookin’ for a girl.
‘Cause there’s nothin’ I need,
there’s nothin’ I want more
in the whole wide world.
Well, I need it quick
and I need it now,
before I start to fade away.
That’s why I’m searchin’,
that’s why I’m lookin’
each and ev’ry day.
Oo, I need some love.
I said I need some love!
Oo yes, I need some love
This feelin’ I can’t rise above.
Yeah, yeah!
Well I been hustlin’ here,
I been hustlin’ there.
I been searchin’ for about a week.
And I started feelin’
this strange sensation.
My knees are startin’ gettin’ weak.
Well I need what keeps
a young man alive;
I’m sayin’ I need it now.
I’m gonna get the message
across to you
someway, somehow.
Oo, I need some love.
I said I need some love!
Oo yes, I need some love
This feelin’ I can’t rise above.
Oo, yeah yeah!
3Take A Friend (4:24) (lyrics)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Well, I’m lookin’ at you,
and I’m wond’rin’ what you’re gonna do.
Looks like you got no friends,
no one to stick with you till the end.
Take yourself a friend.
Keep ’em till the end.
Whether woman or man,
it makes you feel so good,
so good.
Yes, you think you’re all right,
and now you’re lonely ev’ry night.
Well, you need a friend,
someone on whom you can always depend.
Take yourself a friend.
Keep ’em till the end.
Whether woman or man,
it makes you feel so good,
so good.
Yes, you need some advice.
Well, let me put it to you nice.
I said you need a friend,
someone who’ll stick with you to the end.
Take yourself a friend.
Keep ’em till the end.
Whether woman or man,
it makes you feel so good,
so good.
(x)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Well, I’m lookin’ at you,
and I’m wond’rin’ what you’re gonna do.
Looks like you got no friends,
no one to stick with you till the end.
Take yourself a friend.
Keep ’em till the end.
Whether woman or man,
it makes you feel so good,
so good.
Yes, you think you’re all right,
and now you’re lonely ev’ry night.
Well, you need a friend,
someone on whom you can always depend.
Take yourself a friend.
Keep ’em till the end.
Whether woman or man,
it makes you feel so good,
so good.
Yes, you need some advice.
Well, let me put it to you nice.
I said you need a friend,
someone who’ll stick with you to the end.
Take yourself a friend.
Keep ’em till the end.
Whether woman or man,
it makes you feel so good,
so good.
4Here Again (7:35) (lyrics)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
I said I played this song
so many times before
that the melody keeps repeating
growing new ideas,
flowing chords and notes
like a mountain river bleeding.
Well, I say as I look back,
And all the thoughts I’ve had,
They reflect just what I’m learning.
Yes, you know that the hardest part,
Yes, I say it is to stay on top,
On top of a world forever churning.
Well, you say you can laugh,
But I can see that your eyes are glass.
Well, do you see, can’t you see, what I’m feeling?
Yes, I’ve seen your face before.
Why, I’ve seen it everywhere,
Showing up to me without a scent revealing.
Well, I said will it ever change?
Will it stay the same?
I’d surely like to know before it’s over.
Well, I said I played some.
I said it won’t be long,
Won’t be long before I stop and play it over.
Oh, oh I’ve, I’ve seen your face before.
Is it ever gonna, ever gonna change again?
Oh, oh I’ve, I’ve been in one place too long.
Is it ever gonna, ever gonna change again?
(x)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
I said I played this song
so many times before
that the melody keeps repeating
growing new ideas,
flowing chords and notes
like a mountain river bleeding.
Well, I say as I look back,
And all the thoughts I’ve had,
They reflect just what I’m learning.
Yes, you know that the hardest part,
Yes, I say it is to stay on top,
On top of a world forever churning.
Well, you say you can laugh,
But I can see that your eyes are glass.
Well, do you see, can’t you see, what I’m feeling?
Yes, I’ve seen your face before.
Why, I’ve seen it everywhere,
Showing up to me without a scent revealing.
Well, I said will it ever change?
Will it stay the same?
I’d surely like to know before it’s over.
Well, I said I played some.
I said it won’t be long,
Won’t be long before I stop and play it over.
Oh, oh I’ve, I’ve seen your face before.
Is it ever gonna, ever gonna change again?
Oh, oh I’ve, I’ve been in one place too long.
Is it ever gonna, ever gonna change again?
5What You're Doing (4:22) (lyrics)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Well, I see you standin’ there
with your finger in the air.
Ev’rything we do,
you wanna leave it up to you.
Who do you think you are?
You think you are a star,
try’n’ to run the town,
always try’n’ to put us down.
Well, you think that you’re right.
You think you’re out of sight.
Tell me something, mister;
why’d you have to make us so uptight?
Well, you say you’ve been try’n’.
You know that you’re ly’n’.
I think you need some groovin’.
Who do you think you’re foolin’ now?
Well, you better start changin’.
You life needs rearrangin’.
You better do some talkin’
or you better do some walkin’ now.
Yeah, you think that you’re right.
You think you’re out of sight.
Tell me something, mister;
why’d you have to make us so uptight?
I know what you’re doing,
all that you been doin’ wrong.
I don’t know what you’re feelin’,
oh, but you been feelin’ long.
Well, you think that you’re right.
Tell me something, mister;
why’d you have to make us so uptight?
(x)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Well, I see you standin’ there
with your finger in the air.
Ev’rything we do,
you wanna leave it up to you.
Who do you think you are?
You think you are a star,
try’n’ to run the town,
always try’n’ to put us down.
Well, you think that you’re right.
You think you’re out of sight.
Tell me something, mister;
why’d you have to make us so uptight?
Well, you say you’ve been try’n’.
You know that you’re ly’n’.
I think you need some groovin’.
Who do you think you’re foolin’ now?
Well, you better start changin’.
You life needs rearrangin’.
You better do some talkin’
or you better do some walkin’ now.
Yeah, you think that you’re right.
You think you’re out of sight.
Tell me something, mister;
why’d you have to make us so uptight?
I know what you’re doing,
all that you been doin’ wrong.
I don’t know what you’re feelin’,
oh, but you been feelin’ long.
Well, you think that you’re right.
Tell me something, mister;
why’d you have to make us so uptight?
6In The Mood (3:34) (lyrics)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee
Hey now, baby,
well, I like your smile.
Won’t you come and talk to me.
for a little while.
Well, you’re makin’ me crazy,
the way you roll them eyes.
Won’t you come and sit with me.
I’ll tell you all my lies.
Hey baby, it’s a quarter to eight.
I feel I’m in the mood.
Hey baby, the hour is late.
I feel I’ve got to move.
Well, hey now, baby,
Don’t you talk so fast.
I’m just try’n’ to make these good times,
I’m try’n’ to make it last.
Ev’rything’s getting hazy.
Now honey, where’d you go?
I just want to find out, baby,
where’d you learn what you know?
Hey baby, it’s a quarter to eight.
I feel I’m in the mood.
Hey baby, the hour is late.
I feel I’ve got to move.
Well, hey now, baby,
said, I like your style.
You really got me, baby,
way down deep inside.
Oo, you drive me crazy.
Baby, you’re the one.
I just want to rock-and-roll you woman,
until the night is gone.
Hey baby, it’s a quarter to eight.
I feel I’m in the mood.
Hey baby, the hour is late.
I feel I’ve got to move.
(x)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee
Hey now, baby,
well, I like your smile.
Won’t you come and talk to me.
for a little while.
Well, you’re makin’ me crazy,
the way you roll them eyes.
Won’t you come and sit with me.
I’ll tell you all my lies.
Hey baby, it’s a quarter to eight.
I feel I’m in the mood.
Hey baby, the hour is late.
I feel I’ve got to move.
Well, hey now, baby,
Don’t you talk so fast.
I’m just try’n’ to make these good times,
I’m try’n’ to make it last.
Ev’rything’s getting hazy.
Now honey, where’d you go?
I just want to find out, baby,
where’d you learn what you know?
Hey baby, it’s a quarter to eight.
I feel I’m in the mood.
Hey baby, the hour is late.
I feel I’ve got to move.
Well, hey now, baby,
said, I like your style.
You really got me, baby,
way down deep inside.
Oo, you drive me crazy.
Baby, you’re the one.
I just want to rock-and-roll you woman,
until the night is gone.
Hey baby, it’s a quarter to eight.
I feel I’m in the mood.
Hey baby, the hour is late.
I feel I’ve got to move.
7Before and After (5:34) (lyrics)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Love won’t see my comin’
on a Sunday noon today.
Still don’t believe we’re fadin’,
but now the world should wait.
And now you’re fina’lly list’nin’
to what I have to say.
Well, the time is right,
and it is today.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Maybe we could talk about it
and try to get it straight.
After all these years, baby,
maybe it’s too late.
But I really need to
have you by my side,
And that’s the only feelin’,
baby, I can’t hide.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well you aren’t list’nin’,
I ain’t talkin’,
we ain’t gettin’ nowhere.
I keep tryin’ to get
through to you baby.
All you do is stare.
I don’t wanna see that.
I need you by my side.
Well, I don’t want to be your lover.
Babe, I wanna be your man.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, now my story’s over, baby,
and I ain’t gonna tell it twice.
Well, you better start list’nin’,
or get out of my life.
Or you’re gonna be left out,
I said left out in the cold.
Yeah, before you get my lovin’,babe,
you’ll be too old.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, I’m talkin’ to you baby.
Well, I said
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
(x)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Love won’t see my comin’
on a Sunday noon today.
Still don’t believe we’re fadin’,
but now the world should wait.
And now you’re fina’lly list’nin’
to what I have to say.
Well, the time is right,
and it is today.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Maybe we could talk about it
and try to get it straight.
After all these years, baby,
maybe it’s too late.
But I really need to
have you by my side,
And that’s the only feelin’,
baby, I can’t hide.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well you aren’t list’nin’,
I ain’t talkin’,
we ain’t gettin’ nowhere.
I keep tryin’ to get
through to you baby.
All you do is stare.
I don’t wanna see that.
I need you by my side.
Well, I don’t want to be your lover.
Babe, I wanna be your man.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, now my story’s over, baby,
and I ain’t gonna tell it twice.
Well, you better start list’nin’,
or get out of my life.
Or you’re gonna be left out,
I said left out in the cold.
Yeah, before you get my lovin’,babe,
you’ll be too old.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, I’m talkin’ to you baby.
Well, I said
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
8Working Man (7:10) (lyrics)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
I get up at seven, yeah,
and I go to work at nine.
I got no time for livin’.
Yes, I’m workin’ all the time.
It seems to me
I could live my life
a lot better than I think I am.
I guess that’s why they call me,
they call me the workin’ man.
They call me the workin’ man.
I guess that’s what I am.
I get home at five o’clock,
and I take myself out a nice, cold beer.
Always seem to be wond’rin’
why there’s nothin’ goin’ down here.
It seems to me
I could live my life
a lot better than I think I am.
I guess that’s why they call me,
they call me the workin’ man.
They call me the workin’ man.
I guess that’s what I am.
Well they call me the workin’ man.
I guess that’s what I am.
(x)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
I get up at seven, yeah,
and I go to work at nine.
I got no time for livin’.
Yes, I’m workin’ all the time.
It seems to me
I could live my life
a lot better than I think I am.
I guess that’s why they call me,
they call me the workin’ man.
They call me the workin’ man.
I guess that’s what I am.
I get home at five o’clock,
and I take myself out a nice, cold beer.
Always seem to be wond’rin’
why there’s nothin’ goin’ down here.
It seems to me
I could live my life
a lot better than I think I am.
I guess that’s why they call me,
they call me the workin’ man.
They call me the workin’ man.
I guess that’s what I am.
Well they call me the workin’ man.
I guess that’s what I am.
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Yeah, oh yeah!
Ooh, said I,
I’m comin’ out to get you.
Ooh, sit down.
I’m comin’ out to find you.
Ooh, yeah. Ooh yeah.
Findin’ my way!
I’ve been gone so long
I’ve lost count of the years.
Well, I sang some sad songs,
oh yes, and cried some bad tears.
Look out! I’m comin’.
Whoa, whoa.
Look out! I’m comin’.
Whoa, yeah.
I’m runnin’,
finding my way back home.
Oh yeah!
Yeah, oh yeah!
Ooh, said I,
I’m comin’ back to look for you.
Ooh, sit down.
I’m goin’ by the back door.
Ooh, yeah. Ooh yeah.
Findin’ my way!
You’ve done me no right,
but you’ve done me some wrong.
Left me lonely each night
while I sing my sad song.
Look out! I’m comin’.
Whoa, whoa.
Look out! I’m comin’.
Whoa, yeah.
I’m runnin’,
findin’ my way back home.
I’m comin’.
Ooh, babe, I said I’m runnin’.
Whoa, babe, I said I’m comin’
to get you, mama.
Said I’m runnin’.
Ooh, babe, I said I’m comin’
for you, babe.
I said I’m runnin’.
Ooh yes, babe, I said I’m comin’
to get you, babe. I said I’m comin’.
Ooh, yeah.
I’m findin’,
I’m findin’ my way back home.
Well, I’ve had it for now,
livin’ on the road.
Ooh, yeah.
Ooh, yeah.
Findin’ my way!
(x)
Yeah, oh yeah!
Ooh, said I,
I’m comin’ out to get you.
Ooh, sit down.
I’m comin’ out to find you.
Ooh, yeah. Ooh yeah.
Findin’ my way!
I’ve been gone so long
I’ve lost count of the years.
Well, I sang some sad songs,
oh yes, and cried some bad tears.
Look out! I’m comin’.
Whoa, whoa.
Look out! I’m comin’.
Whoa, yeah.
I’m runnin’,
finding my way back home.
Oh yeah!
Yeah, oh yeah!
Ooh, said I,
I’m comin’ back to look for you.
Ooh, sit down.
I’m goin’ by the back door.
Ooh, yeah. Ooh yeah.
Findin’ my way!
You’ve done me no right,
but you’ve done me some wrong.
Left me lonely each night
while I sing my sad song.
Look out! I’m comin’.
Whoa, whoa.
Look out! I’m comin’.
Whoa, yeah.
I’m runnin’,
findin’ my way back home.
I’m comin’.
Ooh, babe, I said I’m runnin’.
Whoa, babe, I said I’m comin’
to get you, mama.
Said I’m runnin’.
Ooh, babe, I said I’m comin’
for you, babe.
I said I’m runnin’.
Ooh yes, babe, I said I’m comin’
to get you, babe. I said I’m comin’.
Ooh, yeah.
I’m findin’,
I’m findin’ my way back home.
Well, I’ve had it for now,
livin’ on the road.
Ooh, yeah.
Ooh, yeah.
Findin’ my way!
(x)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Yeah, oh yeah!
Ooh, said I,
I’m comin’ out to get you.
Ooh, sit down.
I’m comin’ out to find you.
Ooh, yeah. Ooh yeah.
Findin’ my way!
I’ve been gone so long
I’ve lost count of the years.
Well, I sang some sad songs,
oh yes, and cried some bad tears.
Look out! I’m comin’.
Whoa, whoa.
Look out! I’m comin’.
Whoa, yeah.
I’m runnin’,
finding my way back home.
Oh yeah!
Yeah, oh yeah!
Ooh, said I,
I’m comin’ back to look for you.
Ooh, sit down.
I’m goin’ by the back door.
Ooh, yeah. Ooh yeah.
Findin’ my way!
You’ve done me no right,
but you’ve done me some wrong.
Left me lonely each night
while I sing my sad song.
Look out! I’m comin’.
Whoa, whoa.
Look out! I’m comin’.
Whoa, yeah.
I’m runnin’,
findin’ my way back home.
I’m comin’.
Ooh, babe, I said I’m runnin’.
Whoa, babe, I said I’m comin’
to get you, mama.
Said I’m runnin’.
Ooh, babe, I said I’m comin’
for you, babe.
I said I’m runnin’.
Ooh yes, babe, I said I’m comin’
to get you, babe. I said I’m comin’.
Ooh, yeah.
I’m findin’,
I’m findin’ my way back home.
Well, I’ve had it for now,
livin’ on the road.
Ooh, yeah.
Ooh, yeah.
Findin’ my way!
2Need Some Love (2:19) (lyrics)Yeah, oh yeah!
Ooh, said I,
I’m comin’ out to get you.
Ooh, sit down.
I’m comin’ out to find you.
Ooh, yeah. Ooh yeah.
Findin’ my way!
I’ve been gone so long
I’ve lost count of the years.
Well, I sang some sad songs,
oh yes, and cried some bad tears.
Look out! I’m comin’.
Whoa, whoa.
Look out! I’m comin’.
Whoa, yeah.
I’m runnin’,
finding my way back home.
Oh yeah!
Yeah, oh yeah!
Ooh, said I,
I’m comin’ back to look for you.
Ooh, sit down.
I’m goin’ by the back door.
Ooh, yeah. Ooh yeah.
Findin’ my way!
You’ve done me no right,
but you’ve done me some wrong.
Left me lonely each night
while I sing my sad song.
Look out! I’m comin’.
Whoa, whoa.
Look out! I’m comin’.
Whoa, yeah.
I’m runnin’,
findin’ my way back home.
I’m comin’.
Ooh, babe, I said I’m runnin’.
Whoa, babe, I said I’m comin’
to get you, mama.
Said I’m runnin’.
Ooh, babe, I said I’m comin’
for you, babe.
I said I’m runnin’.
Ooh yes, babe, I said I’m comin’
to get you, babe. I said I’m comin’.
Ooh, yeah.
I’m findin’,
I’m findin’ my way back home.
Well, I’ve had it for now,
livin’ on the road.
Ooh, yeah.
Ooh, yeah.
Findin’ my way!
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
I’m runnin’ here,
I’m runnin’ there.
I’m lookin’ for a girl.
‘Cause there’s nothin’ I need,
there’s nothin’ I want more
in the whole wide world.
Well, I need it quick
and I need it now,
before I start to fade away.
That’s why I’m searchin’,
that’s why I’m lookin’
each and ev’ry day.
Oo, I need some love.
I said I need some love!
Oo yes, I need some love
This feelin’ I can’t rise above.
Yeah, yeah!
Well I been hustlin’ here,
I been hustlin’ there.
I been searchin’ for about a week.
And I started feelin’
this strange sensation.
My knees are startin’ gettin’ weak.
Well I need what keeps
a young man alive;
I’m sayin’ I need it now.
I’m gonna get the message
across to you
someway, somehow.
Oo, I need some love.
I said I need some love!
Oo yes, I need some love
This feelin’ I can’t rise above.
Oo, yeah yeah!
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
I’m runnin’ here,
I’m runnin’ there.
I’m lookin’ for a girl.
‘Cause there’s nothin’ I need,
there’s nothin’ I want more
in the whole wide world.
Well, I need it quick
and I need it now,
before I start to fade away.
That’s why I’m searchin’,
that’s why I’m lookin’
each and ev’ry day.
Oo, I need some love.
I said I need some love!
Oo yes, I need some love
This feelin’ I can’t rise above.
Yeah, yeah!
Well I been hustlin’ here,
I been hustlin’ there.
I been searchin’ for about a week.
And I started feelin’
this strange sensation.
My knees are startin’ gettin’ weak.
Well I need what keeps
a young man alive;
I’m sayin’ I need it now.
I’m gonna get the message
across to you
someway, somehow.
Oo, I need some love.
I said I need some love!
Oo yes, I need some love
This feelin’ I can’t rise above.
Oo, yeah yeah!
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Well, I’m lookin’ at you,
and I’m wond’rin’ what you’re gonna do.
Looks like you got no friends,
no one to stick with you till the end.
Take yourself a friend.
Keep ’em till the end.
Whether woman or man,
it makes you feel so good,
so good.
Yes, you think you’re all right,
and now you’re lonely ev’ry night.
Well, you need a friend,
someone on whom you can always depend.
Take yourself a friend.
Keep ’em till the end.
Whether woman or man,
it makes you feel so good,
so good.
Yes, you need some advice.
Well, let me put it to you nice.
I said you need a friend,
someone who’ll stick with you to the end.
Take yourself a friend.
Keep ’em till the end.
Whether woman or man,
it makes you feel so good,
so good.
(x)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Well, I’m lookin’ at you,
and I’m wond’rin’ what you’re gonna do.
Looks like you got no friends,
no one to stick with you till the end.
Take yourself a friend.
Keep ’em till the end.
Whether woman or man,
it makes you feel so good,
so good.
Yes, you think you’re all right,
and now you’re lonely ev’ry night.
Well, you need a friend,
someone on whom you can always depend.
Take yourself a friend.
Keep ’em till the end.
Whether woman or man,
it makes you feel so good,
so good.
Yes, you need some advice.
Well, let me put it to you nice.
I said you need a friend,
someone who’ll stick with you to the end.
Take yourself a friend.
Keep ’em till the end.
Whether woman or man,
it makes you feel so good,
so good.
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
I said I played this song
so many times before
that the melody keeps repeating
growing new ideas,
flowing chords and notes
like a mountain river bleeding.
Well, I say as I look back,
And all the thoughts I’ve had,
They reflect just what I’m learning.
Yes, you know that the hardest part,
Yes, I say it is to stay on top,
On top of a world forever churning.
Well, you say you can laugh,
But I can see that your eyes are glass.
Well, do you see, can’t you see, what I’m feeling?
Yes, I’ve seen your face before.
Why, I’ve seen it everywhere,
Showing up to me without a scent revealing.
Well, I said will it ever change?
Will it stay the same?
I’d surely like to know before it’s over.
Well, I said I played some.
I said it won’t be long,
Won’t be long before I stop and play it over.
Oh, oh I’ve, I’ve seen your face before.
Is it ever gonna, ever gonna change again?
Oh, oh I’ve, I’ve been in one place too long.
Is it ever gonna, ever gonna change again?
(x)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
I said I played this song
so many times before
that the melody keeps repeating
growing new ideas,
flowing chords and notes
like a mountain river bleeding.
Well, I say as I look back,
And all the thoughts I’ve had,
They reflect just what I’m learning.
Yes, you know that the hardest part,
Yes, I say it is to stay on top,
On top of a world forever churning.
Well, you say you can laugh,
But I can see that your eyes are glass.
Well, do you see, can’t you see, what I’m feeling?
Yes, I’ve seen your face before.
Why, I’ve seen it everywhere,
Showing up to me without a scent revealing.
Well, I said will it ever change?
Will it stay the same?
I’d surely like to know before it’s over.
Well, I said I played some.
I said it won’t be long,
Won’t be long before I stop and play it over.
Oh, oh I’ve, I’ve seen your face before.
Is it ever gonna, ever gonna change again?
Oh, oh I’ve, I’ve been in one place too long.
Is it ever gonna, ever gonna change again?
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Well, I see you standin’ there
with your finger in the air.
Ev’rything we do,
you wanna leave it up to you.
Who do you think you are?
You think you are a star,
try’n’ to run the town,
always try’n’ to put us down.
Well, you think that you’re right.
You think you’re out of sight.
Tell me something, mister;
why’d you have to make us so uptight?
Well, you say you’ve been try’n’.
You know that you’re ly’n’.
I think you need some groovin’.
Who do you think you’re foolin’ now?
Well, you better start changin’.
You life needs rearrangin’.
You better do some talkin’
or you better do some walkin’ now.
Yeah, you think that you’re right.
You think you’re out of sight.
Tell me something, mister;
why’d you have to make us so uptight?
I know what you’re doing,
all that you been doin’ wrong.
I don’t know what you’re feelin’,
oh, but you been feelin’ long.
Well, you think that you’re right.
Tell me something, mister;
why’d you have to make us so uptight?
(x)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Well, I see you standin’ there
with your finger in the air.
Ev’rything we do,
you wanna leave it up to you.
Who do you think you are?
You think you are a star,
try’n’ to run the town,
always try’n’ to put us down.
Well, you think that you’re right.
You think you’re out of sight.
Tell me something, mister;
why’d you have to make us so uptight?
Well, you say you’ve been try’n’.
You know that you’re ly’n’.
I think you need some groovin’.
Who do you think you’re foolin’ now?
Well, you better start changin’.
You life needs rearrangin’.
You better do some talkin’
or you better do some walkin’ now.
Yeah, you think that you’re right.
You think you’re out of sight.
Tell me something, mister;
why’d you have to make us so uptight?
I know what you’re doing,
all that you been doin’ wrong.
I don’t know what you’re feelin’,
oh, but you been feelin’ long.
Well, you think that you’re right.
Tell me something, mister;
why’d you have to make us so uptight?
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee
Hey now, baby,
well, I like your smile.
Won’t you come and talk to me.
for a little while.
Well, you’re makin’ me crazy,
the way you roll them eyes.
Won’t you come and sit with me.
I’ll tell you all my lies.
Hey baby, it’s a quarter to eight.
I feel I’m in the mood.
Hey baby, the hour is late.
I feel I’ve got to move.
Well, hey now, baby,
Don’t you talk so fast.
I’m just try’n’ to make these good times,
I’m try’n’ to make it last.
Ev’rything’s getting hazy.
Now honey, where’d you go?
I just want to find out, baby,
where’d you learn what you know?
Hey baby, it’s a quarter to eight.
I feel I’m in the mood.
Hey baby, the hour is late.
I feel I’ve got to move.
Well, hey now, baby,
said, I like your style.
You really got me, baby,
way down deep inside.
Oo, you drive me crazy.
Baby, you’re the one.
I just want to rock-and-roll you woman,
until the night is gone.
Hey baby, it’s a quarter to eight.
I feel I’m in the mood.
Hey baby, the hour is late.
I feel I’ve got to move.
(x)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee
Hey now, baby,
well, I like your smile.
Won’t you come and talk to me.
for a little while.
Well, you’re makin’ me crazy,
the way you roll them eyes.
Won’t you come and sit with me.
I’ll tell you all my lies.
Hey baby, it’s a quarter to eight.
I feel I’m in the mood.
Hey baby, the hour is late.
I feel I’ve got to move.
Well, hey now, baby,
Don’t you talk so fast.
I’m just try’n’ to make these good times,
I’m try’n’ to make it last.
Ev’rything’s getting hazy.
Now honey, where’d you go?
I just want to find out, baby,
where’d you learn what you know?
Hey baby, it’s a quarter to eight.
I feel I’m in the mood.
Hey baby, the hour is late.
I feel I’ve got to move.
Well, hey now, baby,
said, I like your style.
You really got me, baby,
way down deep inside.
Oo, you drive me crazy.
Baby, you’re the one.
I just want to rock-and-roll you woman,
until the night is gone.
Hey baby, it’s a quarter to eight.
I feel I’m in the mood.
Hey baby, the hour is late.
I feel I’ve got to move.
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Love won’t see my comin’
on a Sunday noon today.
Still don’t believe we’re fadin’,
but now the world should wait.
And now you’re fina’lly list’nin’
to what I have to say.
Well, the time is right,
and it is today.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Maybe we could talk about it
and try to get it straight.
After all these years, baby,
maybe it’s too late.
But I really need to
have you by my side,
And that’s the only feelin’,
baby, I can’t hide.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well you aren’t list’nin’,
I ain’t talkin’,
we ain’t gettin’ nowhere.
I keep tryin’ to get
through to you baby.
All you do is stare.
I don’t wanna see that.
I need you by my side.
Well, I don’t want to be your lover.
Babe, I wanna be your man.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, now my story’s over, baby,
and I ain’t gonna tell it twice.
Well, you better start list’nin’,
or get out of my life.
Or you’re gonna be left out,
I said left out in the cold.
Yeah, before you get my lovin’,babe,
you’ll be too old.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, I’m talkin’ to you baby.
Well, I said
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
(x)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Love won’t see my comin’
on a Sunday noon today.
Still don’t believe we’re fadin’,
but now the world should wait.
And now you’re fina’lly list’nin’
to what I have to say.
Well, the time is right,
and it is today.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Maybe we could talk about it
and try to get it straight.
After all these years, baby,
maybe it’s too late.
But I really need to
have you by my side,
And that’s the only feelin’,
baby, I can’t hide.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well you aren’t list’nin’,
I ain’t talkin’,
we ain’t gettin’ nowhere.
I keep tryin’ to get
through to you baby.
All you do is stare.
I don’t wanna see that.
I need you by my side.
Well, I don’t want to be your lover.
Babe, I wanna be your man.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, now my story’s over, baby,
and I ain’t gonna tell it twice.
Well, you better start list’nin’,
or get out of my life.
Or you’re gonna be left out,
I said left out in the cold.
Yeah, before you get my lovin’,babe,
you’ll be too old.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, I’m talkin’ to you baby.
Well, I said
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
I get up at seven, yeah,
and I go to work at nine.
I got no time for livin’.
Yes, I’m workin’ all the time.
It seems to me
I could live my life
a lot better than I think I am.
I guess that’s why they call me,
they call me the workin’ man.
They call me the workin’ man.
I guess that’s what I am.
I get home at five o’clock,
and I take myself out a nice, cold beer.
Always seem to be wond’rin’
why there’s nothin’ goin’ down here.
It seems to me
I could live my life
a lot better than I think I am.
I guess that’s why they call me,
they call me the workin’ man.
They call me the workin’ man.
I guess that’s what I am.
Well they call me the workin’ man.
I guess that’s what I am.
(x)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
I get up at seven, yeah,
and I go to work at nine.
I got no time for livin’.
Yes, I’m workin’ all the time.
It seems to me
I could live my life
a lot better than I think I am.
I guess that’s why they call me,
they call me the workin’ man.
They call me the workin’ man.
I guess that’s what I am.
I get home at five o’clock,
and I take myself out a nice, cold beer.
Always seem to be wond’rin’
why there’s nothin’ goin’ down here.
It seems to me
I could live my life
a lot better than I think I am.
I guess that’s why they call me,
they call me the workin’ man.
They call me the workin’ man.
I guess that’s what I am.
Well they call me the workin’ man.
I guess that’s what I am.
RUSH
Fly By Night
© 1975 Mercury Records © 1975 Anthem Entertainment , 1975
cd, album
Recorded and Mixed at: Toronto Sound Studios Toronto, Canada By-Tor Characters inspired by: Herns Belated Mention: Mr. O. Scar FOR BEST RESULTS PLAY THIS ALBUM
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1Anthem (4:22) (lyrics)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee
Got a living that’s rough
A future that’s tough
You know what I mean
Blanker’s and boasters
All the bluffers and posers
I’m not into that scene
You can tell me that I’ve got no class
Look around youl see who’s laughing last
Don’t give me speeches ’cause they’re oh so droll
Leave me alone and let me rock and roll
I do the best that I can
I’m just what I am
I do the best I can
I know just what I am
Got an itching to rock
A hate for small talk
I’m funny that way
Got my sights on the stars
Won’t get that far
But I’ll try anyway
I just like to please
Don’t like to tease
I’m easy like that
Don’t like long rests
I must confess
I’m an impatient cat
Rock and rollin’s a scream
Making millions my dream
I do that a lot
But I’ll just give it a try
Won’t let good times pass me by
They’re all I’ve got
(x)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee
Got a living that’s rough
A future that’s tough
You know what I mean
Blanker’s and boasters
All the bluffers and posers
I’m not into that scene
You can tell me that I’ve got no class
Look around youl see who’s laughing last
Don’t give me speeches ’cause they’re oh so droll
Leave me alone and let me rock and roll
I do the best that I can
I’m just what I am
I do the best I can
I know just what I am
Got an itching to rock
A hate for small talk
I’m funny that way
Got my sights on the stars
Won’t get that far
But I’ll try anyway
I just like to please
Don’t like to tease
I’m easy like that
Don’t like long rests
I must confess
I’m an impatient cat
Rock and rollin’s a scream
Making millions my dream
I do that a lot
But I’ll just give it a try
Won’t let good times pass me by
They’re all I’ve got
3Beneath, Between and Behind (3:02) (lyrics)
Music: Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Ten score years ago
Defeat the kingly foe
A wondrous dream came into being
Tame the trackless waste
No virgin land left chaste
All shining eyes but never seeing
Beneath the noble bird
Between the proudest words
Behind the beauty, cracks appear
Once with heads held high
They sang out to the sky
Why do their shadows bow in fear
Watch the cities rise
Another ship arrives
Earth’s melting pot, and ever growing
Fantastic dreams come true
Inventing something new
The greatest minds, but never knowing
The guns replace the plow
Facades are tarnished now
The principles have been betrayed
The dreams’s gone stale
But still let hope prevail
Hope that history’s debt won’t be repaid
(x)
Music: Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Ten score years ago
Defeat the kingly foe
A wondrous dream came into being
Tame the trackless waste
No virgin land left chaste
All shining eyes but never seeing
Beneath the noble bird
Between the proudest words
Behind the beauty, cracks appear
Once with heads held high
They sang out to the sky
Why do their shadows bow in fear
Watch the cities rise
Another ship arrives
Earth’s melting pot, and ever growing
Fantastic dreams come true
Inventing something new
The greatest minds, but never knowing
The guns replace the plow
Facades are tarnished now
The principles have been betrayed
The dreams’s gone stale
But still let hope prevail
Hope that history’s debt won’t be repaid
4By-Tor and the Snowdog (8:37) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
5I. At The Tobes of Hades (lyrics)
I. At The Tobes of Hades
The Tobes of Hades lit by flickering torchlight
The netherworld is gathered in the glare
Prince By-Tor takes the cavern to the northlight
The sign of Eth is rising in the air
By-Tor – Knight of Darkness,
Centurion of evil – Devil’s Prince
(x)
I. At The Tobes of Hades
The Tobes of Hades lit by flickering torchlight
The netherworld is gathered in the glare
Prince By-Tor takes the cavern to the northlight
The sign of Eth is rising in the air
By-Tor – Knight of Darkness,
Centurion of evil – Devil’s Prince
6II. Across The Styx (lyrics)
II. Across the Styx
Across the River Styx out of the lamplight
His nemesis is waiting at the gate
The Snow Dog – ermine glowing in the dampnight
Coal black eyes, shimmering with hate
By-Tor and the Snow Dog
Square for battle, let the fray begin…..
(x)
II. Across the Styx
Across the River Styx out of the lamplight
His nemesis is waiting at the gate
The Snow Dog – ermine glowing in the dampnight
Coal black eyes, shimmering with hate
By-Tor and the Snow Dog
Square for battle, let the fray begin…..
7III. Of The Battle (lyrics)
III. The Battle
i) Challenge And Defiance
ii) 7/4 War Furor
iii) Aftermath
iv) Hymn of Triumph
8IV. Epilogue (lyrics)
IV. Epilogue
The battle over and the dust is clearing
Disciples of the Snow Dog sound the knell
Rejoicing echoes as the dawn is nearing
By-Tor in defeat retreats to Hell
Snow Dog – is victorious
The land of the Overworld is saved again
(x)
IV. Epilogue
The battle over and the dust is clearing
Disciples of the Snow Dog sound the knell
Rejoicing echoes as the dawn is nearing
By-Tor in defeat retreats to Hell
Snow Dog – is victorious
The land of the Overworld is saved again
9Fly By Night (3:21) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Why try, I know why
The feeling inside me says it’s time I was gone
Clear head, new life ahead
I want to be king now not just one more pawn
Fly by night away from here
Change my life again
Fly by night goodbye my dear
My ship isn’t coming and I just can’t pretend
Moon rise, thoughtful eyes
Staring back at me from the window beside
No fright, or hindsight
Leaving behind that empty feeling inside
Start a new chapter
I find what I’m after
Is changing every day
The change of a season
Is enough of a reason
To want to get away
Quiet and pensive
My thoughts apprehensive
The hours drift away
Leaving my homeland
Playing a lonehand
My life begins today
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Why try, I know why
The feeling inside me says it’s time I was gone
Clear head, new life ahead
I want to be king now not just one more pawn
Fly by night away from here
Change my life again
Fly by night goodbye my dear
My ship isn’t coming and I just can’t pretend
Moon rise, thoughtful eyes
Staring back at me from the window beside
No fright, or hindsight
Leaving behind that empty feeling inside
Start a new chapter
I find what I’m after
Is changing every day
The change of a season
Is enough of a reason
To want to get away
Quiet and pensive
My thoughts apprehensive
The hours drift away
Leaving my homeland
Playing a lonehand
My life begins today
10Making Memories (2:58) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
There’s a time for feeling as good as we can
The time is now, and there’s no stopping us
There’s a time for living as high as we can
Behind us you will only see our dust
So we’ll just keep smiling, move onward ev’ry day
Try to keep our thoughts away from home
We’re travelling all around, no time to settle down
Satisfy our wanderlust to roam.
You know we’re having good days
And we hope they’re going to last
Our future still looks brighter
Than our past
We feel no need to worry
No reason to be sad
Our memories remind us
Maybe road life’s not so bad
From sea to shining sea and a hundred points between
Still we go on digging every show
The cities in the land all extend a welcome hand
Till morning when it’s time for us to go.
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
There’s a time for feeling as good as we can
The time is now, and there’s no stopping us
There’s a time for living as high as we can
Behind us you will only see our dust
So we’ll just keep smiling, move onward ev’ry day
Try to keep our thoughts away from home
We’re travelling all around, no time to settle down
Satisfy our wanderlust to roam.
You know we’re having good days
And we hope they’re going to last
Our future still looks brighter
Than our past
We feel no need to worry
No reason to be sad
Our memories remind us
Maybe road life’s not so bad
From sea to shining sea and a hundred points between
Still we go on digging every show
The cities in the land all extend a welcome hand
Till morning when it’s time for us to go.
11Rivendell (4:57) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Sunlight dances through the leaves
Soft winds stir the sighing trees
Lying in the warm grass
Feel the sun upon your face
Elven songs and endless nights
Sweet wine and soft relaxing lights
Time will never touch you
Here in this enchanted place
I’ve traveled now for many miles
It feels so good to see the smiles of
Of friends who never left your mind
When you were far away
From the golden light of coming dawn
Till the twilight when the sun is gone
We treasure every season
And every passing day
You feel there’s something calling you
You’re wanting to return
To where the misty mountains rise
And friendly fires burn
A place you can escape the world
Where the dark lord cannot go
Peace of mind and sanctuary
By loudwater’s flow
We feel the coming of a new day
Darkness gives way to light a new way
Stop here for a while until
The world calls you away
Yet you know I’ve had the feeling
Standing with my senses reeling
This is the place to grow old
Till I reach my final day
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Sunlight dances through the leaves
Soft winds stir the sighing trees
Lying in the warm grass
Feel the sun upon your face
Elven songs and endless nights
Sweet wine and soft relaxing lights
Time will never touch you
Here in this enchanted place
I’ve traveled now for many miles
It feels so good to see the smiles of
Of friends who never left your mind
When you were far away
From the golden light of coming dawn
Till the twilight when the sun is gone
We treasure every season
And every passing day
You feel there’s something calling you
You’re wanting to return
To where the misty mountains rise
And friendly fires burn
A place you can escape the world
Where the dark lord cannot go
Peace of mind and sanctuary
By loudwater’s flow
We feel the coming of a new day
Darkness gives way to light a new way
Stop here for a while until
The world calls you away
Yet you know I’ve had the feeling
Standing with my senses reeling
This is the place to grow old
Till I reach my final day
12In The End (6:47) (lyrics)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
I can see, what you mean
It just takes me longer
I can feel, what you feel
It just makes you stronger
You can take me for a little while
You can take me, you can make me smile….
In the end
I know, I know, I know
The feeling grows
I see, I see, I see
That it’s got to be
I can do, what you do
You just do it better
I can cry, like you cry
It just makes me sadder
I can shine, like you shine
It doesn’t make me brighter
If I think, like you think
It don’t make my load any lighter…
(x)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
I can see, what you mean
It just takes me longer
I can feel, what you feel
It just makes you stronger
You can take me for a little while
You can take me, you can make me smile….
In the end
I know, I know, I know
The feeling grows
I see, I see, I see
That it’s got to be
I can do, what you do
You just do it better
I can cry, like you cry
It just makes me sadder
I can shine, like you shine
It doesn’t make me brighter
If I think, like you think
It don’t make my load any lighter…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Know that your place in life
Is where you want to be
Don’t let them tell you that
You owe it all to me
Keep on looking forward
No use in looking round
Carry your head above the crowd
And they won’t bring you down
Anthem of the heart and mind
A funeral dirge for eyes gone blind
We marvel after those who sought
New wonders in the world they wrought.
Live for yourself, there’s no one else
More worth living for
Begging hands and bleeding hearts
Will only cry for more
Though I know they’ve always
Told you selfishness is wrong
Yet it was for me not you
I came to write this song
(x)
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Know that your place in life
Is where you want to be
Don’t let them tell you that
You owe it all to me
Keep on looking forward
No use in looking round
Carry your head above the crowd
And they won’t bring you down
Anthem of the heart and mind
A funeral dirge for eyes gone blind
We marvel after those who sought
New wonders in the world they wrought.
Live for yourself, there’s no one else
More worth living for
Begging hands and bleeding hearts
Will only cry for more
Though I know they’ve always
Told you selfishness is wrong
Yet it was for me not you
I came to write this song
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Know that your place in life
Is where you want to be
Don’t let them tell you that
You owe it all to me
Keep on looking forward
No use in looking round
Carry your head above the crowd
And they won’t bring you down
Anthem of the heart and mind
A funeral dirge for eyes gone blind
We marvel after those who sought
New wonders in the world they wrought.
Live for yourself, there’s no one else
More worth living for
Begging hands and bleeding hearts
Will only cry for more
Though I know they’ve always
Told you selfishness is wrong
Yet it was for me not you
I came to write this song
2Best I Can (3:25) (lyrics)Lyrics: Neil Peart
Know that your place in life
Is where you want to be
Don’t let them tell you that
You owe it all to me
Keep on looking forward
No use in looking round
Carry your head above the crowd
And they won’t bring you down
Anthem of the heart and mind
A funeral dirge for eyes gone blind
We marvel after those who sought
New wonders in the world they wrought.
Live for yourself, there’s no one else
More worth living for
Begging hands and bleeding hearts
Will only cry for more
Though I know they’ve always
Told you selfishness is wrong
Yet it was for me not you
I came to write this song
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee
Got a living that’s rough
A future that’s tough
You know what I mean
Blanker’s and boasters
All the bluffers and posers
I’m not into that scene
You can tell me that I’ve got no class
Look around youl see who’s laughing last
Don’t give me speeches ’cause they’re oh so droll
Leave me alone and let me rock and roll
I do the best that I can
I’m just what I am
I do the best I can
I know just what I am
Got an itching to rock
A hate for small talk
I’m funny that way
Got my sights on the stars
Won’t get that far
But I’ll try anyway
I just like to please
Don’t like to tease
I’m easy like that
Don’t like long rests
I must confess
I’m an impatient cat
Rock and rollin’s a scream
Making millions my dream
I do that a lot
But I’ll just give it a try
Won’t let good times pass me by
They’re all I’ve got
(x)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee
Got a living that’s rough
A future that’s tough
You know what I mean
Blanker’s and boasters
All the bluffers and posers
I’m not into that scene
You can tell me that I’ve got no class
Look around youl see who’s laughing last
Don’t give me speeches ’cause they’re oh so droll
Leave me alone and let me rock and roll
I do the best that I can
I’m just what I am
I do the best I can
I know just what I am
Got an itching to rock
A hate for small talk
I’m funny that way
Got my sights on the stars
Won’t get that far
But I’ll try anyway
I just like to please
Don’t like to tease
I’m easy like that
Don’t like long rests
I must confess
I’m an impatient cat
Rock and rollin’s a scream
Making millions my dream
I do that a lot
But I’ll just give it a try
Won’t let good times pass me by
They’re all I’ve got
Music: Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Ten score years ago
Defeat the kingly foe
A wondrous dream came into being
Tame the trackless waste
No virgin land left chaste
All shining eyes but never seeing
Beneath the noble bird
Between the proudest words
Behind the beauty, cracks appear
Once with heads held high
They sang out to the sky
Why do their shadows bow in fear
Watch the cities rise
Another ship arrives
Earth’s melting pot, and ever growing
Fantastic dreams come true
Inventing something new
The greatest minds, but never knowing
The guns replace the plow
Facades are tarnished now
The principles have been betrayed
The dreams’s gone stale
But still let hope prevail
Hope that history’s debt won’t be repaid
(x)
Music: Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Ten score years ago
Defeat the kingly foe
A wondrous dream came into being
Tame the trackless waste
No virgin land left chaste
All shining eyes but never seeing
Beneath the noble bird
Between the proudest words
Behind the beauty, cracks appear
Once with heads held high
They sang out to the sky
Why do their shadows bow in fear
Watch the cities rise
Another ship arrives
Earth’s melting pot, and ever growing
Fantastic dreams come true
Inventing something new
The greatest minds, but never knowing
The guns replace the plow
Facades are tarnished now
The principles have been betrayed
The dreams’s gone stale
But still let hope prevail
Hope that history’s debt won’t be repaid
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I. At The Tobes of Hades
The Tobes of Hades lit by flickering torchlight
The netherworld is gathered in the glare
Prince By-Tor takes the cavern to the northlight
The sign of Eth is rising in the air
By-Tor – Knight of Darkness,
Centurion of evil – Devil’s Prince
(x)
I. At The Tobes of Hades
The Tobes of Hades lit by flickering torchlight
The netherworld is gathered in the glare
Prince By-Tor takes the cavern to the northlight
The sign of Eth is rising in the air
By-Tor – Knight of Darkness,
Centurion of evil – Devil’s Prince
II. Across the Styx
Across the River Styx out of the lamplight
His nemesis is waiting at the gate
The Snow Dog – ermine glowing in the dampnight
Coal black eyes, shimmering with hate
By-Tor and the Snow Dog
Square for battle, let the fray begin…..
(x)
II. Across the Styx
Across the River Styx out of the lamplight
His nemesis is waiting at the gate
The Snow Dog – ermine glowing in the dampnight
Coal black eyes, shimmering with hate
By-Tor and the Snow Dog
Square for battle, let the fray begin…..
III. The Battle
i) Challenge And Defiance
ii) 7/4 War Furor
iii) Aftermath
iv) Hymn of Triumph
IV. Epilogue
The battle over and the dust is clearing
Disciples of the Snow Dog sound the knell
Rejoicing echoes as the dawn is nearing
By-Tor in defeat retreats to Hell
Snow Dog – is victorious
The land of the Overworld is saved again
(x)
IV. Epilogue
The battle over and the dust is clearing
Disciples of the Snow Dog sound the knell
Rejoicing echoes as the dawn is nearing
By-Tor in defeat retreats to Hell
Snow Dog – is victorious
The land of the Overworld is saved again
Music: Geddy Lee
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Why try, I know why
The feeling inside me says it’s time I was gone
Clear head, new life ahead
I want to be king now not just one more pawn
Fly by night away from here
Change my life again
Fly by night goodbye my dear
My ship isn’t coming and I just can’t pretend
Moon rise, thoughtful eyes
Staring back at me from the window beside
No fright, or hindsight
Leaving behind that empty feeling inside
Start a new chapter
I find what I’m after
Is changing every day
The change of a season
Is enough of a reason
To want to get away
Quiet and pensive
My thoughts apprehensive
The hours drift away
Leaving my homeland
Playing a lonehand
My life begins today
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Why try, I know why
The feeling inside me says it’s time I was gone
Clear head, new life ahead
I want to be king now not just one more pawn
Fly by night away from here
Change my life again
Fly by night goodbye my dear
My ship isn’t coming and I just can’t pretend
Moon rise, thoughtful eyes
Staring back at me from the window beside
No fright, or hindsight
Leaving behind that empty feeling inside
Start a new chapter
I find what I’m after
Is changing every day
The change of a season
Is enough of a reason
To want to get away
Quiet and pensive
My thoughts apprehensive
The hours drift away
Leaving my homeland
Playing a lonehand
My life begins today
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
There’s a time for feeling as good as we can
The time is now, and there’s no stopping us
There’s a time for living as high as we can
Behind us you will only see our dust
So we’ll just keep smiling, move onward ev’ry day
Try to keep our thoughts away from home
We’re travelling all around, no time to settle down
Satisfy our wanderlust to roam.
You know we’re having good days
And we hope they’re going to last
Our future still looks brighter
Than our past
We feel no need to worry
No reason to be sad
Our memories remind us
Maybe road life’s not so bad
From sea to shining sea and a hundred points between
Still we go on digging every show
The cities in the land all extend a welcome hand
Till morning when it’s time for us to go.
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
There’s a time for feeling as good as we can
The time is now, and there’s no stopping us
There’s a time for living as high as we can
Behind us you will only see our dust
So we’ll just keep smiling, move onward ev’ry day
Try to keep our thoughts away from home
We’re travelling all around, no time to settle down
Satisfy our wanderlust to roam.
You know we’re having good days
And we hope they’re going to last
Our future still looks brighter
Than our past
We feel no need to worry
No reason to be sad
Our memories remind us
Maybe road life’s not so bad
From sea to shining sea and a hundred points between
Still we go on digging every show
The cities in the land all extend a welcome hand
Till morning when it’s time for us to go.
Music: Geddy Lee
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Sunlight dances through the leaves
Soft winds stir the sighing trees
Lying in the warm grass
Feel the sun upon your face
Elven songs and endless nights
Sweet wine and soft relaxing lights
Time will never touch you
Here in this enchanted place
I’ve traveled now for many miles
It feels so good to see the smiles of
Of friends who never left your mind
When you were far away
From the golden light of coming dawn
Till the twilight when the sun is gone
We treasure every season
And every passing day
You feel there’s something calling you
You’re wanting to return
To where the misty mountains rise
And friendly fires burn
A place you can escape the world
Where the dark lord cannot go
Peace of mind and sanctuary
By loudwater’s flow
We feel the coming of a new day
Darkness gives way to light a new way
Stop here for a while until
The world calls you away
Yet you know I’ve had the feeling
Standing with my senses reeling
This is the place to grow old
Till I reach my final day
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Sunlight dances through the leaves
Soft winds stir the sighing trees
Lying in the warm grass
Feel the sun upon your face
Elven songs and endless nights
Sweet wine and soft relaxing lights
Time will never touch you
Here in this enchanted place
I’ve traveled now for many miles
It feels so good to see the smiles of
Of friends who never left your mind
When you were far away
From the golden light of coming dawn
Till the twilight when the sun is gone
We treasure every season
And every passing day
You feel there’s something calling you
You’re wanting to return
To where the misty mountains rise
And friendly fires burn
A place you can escape the world
Where the dark lord cannot go
Peace of mind and sanctuary
By loudwater’s flow
We feel the coming of a new day
Darkness gives way to light a new way
Stop here for a while until
The world calls you away
Yet you know I’ve had the feeling
Standing with my senses reeling
This is the place to grow old
Till I reach my final day
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
I can see, what you mean
It just takes me longer
I can feel, what you feel
It just makes you stronger
You can take me for a little while
You can take me, you can make me smile….
In the end
I know, I know, I know
The feeling grows
I see, I see, I see
That it’s got to be
I can do, what you do
You just do it better
I can cry, like you cry
It just makes me sadder
I can shine, like you shine
It doesn’t make me brighter
If I think, like you think
It don’t make my load any lighter…
(x)
Music and Lyrics: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
I can see, what you mean
It just takes me longer
I can feel, what you feel
It just makes you stronger
You can take me for a little while
You can take me, you can make me smile….
In the end
I know, I know, I know
The feeling grows
I see, I see, I see
That it’s got to be
I can do, what you do
You just do it better
I can cry, like you cry
It just makes me sadder
I can shine, like you shine
It doesn’t make me brighter
If I think, like you think
It don’t make my load any lighter…
RUSH
Caress of Steel
© 1975 Mercury Records © 1975 Anthem Entertainment , 1975
cd, album
Recorded and mixed at Toronto Sound Studios Toronto, Canada A personal thank you, Terry, for your intimate courtesy and native grace of favour. Dedicated to the memory of Mr. Rod Serling
Buy this record
1Bastille Day (4:37) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I looked in the mirror today
My eyes just didn’t seem so bright
I’ve lost a few more hairs;
I think I’m going bald
I think I’m going bald
Seems like only yesterday
We would sit and talk of dreams all night
Dreams of youth
And simple truths
Now we’re so involved
So involved with life
Walk down vanity fair
Memory lane everywhere
Wall Street shuffles there
Dressed in flowing hair
Once we loved the flowers
Now we ask the price of the land
Once we would take water
But now it must be wine
Now we’ve been
And now we’ve seen
What price peace of mind
Take a piece of my mind
My life is slipping away
I’m aging every day
But even when I’m grey
I’ll still be grey my way
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I looked in the mirror today
My eyes just didn’t seem so bright
I’ve lost a few more hairs;
I think I’m going bald
I think I’m going bald
Seems like only yesterday
We would sit and talk of dreams all night
Dreams of youth
And simple truths
Now we’re so involved
So involved with life
Walk down vanity fair
Memory lane everywhere
Wall Street shuffles there
Dressed in flowing hair
Once we loved the flowers
Now we ask the price of the land
Once we would take water
But now it must be wine
Now we’ve been
And now we’ve seen
What price peace of mind
Take a piece of my mind
My life is slipping away
I’m aging every day
But even when I’m grey
I’ll still be grey my way
3Lakeside Park (4:08) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Midway hawkers calling
Try your luck with me
Merry-go-round wheezing
The same old melody
A thousand ten cent wonders
Who could ask for more
A pocketful of silver
The key to heaven’s door
Lakeside Park
Willows in the breeze
Lakeside Park
So many memories
Laughing rides
Midway lights
Shining stars on summer nights
Days of barefoot freedom
Racing with the waves
Nights of starlit secrets
Crackling driftwood flames
Drinking by the lighthouse
Smoking on the pier (not listed on lyric sheet)
Still we saw the magic
Fading every year
Everyone would gather
On the twenty fourth of May
Sitting in the sand
To watch the fireworks display
Dancing fires on the beach
Singing songs together
Though it’s just a memory
Some memories last forever
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Midway hawkers calling
Try your luck with me
Merry-go-round wheezing
The same old melody
A thousand ten cent wonders
Who could ask for more
A pocketful of silver
The key to heaven’s door
Lakeside Park
Willows in the breeze
Lakeside Park
So many memories
Laughing rides
Midway lights
Shining stars on summer nights
Days of barefoot freedom
Racing with the waves
Nights of starlit secrets
Crackling driftwood flames
Drinking by the lighthouse
Smoking on the pier (not listed on lyric sheet)
Still we saw the magic
Fading every year
Everyone would gather
On the twenty fourth of May
Sitting in the sand
To watch the fireworks display
Dancing fires on the beach
Singing songs together
Though it’s just a memory
Some memories last forever
4The Necromancer (12:30) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
5I. Into Darkness (4:12) (lyrics)
I. Into Darkness
As grey traces of dawn tinge the eastern sky, the three travelers, men of Willow Dale, emerge from the forest shadow. Fording the River Dawn, they turn south, journeying into the dark and forbidding lands of the Necromancer. Even now the intensity of his dread power can be felt, weakening the body and saddening the heart. Ultimately they will become empty, mindless spectres. Stripped of will and soul. Only a thirst for freedom gives them hunger for vengeance…
Silence shrouds the forest
As the birds announce the dawn
Three travellers ford the river
And southward journey on
The road is lined with peril
The air is charged with fear
The shadow of his nearness
Weighs like iron tears
(x)
I. Into Darkness
As grey traces of dawn tinge the eastern sky, the three travelers, men of Willow Dale, emerge from the forest shadow. Fording the River Dawn, they turn south, journeying into the dark and forbidding lands of the Necromancer. Even now the intensity of his dread power can be felt, weakening the body and saddening the heart. Ultimately they will become empty, mindless spectres. Stripped of will and soul. Only a thirst for freedom gives them hunger for vengeance…
Silence shrouds the forest
As the birds announce the dawn
Three travellers ford the river
And southward journey on
The road is lined with peril
The air is charged with fear
The shadow of his nearness
Weighs like iron tears
6II. Under The Shadow (4:25) (lyrics)
II. Under the Shadow
Shreds of black cloud loom in overcast skies, the Necromancer keeps watch with his magic prism eyes. He views all his lands and is already aware of the three helpless invaders trapped in his lair…
Brooding in the tower
Watching o’er his land
Holding every creature
Helplessly they stand
Gaze into his prisms
Knowing they are near
Lead them to the dungeons
Spectres numb with fear
They bow defeated
(x)
II. Under the Shadow
Shreds of black cloud loom in overcast skies, the Necromancer keeps watch with his magic prism eyes. He views all his lands and is already aware of the three helpless invaders trapped in his lair…
Brooding in the tower
Watching o’er his land
Holding every creature
Helplessly they stand
Gaze into his prisms
Knowing they are near
Lead them to the dungeons
Spectres numb with fear
They bow defeated
7III. Return of the Prince (3:52) (lyrics)
III. Return of the Prince
Enter, the Champion, Prince By-Tor appears to battle for freedom from chains of long years. The spell has been broken…the Dark Lands are bright, the Wraith of the Necromancer soars away…in the night
Stealthily attacking
By-Tor slays his foe
The men are free to run now
From labyrinths below
The Wraith of Necromancer
Shadows through the sky
Another land to darken
With evil prism eye…
Terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus
(x)
III. Return of the Prince
Enter, the Champion, Prince By-Tor appears to battle for freedom from chains of long years. The spell has been broken…the Dark Lands are bright, the Wraith of the Necromancer soars away…in the night
Stealthily attacking
By-Tor slays his foe
The men are free to run now
From labyrinths below
The Wraith of Necromancer
Shadows through the sky
Another land to darken
With evil prism eye…
Terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus
8The Fountain of Lamneth (19:59) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart except “Panacea” and “Bacchus Plateau” – Music: Geddy Lee/Lyrics: Neil Peart
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart except “Panacea” and “Bacchus Plateau” – Music: Geddy Lee/Lyrics: Neil Peart
9I. In the Valley (4:18) (lyrics)
I. In the Valley
I am born
I am me
I am new
I am free
Look at me
I am young
Sight unseen
Life unsung…
My eyes have just been opened
And they’re open very wide
Images around me
Don’t identify inside
Just one blur I recognize
The one that soothes and feeds
My way of life is easy
And as simple are my needs
Yet my eyes are drawn toward
The mountain in the east
Fascinates and captivates
Gives my heart no peace
The mountain holds the sunrise
In the prison of the night
Till bursting forth from rocky chains
The valley floods with light
Living one long sunrise
For to me all things are new
I’ve never watched the sky grow pale
Or strolled through fields of dew
I do not know of dust to dust
I live from breath to breath
I live to climb that mountain to
The Fountain of Lamneth
(x)
I. In the Valley
I am born
I am me
I am new
I am free
Look at me
I am young
Sight unseen
Life unsung…
My eyes have just been opened
And they’re open very wide
Images around me
Don’t identify inside
Just one blur I recognize
The one that soothes and feeds
My way of life is easy
And as simple are my needs
Yet my eyes are drawn toward
The mountain in the east
Fascinates and captivates
Gives my heart no peace
The mountain holds the sunrise
In the prison of the night
Till bursting forth from rocky chains
The valley floods with light
Living one long sunrise
For to me all things are new
I’ve never watched the sky grow pale
Or strolled through fields of dew
I do not know of dust to dust
I live from breath to breath
I live to climb that mountain to
The Fountain of Lamneth
10II. Didacts and Narpets (1:00) (lyrics)
II. Didacts and Narpets
Unofficial lyrics that were not included in the album lyric sheet
Stay!
Go!
Work!
No!
Think!
Live!
Earn!
Give!
Wait!
Fight!
Laugh!
Right!
Listen…
(x)
II. Didacts and Narpets
Unofficial lyrics that were not included in the album lyric sheet
Stay!
Go!
Work!
No!
Think!
Live!
Earn!
Give!
Wait!
Fight!
Laugh!
Right!
Listen…
11III. No One at the Bridge (4:19) (lyrics)
III. No One At the Bridge
Crying back to consciousness
The coldness grips my skin
The sky is pitching violently
Drawn by shrieking winds
Seaspray blurs my vision
Waves roll by so fast
Save my ship of freedom
I’m lashed helpless to the mast
Call out for direction
And there’s no one there to steer
Shout out for salvation
But there’s no one there to hear
Cry out supplication
For the maelstrom is near
Scream out desperation
But no one cares to hear
Remembering when first I held
The wheel in my own hands
I took the helm so eagerly
And sailed for distant lands
But now the sea’s too heavy
And I just don’t understand
Why must my crew desert me
When I need a guiding hand
(x)
III. No One At the Bridge
Crying back to consciousness
The coldness grips my skin
The sky is pitching violently
Drawn by shrieking winds
Seaspray blurs my vision
Waves roll by so fast
Save my ship of freedom
I’m lashed helpless to the mast
Call out for direction
And there’s no one there to steer
Shout out for salvation
But there’s no one there to hear
Cry out supplication
For the maelstrom is near
Scream out desperation
But no one cares to hear
Remembering when first I held
The wheel in my own hands
I took the helm so eagerly
And sailed for distant lands
But now the sea’s too heavy
And I just don’t understand
Why must my crew desert me
When I need a guiding hand
12IV. Panacea (3:14) (lyrics)
IV. Panacea
The whiteness of confusion
Is unfolding from my mind
I stare around in wonder
Have I left my life behind
I catch the scent of ambergris
And turn my head… surprised
My gaze is caught and held
And I am helpless, mesmerized
Panacea ~ liquid grace
Oh let me touch your fragile face
Enchantment falls around me
And I know I cannot leave
Here’s a meaning for my life
A shelter from the storm
Pacify my troubles with
Her body soft and warm
Naked in our unity
A smile for every tear
Gentle hands that promise me
Comfort through the years
Yet I know I must be gone
Before the light of dawn
Panacea ~ passion pure
I can’t resist your gentle lure
My heart will lie beside you
And my wandering body grieves
(x)
IV. Panacea
The whiteness of confusion
Is unfolding from my mind
I stare around in wonder
Have I left my life behind
I catch the scent of ambergris
And turn my head… surprised
My gaze is caught and held
And I am helpless, mesmerized
Panacea ~ liquid grace
Oh let me touch your fragile face
Enchantment falls around me
And I know I cannot leave
Here’s a meaning for my life
A shelter from the storm
Pacify my troubles with
Her body soft and warm
Naked in our unity
A smile for every tear
Gentle hands that promise me
Comfort through the years
Yet I know I must be gone
Before the light of dawn
Panacea ~ passion pure
I can’t resist your gentle lure
My heart will lie beside you
And my wandering body grieves
13V. Bacchus Plateau (3:13) (lyrics)
V. Bacchus Plateau
Another endless day
Silhouettes of grey
Another glass of wine
Drink with eyes that shine
To days without that chill at morning
Nights time out of mind
Draw another goblet
From the cask of ’43
Crimson misty memory
Hazy glimpse of me
Give me back my wonder
~ I’ve something more to give
I guess it doesn’t matter
~ There’s not much more to live
Another foggy dawn
The mountain almost gone
Another doubtful fear
The road is not so clear
My soul grows ever weary, and…
The end is ever near
(x)
V. Bacchus Plateau
Another endless day
Silhouettes of grey
Another glass of wine
Drink with eyes that shine
To days without that chill at morning
Nights time out of mind
Draw another goblet
From the cask of ’43
Crimson misty memory
Hazy glimpse of me
Give me back my wonder
~ I’ve something more to give
I guess it doesn’t matter
~ There’s not much more to live
Another foggy dawn
The mountain almost gone
Another doubtful fear
The road is not so clear
My soul grows ever weary, and…
The end is ever near
14VI. The Fountain (3:49) (lyrics)
VI. The Fountain
Look…the mist is rising
And the sun is peaking through
See, the steps grow lighter
As I reach their final few
Hear, the dancing waters
I must be drawing near
Feel, my heart is pounding
With embattled hope and fear
Now, at last I fall before
The Fountain of Lamneth
I thought I would be singing
But I’m tired… out of breath
Many journeys end here
But, the secret’s told the same
Life is just a candle
And a dream must give it flame’
The key, the end, the answer
Stripped of their disguise
Still it’s all confusion
And tears spring to my eyes
Though I’ve reached a signpost
It’s really not the end
Like Old Sol’ behind the mountain
I’ll be coming up again…
I’m in motion
I am still
I am crying
I am still
I’m together
I’m apart
I’m forever
At the start
Still… I am
(x)
VI. The Fountain
Look…the mist is rising
And the sun is peaking through
See, the steps grow lighter
As I reach their final few
Hear, the dancing waters
I must be drawing near
Feel, my heart is pounding
With embattled hope and fear
Now, at last I fall before
The Fountain of Lamneth
I thought I would be singing
But I’m tired… out of breath
Many journeys end here
But, the secret’s told the same
Life is just a candle
And a dream must give it flame’
The key, the end, the answer
Stripped of their disguise
Still it’s all confusion
And tears spring to my eyes
Though I’ve reached a signpost
It’s really not the end
Like Old Sol’ behind the mountain
I’ll be coming up again…
I’m in motion
I am still
I am crying
I am still
I’m together
I’m apart
I’m forever
At the start
Still… I am
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
There’s no bread let them eat cake
There’s no end to what they’ll take
Flaunt the fruits of noble birth
Wash the salt into the earth
But they’re marching to Bastille Day
La guillotine will claim her bloody prize
Free the dungeons of the innocent
The king will kneel, and let his kingdom rise
Bloodstained velvet, dirty lace
Naked fear on every face
See them bow their heads to die
As we would bow as they rode by
And we’re marching to Bastille Day
La guillotine will claim her bloody prize
Sing, o choirs of cacophony
The king has kneeled, to let his kingdom rise.
Lessons taught, but never learned
All around us anger burns
Guide the future by the past
Long ago the mould was cast
For they marched up to Bastille Day
La guillotine – claimed her bloody prize
Hear the echoes of the centuries
Power isn’t all that money buys
(x)
Lyrics: Neil Peart
There’s no bread let them eat cake
There’s no end to what they’ll take
Flaunt the fruits of noble birth
Wash the salt into the earth
But they’re marching to Bastille Day
La guillotine will claim her bloody prize
Free the dungeons of the innocent
The king will kneel, and let his kingdom rise
Bloodstained velvet, dirty lace
Naked fear on every face
See them bow their heads to die
As we would bow as they rode by
And we’re marching to Bastille Day
La guillotine will claim her bloody prize
Sing, o choirs of cacophony
The king has kneeled, to let his kingdom rise.
Lessons taught, but never learned
All around us anger burns
Guide the future by the past
Long ago the mould was cast
For they marched up to Bastille Day
La guillotine – claimed her bloody prize
Hear the echoes of the centuries
Power isn’t all that money buys
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
There’s no bread let them eat cake
There’s no end to what they’ll take
Flaunt the fruits of noble birth
Wash the salt into the earth
But they’re marching to Bastille Day
La guillotine will claim her bloody prize
Free the dungeons of the innocent
The king will kneel, and let his kingdom rise
Bloodstained velvet, dirty lace
Naked fear on every face
See them bow their heads to die
As we would bow as they rode by
And we’re marching to Bastille Day
La guillotine will claim her bloody prize
Sing, o choirs of cacophony
The king has kneeled, to let his kingdom rise.
Lessons taught, but never learned
All around us anger burns
Guide the future by the past
Long ago the mould was cast
For they marched up to Bastille Day
La guillotine – claimed her bloody prize
Hear the echoes of the centuries
Power isn’t all that money buys
2I Think I'm Going Bald (3:37) (lyrics)Lyrics: Neil Peart
There’s no bread let them eat cake
There’s no end to what they’ll take
Flaunt the fruits of noble birth
Wash the salt into the earth
But they’re marching to Bastille Day
La guillotine will claim her bloody prize
Free the dungeons of the innocent
The king will kneel, and let his kingdom rise
Bloodstained velvet, dirty lace
Naked fear on every face
See them bow their heads to die
As we would bow as they rode by
And we’re marching to Bastille Day
La guillotine will claim her bloody prize
Sing, o choirs of cacophony
The king has kneeled, to let his kingdom rise.
Lessons taught, but never learned
All around us anger burns
Guide the future by the past
Long ago the mould was cast
For they marched up to Bastille Day
La guillotine – claimed her bloody prize
Hear the echoes of the centuries
Power isn’t all that money buys
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I looked in the mirror today
My eyes just didn’t seem so bright
I’ve lost a few more hairs;
I think I’m going bald
I think I’m going bald
Seems like only yesterday
We would sit and talk of dreams all night
Dreams of youth
And simple truths
Now we’re so involved
So involved with life
Walk down vanity fair
Memory lane everywhere
Wall Street shuffles there
Dressed in flowing hair
Once we loved the flowers
Now we ask the price of the land
Once we would take water
But now it must be wine
Now we’ve been
And now we’ve seen
What price peace of mind
Take a piece of my mind
My life is slipping away
I’m aging every day
But even when I’m grey
I’ll still be grey my way
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I looked in the mirror today
My eyes just didn’t seem so bright
I’ve lost a few more hairs;
I think I’m going bald
I think I’m going bald
Seems like only yesterday
We would sit and talk of dreams all night
Dreams of youth
And simple truths
Now we’re so involved
So involved with life
Walk down vanity fair
Memory lane everywhere
Wall Street shuffles there
Dressed in flowing hair
Once we loved the flowers
Now we ask the price of the land
Once we would take water
But now it must be wine
Now we’ve been
And now we’ve seen
What price peace of mind
Take a piece of my mind
My life is slipping away
I’m aging every day
But even when I’m grey
I’ll still be grey my way
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Midway hawkers calling
Try your luck with me
Merry-go-round wheezing
The same old melody
A thousand ten cent wonders
Who could ask for more
A pocketful of silver
The key to heaven’s door
Lakeside Park
Willows in the breeze
Lakeside Park
So many memories
Laughing rides
Midway lights
Shining stars on summer nights
Days of barefoot freedom
Racing with the waves
Nights of starlit secrets
Crackling driftwood flames
Drinking by the lighthouse
Smoking on the pier (not listed on lyric sheet)
Still we saw the magic
Fading every year
Everyone would gather
On the twenty fourth of May
Sitting in the sand
To watch the fireworks display
Dancing fires on the beach
Singing songs together
Though it’s just a memory
Some memories last forever
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Midway hawkers calling
Try your luck with me
Merry-go-round wheezing
The same old melody
A thousand ten cent wonders
Who could ask for more
A pocketful of silver
The key to heaven’s door
Lakeside Park
Willows in the breeze
Lakeside Park
So many memories
Laughing rides
Midway lights
Shining stars on summer nights
Days of barefoot freedom
Racing with the waves
Nights of starlit secrets
Crackling driftwood flames
Drinking by the lighthouse
Smoking on the pier (not listed on lyric sheet)
Still we saw the magic
Fading every year
Everyone would gather
On the twenty fourth of May
Sitting in the sand
To watch the fireworks display
Dancing fires on the beach
Singing songs together
Though it’s just a memory
Some memories last forever
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I. Into Darkness
As grey traces of dawn tinge the eastern sky, the three travelers, men of Willow Dale, emerge from the forest shadow. Fording the River Dawn, they turn south, journeying into the dark and forbidding lands of the Necromancer. Even now the intensity of his dread power can be felt, weakening the body and saddening the heart. Ultimately they will become empty, mindless spectres. Stripped of will and soul. Only a thirst for freedom gives them hunger for vengeance…
Silence shrouds the forest
As the birds announce the dawn
Three travellers ford the river
And southward journey on
The road is lined with peril
The air is charged with fear
The shadow of his nearness
Weighs like iron tears
(x)
I. Into Darkness
As grey traces of dawn tinge the eastern sky, the three travelers, men of Willow Dale, emerge from the forest shadow. Fording the River Dawn, they turn south, journeying into the dark and forbidding lands of the Necromancer. Even now the intensity of his dread power can be felt, weakening the body and saddening the heart. Ultimately they will become empty, mindless spectres. Stripped of will and soul. Only a thirst for freedom gives them hunger for vengeance…
Silence shrouds the forest
As the birds announce the dawn
Three travellers ford the river
And southward journey on
The road is lined with peril
The air is charged with fear
The shadow of his nearness
Weighs like iron tears
II. Under the Shadow
Shreds of black cloud loom in overcast skies, the Necromancer keeps watch with his magic prism eyes. He views all his lands and is already aware of the three helpless invaders trapped in his lair…
Brooding in the tower
Watching o’er his land
Holding every creature
Helplessly they stand
Gaze into his prisms
Knowing they are near
Lead them to the dungeons
Spectres numb with fear
They bow defeated
(x)
II. Under the Shadow
Shreds of black cloud loom in overcast skies, the Necromancer keeps watch with his magic prism eyes. He views all his lands and is already aware of the three helpless invaders trapped in his lair…
Brooding in the tower
Watching o’er his land
Holding every creature
Helplessly they stand
Gaze into his prisms
Knowing they are near
Lead them to the dungeons
Spectres numb with fear
They bow defeated
III. Return of the Prince
Enter, the Champion, Prince By-Tor appears to battle for freedom from chains of long years. The spell has been broken…the Dark Lands are bright, the Wraith of the Necromancer soars away…in the night
Stealthily attacking
By-Tor slays his foe
The men are free to run now
From labyrinths below
The Wraith of Necromancer
Shadows through the sky
Another land to darken
With evil prism eye…
Terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus
(x)
III. Return of the Prince
Enter, the Champion, Prince By-Tor appears to battle for freedom from chains of long years. The spell has been broken…the Dark Lands are bright, the Wraith of the Necromancer soars away…in the night
Stealthily attacking
By-Tor slays his foe
The men are free to run now
From labyrinths below
The Wraith of Necromancer
Shadows through the sky
Another land to darken
With evil prism eye…
Terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart except “Panacea” and “Bacchus Plateau” – Music: Geddy Lee/Lyrics: Neil Peart
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart except “Panacea” and “Bacchus Plateau” – Music: Geddy Lee/Lyrics: Neil Peart
I. In the Valley
I am born
I am me
I am new
I am free
Look at me
I am young
Sight unseen
Life unsung…
My eyes have just been opened
And they’re open very wide
Images around me
Don’t identify inside
Just one blur I recognize
The one that soothes and feeds
My way of life is easy
And as simple are my needs
Yet my eyes are drawn toward
The mountain in the east
Fascinates and captivates
Gives my heart no peace
The mountain holds the sunrise
In the prison of the night
Till bursting forth from rocky chains
The valley floods with light
Living one long sunrise
For to me all things are new
I’ve never watched the sky grow pale
Or strolled through fields of dew
I do not know of dust to dust
I live from breath to breath
I live to climb that mountain to
The Fountain of Lamneth
(x)
I. In the Valley
I am born
I am me
I am new
I am free
Look at me
I am young
Sight unseen
Life unsung…
My eyes have just been opened
And they’re open very wide
Images around me
Don’t identify inside
Just one blur I recognize
The one that soothes and feeds
My way of life is easy
And as simple are my needs
Yet my eyes are drawn toward
The mountain in the east
Fascinates and captivates
Gives my heart no peace
The mountain holds the sunrise
In the prison of the night
Till bursting forth from rocky chains
The valley floods with light
Living one long sunrise
For to me all things are new
I’ve never watched the sky grow pale
Or strolled through fields of dew
I do not know of dust to dust
I live from breath to breath
I live to climb that mountain to
The Fountain of Lamneth
II. Didacts and Narpets
Unofficial lyrics that were not included in the album lyric sheet
Stay!
Go!
Work!
No!
Think!
Live!
Earn!
Give!
Wait!
Fight!
Laugh!
Right!
Listen…
(x)
II. Didacts and Narpets
Unofficial lyrics that were not included in the album lyric sheet
Stay!
Go!
Work!
No!
Think!
Live!
Earn!
Give!
Wait!
Fight!
Laugh!
Right!
Listen…
III. No One At the Bridge
Crying back to consciousness
The coldness grips my skin
The sky is pitching violently
Drawn by shrieking winds
Seaspray blurs my vision
Waves roll by so fast
Save my ship of freedom
I’m lashed helpless to the mast
Call out for direction
And there’s no one there to steer
Shout out for salvation
But there’s no one there to hear
Cry out supplication
For the maelstrom is near
Scream out desperation
But no one cares to hear
Remembering when first I held
The wheel in my own hands
I took the helm so eagerly
And sailed for distant lands
But now the sea’s too heavy
And I just don’t understand
Why must my crew desert me
When I need a guiding hand
(x)
III. No One At the Bridge
Crying back to consciousness
The coldness grips my skin
The sky is pitching violently
Drawn by shrieking winds
Seaspray blurs my vision
Waves roll by so fast
Save my ship of freedom
I’m lashed helpless to the mast
Call out for direction
And there’s no one there to steer
Shout out for salvation
But there’s no one there to hear
Cry out supplication
For the maelstrom is near
Scream out desperation
But no one cares to hear
Remembering when first I held
The wheel in my own hands
I took the helm so eagerly
And sailed for distant lands
But now the sea’s too heavy
And I just don’t understand
Why must my crew desert me
When I need a guiding hand
IV. Panacea
The whiteness of confusion
Is unfolding from my mind
I stare around in wonder
Have I left my life behind
I catch the scent of ambergris
And turn my head… surprised
My gaze is caught and held
And I am helpless, mesmerized
Panacea ~ liquid grace
Oh let me touch your fragile face
Enchantment falls around me
And I know I cannot leave
Here’s a meaning for my life
A shelter from the storm
Pacify my troubles with
Her body soft and warm
Naked in our unity
A smile for every tear
Gentle hands that promise me
Comfort through the years
Yet I know I must be gone
Before the light of dawn
Panacea ~ passion pure
I can’t resist your gentle lure
My heart will lie beside you
And my wandering body grieves
(x)
IV. Panacea
The whiteness of confusion
Is unfolding from my mind
I stare around in wonder
Have I left my life behind
I catch the scent of ambergris
And turn my head… surprised
My gaze is caught and held
And I am helpless, mesmerized
Panacea ~ liquid grace
Oh let me touch your fragile face
Enchantment falls around me
And I know I cannot leave
Here’s a meaning for my life
A shelter from the storm
Pacify my troubles with
Her body soft and warm
Naked in our unity
A smile for every tear
Gentle hands that promise me
Comfort through the years
Yet I know I must be gone
Before the light of dawn
Panacea ~ passion pure
I can’t resist your gentle lure
My heart will lie beside you
And my wandering body grieves
V. Bacchus Plateau
Another endless day
Silhouettes of grey
Another glass of wine
Drink with eyes that shine
To days without that chill at morning
Nights time out of mind
Draw another goblet
From the cask of ’43
Crimson misty memory
Hazy glimpse of me
Give me back my wonder
~ I’ve something more to give
I guess it doesn’t matter
~ There’s not much more to live
Another foggy dawn
The mountain almost gone
Another doubtful fear
The road is not so clear
My soul grows ever weary, and…
The end is ever near
(x)
V. Bacchus Plateau
Another endless day
Silhouettes of grey
Another glass of wine
Drink with eyes that shine
To days without that chill at morning
Nights time out of mind
Draw another goblet
From the cask of ’43
Crimson misty memory
Hazy glimpse of me
Give me back my wonder
~ I’ve something more to give
I guess it doesn’t matter
~ There’s not much more to live
Another foggy dawn
The mountain almost gone
Another doubtful fear
The road is not so clear
My soul grows ever weary, and…
The end is ever near
VI. The Fountain
Look…the mist is rising
And the sun is peaking through
See, the steps grow lighter
As I reach their final few
Hear, the dancing waters
I must be drawing near
Feel, my heart is pounding
With embattled hope and fear
Now, at last I fall before
The Fountain of Lamneth
I thought I would be singing
But I’m tired… out of breath
Many journeys end here
But, the secret’s told the same
Life is just a candle
And a dream must give it flame’
The key, the end, the answer
Stripped of their disguise
Still it’s all confusion
And tears spring to my eyes
Though I’ve reached a signpost
It’s really not the end
Like Old Sol’ behind the mountain
I’ll be coming up again…
I’m in motion
I am still
I am crying
I am still
I’m together
I’m apart
I’m forever
At the start
Still… I am
(x)
VI. The Fountain
Look…the mist is rising
And the sun is peaking through
See, the steps grow lighter
As I reach their final few
Hear, the dancing waters
I must be drawing near
Feel, my heart is pounding
With embattled hope and fear
Now, at last I fall before
The Fountain of Lamneth
I thought I would be singing
But I’m tired… out of breath
Many journeys end here
But, the secret’s told the same
Life is just a candle
And a dream must give it flame’
The key, the end, the answer
Stripped of their disguise
Still it’s all confusion
And tears spring to my eyes
Though I’ve reached a signpost
It’s really not the end
Like Old Sol’ behind the mountain
I’ll be coming up again…
I’m in motion
I am still
I am crying
I am still
I’m together
I’m apart
I’m forever
At the start
Still… I am
RUSH
2112
© 1976 Mercury Records © 1976 Anthem Entertainment , 1976
cd, album
Recorded and mixed at Toronto Sound Studios Toronto, Ontario
Buy this record
12112 (20:34) (lyrics)
I. Overture
“And the meek shall inherit the earth.”
3II. Temples of Syrinx (2:13) (lyrics)
II. Temples of Syrinx
“…The massive grey walls of the Temples rise from the Heart of every Federation city. I have always been awed by them, to think that every single facet of every life is regulated and directed from within! Our books, our music, our work and play are all looked after by the benevolent wisdom of the priests…”
We’ve taken care of everything
The words you read
The songs you sing
The pictures that give pleasure
To your eye
One for all and all for one
Work together
Common sons
Never need to wonder
How or why
We are the Priests
Of the Temples of Syrinx
Our great computers
Fill the hallowed halls
We are the Priests
Of the Temples of Syrinx
All the gifts of life
Are held within our walls
Look around this world we made
Equality
Our stock in trade
Come and join the Brotherhood
Of Man
What a nice contented world
Let the banners
Be unfurled
Hold the Red Star proudly
High in hand.
(x)
II. Temples of Syrinx
“…The massive grey walls of the Temples rise from the Heart of every Federation city. I have always been awed by them, to think that every single facet of every life is regulated and directed from within! Our books, our music, our work and play are all looked after by the benevolent wisdom of the priests…”
We’ve taken care of everything
The words you read
The songs you sing
The pictures that give pleasure
To your eye
One for all and all for one
Work together
Common sons
Never need to wonder
How or why
We are the Priests
Of the Temples of Syrinx
Our great computers
Fill the hallowed halls
We are the Priests
Of the Temples of Syrinx
All the gifts of life
Are held within our walls
Look around this world we made
Equality
Our stock in trade
Come and join the Brotherhood
Of Man
What a nice contented world
Let the banners
Be unfurled
Hold the Red Star proudly
High in hand.
4III. Discovery (3:29) (lyrics)
III. Discovery
“…Behind my beloved waterfall, in the little room that was hidden beneath the cave, I found it. I brushed away the dust of the years, and picked it up, holding it reverently in my hands. I had no idea what it might be, but it was beautiful…”
“…I learned to lay my fingers across the wires, and to turn the keys to make them sound differently. As I struck the wires with my other hand, I produced my first harmonious sounds, and soon my own music! How different it could be from the music of the Temples! I can’t wait to tell the priests about it! …”
What can this strange device be?
When I touch it, it gives forth a sound
It’s got wires that vibrate, and give music
What can this thing be that I found?
See how it sings like a sad heart
And joyously screams out its pain
Sounds that build high like a mountain
Or notes that fall gently, like rain.
I can’t wait to share this new wonder
The people will all see its light
Let them all make their own music
The Priests praise my name on this night.
(x)
III. Discovery
“…Behind my beloved waterfall, in the little room that was hidden beneath the cave, I found it. I brushed away the dust of the years, and picked it up, holding it reverently in my hands. I had no idea what it might be, but it was beautiful…”
“…I learned to lay my fingers across the wires, and to turn the keys to make them sound differently. As I struck the wires with my other hand, I produced my first harmonious sounds, and soon my own music! How different it could be from the music of the Temples! I can’t wait to tell the priests about it! …”
What can this strange device be?
When I touch it, it gives forth a sound
It’s got wires that vibrate, and give music
What can this thing be that I found?
See how it sings like a sad heart
And joyously screams out its pain
Sounds that build high like a mountain
Or notes that fall gently, like rain.
I can’t wait to share this new wonder
The people will all see its light
Let them all make their own music
The Priests praise my name on this night.
5IV. Presentation (3:42) (lyrics)
IV. Presentation
“…In the sudden silence as I finished playing, I looked up to a circle of grim, expressionless faces. Father Brown rose to his feet, and his somnolent voice echoed throughout the silent Temple Hall…”
“…Instead of the grateful joy that I expected, they were words of quiet rejection! Instead of praise, sullen dismissal. I watched in shock and horror as Father Brown ground my precious instrument to splinters beneath his feet…”
I know it’s most unusual
To come before you so
But I’ve found an ancient miracle
I thought that you should know
Listen to my music
And hear what it can do
There’s something here as strong as life
I know that it will reach you.
The Priests:
Yes, we know
It’s nothing new
It’s just a waste of time
We have no need for ancient ways
Our world is doing fine
Another toy
That helped destroy
The elder race of man
Forget about your silly whim
It doesn’t fit the plan
I can’t believe you’re saying
These things just can’t be true
Our world could use this beauty
Just think what we might do
The Priests:
Don’t annoy us further
We have our work to do.
Just think about the average
What use have they for you?
(x)
IV. Presentation
“…In the sudden silence as I finished playing, I looked up to a circle of grim, expressionless faces. Father Brown rose to his feet, and his somnolent voice echoed throughout the silent Temple Hall…”
“…Instead of the grateful joy that I expected, they were words of quiet rejection! Instead of praise, sullen dismissal. I watched in shock and horror as Father Brown ground my precious instrument to splinters beneath his feet…”
I know it’s most unusual
To come before you so
But I’ve found an ancient miracle
I thought that you should know
Listen to my music
And hear what it can do
There’s something here as strong as life
I know that it will reach you.
The Priests:
Yes, we know
It’s nothing new
It’s just a waste of time
We have no need for ancient ways
Our world is doing fine
Another toy
That helped destroy
The elder race of man
Forget about your silly whim
It doesn’t fit the plan
I can’t believe you’re saying
These things just can’t be true
Our world could use this beauty
Just think what we might do
The Priests:
Don’t annoy us further
We have our work to do.
Just think about the average
What use have they for you?
6V. Oracle: The Dream (2:00) (lyrics)
V. Oracle: The Dream
“…I guess it was a dream, but even now it all seems so vivid to me. Clearly yet I see the beckoning hand of the oracle as he stood at the summit of the staircase…”
“…I see still the incredible beauty of the sculptured cities, and the pure spirit of man revealed in the lives and works of this world. I was overwhelmed by both wonder and understanding as I saw a completely different way to life, a way that had been crushed by the Federation long ago. I saw now how meaningless life had become with the loss of all these things…”
I wandered home though the silent streets
And fell into a fitful sleep
Escape to realms beyond the night
Dream – can’t you show me the light
I stand atop a spiral stair
An oracle confronts me there
He leads me on, light years away
Through astral nights, galactic days
I see the works of gifted hands
Grace this strange and wondrous land
I see the hand of man arise
With hungry mind and open eyes
They left the planet long ago
The elder race still learn and grow
Their power grows with purpose strong
To claim the home where they belong
Home to tear the Temples down
Home to change –
(x)
V. Oracle: The Dream
“…I guess it was a dream, but even now it all seems so vivid to me. Clearly yet I see the beckoning hand of the oracle as he stood at the summit of the staircase…”
“…I see still the incredible beauty of the sculptured cities, and the pure spirit of man revealed in the lives and works of this world. I was overwhelmed by both wonder and understanding as I saw a completely different way to life, a way that had been crushed by the Federation long ago. I saw now how meaningless life had become with the loss of all these things…”
I wandered home though the silent streets
And fell into a fitful sleep
Escape to realms beyond the night
Dream – can’t you show me the light
I stand atop a spiral stair
An oracle confronts me there
He leads me on, light years away
Through astral nights, galactic days
I see the works of gifted hands
Grace this strange and wondrous land
I see the hand of man arise
With hungry mind and open eyes
They left the planet long ago
The elder race still learn and grow
Their power grows with purpose strong
To claim the home where they belong
Home to tear the Temples down
Home to change –
7VI. Soliloquy (2:21) (lyrics)
VI. Soliloquy
“…I have not left this cave for days now, it has become my last refuge in my total despair.
I have only the music of the waterfall to comfort me now.
I can no longer live under the control of the Federation,
but there is no other place to go.
My last hope is that with my death I may pass into the world of my dream, and know peace at last…”
The sleep is still in my eyes
The dream is still in my head
I heave a sigh, and sadly smile
And lie a while in bed
I wish that it might come to pass
Not fade like all my dreams
Just think of what my life might be
In a world like I have seen
I don’t think I can carry on
This cold and empty life
My spirits are low, in the depths of despair
My lifeblood
Spills over….
(x)
VI. Soliloquy
“…I have not left this cave for days now, it has become my last refuge in my total despair.
I have only the music of the waterfall to comfort me now.
I can no longer live under the control of the Federation,
but there is no other place to go.
My last hope is that with my death I may pass into the world of my dream, and know peace at last…”
The sleep is still in my eyes
The dream is still in my head
I heave a sigh, and sadly smile
And lie a while in bed
I wish that it might come to pass
Not fade like all my dreams
Just think of what my life might be
In a world like I have seen
I don’t think I can carry on
This cold and empty life
My spirits are low, in the depths of despair
My lifeblood
Spills over….
8VII. The Grand Finale (2:14) (lyrics)
VII. The Grand Finale
Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation
Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation
Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation
We have assumed control.
We have assumed control.
We have assumed control.
(x)
VII. The Grand Finale
Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation
Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation
Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation
We have assumed control.
We have assumed control.
We have assumed control.
9A Passage To Bangkok (3:34) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Our first stop is in Bogota
To check Colombian fields
The natives smile and pass along
A sample of their yield
Sweet Jamaican pipe dreams
Golden Acapulco nights
Then Morocco, and the East,
Fly by morning light
We’re on the train to Bangkok
Aboard the Thailand Express
We’ll hit the stops along the way
We only stop for the best
Wreathed in smoke in Lebanon
We burn the midnight oil
The fragrance of Afghanistan
Rewards a long day’s toil
Pulling into Katmandu
Smoke rings fill the air
Perfumed by a Nepal night
The Express gets you there
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Our first stop is in Bogota
To check Colombian fields
The natives smile and pass along
A sample of their yield
Sweet Jamaican pipe dreams
Golden Acapulco nights
Then Morocco, and the East,
Fly by morning light
We’re on the train to Bangkok
Aboard the Thailand Express
We’ll hit the stops along the way
We only stop for the best
Wreathed in smoke in Lebanon
We burn the midnight oil
The fragrance of Afghanistan
Rewards a long day’s toil
Pulling into Katmandu
Smoke rings fill the air
Perfumed by a Nepal night
The Express gets you there
10The Twilight Zone (3:17) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
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
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
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
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
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
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
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
11Lessons (3:51) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Sweet memories Flashing very quickly by
Reminding me Giving me a reason why
I know that My goal is more than a thought
I’ll be there When I teach what I’ve been taught
You know we’ve told you before
But you didn’t hear us then
So you still question why
You didn’t listen again
Sweet memories I never thought it would be like this
Reminding me Just how close I came to missing
I know that This is the way for me to go
You’ll be there When you know what I know
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Sweet memories Flashing very quickly by
Reminding me Giving me a reason why
I know that My goal is more than a thought
I’ll be there When I teach what I’ve been taught
You know we’ve told you before
But you didn’t hear us then
So you still question why
You didn’t listen again
Sweet memories I never thought it would be like this
Reminding me Just how close I came to missing
I know that This is the way for me to go
You’ll be there When you know what I know
12Tears (3:31) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
All of the seasons
And all of the days
All of the reasons
Why I’ve felt this way
So long
So long
Then lost in that feeling
I looked in your eyes
I noticed emotion
And that you had cried
For me
I can see
What would touch me deeper
Tears that fall from eyes
That only cry?
Would it touch you deeper
Than tears that fall from eyes
That know why?
A lifetime of questions
Tears on your cheek
I tasted the answers
And my body was weak
For you
The truth
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
All of the seasons
And all of the days
All of the reasons
Why I’ve felt this way
So long
So long
Then lost in that feeling
I looked in your eyes
I noticed emotion
And that you had cried
For me
I can see
What would touch me deeper
Tears that fall from eyes
That only cry?
Would it touch you deeper
Than tears that fall from eyes
That know why?
A lifetime of questions
Tears on your cheek
I tasted the answers
And my body was weak
For you
The truth
13Something For Nothing (3:59) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Waiting for the winds of change
To sweep the clouds away
Waiting for the rainbow’s end
To cast its gold your way
Countless ways
You pass the days
Waiting for someone to call
And turn your world around
Looking for an answer to
The question you have found
Looking for
An open door
You don’t get something for nothing
You don’t get freedom for free
You won’t get wise
With the sleep still in your eyes
No matter what your dreams might be
What you own is your own kingdom
What you do is your own glory
What you love is your own power
What you live is your own story
In your head is the answer
Let it guide you along
Let your heart be the anchor
And the beat of your own song
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Waiting for the winds of change
To sweep the clouds away
Waiting for the rainbow’s end
To cast its gold your way
Countless ways
You pass the days
Waiting for someone to call
And turn your world around
Looking for an answer to
The question you have found
Looking for
An open door
You don’t get something for nothing
You don’t get freedom for free
You won’t get wise
With the sleep still in your eyes
No matter what your dreams might be
What you own is your own kingdom
What you do is your own glory
What you love is your own power
What you live is your own story
In your head is the answer
Let it guide you along
Let your heart be the anchor
And the beat of your own song
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
2I. Overture (4:32) (lyrics)Lyrics: Neil Peart
I. Overture
“And the meek shall inherit the earth.”
II. Temples of Syrinx
“…The massive grey walls of the Temples rise from the Heart of every Federation city. I have always been awed by them, to think that every single facet of every life is regulated and directed from within! Our books, our music, our work and play are all looked after by the benevolent wisdom of the priests…”
We’ve taken care of everything
The words you read
The songs you sing
The pictures that give pleasure
To your eye
One for all and all for one
Work together
Common sons
Never need to wonder
How or why
We are the Priests
Of the Temples of Syrinx
Our great computers
Fill the hallowed halls
We are the Priests
Of the Temples of Syrinx
All the gifts of life
Are held within our walls
Look around this world we made
Equality
Our stock in trade
Come and join the Brotherhood
Of Man
What a nice contented world
Let the banners
Be unfurled
Hold the Red Star proudly
High in hand.
(x)
II. Temples of Syrinx
“…The massive grey walls of the Temples rise from the Heart of every Federation city. I have always been awed by them, to think that every single facet of every life is regulated and directed from within! Our books, our music, our work and play are all looked after by the benevolent wisdom of the priests…”
We’ve taken care of everything
The words you read
The songs you sing
The pictures that give pleasure
To your eye
One for all and all for one
Work together
Common sons
Never need to wonder
How or why
We are the Priests
Of the Temples of Syrinx
Our great computers
Fill the hallowed halls
We are the Priests
Of the Temples of Syrinx
All the gifts of life
Are held within our walls
Look around this world we made
Equality
Our stock in trade
Come and join the Brotherhood
Of Man
What a nice contented world
Let the banners
Be unfurled
Hold the Red Star proudly
High in hand.
III. Discovery
“…Behind my beloved waterfall, in the little room that was hidden beneath the cave, I found it. I brushed away the dust of the years, and picked it up, holding it reverently in my hands. I had no idea what it might be, but it was beautiful…”
“…I learned to lay my fingers across the wires, and to turn the keys to make them sound differently. As I struck the wires with my other hand, I produced my first harmonious sounds, and soon my own music! How different it could be from the music of the Temples! I can’t wait to tell the priests about it! …”
What can this strange device be?
When I touch it, it gives forth a sound
It’s got wires that vibrate, and give music
What can this thing be that I found?
See how it sings like a sad heart
And joyously screams out its pain
Sounds that build high like a mountain
Or notes that fall gently, like rain.
I can’t wait to share this new wonder
The people will all see its light
Let them all make their own music
The Priests praise my name on this night.
(x)
III. Discovery
“…Behind my beloved waterfall, in the little room that was hidden beneath the cave, I found it. I brushed away the dust of the years, and picked it up, holding it reverently in my hands. I had no idea what it might be, but it was beautiful…”
“…I learned to lay my fingers across the wires, and to turn the keys to make them sound differently. As I struck the wires with my other hand, I produced my first harmonious sounds, and soon my own music! How different it could be from the music of the Temples! I can’t wait to tell the priests about it! …”
What can this strange device be?
When I touch it, it gives forth a sound
It’s got wires that vibrate, and give music
What can this thing be that I found?
See how it sings like a sad heart
And joyously screams out its pain
Sounds that build high like a mountain
Or notes that fall gently, like rain.
I can’t wait to share this new wonder
The people will all see its light
Let them all make their own music
The Priests praise my name on this night.
IV. Presentation
“…In the sudden silence as I finished playing, I looked up to a circle of grim, expressionless faces. Father Brown rose to his feet, and his somnolent voice echoed throughout the silent Temple Hall…”
“…Instead of the grateful joy that I expected, they were words of quiet rejection! Instead of praise, sullen dismissal. I watched in shock and horror as Father Brown ground my precious instrument to splinters beneath his feet…”
I know it’s most unusual
To come before you so
But I’ve found an ancient miracle
I thought that you should know
Listen to my music
And hear what it can do
There’s something here as strong as life
I know that it will reach you.
The Priests:
Yes, we know
It’s nothing new
It’s just a waste of time
We have no need for ancient ways
Our world is doing fine
Another toy
That helped destroy
The elder race of man
Forget about your silly whim
It doesn’t fit the plan
I can’t believe you’re saying
These things just can’t be true
Our world could use this beauty
Just think what we might do
The Priests:
Don’t annoy us further
We have our work to do.
Just think about the average
What use have they for you?
(x)
IV. Presentation
“…In the sudden silence as I finished playing, I looked up to a circle of grim, expressionless faces. Father Brown rose to his feet, and his somnolent voice echoed throughout the silent Temple Hall…”
“…Instead of the grateful joy that I expected, they were words of quiet rejection! Instead of praise, sullen dismissal. I watched in shock and horror as Father Brown ground my precious instrument to splinters beneath his feet…”
I know it’s most unusual
To come before you so
But I’ve found an ancient miracle
I thought that you should know
Listen to my music
And hear what it can do
There’s something here as strong as life
I know that it will reach you.
The Priests:
Yes, we know
It’s nothing new
It’s just a waste of time
We have no need for ancient ways
Our world is doing fine
Another toy
That helped destroy
The elder race of man
Forget about your silly whim
It doesn’t fit the plan
I can’t believe you’re saying
These things just can’t be true
Our world could use this beauty
Just think what we might do
The Priests:
Don’t annoy us further
We have our work to do.
Just think about the average
What use have they for you?
V. Oracle: The Dream
“…I guess it was a dream, but even now it all seems so vivid to me. Clearly yet I see the beckoning hand of the oracle as he stood at the summit of the staircase…”
“…I see still the incredible beauty of the sculptured cities, and the pure spirit of man revealed in the lives and works of this world. I was overwhelmed by both wonder and understanding as I saw a completely different way to life, a way that had been crushed by the Federation long ago. I saw now how meaningless life had become with the loss of all these things…”
I wandered home though the silent streets
And fell into a fitful sleep
Escape to realms beyond the night
Dream – can’t you show me the light
I stand atop a spiral stair
An oracle confronts me there
He leads me on, light years away
Through astral nights, galactic days
I see the works of gifted hands
Grace this strange and wondrous land
I see the hand of man arise
With hungry mind and open eyes
They left the planet long ago
The elder race still learn and grow
Their power grows with purpose strong
To claim the home where they belong
Home to tear the Temples down
Home to change –
(x)
V. Oracle: The Dream
“…I guess it was a dream, but even now it all seems so vivid to me. Clearly yet I see the beckoning hand of the oracle as he stood at the summit of the staircase…”
“…I see still the incredible beauty of the sculptured cities, and the pure spirit of man revealed in the lives and works of this world. I was overwhelmed by both wonder and understanding as I saw a completely different way to life, a way that had been crushed by the Federation long ago. I saw now how meaningless life had become with the loss of all these things…”
I wandered home though the silent streets
And fell into a fitful sleep
Escape to realms beyond the night
Dream – can’t you show me the light
I stand atop a spiral stair
An oracle confronts me there
He leads me on, light years away
Through astral nights, galactic days
I see the works of gifted hands
Grace this strange and wondrous land
I see the hand of man arise
With hungry mind and open eyes
They left the planet long ago
The elder race still learn and grow
Their power grows with purpose strong
To claim the home where they belong
Home to tear the Temples down
Home to change –
VI. Soliloquy
“…I have not left this cave for days now, it has become my last refuge in my total despair.
I have only the music of the waterfall to comfort me now.
I can no longer live under the control of the Federation,
but there is no other place to go.
My last hope is that with my death I may pass into the world of my dream, and know peace at last…”
The sleep is still in my eyes
The dream is still in my head
I heave a sigh, and sadly smile
And lie a while in bed
I wish that it might come to pass
Not fade like all my dreams
Just think of what my life might be
In a world like I have seen
I don’t think I can carry on
This cold and empty life
My spirits are low, in the depths of despair
My lifeblood
Spills over….
(x)
VI. Soliloquy
“…I have not left this cave for days now, it has become my last refuge in my total despair.
I have only the music of the waterfall to comfort me now.
I can no longer live under the control of the Federation,
but there is no other place to go.
My last hope is that with my death I may pass into the world of my dream, and know peace at last…”
The sleep is still in my eyes
The dream is still in my head
I heave a sigh, and sadly smile
And lie a while in bed
I wish that it might come to pass
Not fade like all my dreams
Just think of what my life might be
In a world like I have seen
I don’t think I can carry on
This cold and empty life
My spirits are low, in the depths of despair
My lifeblood
Spills over….
VII. The Grand Finale
Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation
Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation
Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation
We have assumed control.
We have assumed control.
We have assumed control.
(x)
VII. The Grand Finale
Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation
Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation
Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation
We have assumed control.
We have assumed control.
We have assumed control.
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Our first stop is in Bogota
To check Colombian fields
The natives smile and pass along
A sample of their yield
Sweet Jamaican pipe dreams
Golden Acapulco nights
Then Morocco, and the East,
Fly by morning light
We’re on the train to Bangkok
Aboard the Thailand Express
We’ll hit the stops along the way
We only stop for the best
Wreathed in smoke in Lebanon
We burn the midnight oil
The fragrance of Afghanistan
Rewards a long day’s toil
Pulling into Katmandu
Smoke rings fill the air
Perfumed by a Nepal night
The Express gets you there
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Our first stop is in Bogota
To check Colombian fields
The natives smile and pass along
A sample of their yield
Sweet Jamaican pipe dreams
Golden Acapulco nights
Then Morocco, and the East,
Fly by morning light
We’re on the train to Bangkok
Aboard the Thailand Express
We’ll hit the stops along the way
We only stop for the best
Wreathed in smoke in Lebanon
We burn the midnight oil
The fragrance of Afghanistan
Rewards a long day’s toil
Pulling into Katmandu
Smoke rings fill the air
Perfumed by a Nepal night
The Express gets you there
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
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
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
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
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
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
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
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
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Sweet memories Flashing very quickly by
Reminding me Giving me a reason why
I know that My goal is more than a thought
I’ll be there When I teach what I’ve been taught
You know we’ve told you before
But you didn’t hear us then
So you still question why
You didn’t listen again
Sweet memories I never thought it would be like this
Reminding me Just how close I came to missing
I know that This is the way for me to go
You’ll be there When you know what I know
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Sweet memories Flashing very quickly by
Reminding me Giving me a reason why
I know that My goal is more than a thought
I’ll be there When I teach what I’ve been taught
You know we’ve told you before
But you didn’t hear us then
So you still question why
You didn’t listen again
Sweet memories I never thought it would be like this
Reminding me Just how close I came to missing
I know that This is the way for me to go
You’ll be there When you know what I know
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
All of the seasons
And all of the days
All of the reasons
Why I’ve felt this way
So long
So long
Then lost in that feeling
I looked in your eyes
I noticed emotion
And that you had cried
For me
I can see
What would touch me deeper
Tears that fall from eyes
That only cry?
Would it touch you deeper
Than tears that fall from eyes
That know why?
A lifetime of questions
Tears on your cheek
I tasted the answers
And my body was weak
For you
The truth
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
All of the seasons
And all of the days
All of the reasons
Why I’ve felt this way
So long
So long
Then lost in that feeling
I looked in your eyes
I noticed emotion
And that you had cried
For me
I can see
What would touch me deeper
Tears that fall from eyes
That only cry?
Would it touch you deeper
Than tears that fall from eyes
That know why?
A lifetime of questions
Tears on your cheek
I tasted the answers
And my body was weak
For you
The truth
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Waiting for the winds of change
To sweep the clouds away
Waiting for the rainbow’s end
To cast its gold your way
Countless ways
You pass the days
Waiting for someone to call
And turn your world around
Looking for an answer to
The question you have found
Looking for
An open door
You don’t get something for nothing
You don’t get freedom for free
You won’t get wise
With the sleep still in your eyes
No matter what your dreams might be
What you own is your own kingdom
What you do is your own glory
What you love is your own power
What you live is your own story
In your head is the answer
Let it guide you along
Let your heart be the anchor
And the beat of your own song
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Waiting for the winds of change
To sweep the clouds away
Waiting for the rainbow’s end
To cast its gold your way
Countless ways
You pass the days
Waiting for someone to call
And turn your world around
Looking for an answer to
The question you have found
Looking for
An open door
You don’t get something for nothing
You don’t get freedom for free
You won’t get wise
With the sleep still in your eyes
No matter what your dreams might be
What you own is your own kingdom
What you do is your own glory
What you love is your own power
What you live is your own story
In your head is the answer
Let it guide you along
Let your heart be the anchor
And the beat of your own song
RUSH
A Farewell to Kings
© 1977 Mercury Records © 1977 Anthem Entertainment , 1977
cd, album
Recorded at Rockfield Studios Wales June 1977 Mixed at Advision Studios London Assisted by Declan (not Norman!) O’Doherty and Ken Thomas
Buy this record
1A Farewell to Kings (5:51) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
“To seek the sacred river Alph
To walk the caves of ice
To break my fast on honey dew
And drink the milk of Paradise…”
I had heard the whispered tales
Of immortality
The deepest mystery
From an ancient book. I took a clue
I scaled the frozen mountain tops
Of eastern lands unknown
Time and Man alone
Searching for the lost — Xanadu
Xanadu — To stand within The Pleasure Dome
Decreed by Kubla Khan
To taste anew the fruits of life
The last immortal man
To find the sacred river Alph
To walk the caves of ice
Oh, I will dine on honey dew
And drink the milk of Paradise
A thousand years have come and gone
But time has passed me by
Stars stopped in the sky
Frozen in an everlasting view
Waiting for the world to end
Weary of the night
Praying for the light
Prison of the lost — Xanadu
Xanadu — Held within The Pleasure Dome
Decreed by Kubla Khan
To taste my bitter triumph
As a mad immortal man
Nevermore shall I return
Escape these caves of ice
For I have dined on honey dew
And drunk the milk of Paradise
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
“To seek the sacred river Alph
To walk the caves of ice
To break my fast on honey dew
And drink the milk of Paradise…”
I had heard the whispered tales
Of immortality
The deepest mystery
From an ancient book. I took a clue
I scaled the frozen mountain tops
Of eastern lands unknown
Time and Man alone
Searching for the lost — Xanadu
Xanadu — To stand within The Pleasure Dome
Decreed by Kubla Khan
To taste anew the fruits of life
The last immortal man
To find the sacred river Alph
To walk the caves of ice
Oh, I will dine on honey dew
And drink the milk of Paradise
A thousand years have come and gone
But time has passed me by
Stars stopped in the sky
Frozen in an everlasting view
Waiting for the world to end
Weary of the night
Praying for the light
Prison of the lost — Xanadu
Xanadu — Held within The Pleasure Dome
Decreed by Kubla Khan
To taste my bitter triumph
As a mad immortal man
Nevermore shall I return
Escape these caves of ice
For I have dined on honey dew
And drunk the milk of Paradise
3Closer To The Heart (2:53) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart and Peter Talbot
And the men who hold high places
Must be the ones to start
To mould a new reality
Closer to the Heart
The Blacksmith and the Artist
Reflect it in their art
Forge their creativity
Closer to the Heart
Philosophers and Ploughmen
Each must know his part
To sow a new mentality
Closer to the Heart
You can be the Captain
I will draw the Chart
Sailing into destiny
Closer to the Heart
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart and Peter Talbot
And the men who hold high places
Must be the ones to start
To mould a new reality
Closer to the Heart
The Blacksmith and the Artist
Reflect it in their art
Forge their creativity
Closer to the Heart
Philosophers and Ploughmen
Each must know his part
To sow a new mentality
Closer to the Heart
You can be the Captain
I will draw the Chart
Sailing into destiny
Closer to the Heart
4Cinderella Man (4:21) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Geddy Lee
A modest man from Mandrake
Travelled rich to the city
He had a need to discover
A use for his newly-found wealth
Because he was human
Because he had goodness
Because he was moral
They called him insane
Delusions of grandeur
Visions of splendour
A manic depressive
He walks in the rain
Eyes wide open
Heart undefended
Innocence untarnished
Cinderella Man
Doing what you can
They can’t understand
What it means
Cinderella Man
Hang on to your plans
Try as they might
They cannot steal your dreams
In the betrayal of his love he awakened
To face a world of cold reality
And a look in the eyes of the hungry
Awakened him to what he could do
He held up his riches
To challenge the hungry
Purposeful motion
For one so insane
They tried to fight him
Just couldn’t beat him
This manic depressive
Who walks in the rain
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Geddy Lee
A modest man from Mandrake
Travelled rich to the city
He had a need to discover
A use for his newly-found wealth
Because he was human
Because he had goodness
Because he was moral
They called him insane
Delusions of grandeur
Visions of splendour
A manic depressive
He walks in the rain
Eyes wide open
Heart undefended
Innocence untarnished
Cinderella Man
Doing what you can
They can’t understand
What it means
Cinderella Man
Hang on to your plans
Try as they might
They cannot steal your dreams
In the betrayal of his love he awakened
To face a world of cold reality
And a look in the eyes of the hungry
Awakened him to what he could do
He held up his riches
To challenge the hungry
Purposeful motion
For one so insane
They tried to fight him
Just couldn’t beat him
This manic depressive
Who walks in the rain
5Madrigal (2:35) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
When the dragons grow too mighty
To slay with pen or sword
I grow weary of the battle
And the storm I walk toward
When all around is madness
And there’s no safe port in view
I long to turn my path homeward
To stop awhile with you
When life becomes so barren
And as cold as winter skies
There’s a beacon in the darkness
In a distant pair of eyes
In vain to search for order
In vain to search for truth
But these things can still be given
Your love has shown me proof
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
When the dragons grow too mighty
To slay with pen or sword
I grow weary of the battle
And the storm I walk toward
When all around is madness
And there’s no safe port in view
I long to turn my path homeward
To stop awhile with you
When life becomes so barren
And as cold as winter skies
There’s a beacon in the darkness
In a distant pair of eyes
In vain to search for order
In vain to search for truth
But these things can still be given
Your love has shown me proof
6Cygnus X-1 (10:25) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Prologue
In the constellation of Cygnus
There lurks a mysterious, invisible force
The Black Hole
Of Cygnus X-1
Six Stars of the Northern Cross
In mourning for their sister’s loss
In a final flash of glory
Nevermore to grace the night…
1
Invisible
To telescopic eye
Infinity
The star that would not die
All who dare
To cross her course
Are swallowed by
A fearsome force
Through the void
To be destroyed
Or is there something more?
Atomized — at the core
Or through the Astral Door —
To soar…
2
I set a course just east of Lyra
And northwest of Pegasus
Flew into the light of Deneb
Sailed across the Milky Way
On my ship, the ‘Rocinante’
Wheeling through the galaxies,
Headed for the heart of Cygnus
Headlong into mystery
The x-ray is her siren song
My ship cannot resist her long
Nearer to my deadly goal
Until the Black Hole —
Gains control…
3
Spinning, whirling,
Still descending
Like a spiral sea,
Unending
Sound and fury
Drowns my heart
Every nerve
Is torn apart….
To be continued…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Prologue
In the constellation of Cygnus
There lurks a mysterious, invisible force
The Black Hole
Of Cygnus X-1
Six Stars of the Northern Cross
In mourning for their sister’s loss
In a final flash of glory
Nevermore to grace the night…
1
Invisible
To telescopic eye
Infinity
The star that would not die
All who dare
To cross her course
Are swallowed by
A fearsome force
Through the void
To be destroyed
Or is there something more?
Atomized — at the core
Or through the Astral Door —
To soar…
2
I set a course just east of Lyra
And northwest of Pegasus
Flew into the light of Deneb
Sailed across the Milky Way
On my ship, the ‘Rocinante’
Wheeling through the galaxies,
Headed for the heart of Cygnus
Headlong into mystery
The x-ray is her siren song
My ship cannot resist her long
Nearer to my deadly goal
Until the Black Hole —
Gains control…
3
Spinning, whirling,
Still descending
Like a spiral sea,
Unending
Sound and fury
Drowns my heart
Every nerve
Is torn apart….
To be continued…
Music: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart
Lyrics: Neil Peart
When they turn the pages of history
When these days have passed long ago
Will they read of us with sadness
For the seeds that we let grow
We turned our gaze
From the castles in the distance
Eyes cast down
On the path of least resistance
Cities full of hatred
Fear and lies
Withered hearts
And cruel, tormented eyes
Scheming demons
Dressed in kingly guise
Beating down the multitude
And scoffing at the wise
The hypocrites are slandering
The sacred halls of Truth
Ancient nobles showering
Their bitterness on youth
Can’t we find
The minds that made us strong
Can’t we learn
To feel what’s right and wrong
Cities full of hatred
Fear and lies
Withered hearts
And cruel, tormented eyes
Scheming demons
Dressed in kingly guise
Beating down the multitude
And scoffing at the wise
Can’t we raise our eyes
And make a start
Can’t we find the minds
To lead us closer to the Heart
(x)
Lyrics: Neil Peart
When they turn the pages of history
When these days have passed long ago
Will they read of us with sadness
For the seeds that we let grow
We turned our gaze
From the castles in the distance
Eyes cast down
On the path of least resistance
Cities full of hatred
Fear and lies
Withered hearts
And cruel, tormented eyes
Scheming demons
Dressed in kingly guise
Beating down the multitude
And scoffing at the wise
The hypocrites are slandering
The sacred halls of Truth
Ancient nobles showering
Their bitterness on youth
Can’t we find
The minds that made us strong
Can’t we learn
To feel what’s right and wrong
Cities full of hatred
Fear and lies
Withered hearts
And cruel, tormented eyes
Scheming demons
Dressed in kingly guise
Beating down the multitude
And scoffing at the wise
Can’t we raise our eyes
And make a start
Can’t we find the minds
To lead us closer to the Heart
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart
Lyrics: Neil Peart
When they turn the pages of history
When these days have passed long ago
Will they read of us with sadness
For the seeds that we let grow
We turned our gaze
From the castles in the distance
Eyes cast down
On the path of least resistance
Cities full of hatred
Fear and lies
Withered hearts
And cruel, tormented eyes
Scheming demons
Dressed in kingly guise
Beating down the multitude
And scoffing at the wise
The hypocrites are slandering
The sacred halls of Truth
Ancient nobles showering
Their bitterness on youth
Can’t we find
The minds that made us strong
Can’t we learn
To feel what’s right and wrong
Cities full of hatred
Fear and lies
Withered hearts
And cruel, tormented eyes
Scheming demons
Dressed in kingly guise
Beating down the multitude
And scoffing at the wise
Can’t we raise our eyes
And make a start
Can’t we find the minds
To lead us closer to the Heart
2Xanadu (11:08) (lyrics)Lyrics: Neil Peart
When they turn the pages of history
When these days have passed long ago
Will they read of us with sadness
For the seeds that we let grow
We turned our gaze
From the castles in the distance
Eyes cast down
On the path of least resistance
Cities full of hatred
Fear and lies
Withered hearts
And cruel, tormented eyes
Scheming demons
Dressed in kingly guise
Beating down the multitude
And scoffing at the wise
The hypocrites are slandering
The sacred halls of Truth
Ancient nobles showering
Their bitterness on youth
Can’t we find
The minds that made us strong
Can’t we learn
To feel what’s right and wrong
Cities full of hatred
Fear and lies
Withered hearts
And cruel, tormented eyes
Scheming demons
Dressed in kingly guise
Beating down the multitude
And scoffing at the wise
Can’t we raise our eyes
And make a start
Can’t we find the minds
To lead us closer to the Heart
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
“To seek the sacred river Alph
To walk the caves of ice
To break my fast on honey dew
And drink the milk of Paradise…”
I had heard the whispered tales
Of immortality
The deepest mystery
From an ancient book. I took a clue
I scaled the frozen mountain tops
Of eastern lands unknown
Time and Man alone
Searching for the lost — Xanadu
Xanadu — To stand within The Pleasure Dome
Decreed by Kubla Khan
To taste anew the fruits of life
The last immortal man
To find the sacred river Alph
To walk the caves of ice
Oh, I will dine on honey dew
And drink the milk of Paradise
A thousand years have come and gone
But time has passed me by
Stars stopped in the sky
Frozen in an everlasting view
Waiting for the world to end
Weary of the night
Praying for the light
Prison of the lost — Xanadu
Xanadu — Held within The Pleasure Dome
Decreed by Kubla Khan
To taste my bitter triumph
As a mad immortal man
Nevermore shall I return
Escape these caves of ice
For I have dined on honey dew
And drunk the milk of Paradise
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
“To seek the sacred river Alph
To walk the caves of ice
To break my fast on honey dew
And drink the milk of Paradise…”
I had heard the whispered tales
Of immortality
The deepest mystery
From an ancient book. I took a clue
I scaled the frozen mountain tops
Of eastern lands unknown
Time and Man alone
Searching for the lost — Xanadu
Xanadu — To stand within The Pleasure Dome
Decreed by Kubla Khan
To taste anew the fruits of life
The last immortal man
To find the sacred river Alph
To walk the caves of ice
Oh, I will dine on honey dew
And drink the milk of Paradise
A thousand years have come and gone
But time has passed me by
Stars stopped in the sky
Frozen in an everlasting view
Waiting for the world to end
Weary of the night
Praying for the light
Prison of the lost — Xanadu
Xanadu — Held within The Pleasure Dome
Decreed by Kubla Khan
To taste my bitter triumph
As a mad immortal man
Nevermore shall I return
Escape these caves of ice
For I have dined on honey dew
And drunk the milk of Paradise
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart and Peter Talbot
And the men who hold high places
Must be the ones to start
To mould a new reality
Closer to the Heart
The Blacksmith and the Artist
Reflect it in their art
Forge their creativity
Closer to the Heart
Philosophers and Ploughmen
Each must know his part
To sow a new mentality
Closer to the Heart
You can be the Captain
I will draw the Chart
Sailing into destiny
Closer to the Heart
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart and Peter Talbot
And the men who hold high places
Must be the ones to start
To mould a new reality
Closer to the Heart
The Blacksmith and the Artist
Reflect it in their art
Forge their creativity
Closer to the Heart
Philosophers and Ploughmen
Each must know his part
To sow a new mentality
Closer to the Heart
You can be the Captain
I will draw the Chart
Sailing into destiny
Closer to the Heart
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Geddy Lee
A modest man from Mandrake
Travelled rich to the city
He had a need to discover
A use for his newly-found wealth
Because he was human
Because he had goodness
Because he was moral
They called him insane
Delusions of grandeur
Visions of splendour
A manic depressive
He walks in the rain
Eyes wide open
Heart undefended
Innocence untarnished
Cinderella Man
Doing what you can
They can’t understand
What it means
Cinderella Man
Hang on to your plans
Try as they might
They cannot steal your dreams
In the betrayal of his love he awakened
To face a world of cold reality
And a look in the eyes of the hungry
Awakened him to what he could do
He held up his riches
To challenge the hungry
Purposeful motion
For one so insane
They tried to fight him
Just couldn’t beat him
This manic depressive
Who walks in the rain
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Geddy Lee
A modest man from Mandrake
Travelled rich to the city
He had a need to discover
A use for his newly-found wealth
Because he was human
Because he had goodness
Because he was moral
They called him insane
Delusions of grandeur
Visions of splendour
A manic depressive
He walks in the rain
Eyes wide open
Heart undefended
Innocence untarnished
Cinderella Man
Doing what you can
They can’t understand
What it means
Cinderella Man
Hang on to your plans
Try as they might
They cannot steal your dreams
In the betrayal of his love he awakened
To face a world of cold reality
And a look in the eyes of the hungry
Awakened him to what he could do
He held up his riches
To challenge the hungry
Purposeful motion
For one so insane
They tried to fight him
Just couldn’t beat him
This manic depressive
Who walks in the rain
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
When the dragons grow too mighty
To slay with pen or sword
I grow weary of the battle
And the storm I walk toward
When all around is madness
And there’s no safe port in view
I long to turn my path homeward
To stop awhile with you
When life becomes so barren
And as cold as winter skies
There’s a beacon in the darkness
In a distant pair of eyes
In vain to search for order
In vain to search for truth
But these things can still be given
Your love has shown me proof
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
When the dragons grow too mighty
To slay with pen or sword
I grow weary of the battle
And the storm I walk toward
When all around is madness
And there’s no safe port in view
I long to turn my path homeward
To stop awhile with you
When life becomes so barren
And as cold as winter skies
There’s a beacon in the darkness
In a distant pair of eyes
In vain to search for order
In vain to search for truth
But these things can still be given
Your love has shown me proof
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Prologue
In the constellation of Cygnus
There lurks a mysterious, invisible force
The Black Hole
Of Cygnus X-1
Six Stars of the Northern Cross
In mourning for their sister’s loss
In a final flash of glory
Nevermore to grace the night…
1
Invisible
To telescopic eye
Infinity
The star that would not die
All who dare
To cross her course
Are swallowed by
A fearsome force
Through the void
To be destroyed
Or is there something more?
Atomized — at the core
Or through the Astral Door —
To soar…
2
I set a course just east of Lyra
And northwest of Pegasus
Flew into the light of Deneb
Sailed across the Milky Way
On my ship, the ‘Rocinante’
Wheeling through the galaxies,
Headed for the heart of Cygnus
Headlong into mystery
The x-ray is her siren song
My ship cannot resist her long
Nearer to my deadly goal
Until the Black Hole —
Gains control…
3
Spinning, whirling,
Still descending
Like a spiral sea,
Unending
Sound and fury
Drowns my heart
Every nerve
Is torn apart….
To be continued…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Prologue
In the constellation of Cygnus
There lurks a mysterious, invisible force
The Black Hole
Of Cygnus X-1
Six Stars of the Northern Cross
In mourning for their sister’s loss
In a final flash of glory
Nevermore to grace the night…
1
Invisible
To telescopic eye
Infinity
The star that would not die
All who dare
To cross her course
Are swallowed by
A fearsome force
Through the void
To be destroyed
Or is there something more?
Atomized — at the core
Or through the Astral Door —
To soar…
2
I set a course just east of Lyra
And northwest of Pegasus
Flew into the light of Deneb
Sailed across the Milky Way
On my ship, the ‘Rocinante’
Wheeling through the galaxies,
Headed for the heart of Cygnus
Headlong into mystery
The x-ray is her siren song
My ship cannot resist her long
Nearer to my deadly goal
Until the Black Hole —
Gains control…
3
Spinning, whirling,
Still descending
Like a spiral sea,
Unending
Sound and fury
Drowns my heart
Every nerve
Is torn apart….
To be continued…
RUSH
Hemispheres
© 1978 Mercury Records © 1978 Anthem Entertainment , 1978
cd, album
Recorded at Rockfield Studios Wales June and July 1978 Vocals recorded at Advision Studios London Mixed at Trident Studios Soho, London August 1978 Tape Operators: Simon Hilliard, Mike Donegoni, and Reno Ruocco This album was processed through the Duffoscope!
Buy this record
1Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres (18:08) (lyrics)
I. Prelude
When our weary world was young
The struggle of the ancients first began
The gods of Love and Reason
Sought alone to rule the fate of Man
They battled through the ages
But still neither force would yield
The people were divided,
Every soul a battlefield…
(x)
I. Prelude
When our weary world was young
The struggle of the ancients first began
The gods of Love and Reason
Sought alone to rule the fate of Man
They battled through the ages
But still neither force would yield
The people were divided,
Every soul a battlefield…
3II. Apollo: Bringer of Wisdom (2:35) (lyrics)
II. Apollo Bringer of Wisdom
‘I bring truth and understanding,
I bring wit and wisdom fair,
Precious gifts beyond compare.
We can build a world of wonder,
I can make you all aware’
‘I will find you food and shelter,
Show you fire to keep you warm
Through the endless winter storm.
You can live in grace and comfort
In the world that you transform’
The people were delighted
Coming forth to claim their prize
They ran to build their cities
And converse among the wise
But one day the streets fell silent
Yet they knew not what was wrong
The urge to build these fine things
Seemed not to be so strong
The wise men were consulted
And the Bridge of Death was crossed
In quest of Dionysus
To find out what they had lost…
(x)
II. Apollo Bringer of Wisdom
‘I bring truth and understanding,
I bring wit and wisdom fair,
Precious gifts beyond compare.
We can build a world of wonder,
I can make you all aware’
‘I will find you food and shelter,
Show you fire to keep you warm
Through the endless winter storm.
You can live in grace and comfort
In the world that you transform’
The people were delighted
Coming forth to claim their prize
They ran to build their cities
And converse among the wise
But one day the streets fell silent
Yet they knew not what was wrong
The urge to build these fine things
Seemed not to be so strong
The wise men were consulted
And the Bridge of Death was crossed
In quest of Dionysus
To find out what they had lost…
4III. Dionysus: Bringer of Love (2:05) (lyrics)
III. Dionysus Bringer of Love
‘I bring love to give you solace
In the darkness of the night
In the Heart’s eternal light
You need only trust your feelings
Only Love can steer you right’
‘I bring laughter, I bring Music,
I bring joy and I bring Tears
I will soothe your primal fears
Throw off those chains of Reason
And your prison disappears’
The cities were abandoned
And the forests echoed song
They danced and lived as brothers
They knew Love could not be wrong
Food and wine they had aplenty
And they slept beneath the stars
The people were contented
And the Gods watched from afar
But the winter fell upon them
And it caught them unprepared
Bringing wolves and cold starvation
And the hearts of men despaired…
(x)
III. Dionysus Bringer of Love
‘I bring love to give you solace
In the darkness of the night
In the Heart’s eternal light
You need only trust your feelings
Only Love can steer you right’
‘I bring laughter, I bring Music,
I bring joy and I bring Tears
I will soothe your primal fears
Throw off those chains of Reason
And your prison disappears’
The cities were abandoned
And the forests echoed song
They danced and lived as brothers
They knew Love could not be wrong
Food and wine they had aplenty
And they slept beneath the stars
The people were contented
And the Gods watched from afar
But the winter fell upon them
And it caught them unprepared
Bringing wolves and cold starvation
And the hearts of men despaired…
5IV. Armageddon: The Battle of Heart and Mind (3:06) (lyrics)
IV. Armageddon The Battle of Heart and Mind
The Universe divided
As the Heart and Mind collided
With the people left unguided
For so many troubled years
In a cloud of doubts and fears
Their world was torn asunder into hollow hemispheres
Some fought themselves, some fought each other
Most just followed one another
Lost and aimless like their brothers
For their hearts were so unclear
And the truth could not appear
Their spirits were divided into blinded hemispheres
Some who did not fight
Brought tales of old to light
My Rocinante sailed by night
On her final flight
To the heart of Cygnus’ fearsome force
We set our course.
Spiralled through that timeless space
To this immortal place
(x)
IV. Armageddon The Battle of Heart and Mind
The Universe divided
As the Heart and Mind collided
With the people left unguided
For so many troubled years
In a cloud of doubts and fears
Their world was torn asunder into hollow hemispheres
Some fought themselves, some fought each other
Most just followed one another
Lost and aimless like their brothers
For their hearts were so unclear
And the truth could not appear
Their spirits were divided into blinded hemispheres
Some who did not fight
Brought tales of old to light
My Rocinante sailed by night
On her final flight
To the heart of Cygnus’ fearsome force
We set our course.
Spiralled through that timeless space
To this immortal place
6V. Cygnus: Bringer of Balance (4:50) (lyrics)
V. Cygnus Bringer of Balance
I have memory and awareness
But I have no shape or form
As a disembodied spirit
I am dead and yet unborn
I have passed into Olympus
As was told in tales of old
To the City of Immortals
Marble white and purest gold
I see the Gods in battle rage on high
Thunderbolts across the sky
I cannot move, I cannot hide
I feel a silent scream begin inside
Then all at once the chaos ceased
A stillness fell, a sudden peace
The Warriors felt my silent cry
And stayed their struggle, mystified
Apollo was astonished
Dionysus thought me mad
But they heard my story further
And they wondered, and were sad
Looking down from Olympus
On a world of doubt and fear
Its surface splintered into
Sorry hemispheres.
They sat a while in silence
Then they turned at last to me
‘We will call you Cygnus
The God of Balance you shall be’
(x)
V. Cygnus Bringer of Balance
I have memory and awareness
But I have no shape or form
As a disembodied spirit
I am dead and yet unborn
I have passed into Olympus
As was told in tales of old
To the City of Immortals
Marble white and purest gold
I see the Gods in battle rage on high
Thunderbolts across the sky
I cannot move, I cannot hide
I feel a silent scream begin inside
Then all at once the chaos ceased
A stillness fell, a sudden peace
The Warriors felt my silent cry
And stayed their struggle, mystified
Apollo was astonished
Dionysus thought me mad
But they heard my story further
And they wondered, and were sad
Looking down from Olympus
On a world of doubt and fear
Its surface splintered into
Sorry hemispheres.
They sat a while in silence
Then they turned at last to me
‘We will call you Cygnus
The God of Balance you shall be’
7VI. The Sphere: A Kind of Dream (1:05) (lyrics)
VI. The Sphere A Kind of Dream
We can walk our road together
If our goals are all the same
We can run alone and free
If we pursue a different aim
Let the truth of Love be lighted
Let the love of truth shine clear
Sensibility
Armed with sense and liberty
With the Heart and Mind united
In a single perfect sphere
(x)
VI. The Sphere A Kind of Dream
We can walk our road together
If our goals are all the same
We can run alone and free
If we pursue a different aim
Let the truth of Love be lighted
Let the love of truth shine clear
Sensibility
Armed with sense and liberty
With the Heart and Mind united
In a single perfect sphere
8Circumstances (3:41) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A boy alone, and so far from home
Endless rooftops from my window
I felt the gloom of empty rooms
On rainy afternoons.
Sometimes in confusion
I felt so lost and disillusioned
Innocence gave me confidence
To go up against reality
All the same
We take our chances,
Laughed at by Time,
Tricked by circumstances
Plus ça change,
Plus c’est la même chose,
The more that things change
The more they stay the same
Now I’ve gained some understanding
Of the only world that we see
Things that I once dreamed of
Have become reality
These walls that still surround me
Still contain the same old me
Just one more who’s searching for
The world that ought to be
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A boy alone, and so far from home
Endless rooftops from my window
I felt the gloom of empty rooms
On rainy afternoons.
Sometimes in confusion
I felt so lost and disillusioned
Innocence gave me confidence
To go up against reality
All the same
We take our chances,
Laughed at by Time,
Tricked by circumstances
Plus ça change,
Plus c’est la même chose,
The more that things change
The more they stay the same
Now I’ve gained some understanding
Of the only world that we see
Things that I once dreamed of
Have become reality
These walls that still surround me
Still contain the same old me
Just one more who’s searching for
The world that ought to be
9The Trees (4:46) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
There is unrest in the Forest
There is trouble with the trees
For the Maples want more sunlight
And the Oaks ignore their pleas.
The trouble with the Maples
(And they’re quite convinced they’re right)
They say the Oaks are just too lofty
And they grab up all the light
But the Oaks can’t help their feelings
If they like the way they’re made
And they wonder why the Maples
Can’t be happy in their shade?
There is trouble in the Forest
And the creatures all have fled
As the Maples scream ‘Oppression!’
And the Oaks, just shake their heads
So the Maples formed a Union
And demanded equal rights
‘The Oaks are just too greedy
We will make them give us light’
Now there’s no more Oak oppression
For they passed a noble law
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet,
Axe,
And saw…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
There is unrest in the Forest
There is trouble with the trees
For the Maples want more sunlight
And the Oaks ignore their pleas.
The trouble with the Maples
(And they’re quite convinced they’re right)
They say the Oaks are just too lofty
And they grab up all the light
But the Oaks can’t help their feelings
If they like the way they’re made
And they wonder why the Maples
Can’t be happy in their shade?
There is trouble in the Forest
And the creatures all have fled
As the Maples scream ‘Oppression!’
And the Oaks, just shake their heads
So the Maples formed a Union
And demanded equal rights
‘The Oaks are just too greedy
We will make them give us light’
Now there’s no more Oak oppression
For they passed a noble law
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet,
Axe,
And saw…
10La Villa Strangiato (instrumental 9:35) (An Exercise in Self-Indulgence) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart
Instrumental
I. Buenas Noches, Mein Froinds!
II. To sleep, perchance to dream…
III. Strangiato Theme
IV. A Lerxst in Wonderland
V. Monsters!
VI. Danforth and Pape
VII. The Waltz of the Shreves
VIII. Never turn your back on a Monster!
IX. Monsters! (Reprise)
X. Strangiato Theme (Reprise)
XI. A Farewell to Things
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart
Instrumental
I. Buenas Noches, Mein Froinds!
II. To sleep, perchance to dream…
III. Strangiato Theme
IV. A Lerxst in Wonderland
V. Monsters!
VI. Danforth and Pape
VII. The Waltz of the Shreves
VIII. Never turn your back on a Monster!
IX. Monsters! (Reprise)
X. Strangiato Theme (Reprise)
XI. A Farewell to Things
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
2I. Prelude (4:27) (lyrics)Lyrics: Neil Peart
I. Prelude
When our weary world was young
The struggle of the ancients first began
The gods of Love and Reason
Sought alone to rule the fate of Man
They battled through the ages
But still neither force would yield
The people were divided,
Every soul a battlefield…
(x)
I. Prelude
When our weary world was young
The struggle of the ancients first began
The gods of Love and Reason
Sought alone to rule the fate of Man
They battled through the ages
But still neither force would yield
The people were divided,
Every soul a battlefield…
II. Apollo Bringer of Wisdom
‘I bring truth and understanding,
I bring wit and wisdom fair,
Precious gifts beyond compare.
We can build a world of wonder,
I can make you all aware’
‘I will find you food and shelter,
Show you fire to keep you warm
Through the endless winter storm.
You can live in grace and comfort
In the world that you transform’
The people were delighted
Coming forth to claim their prize
They ran to build their cities
And converse among the wise
But one day the streets fell silent
Yet they knew not what was wrong
The urge to build these fine things
Seemed not to be so strong
The wise men were consulted
And the Bridge of Death was crossed
In quest of Dionysus
To find out what they had lost…
(x)
II. Apollo Bringer of Wisdom
‘I bring truth and understanding,
I bring wit and wisdom fair,
Precious gifts beyond compare.
We can build a world of wonder,
I can make you all aware’
‘I will find you food and shelter,
Show you fire to keep you warm
Through the endless winter storm.
You can live in grace and comfort
In the world that you transform’
The people were delighted
Coming forth to claim their prize
They ran to build their cities
And converse among the wise
But one day the streets fell silent
Yet they knew not what was wrong
The urge to build these fine things
Seemed not to be so strong
The wise men were consulted
And the Bridge of Death was crossed
In quest of Dionysus
To find out what they had lost…
III. Dionysus Bringer of Love
‘I bring love to give you solace
In the darkness of the night
In the Heart’s eternal light
You need only trust your feelings
Only Love can steer you right’
‘I bring laughter, I bring Music,
I bring joy and I bring Tears
I will soothe your primal fears
Throw off those chains of Reason
And your prison disappears’
The cities were abandoned
And the forests echoed song
They danced and lived as brothers
They knew Love could not be wrong
Food and wine they had aplenty
And they slept beneath the stars
The people were contented
And the Gods watched from afar
But the winter fell upon them
And it caught them unprepared
Bringing wolves and cold starvation
And the hearts of men despaired…
(x)
III. Dionysus Bringer of Love
‘I bring love to give you solace
In the darkness of the night
In the Heart’s eternal light
You need only trust your feelings
Only Love can steer you right’
‘I bring laughter, I bring Music,
I bring joy and I bring Tears
I will soothe your primal fears
Throw off those chains of Reason
And your prison disappears’
The cities were abandoned
And the forests echoed song
They danced and lived as brothers
They knew Love could not be wrong
Food and wine they had aplenty
And they slept beneath the stars
The people were contented
And the Gods watched from afar
But the winter fell upon them
And it caught them unprepared
Bringing wolves and cold starvation
And the hearts of men despaired…
IV. Armageddon The Battle of Heart and Mind
The Universe divided
As the Heart and Mind collided
With the people left unguided
For so many troubled years
In a cloud of doubts and fears
Their world was torn asunder into hollow hemispheres
Some fought themselves, some fought each other
Most just followed one another
Lost and aimless like their brothers
For their hearts were so unclear
And the truth could not appear
Their spirits were divided into blinded hemispheres
Some who did not fight
Brought tales of old to light
My Rocinante sailed by night
On her final flight
To the heart of Cygnus’ fearsome force
We set our course.
Spiralled through that timeless space
To this immortal place
(x)
IV. Armageddon The Battle of Heart and Mind
The Universe divided
As the Heart and Mind collided
With the people left unguided
For so many troubled years
In a cloud of doubts and fears
Their world was torn asunder into hollow hemispheres
Some fought themselves, some fought each other
Most just followed one another
Lost and aimless like their brothers
For their hearts were so unclear
And the truth could not appear
Their spirits were divided into blinded hemispheres
Some who did not fight
Brought tales of old to light
My Rocinante sailed by night
On her final flight
To the heart of Cygnus’ fearsome force
We set our course.
Spiralled through that timeless space
To this immortal place
V. Cygnus Bringer of Balance
I have memory and awareness
But I have no shape or form
As a disembodied spirit
I am dead and yet unborn
I have passed into Olympus
As was told in tales of old
To the City of Immortals
Marble white and purest gold
I see the Gods in battle rage on high
Thunderbolts across the sky
I cannot move, I cannot hide
I feel a silent scream begin inside
Then all at once the chaos ceased
A stillness fell, a sudden peace
The Warriors felt my silent cry
And stayed their struggle, mystified
Apollo was astonished
Dionysus thought me mad
But they heard my story further
And they wondered, and were sad
Looking down from Olympus
On a world of doubt and fear
Its surface splintered into
Sorry hemispheres.
They sat a while in silence
Then they turned at last to me
‘We will call you Cygnus
The God of Balance you shall be’
(x)
V. Cygnus Bringer of Balance
I have memory and awareness
But I have no shape or form
As a disembodied spirit
I am dead and yet unborn
I have passed into Olympus
As was told in tales of old
To the City of Immortals
Marble white and purest gold
I see the Gods in battle rage on high
Thunderbolts across the sky
I cannot move, I cannot hide
I feel a silent scream begin inside
Then all at once the chaos ceased
A stillness fell, a sudden peace
The Warriors felt my silent cry
And stayed their struggle, mystified
Apollo was astonished
Dionysus thought me mad
But they heard my story further
And they wondered, and were sad
Looking down from Olympus
On a world of doubt and fear
Its surface splintered into
Sorry hemispheres.
They sat a while in silence
Then they turned at last to me
‘We will call you Cygnus
The God of Balance you shall be’
VI. The Sphere A Kind of Dream
We can walk our road together
If our goals are all the same
We can run alone and free
If we pursue a different aim
Let the truth of Love be lighted
Let the love of truth shine clear
Sensibility
Armed with sense and liberty
With the Heart and Mind united
In a single perfect sphere
(x)
VI. The Sphere A Kind of Dream
We can walk our road together
If our goals are all the same
We can run alone and free
If we pursue a different aim
Let the truth of Love be lighted
Let the love of truth shine clear
Sensibility
Armed with sense and liberty
With the Heart and Mind united
In a single perfect sphere
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A boy alone, and so far from home
Endless rooftops from my window
I felt the gloom of empty rooms
On rainy afternoons.
Sometimes in confusion
I felt so lost and disillusioned
Innocence gave me confidence
To go up against reality
All the same
We take our chances,
Laughed at by Time,
Tricked by circumstances
Plus ça change,
Plus c’est la même chose,
The more that things change
The more they stay the same
Now I’ve gained some understanding
Of the only world that we see
Things that I once dreamed of
Have become reality
These walls that still surround me
Still contain the same old me
Just one more who’s searching for
The world that ought to be
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A boy alone, and so far from home
Endless rooftops from my window
I felt the gloom of empty rooms
On rainy afternoons.
Sometimes in confusion
I felt so lost and disillusioned
Innocence gave me confidence
To go up against reality
All the same
We take our chances,
Laughed at by Time,
Tricked by circumstances
Plus ça change,
Plus c’est la même chose,
The more that things change
The more they stay the same
Now I’ve gained some understanding
Of the only world that we see
Things that I once dreamed of
Have become reality
These walls that still surround me
Still contain the same old me
Just one more who’s searching for
The world that ought to be
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
There is unrest in the Forest
There is trouble with the trees
For the Maples want more sunlight
And the Oaks ignore their pleas.
The trouble with the Maples
(And they’re quite convinced they’re right)
They say the Oaks are just too lofty
And they grab up all the light
But the Oaks can’t help their feelings
If they like the way they’re made
And they wonder why the Maples
Can’t be happy in their shade?
There is trouble in the Forest
And the creatures all have fled
As the Maples scream ‘Oppression!’
And the Oaks, just shake their heads
So the Maples formed a Union
And demanded equal rights
‘The Oaks are just too greedy
We will make them give us light’
Now there’s no more Oak oppression
For they passed a noble law
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet,
Axe,
And saw…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
There is unrest in the Forest
There is trouble with the trees
For the Maples want more sunlight
And the Oaks ignore their pleas.
The trouble with the Maples
(And they’re quite convinced they’re right)
They say the Oaks are just too lofty
And they grab up all the light
But the Oaks can’t help their feelings
If they like the way they’re made
And they wonder why the Maples
Can’t be happy in their shade?
There is trouble in the Forest
And the creatures all have fled
As the Maples scream ‘Oppression!’
And the Oaks, just shake their heads
So the Maples formed a Union
And demanded equal rights
‘The Oaks are just too greedy
We will make them give us light’
Now there’s no more Oak oppression
For they passed a noble law
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet,
Axe,
And saw…
Music: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart
Instrumental
I. Buenas Noches, Mein Froinds!
II. To sleep, perchance to dream…
III. Strangiato Theme
IV. A Lerxst in Wonderland
V. Monsters!
VI. Danforth and Pape
VII. The Waltz of the Shreves
VIII. Never turn your back on a Monster!
IX. Monsters! (Reprise)
X. Strangiato Theme (Reprise)
XI. A Farewell to Things
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart
Instrumental
I. Buenas Noches, Mein Froinds!
II. To sleep, perchance to dream…
III. Strangiato Theme
IV. A Lerxst in Wonderland
V. Monsters!
VI. Danforth and Pape
VII. The Waltz of the Shreves
VIII. Never turn your back on a Monster!
IX. Monsters! (Reprise)
X. Strangiato Theme (Reprise)
XI. A Farewell to Things
RUSH
Permanent Waves
©1980 Mercury Records ©1980 Anthem Entertainment , 1980
cd, album
Recorded at Le Studio Morin Heights, Quebec September and October 1979 With general assistance from Robbie Whelan Mixed at Trident Studios Soho, London November 1979 Assisted by Adam Moseley, Craig Milliner, and Geddy Lee, with cameo appearances by Steve S. Hort
Buy this record
1The Spirit of Radio (4:57) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
There are those who think that life
Has nothing left to chance
With a host of holy horrors
To direct our aimless dance
A planet of playthings
We dance on the strings
Of powers we cannot perceive
“The stars aren’t aligned –
Or the gods are malign”
Blame is better to give than receive
You can choose a ready guide
In some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide
You still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears
And kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that’s clear
I will choose free will.
There are those who think that
They were dealt a losing hand
The cards were stacked against them
They weren’t born in Lotus-Land.
All pre-ordained
A prisoner in chains
A victim of venomous fate
Kicked in the face
You can’t pray for a place
In Heaven’s unearthly estate
Each of us
A cell of awareness
Imperfect and incomplete
Genetic blends
With uncertain ends
On a fortune hunt
That’s far too fleet…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
There are those who think that life
Has nothing left to chance
With a host of holy horrors
To direct our aimless dance
A planet of playthings
We dance on the strings
Of powers we cannot perceive
“The stars aren’t aligned –
Or the gods are malign”
Blame is better to give than receive
You can choose a ready guide
In some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide
You still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears
And kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that’s clear
I will choose free will.
There are those who think that
They were dealt a losing hand
The cards were stacked against them
They weren’t born in Lotus-Land.
All pre-ordained
A prisoner in chains
A victim of venomous fate
Kicked in the face
You can’t pray for a place
In Heaven’s unearthly estate
Each of us
A cell of awareness
Imperfect and incomplete
Genetic blends
With uncertain ends
On a fortune hunt
That’s far too fleet…
3Jacob's Ladder (7:28) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
The clouds prepare for battle
In the dark and brooding silence
Bruised and sullen stormclouds
Have the light of day obscured
Looming low and ominous
In twilight premature
Thunderheads are rumbling
In a distant overture
All at once,
The clouds are parted
Light streams down
In bright unbroken beams
Follow men’s eyes
As they look to the skies
The shifting shafts of shining
Weave the fabric of their dreams…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
The clouds prepare for battle
In the dark and brooding silence
Bruised and sullen stormclouds
Have the light of day obscured
Looming low and ominous
In twilight premature
Thunderheads are rumbling
In a distant overture
All at once,
The clouds are parted
Light streams down
In bright unbroken beams
Follow men’s eyes
As they look to the skies
The shifting shafts of shining
Weave the fabric of their dreams…
4Entre Nous (4:37) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
We are secrets to each other
Each one’s life a novel
No-one else has read
Even joined in bonds of love
We’re linked to one another
By such slender threads
We are planets to each other
Drifting in our orbits
To a brief eclipse
Each of us a world apart
Alone and yet together
Like two passing ships
Just between us
I think it’s time for us to recognize
The differences we sometimes fear to show
Just between us
I think it’s time for us to realize
The spaces in between
Leave room for you and I to grow
We are strangers to each other
Full of sliding panels
An illusion show
Acting well-rehearsed routines
Or playing from the heart?
It’s hard for one to know
We are islands to each other
Building hopeful bridges
On a troubled sea
Some are burned or swept away
Some we would not choose
But we’re not always free
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
We are secrets to each other
Each one’s life a novel
No-one else has read
Even joined in bonds of love
We’re linked to one another
By such slender threads
We are planets to each other
Drifting in our orbits
To a brief eclipse
Each of us a world apart
Alone and yet together
Like two passing ships
Just between us
I think it’s time for us to recognize
The differences we sometimes fear to show
Just between us
I think it’s time for us to realize
The spaces in between
Leave room for you and I to grow
We are strangers to each other
Full of sliding panels
An illusion show
Acting well-rehearsed routines
Or playing from the heart?
It’s hard for one to know
We are islands to each other
Building hopeful bridges
On a troubled sea
Some are burned or swept away
Some we would not choose
But we’re not always free
5Different Strings (3:49) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Geddy Lee
Who’s come to slay the dragon –
Come to watch him fall?
Making arrows out of pointed words
Giant killers at the call
Too much fuss and bother
Too much contradiction
And confusion
Peel away the mystery
Here’s a clue to some real motivation
All there really is
The two of us
And we both know why we’ve come along
Nothing to explain
It’s a part of us
To be found within a song
What happened to our innocence –
Did it go out of style?
Along with our naiveté –
No longer a child
Different eyes see different things
Different hearts
Beat on different strings
But there are times
For you and me
When all such things agree
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Geddy Lee
Who’s come to slay the dragon –
Come to watch him fall?
Making arrows out of pointed words
Giant killers at the call
Too much fuss and bother
Too much contradiction
And confusion
Peel away the mystery
Here’s a clue to some real motivation
All there really is
The two of us
And we both know why we’ve come along
Nothing to explain
It’s a part of us
To be found within a song
What happened to our innocence –
Did it go out of style?
Along with our naiveté –
No longer a child
Different eyes see different things
Different hearts
Beat on different strings
But there are times
For you and me
When all such things agree
6Natural Science (9:16) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
7I. Tide Pools (2:21) (lyrics)
I. Tide Pools
When the ebbing tide retreats
Along the rocky shoreline
It leaves a trail of tidal pools
In a short-lived galaxy
Each microcosmic planet
A complete society
A simple kind mirror
To reflect upon our own
All the busy little creatures
Chasing out their destinies
Living in their pools
They soon forget about the sea…
Wheels within wheels
In a spiral array
A pattern so grand
And complex
Time after time
We lose sight of the way
Our causes can’t see
Their effects
(x)
I. Tide Pools
When the ebbing tide retreats
Along the rocky shoreline
It leaves a trail of tidal pools
In a short-lived galaxy
Each microcosmic planet
A complete society
A simple kind mirror
To reflect upon our own
All the busy little creatures
Chasing out their destinies
Living in their pools
They soon forget about the sea…
Wheels within wheels
In a spiral array
A pattern so grand
And complex
Time after time
We lose sight of the way
Our causes can’t see
Their effects
8II. Hyperspace (2:47) (lyrics)
II. Hyperspace
A quantum leap forward
In time and in space
The universe learned to expand
The mess and the magic
Triumphant and tragic
A mechanized world, out of hand
Computerized clinic
For superior cynics
Who dance to a synthetic band
In their own image
Their world is fashioned –
No wonder they don’t understand
Wheels within wheels
In a spiral array
A pattern so grand
And complex
Time after time
We lose sight of the way
Our causes can’t see
Their effects
(x)
II. Hyperspace
A quantum leap forward
In time and in space
The universe learned to expand
The mess and the magic
Triumphant and tragic
A mechanized world, out of hand
Computerized clinic
For superior cynics
Who dance to a synthetic band
In their own image
Their world is fashioned –
No wonder they don’t understand
Wheels within wheels
In a spiral array
A pattern so grand
And complex
Time after time
We lose sight of the way
Our causes can’t see
Their effects
9III. Permanent Waves (4:08) (lyrics)
III. Permanent Waves
Science, like Nature
Must also be tamed
With a view towards its preservation
Given the same
State of integrity
It will surely serve us well
Art as expression –
Not as market campaigns
Will still capture our imaginations
Given the same
State of integrity
It will surely help us along
The most endangered species –
The honest man
Will still survive annihilation
Forming a world –
State of integrity
Sensitive, open and strong.
Wave after wave
Will flow with the tide
And bury the world as it does
Tide after tide
Will flow and recede
Leaving life to go on
As it was…
(x)
III. Permanent Waves
Science, like Nature
Must also be tamed
With a view towards its preservation
Given the same
State of integrity
It will surely serve us well
Art as expression –
Not as market campaigns
Will still capture our imaginations
Given the same
State of integrity
It will surely help us along
The most endangered species –
The honest man
Will still survive annihilation
Forming a world –
State of integrity
Sensitive, open and strong.
Wave after wave
Will flow with the tide
And bury the world as it does
Tide after tide
Will flow and recede
Leaving life to go on
As it was…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Begin the day
With a friendly voice
A companion, unobtrusive
Plays the song that’s so elusive
And the magic music makes your morning mood
Off on your way
Hit the open road
There is magic at your fingers
For the Spirit ever lingers
Undemanding contact
In your happy solitude.
Invisible airwaves
Crackle with life
Bright antennae bristle
With the energy
Emotional feedback
On a timeless wavelength
Bearing a gift beyond price –
Almost free…
All this machinery
Making modern music
Can still be open-hearted
Not so coldly charted
It’s really just a question
Of your honesty
One likes to believe
In the freedom of music
But glittering prizes
And endless compromises
Shatter the illusion
Of integrity
“For the words of the profits,
Are written on the studio wall,
Concert hall –
Echoes with the sounds…
Of salesmen.”
(x)
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Begin the day
With a friendly voice
A companion, unobtrusive
Plays the song that’s so elusive
And the magic music makes your morning mood
Off on your way
Hit the open road
There is magic at your fingers
For the Spirit ever lingers
Undemanding contact
In your happy solitude.
Invisible airwaves
Crackle with life
Bright antennae bristle
With the energy
Emotional feedback
On a timeless wavelength
Bearing a gift beyond price –
Almost free…
All this machinery
Making modern music
Can still be open-hearted
Not so coldly charted
It’s really just a question
Of your honesty
One likes to believe
In the freedom of music
But glittering prizes
And endless compromises
Shatter the illusion
Of integrity
“For the words of the profits,
Are written on the studio wall,
Concert hall –
Echoes with the sounds…
Of salesmen.”
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Begin the day
With a friendly voice
A companion, unobtrusive
Plays the song that’s so elusive
And the magic music makes your morning mood
Off on your way
Hit the open road
There is magic at your fingers
For the Spirit ever lingers
Undemanding contact
In your happy solitude.
Invisible airwaves
Crackle with life
Bright antennae bristle
With the energy
Emotional feedback
On a timeless wavelength
Bearing a gift beyond price –
Almost free…
All this machinery
Making modern music
Can still be open-hearted
Not so coldly charted
It’s really just a question
Of your honesty
One likes to believe
In the freedom of music
But glittering prizes
And endless compromises
Shatter the illusion
Of integrity
“For the words of the profits,
Are written on the studio wall,
Concert hall –
Echoes with the sounds…
Of salesmen.”
2Freewill (5:23) (lyrics)Lyrics: Neil Peart
Begin the day
With a friendly voice
A companion, unobtrusive
Plays the song that’s so elusive
And the magic music makes your morning mood
Off on your way
Hit the open road
There is magic at your fingers
For the Spirit ever lingers
Undemanding contact
In your happy solitude.
Invisible airwaves
Crackle with life
Bright antennae bristle
With the energy
Emotional feedback
On a timeless wavelength
Bearing a gift beyond price –
Almost free…
All this machinery
Making modern music
Can still be open-hearted
Not so coldly charted
It’s really just a question
Of your honesty
One likes to believe
In the freedom of music
But glittering prizes
And endless compromises
Shatter the illusion
Of integrity
“For the words of the profits,
Are written on the studio wall,
Concert hall –
Echoes with the sounds…
Of salesmen.”
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
There are those who think that life
Has nothing left to chance
With a host of holy horrors
To direct our aimless dance
A planet of playthings
We dance on the strings
Of powers we cannot perceive
“The stars aren’t aligned –
Or the gods are malign”
Blame is better to give than receive
You can choose a ready guide
In some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide
You still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears
And kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that’s clear
I will choose free will.
There are those who think that
They were dealt a losing hand
The cards were stacked against them
They weren’t born in Lotus-Land.
All pre-ordained
A prisoner in chains
A victim of venomous fate
Kicked in the face
You can’t pray for a place
In Heaven’s unearthly estate
Each of us
A cell of awareness
Imperfect and incomplete
Genetic blends
With uncertain ends
On a fortune hunt
That’s far too fleet…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
There are those who think that life
Has nothing left to chance
With a host of holy horrors
To direct our aimless dance
A planet of playthings
We dance on the strings
Of powers we cannot perceive
“The stars aren’t aligned –
Or the gods are malign”
Blame is better to give than receive
You can choose a ready guide
In some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide
You still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears
And kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that’s clear
I will choose free will.
There are those who think that
They were dealt a losing hand
The cards were stacked against them
They weren’t born in Lotus-Land.
All pre-ordained
A prisoner in chains
A victim of venomous fate
Kicked in the face
You can’t pray for a place
In Heaven’s unearthly estate
Each of us
A cell of awareness
Imperfect and incomplete
Genetic blends
With uncertain ends
On a fortune hunt
That’s far too fleet…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
The clouds prepare for battle
In the dark and brooding silence
Bruised and sullen stormclouds
Have the light of day obscured
Looming low and ominous
In twilight premature
Thunderheads are rumbling
In a distant overture
All at once,
The clouds are parted
Light streams down
In bright unbroken beams
Follow men’s eyes
As they look to the skies
The shifting shafts of shining
Weave the fabric of their dreams…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
The clouds prepare for battle
In the dark and brooding silence
Bruised and sullen stormclouds
Have the light of day obscured
Looming low and ominous
In twilight premature
Thunderheads are rumbling
In a distant overture
All at once,
The clouds are parted
Light streams down
In bright unbroken beams
Follow men’s eyes
As they look to the skies
The shifting shafts of shining
Weave the fabric of their dreams…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
We are secrets to each other
Each one’s life a novel
No-one else has read
Even joined in bonds of love
We’re linked to one another
By such slender threads
We are planets to each other
Drifting in our orbits
To a brief eclipse
Each of us a world apart
Alone and yet together
Like two passing ships
Just between us
I think it’s time for us to recognize
The differences we sometimes fear to show
Just between us
I think it’s time for us to realize
The spaces in between
Leave room for you and I to grow
We are strangers to each other
Full of sliding panels
An illusion show
Acting well-rehearsed routines
Or playing from the heart?
It’s hard for one to know
We are islands to each other
Building hopeful bridges
On a troubled sea
Some are burned or swept away
Some we would not choose
But we’re not always free
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
We are secrets to each other
Each one’s life a novel
No-one else has read
Even joined in bonds of love
We’re linked to one another
By such slender threads
We are planets to each other
Drifting in our orbits
To a brief eclipse
Each of us a world apart
Alone and yet together
Like two passing ships
Just between us
I think it’s time for us to recognize
The differences we sometimes fear to show
Just between us
I think it’s time for us to realize
The spaces in between
Leave room for you and I to grow
We are strangers to each other
Full of sliding panels
An illusion show
Acting well-rehearsed routines
Or playing from the heart?
It’s hard for one to know
We are islands to each other
Building hopeful bridges
On a troubled sea
Some are burned or swept away
Some we would not choose
But we’re not always free
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Geddy Lee
Who’s come to slay the dragon –
Come to watch him fall?
Making arrows out of pointed words
Giant killers at the call
Too much fuss and bother
Too much contradiction
And confusion
Peel away the mystery
Here’s a clue to some real motivation
All there really is
The two of us
And we both know why we’ve come along
Nothing to explain
It’s a part of us
To be found within a song
What happened to our innocence –
Did it go out of style?
Along with our naiveté –
No longer a child
Different eyes see different things
Different hearts
Beat on different strings
But there are times
For you and me
When all such things agree
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Geddy Lee
Who’s come to slay the dragon –
Come to watch him fall?
Making arrows out of pointed words
Giant killers at the call
Too much fuss and bother
Too much contradiction
And confusion
Peel away the mystery
Here’s a clue to some real motivation
All there really is
The two of us
And we both know why we’ve come along
Nothing to explain
It’s a part of us
To be found within a song
What happened to our innocence –
Did it go out of style?
Along with our naiveté –
No longer a child
Different eyes see different things
Different hearts
Beat on different strings
But there are times
For you and me
When all such things agree
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I. Tide Pools
When the ebbing tide retreats
Along the rocky shoreline
It leaves a trail of tidal pools
In a short-lived galaxy
Each microcosmic planet
A complete society
A simple kind mirror
To reflect upon our own
All the busy little creatures
Chasing out their destinies
Living in their pools
They soon forget about the sea…
Wheels within wheels
In a spiral array
A pattern so grand
And complex
Time after time
We lose sight of the way
Our causes can’t see
Their effects
(x)
I. Tide Pools
When the ebbing tide retreats
Along the rocky shoreline
It leaves a trail of tidal pools
In a short-lived galaxy
Each microcosmic planet
A complete society
A simple kind mirror
To reflect upon our own
All the busy little creatures
Chasing out their destinies
Living in their pools
They soon forget about the sea…
Wheels within wheels
In a spiral array
A pattern so grand
And complex
Time after time
We lose sight of the way
Our causes can’t see
Their effects
II. Hyperspace
A quantum leap forward
In time and in space
The universe learned to expand
The mess and the magic
Triumphant and tragic
A mechanized world, out of hand
Computerized clinic
For superior cynics
Who dance to a synthetic band
In their own image
Their world is fashioned –
No wonder they don’t understand
Wheels within wheels
In a spiral array
A pattern so grand
And complex
Time after time
We lose sight of the way
Our causes can’t see
Their effects
(x)
II. Hyperspace
A quantum leap forward
In time and in space
The universe learned to expand
The mess and the magic
Triumphant and tragic
A mechanized world, out of hand
Computerized clinic
For superior cynics
Who dance to a synthetic band
In their own image
Their world is fashioned –
No wonder they don’t understand
Wheels within wheels
In a spiral array
A pattern so grand
And complex
Time after time
We lose sight of the way
Our causes can’t see
Their effects
III. Permanent Waves
Science, like Nature
Must also be tamed
With a view towards its preservation
Given the same
State of integrity
It will surely serve us well
Art as expression –
Not as market campaigns
Will still capture our imaginations
Given the same
State of integrity
It will surely help us along
The most endangered species –
The honest man
Will still survive annihilation
Forming a world –
State of integrity
Sensitive, open and strong.
Wave after wave
Will flow with the tide
And bury the world as it does
Tide after tide
Will flow and recede
Leaving life to go on
As it was…
(x)
III. Permanent Waves
Science, like Nature
Must also be tamed
With a view towards its preservation
Given the same
State of integrity
It will surely serve us well
Art as expression –
Not as market campaigns
Will still capture our imaginations
Given the same
State of integrity
It will surely help us along
The most endangered species –
The honest man
Will still survive annihilation
Forming a world –
State of integrity
Sensitive, open and strong.
Wave after wave
Will flow with the tide
And bury the world as it does
Tide after tide
Will flow and recede
Leaving life to go on
As it was…
RUSH
Moving Pictures
© 1981 Mercury Records © 1981 Anthem Entertainment , 1987
cd, album
Recorded and mixed at Le Studio Morin Heights, Quebec October and November, 1980 Assisted by Robbie Whelan, and our computerized companions: Albert, Huey, Dewey, and Louie Digital mastering engineered by Peter Jensen
Buy this record
1Tom Sawyer (4:33) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
My uncle has a country place, that no-one knows about
He says it used to be a farm, before the Motor Law
Sundays I elude the ‘Eyes’, and hop the Turbine Freight
To far outside the Wire, where my white-haired uncle waits
Jump to the ground
As the Turbo slows to cross the borderline
Run like the wind
As excitement shivers up and down my spine
Down in his barn
My uncle preserved for me an old machine –
For fifty-odd years
To keep it as new has been his dearest dream
I strip away the old debris, that hides a shining car
A brilliant red Barchetta, from a better, vanished time
Fire up the willing engine, responding with a roar!
Tires spitting gravel, I commit my weekly crime…
Wind in my hair –
Shifting and drifting –
Mechanical music
Adrenalin surge –
Well-weathered leather
Hot metal and oil
The scented country air
Sunlight on chrome
The blur of the landscape
Every nerve aware
Suddenly ahead of me, across the mountainside
A gleaming alloy air-car shoots towards me, two lanes wide
I spin around with shrieking tires, to run the deadly race
Go screaming through the valley as another joins the chase
Drive like the wind
Straining the limits of machine and man
Laughing out loud
With fear and hope, I’ve got a desperate plan
At the one-lane bridge
I leave the giants stranded
At the riverside
Race back to the farm
To dream with my uncle
At the fireside…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
My uncle has a country place, that no-one knows about
He says it used to be a farm, before the Motor Law
Sundays I elude the ‘Eyes’, and hop the Turbine Freight
To far outside the Wire, where my white-haired uncle waits
Jump to the ground
As the Turbo slows to cross the borderline
Run like the wind
As excitement shivers up and down my spine
Down in his barn
My uncle preserved for me an old machine –
For fifty-odd years
To keep it as new has been his dearest dream
I strip away the old debris, that hides a shining car
A brilliant red Barchetta, from a better, vanished time
Fire up the willing engine, responding with a roar!
Tires spitting gravel, I commit my weekly crime…
Wind in my hair –
Shifting and drifting –
Mechanical music
Adrenalin surge –
Well-weathered leather
Hot metal and oil
The scented country air
Sunlight on chrome
The blur of the landscape
Every nerve aware
Suddenly ahead of me, across the mountainside
A gleaming alloy air-car shoots towards me, two lanes wide
I spin around with shrieking tires, to run the deadly race
Go screaming through the valley as another joins the chase
Drive like the wind
Straining the limits of machine and man
Laughing out loud
With fear and hope, I’ve got a desperate plan
At the one-lane bridge
I leave the giants stranded
At the riverside
Race back to the farm
To dream with my uncle
At the fireside…
3YYZ (instrumental 4:24) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Neil Peart
Instrumental
4Limelight (4:19) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Living on a lighted stage
Approaches the unreal
For those who think and feel
In touch with some reality
Beyond the gilded cage
Cast in this unlikely role,
Ill-equipped to act
With insufficient tact
One must put up barriers
To keep oneself intact
Living in the Limelight
The universal dream
For those who wish to seem
Those who wish to be
Must put aside the alienation
Get on with the fascination
The real relation
The underlying theme
Living in a fisheye lens
Caught in the camera eye
I have no heart to lie
I can’t pretend a stranger
Is a long-awaited friend
All the world’s indeed a stage
And we are merely players
Performers and portrayers
Each another’s audience
Outside the gilded cage
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Living on a lighted stage
Approaches the unreal
For those who think and feel
In touch with some reality
Beyond the gilded cage
Cast in this unlikely role,
Ill-equipped to act
With insufficient tact
One must put up barriers
To keep oneself intact
Living in the Limelight
The universal dream
For those who wish to seem
Those who wish to be
Must put aside the alienation
Get on with the fascination
The real relation
The underlying theme
Living in a fisheye lens
Caught in the camera eye
I have no heart to lie
I can’t pretend a stranger
Is a long-awaited friend
All the world’s indeed a stage
And we are merely players
Performers and portrayers
Each another’s audience
Outside the gilded cage
5The Camera Eye (10:56) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I
Grim-faced and forbidding
Their faces closed tight
An angular mass of New Yorkers
Pacing in rhythm
Race the oncoming night
They chase through the streets of Manhattan
Head-first humanity
Pause at a light
Then flow through the streets of the city
They seem oblivious
To a soft spring rain
Like an English rain
So light, yet endless
From a leaden sky
The buildings are lost
In their limitless rise
My feet catch the pulse
And the purposeful stride
I feel the sense of possibilities
I feel the wrench of hard realities
The focus is sharp in the city
II
Wide-angle watcher
On life’s ancient tales
Steeped in the history of London
Green and grey washes
In a wispy white veil
Mist in the streets of Westminster
Wistful and weathered
The pride still prevails
Alive in the streets of the city
Are they oblivious
To this quality?
A quality of light
Unique to every city’s streets.
Pavements may teem
With intense energy
But the city is calm
In this violent sea
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I
Grim-faced and forbidding
Their faces closed tight
An angular mass of New Yorkers
Pacing in rhythm
Race the oncoming night
They chase through the streets of Manhattan
Head-first humanity
Pause at a light
Then flow through the streets of the city
They seem oblivious
To a soft spring rain
Like an English rain
So light, yet endless
From a leaden sky
The buildings are lost
In their limitless rise
My feet catch the pulse
And the purposeful stride
I feel the sense of possibilities
I feel the wrench of hard realities
The focus is sharp in the city
II
Wide-angle watcher
On life’s ancient tales
Steeped in the history of London
Green and grey washes
In a wispy white veil
Mist in the streets of Westminster
Wistful and weathered
The pride still prevails
Alive in the streets of the city
Are they oblivious
To this quality?
A quality of light
Unique to every city’s streets.
Pavements may teem
With intense energy
But the city is calm
In this violent sea
6Witch Hunt (Part III of Fear) (4:43) (lyrics)
(Part III of Fear)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
The night is black
Without a moon
The air is thick and still
The vigilantes gather on
The lonely torchlit hill
Features distorted in the flickering light
The faces are twisted and grotesque
Silent and stern in the sweltering night
The mob moves like demons possessed
Quiet in conscience, calm in their right
Confident their ways are best
The righteous rise
With burning eyes
Of hatred and ill-will
Madmen fed on fear and lies
To beat, and burn, and kill
They say there are strangers, who threaten us
In our immigrants and infidels
They say there is strangeness, too dangerous
In our theatres and bookstore shelves
That those who know what’s best for us –
Must rise and save us from ourselves
Quick to judge,
Quick to anger
Slow to understand
Ignorance and prejudice
And fear
Walk hand in hand
(x)
(Part III of Fear)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
The night is black
Without a moon
The air is thick and still
The vigilantes gather on
The lonely torchlit hill
Features distorted in the flickering light
The faces are twisted and grotesque
Silent and stern in the sweltering night
The mob moves like demons possessed
Quiet in conscience, calm in their right
Confident their ways are best
The righteous rise
With burning eyes
Of hatred and ill-will
Madmen fed on fear and lies
To beat, and burn, and kill
They say there are strangers, who threaten us
In our immigrants and infidels
They say there is strangeness, too dangerous
In our theatres and bookstore shelves
That those who know what’s best for us –
Must rise and save us from ourselves
Quick to judge,
Quick to anger
Slow to understand
Ignorance and prejudice
And fear
Walk hand in hand
7Vital Signs (4:43) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Unstable condition:
A symptom of life,
In mental,
And environmental change
Atmospheric disturbance –
The feverish flux,
Of human interface
And interchange
The impulse is pure –
Sometimes our circuits get shorted,
By external interference
Signals get crossed –
And the balance distorted
By internal incoherence
A tired mind become a shape-shifter
Everybody need a mood lifter
Everybody need reverse polarity
Everybody got mixed feelings
About the function and the form.
Everybody got to deviate
From the norm
An ounce of perception –
A pound of obscure
Process information
At half speed
Pause:
Rewind – replay –
Warm memory chip
Random-sample –
Hold the one you need
Leave out the fiction
The fact is;
This friction
Will only be worn by persistence
Leave out conditions
Courageous convictions
Will drag the dream into existence
A tired mind become a shape-shifter
Everybody need a soft filter
Everybody need reverse polarity
Everybody got mixed feelings
About the function and the form
Everybody got to elevate
From the norm…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Unstable condition:
A symptom of life,
In mental,
And environmental change
Atmospheric disturbance –
The feverish flux,
Of human interface
And interchange
The impulse is pure –
Sometimes our circuits get shorted,
By external interference
Signals get crossed –
And the balance distorted
By internal incoherence
A tired mind become a shape-shifter
Everybody need a mood lifter
Everybody need reverse polarity
Everybody got mixed feelings
About the function and the form.
Everybody got to deviate
From the norm
An ounce of perception –
A pound of obscure
Process information
At half speed
Pause:
Rewind – replay –
Warm memory chip
Random-sample –
Hold the one you need
Leave out the fiction
The fact is;
This friction
Will only be worn by persistence
Leave out conditions
Courageous convictions
Will drag the dream into existence
A tired mind become a shape-shifter
Everybody need a soft filter
Everybody need reverse polarity
Everybody got mixed feelings
About the function and the form
Everybody got to elevate
From the norm…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart and Pye Dubois
A modern-day warrior
Mean mean stride
Today’s Tom Sawyer
Mean mean pride
Though his mind is not for rent
Don’t put him down as arrogant
His reserve, a quiet defense
Riding out the day’s events –
The river
What you say about his company
Is what you say about society
-Catch the mist – Catch the myth
-Catch the mystery – Catch the drift
The world is the world is
Love and life are deep
Maybe as his skies are wide
Today’s Tom Sawyer
He gets high on you
And the space he invades
He gets by on you
No, his mind is not for rent
To any god or government.
Always hopeful, yet discontent
He knows changes aren’t permanent –
But change is
What you say about his company
Is what you say about society
-Catch the witness – Catch the wit
-Catch the spirit – Catch the spit
The world is the world is
Love and life are deep
Maybe as his eyes are wide
Exit the warrior
Today’s Tom Sawyer
He gets high on you
And the energy you trade
He gets right on to
The friction of the day
(x)
Lyrics: Neil Peart and Pye Dubois
A modern-day warrior
Mean mean stride
Today’s Tom Sawyer
Mean mean pride
Though his mind is not for rent
Don’t put him down as arrogant
His reserve, a quiet defense
Riding out the day’s events –
The river
What you say about his company
Is what you say about society
-Catch the mist – Catch the myth
-Catch the mystery – Catch the drift
The world is the world is
Love and life are deep
Maybe as his skies are wide
Today’s Tom Sawyer
He gets high on you
And the space he invades
He gets by on you
No, his mind is not for rent
To any god or government.
Always hopeful, yet discontent
He knows changes aren’t permanent –
But change is
What you say about his company
Is what you say about society
-Catch the witness – Catch the wit
-Catch the spirit – Catch the spit
The world is the world is
Love and life are deep
Maybe as his eyes are wide
Exit the warrior
Today’s Tom Sawyer
He gets high on you
And the energy you trade
He gets right on to
The friction of the day
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart and Pye Dubois
A modern-day warrior
Mean mean stride
Today’s Tom Sawyer
Mean mean pride
Though his mind is not for rent
Don’t put him down as arrogant
His reserve, a quiet defense
Riding out the day’s events –
The river
What you say about his company
Is what you say about society
-Catch the mist – Catch the myth
-Catch the mystery – Catch the drift
The world is the world is
Love and life are deep
Maybe as his skies are wide
Today’s Tom Sawyer
He gets high on you
And the space he invades
He gets by on you
No, his mind is not for rent
To any god or government.
Always hopeful, yet discontent
He knows changes aren’t permanent –
But change is
What you say about his company
Is what you say about society
-Catch the witness – Catch the wit
-Catch the spirit – Catch the spit
The world is the world is
Love and life are deep
Maybe as his eyes are wide
Exit the warrior
Today’s Tom Sawyer
He gets high on you
And the energy you trade
He gets right on to
The friction of the day
2Red Barchetta (6:06) (lyrics)Lyrics: Neil Peart and Pye Dubois
A modern-day warrior
Mean mean stride
Today’s Tom Sawyer
Mean mean pride
Though his mind is not for rent
Don’t put him down as arrogant
His reserve, a quiet defense
Riding out the day’s events –
The river
What you say about his company
Is what you say about society
-Catch the mist – Catch the myth
-Catch the mystery – Catch the drift
The world is the world is
Love and life are deep
Maybe as his skies are wide
Today’s Tom Sawyer
He gets high on you
And the space he invades
He gets by on you
No, his mind is not for rent
To any god or government.
Always hopeful, yet discontent
He knows changes aren’t permanent –
But change is
What you say about his company
Is what you say about society
-Catch the witness – Catch the wit
-Catch the spirit – Catch the spit
The world is the world is
Love and life are deep
Maybe as his eyes are wide
Exit the warrior
Today’s Tom Sawyer
He gets high on you
And the energy you trade
He gets right on to
The friction of the day
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
My uncle has a country place, that no-one knows about
He says it used to be a farm, before the Motor Law
Sundays I elude the ‘Eyes’, and hop the Turbine Freight
To far outside the Wire, where my white-haired uncle waits
Jump to the ground
As the Turbo slows to cross the borderline
Run like the wind
As excitement shivers up and down my spine
Down in his barn
My uncle preserved for me an old machine –
For fifty-odd years
To keep it as new has been his dearest dream
I strip away the old debris, that hides a shining car
A brilliant red Barchetta, from a better, vanished time
Fire up the willing engine, responding with a roar!
Tires spitting gravel, I commit my weekly crime…
Wind in my hair –
Shifting and drifting –
Mechanical music
Adrenalin surge –
Well-weathered leather
Hot metal and oil
The scented country air
Sunlight on chrome
The blur of the landscape
Every nerve aware
Suddenly ahead of me, across the mountainside
A gleaming alloy air-car shoots towards me, two lanes wide
I spin around with shrieking tires, to run the deadly race
Go screaming through the valley as another joins the chase
Drive like the wind
Straining the limits of machine and man
Laughing out loud
With fear and hope, I’ve got a desperate plan
At the one-lane bridge
I leave the giants stranded
At the riverside
Race back to the farm
To dream with my uncle
At the fireside…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
My uncle has a country place, that no-one knows about
He says it used to be a farm, before the Motor Law
Sundays I elude the ‘Eyes’, and hop the Turbine Freight
To far outside the Wire, where my white-haired uncle waits
Jump to the ground
As the Turbo slows to cross the borderline
Run like the wind
As excitement shivers up and down my spine
Down in his barn
My uncle preserved for me an old machine –
For fifty-odd years
To keep it as new has been his dearest dream
I strip away the old debris, that hides a shining car
A brilliant red Barchetta, from a better, vanished time
Fire up the willing engine, responding with a roar!
Tires spitting gravel, I commit my weekly crime…
Wind in my hair –
Shifting and drifting –
Mechanical music
Adrenalin surge –
Well-weathered leather
Hot metal and oil
The scented country air
Sunlight on chrome
The blur of the landscape
Every nerve aware
Suddenly ahead of me, across the mountainside
A gleaming alloy air-car shoots towards me, two lanes wide
I spin around with shrieking tires, to run the deadly race
Go screaming through the valley as another joins the chase
Drive like the wind
Straining the limits of machine and man
Laughing out loud
With fear and hope, I’ve got a desperate plan
At the one-lane bridge
I leave the giants stranded
At the riverside
Race back to the farm
To dream with my uncle
At the fireside…
Music: Geddy Lee and Neil Peart
Instrumental
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Living on a lighted stage
Approaches the unreal
For those who think and feel
In touch with some reality
Beyond the gilded cage
Cast in this unlikely role,
Ill-equipped to act
With insufficient tact
One must put up barriers
To keep oneself intact
Living in the Limelight
The universal dream
For those who wish to seem
Those who wish to be
Must put aside the alienation
Get on with the fascination
The real relation
The underlying theme
Living in a fisheye lens
Caught in the camera eye
I have no heart to lie
I can’t pretend a stranger
Is a long-awaited friend
All the world’s indeed a stage
And we are merely players
Performers and portrayers
Each another’s audience
Outside the gilded cage
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Living on a lighted stage
Approaches the unreal
For those who think and feel
In touch with some reality
Beyond the gilded cage
Cast in this unlikely role,
Ill-equipped to act
With insufficient tact
One must put up barriers
To keep oneself intact
Living in the Limelight
The universal dream
For those who wish to seem
Those who wish to be
Must put aside the alienation
Get on with the fascination
The real relation
The underlying theme
Living in a fisheye lens
Caught in the camera eye
I have no heart to lie
I can’t pretend a stranger
Is a long-awaited friend
All the world’s indeed a stage
And we are merely players
Performers and portrayers
Each another’s audience
Outside the gilded cage
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I
Grim-faced and forbidding
Their faces closed tight
An angular mass of New Yorkers
Pacing in rhythm
Race the oncoming night
They chase through the streets of Manhattan
Head-first humanity
Pause at a light
Then flow through the streets of the city
They seem oblivious
To a soft spring rain
Like an English rain
So light, yet endless
From a leaden sky
The buildings are lost
In their limitless rise
My feet catch the pulse
And the purposeful stride
I feel the sense of possibilities
I feel the wrench of hard realities
The focus is sharp in the city
II
Wide-angle watcher
On life’s ancient tales
Steeped in the history of London
Green and grey washes
In a wispy white veil
Mist in the streets of Westminster
Wistful and weathered
The pride still prevails
Alive in the streets of the city
Are they oblivious
To this quality?
A quality of light
Unique to every city’s streets.
Pavements may teem
With intense energy
But the city is calm
In this violent sea
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I
Grim-faced and forbidding
Their faces closed tight
An angular mass of New Yorkers
Pacing in rhythm
Race the oncoming night
They chase through the streets of Manhattan
Head-first humanity
Pause at a light
Then flow through the streets of the city
They seem oblivious
To a soft spring rain
Like an English rain
So light, yet endless
From a leaden sky
The buildings are lost
In their limitless rise
My feet catch the pulse
And the purposeful stride
I feel the sense of possibilities
I feel the wrench of hard realities
The focus is sharp in the city
II
Wide-angle watcher
On life’s ancient tales
Steeped in the history of London
Green and grey washes
In a wispy white veil
Mist in the streets of Westminster
Wistful and weathered
The pride still prevails
Alive in the streets of the city
Are they oblivious
To this quality?
A quality of light
Unique to every city’s streets.
Pavements may teem
With intense energy
But the city is calm
In this violent sea
(Part III of Fear)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
The night is black
Without a moon
The air is thick and still
The vigilantes gather on
The lonely torchlit hill
Features distorted in the flickering light
The faces are twisted and grotesque
Silent and stern in the sweltering night
The mob moves like demons possessed
Quiet in conscience, calm in their right
Confident their ways are best
The righteous rise
With burning eyes
Of hatred and ill-will
Madmen fed on fear and lies
To beat, and burn, and kill
They say there are strangers, who threaten us
In our immigrants and infidels
They say there is strangeness, too dangerous
In our theatres and bookstore shelves
That those who know what’s best for us –
Must rise and save us from ourselves
Quick to judge,
Quick to anger
Slow to understand
Ignorance and prejudice
And fear
Walk hand in hand
(x)
(Part III of Fear)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
The night is black
Without a moon
The air is thick and still
The vigilantes gather on
The lonely torchlit hill
Features distorted in the flickering light
The faces are twisted and grotesque
Silent and stern in the sweltering night
The mob moves like demons possessed
Quiet in conscience, calm in their right
Confident their ways are best
The righteous rise
With burning eyes
Of hatred and ill-will
Madmen fed on fear and lies
To beat, and burn, and kill
They say there are strangers, who threaten us
In our immigrants and infidels
They say there is strangeness, too dangerous
In our theatres and bookstore shelves
That those who know what’s best for us –
Must rise and save us from ourselves
Quick to judge,
Quick to anger
Slow to understand
Ignorance and prejudice
And fear
Walk hand in hand
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Unstable condition:
A symptom of life,
In mental,
And environmental change
Atmospheric disturbance –
The feverish flux,
Of human interface
And interchange
The impulse is pure –
Sometimes our circuits get shorted,
By external interference
Signals get crossed –
And the balance distorted
By internal incoherence
A tired mind become a shape-shifter
Everybody need a mood lifter
Everybody need reverse polarity
Everybody got mixed feelings
About the function and the form.
Everybody got to deviate
From the norm
An ounce of perception –
A pound of obscure
Process information
At half speed
Pause:
Rewind – replay –
Warm memory chip
Random-sample –
Hold the one you need
Leave out the fiction
The fact is;
This friction
Will only be worn by persistence
Leave out conditions
Courageous convictions
Will drag the dream into existence
A tired mind become a shape-shifter
Everybody need a soft filter
Everybody need reverse polarity
Everybody got mixed feelings
About the function and the form
Everybody got to elevate
From the norm…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Unstable condition:
A symptom of life,
In mental,
And environmental change
Atmospheric disturbance –
The feverish flux,
Of human interface
And interchange
The impulse is pure –
Sometimes our circuits get shorted,
By external interference
Signals get crossed –
And the balance distorted
By internal incoherence
A tired mind become a shape-shifter
Everybody need a mood lifter
Everybody need reverse polarity
Everybody got mixed feelings
About the function and the form.
Everybody got to deviate
From the norm
An ounce of perception –
A pound of obscure
Process information
At half speed
Pause:
Rewind – replay –
Warm memory chip
Random-sample –
Hold the one you need
Leave out the fiction
The fact is;
This friction
Will only be worn by persistence
Leave out conditions
Courageous convictions
Will drag the dream into existence
A tired mind become a shape-shifter
Everybody need a soft filter
Everybody need reverse polarity
Everybody got mixed feelings
About the function and the form
Everybody got to elevate
From the norm…
RUSH
Signals
© 1982 Mercury Records © 1982 Anthem Entertainment , 1982
cd, album
Recorded and mixed at Le Studio Morin Heights, Quebec April, May, June, and July 1982 Assisted by Robbie Whelan (Right Field) Digitally mastered by JVC Hydrant courtesy of the Department of Public Works, Toronto
Buy this record
1Subdivisions (5:33) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A hot and windy August afternoon
Has the trees in constant motion
With a flash of silver leaves
As they’re rocking in the breeze
The boy lies in the grass with one blade
Stuck between his teeth
A vague sensation quickens
In his young and restless heart
And a bright and nameless vision
Has him longing to depart
You move me —
You move me —
With your buildings and your eyes
Autumn woods and winter skies
You move me —
You move me —
Open sea and city lights
Busy streets and dizzy heights
You call me —
You call me —
The fawn-eyed girl with sun-browned legs
Dances on the edge of his dream
And her voice rings in his ears
Like the music of the spheres
The boy lies in the grass, unmoving
Staring at the sky
His mother starts to call him
As a hawk goes soaring by
The boy pulls down his baseball cap
And covers up his eyes
Too many hands on my time
Too many feelings —
Too many things on my mind
When I leave I don’t know
What I’m hoping to find
When I leave I don’t know
What I’m leaving behind…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A hot and windy August afternoon
Has the trees in constant motion
With a flash of silver leaves
As they’re rocking in the breeze
The boy lies in the grass with one blade
Stuck between his teeth
A vague sensation quickens
In his young and restless heart
And a bright and nameless vision
Has him longing to depart
You move me —
You move me —
With your buildings and your eyes
Autumn woods and winter skies
You move me —
You move me —
Open sea and city lights
Busy streets and dizzy heights
You call me —
You call me —
The fawn-eyed girl with sun-browned legs
Dances on the edge of his dream
And her voice rings in his ears
Like the music of the spheres
The boy lies in the grass, unmoving
Staring at the sky
His mother starts to call him
As a hawk goes soaring by
The boy pulls down his baseball cap
And covers up his eyes
Too many hands on my time
Too many feelings —
Too many things on my mind
When I leave I don’t know
What I’m hoping to find
When I leave I don’t know
What I’m leaving behind…
3Chemistry (4:56) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart
Signals transmitted
Message received
Reaction making impact —
Invisibly
Elemental telepathy
Exchange of energy
Reaction making contact —
Mysteriously
Eye to I
Reaction burning hotter
Two to one
Reflection on the water
H to O
No flow without the other
Oh but how
Do they make contact
With one another?
Electricity? Biology?
Seems to me it’s Chemistry
Emotion transmitted
Emotion received
Music in the abstract —
Positively
Elemental empathy
A change of synergy
Music making contact —
Naturally
One, two, three —
Add without subtraction
Sound on sound
Multiplied reaction
H to O
No flow without the other
Oh but how
Do we make contact
With one another?
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart
Signals transmitted
Message received
Reaction making impact —
Invisibly
Elemental telepathy
Exchange of energy
Reaction making contact —
Mysteriously
Eye to I
Reaction burning hotter
Two to one
Reflection on the water
H to O
No flow without the other
Oh but how
Do they make contact
With one another?
Electricity? Biology?
Seems to me it’s Chemistry
Emotion transmitted
Emotion received
Music in the abstract —
Positively
Elemental empathy
A change of synergy
Music making contact —
Naturally
One, two, three —
Add without subtraction
Sound on sound
Multiplied reaction
H to O
No flow without the other
Oh but how
Do we make contact
With one another?
4Digital Man (6:20) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
His world is under observation —
We monitor his station
Under faces and the places
Where he traces points of view
He picks up scraps of conversation —
Radio and radiation
From the dancers and romancers
With the answers — but no clue
He’d love to spend the night in Zion
He’s been a long while in Babylon
He’d like a lover’s wings to fly on
To a tropic isle of Avalon
His world is under anaesthetic —
Subdivided and synthetic
His reliance on the giants
In the science of the day
He picks up scraps of information —
He’s adept at adaptation
‘Cause for strangers and arrangers
Constant change is here to stay
He’s got a force field and a flexible plan
He’s got a date with fate in a black sedan
He plays fast forward for as long as he can
But he won’t need a bed —
He’s a digital man
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
His world is under observation —
We monitor his station
Under faces and the places
Where he traces points of view
He picks up scraps of conversation —
Radio and radiation
From the dancers and romancers
With the answers — but no clue
He’d love to spend the night in Zion
He’s been a long while in Babylon
He’d like a lover’s wings to fly on
To a tropic isle of Avalon
His world is under anaesthetic —
Subdivided and synthetic
His reliance on the giants
In the science of the day
He picks up scraps of information —
He’s adept at adaptation
‘Cause for strangers and arrangers
Constant change is here to stay
He’s got a force field and a flexible plan
He’s got a date with fate in a black sedan
He plays fast forward for as long as he can
But he won’t need a bed —
He’s a digital man
5The Weapon (Part II of Fear) (6:22) (lyrics)
(Part II of Fear)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
We’ve got nothing to fear — but fear itself?
Not pain or failure, not fatal tragedy?
Not the faulty units in this mad machinery?
Not the broken contacts in emotional chemistry?
With an iron fist in a velvet glove
We are sheltered under the gun
In the glory game on the power train
Thy kingdom’s will be done
And the things that we fear
Are a weapon to be held against us…
He’s not afraid of your judgement
He knows of horrors worse than your Hell
He’s a little bit afraid of dying —
But he’s a lot more afraid of your lying
And the things that he fears
Are a weapon to be held against him…
Can any part of life — be larger than life?
Even love must be limited by time
And those who push us down that they might climb —
Is any killer worth more than his crime?
Like a steely blade in a silken sheath
We don’t see what they’re made of
They shout about love, but when push comes to shove
They live for the things they’re afraid of
And the knowledge that they fear
Is a weapon to be used against them…
(x)
(Part II of Fear)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
We’ve got nothing to fear — but fear itself?
Not pain or failure, not fatal tragedy?
Not the faulty units in this mad machinery?
Not the broken contacts in emotional chemistry?
With an iron fist in a velvet glove
We are sheltered under the gun
In the glory game on the power train
Thy kingdom’s will be done
And the things that we fear
Are a weapon to be held against us…
He’s not afraid of your judgement
He knows of horrors worse than your Hell
He’s a little bit afraid of dying —
But he’s a lot more afraid of your lying
And the things that he fears
Are a weapon to be held against him…
Can any part of life — be larger than life?
Even love must be limited by time
And those who push us down that they might climb —
Is any killer worth more than his crime?
Like a steely blade in a silken sheath
We don’t see what they’re made of
They shout about love, but when push comes to shove
They live for the things they’re afraid of
And the knowledge that they fear
Is a weapon to be used against them…
6New World Man (3:41) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
He’s a rebel and a runner
He’s a signal turning green
He’s a restless young romantic
Wants to run the big machine
He’s got a problem with his poisons
But you know he’ll find a cure
He’s cleaning up his systems
To keep his nature pure
Learning to match the beat of the Old World man
Learning to catch the heat of the Third World man
He’s got to make his own mistakes
And learn to mend the mess he makes
He’s old enough to know what’s right
But young enough not to choose it
He’s noble enough to win the world
But weak enough to lose it —
He’s a New World man…
He’s a radio receiver
Tuned to factories and farms
He’s a writer and arranger
And a young boy bearing arms
He’s got a problem with his power
With weapons on patrol
He’s got to walk a fine line
And keep his self-control
Trying to save the day for the Old World man
Trying to pave the way for the Third World man
He’s not concerned with yesterday
He knows constant change is here today
He’s noble enough to know what’s right
But weak enough not to choose it
He’s wise enough to win the world
But fool enough to lose it —
He’s a New World man…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
He’s a rebel and a runner
He’s a signal turning green
He’s a restless young romantic
Wants to run the big machine
He’s got a problem with his poisons
But you know he’ll find a cure
He’s cleaning up his systems
To keep his nature pure
Learning to match the beat of the Old World man
Learning to catch the heat of the Third World man
He’s got to make his own mistakes
And learn to mend the mess he makes
He’s old enough to know what’s right
But young enough not to choose it
He’s noble enough to win the world
But weak enough to lose it —
He’s a New World man…
He’s a radio receiver
Tuned to factories and farms
He’s a writer and arranger
And a young boy bearing arms
He’s got a problem with his power
With weapons on patrol
He’s got to walk a fine line
And keep his self-control
Trying to save the day for the Old World man
Trying to pave the way for the Third World man
He’s not concerned with yesterday
He knows constant change is here today
He’s noble enough to know what’s right
But weak enough not to choose it
He’s wise enough to win the world
But fool enough to lose it —
He’s a New World man…
7Losing It (4:51) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
The dancer slows her frantic pace
In pain and desperation,
Her aching limbs and downcast face
Aglow with perspiration
Stiff as wire, her lungs on fire,
With just the briefest pause —
The flooding through her memory,
The echoes of old applause.
She limps across the floor
And closes her bedroom door…
The writer stares with glassy eyes —
Defies the empty page,
His beard is white, his face is lined
And streaked with tears of rage.
Thirty years ago, how the words would flow
With passion and precision,
But now his mind is dark and dulled
By sickness and indecision
And he stares out the kitchen door
Where the sun will rise no more…
Some are born to move the world —
To live their fantasies
But most of us just dream about
The things we’d like to be
Sadder still to watch it die
Than never to have known it
For you — the blind who once could see —
The bell tolls for thee…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
The dancer slows her frantic pace
In pain and desperation,
Her aching limbs and downcast face
Aglow with perspiration
Stiff as wire, her lungs on fire,
With just the briefest pause —
The flooding through her memory,
The echoes of old applause.
She limps across the floor
And closes her bedroom door…
The writer stares with glassy eyes —
Defies the empty page,
His beard is white, his face is lined
And streaked with tears of rage.
Thirty years ago, how the words would flow
With passion and precision,
But now his mind is dark and dulled
By sickness and indecision
And he stares out the kitchen door
Where the sun will rise no more…
Some are born to move the world —
To live their fantasies
But most of us just dream about
The things we’d like to be
Sadder still to watch it die
Than never to have known it
For you — the blind who once could see —
The bell tolls for thee…
8Countdown (5:49) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Lit up with anticipation
We arrive at the launching site
The sky is still dark, nearing dawn
On the Florida coastline
Circling choppers slash the night
With roving searchlight beams
This magic day when super-science
Mingles with the bright stuff of dreams
Floodlit in the hazy distance
The star of this unearthly show
Venting vapours, like the breath
Of a sleeping white dragon
Crackling speakers, voices tense
Resume the final count
All systems check, T minus nine
As the sun and the drama start to mount
The air is charged — a humid, motionless mass
The crowds and the cameras,
The cars full of spectators pass
Excitement so thick — you could cut it with a knife
Technology — high, on the leading edge of life
The earth beneath us starts to tremble
With the spreading of a low black cloud
A thunderous roar shakes the air
Like the whole world exploding
Scorching blast of golden fire
As it slowly leaves the ground
Tears away with a mighty force
The air is shattered by the awesome sound
Like a pillar of cloud, the smoke lingers
High in the air
In fascination — with the eyes of the world
We stare…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Lit up with anticipation
We arrive at the launching site
The sky is still dark, nearing dawn
On the Florida coastline
Circling choppers slash the night
With roving searchlight beams
This magic day when super-science
Mingles with the bright stuff of dreams
Floodlit in the hazy distance
The star of this unearthly show
Venting vapours, like the breath
Of a sleeping white dragon
Crackling speakers, voices tense
Resume the final count
All systems check, T minus nine
As the sun and the drama start to mount
The air is charged — a humid, motionless mass
The crowds and the cameras,
The cars full of spectators pass
Excitement so thick — you could cut it with a knife
Technology — high, on the leading edge of life
The earth beneath us starts to tremble
With the spreading of a low black cloud
A thunderous roar shakes the air
Like the whole world exploding
Scorching blast of golden fire
As it slowly leaves the ground
Tears away with a mighty force
The air is shattered by the awesome sound
Like a pillar of cloud, the smoke lingers
High in the air
In fascination — with the eyes of the world
We stare…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Sprawling on the fringes of the city
In geometric order
An insulated border
In between the bright lights
And the far unlit unknown
Growing up it all seems so one-sided
Opinions all provided
The future pre-decided
Detached and subdivided
In the mass production zone
Nowhere is the dreamer
Or the misfit so alone
Subdivisions —
In the high school halls
In the shopping malls
Conform or be cast out
Subdivisions —
In the basement bars
In the backs of cars
Be cool or be cast out
Any escape might help to smooth
The unattractive truth
But the suburbs have no charms to soothe
The restless dreams of youth
Drawn like moths we drift into the city
The timeless old attraction
Cruising for the action
Lit up like a firefly
Just to feel the living night
Some will sell their dreams for small desires
Or lose the race to rats
Get caught in ticking traps
And start to dream of somewhere
To relax their restless flight
Somewhere out of a memory
Of lighted streets on quiet nights…
(x)
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Sprawling on the fringes of the city
In geometric order
An insulated border
In between the bright lights
And the far unlit unknown
Growing up it all seems so one-sided
Opinions all provided
The future pre-decided
Detached and subdivided
In the mass production zone
Nowhere is the dreamer
Or the misfit so alone
Subdivisions —
In the high school halls
In the shopping malls
Conform or be cast out
Subdivisions —
In the basement bars
In the backs of cars
Be cool or be cast out
Any escape might help to smooth
The unattractive truth
But the suburbs have no charms to soothe
The restless dreams of youth
Drawn like moths we drift into the city
The timeless old attraction
Cruising for the action
Lit up like a firefly
Just to feel the living night
Some will sell their dreams for small desires
Or lose the race to rats
Get caught in ticking traps
And start to dream of somewhere
To relax their restless flight
Somewhere out of a memory
Of lighted streets on quiet nights…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Sprawling on the fringes of the city
In geometric order
An insulated border
In between the bright lights
And the far unlit unknown
Growing up it all seems so one-sided
Opinions all provided
The future pre-decided
Detached and subdivided
In the mass production zone
Nowhere is the dreamer
Or the misfit so alone
Subdivisions —
In the high school halls
In the shopping malls
Conform or be cast out
Subdivisions —
In the basement bars
In the backs of cars
Be cool or be cast out
Any escape might help to smooth
The unattractive truth
But the suburbs have no charms to soothe
The restless dreams of youth
Drawn like moths we drift into the city
The timeless old attraction
Cruising for the action
Lit up like a firefly
Just to feel the living night
Some will sell their dreams for small desires
Or lose the race to rats
Get caught in ticking traps
And start to dream of somewhere
To relax their restless flight
Somewhere out of a memory
Of lighted streets on quiet nights…
2The Analog Kid (4:46) (lyrics)Lyrics: Neil Peart
Sprawling on the fringes of the city
In geometric order
An insulated border
In between the bright lights
And the far unlit unknown
Growing up it all seems so one-sided
Opinions all provided
The future pre-decided
Detached and subdivided
In the mass production zone
Nowhere is the dreamer
Or the misfit so alone
Subdivisions —
In the high school halls
In the shopping malls
Conform or be cast out
Subdivisions —
In the basement bars
In the backs of cars
Be cool or be cast out
Any escape might help to smooth
The unattractive truth
But the suburbs have no charms to soothe
The restless dreams of youth
Drawn like moths we drift into the city
The timeless old attraction
Cruising for the action
Lit up like a firefly
Just to feel the living night
Some will sell their dreams for small desires
Or lose the race to rats
Get caught in ticking traps
And start to dream of somewhere
To relax their restless flight
Somewhere out of a memory
Of lighted streets on quiet nights…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A hot and windy August afternoon
Has the trees in constant motion
With a flash of silver leaves
As they’re rocking in the breeze
The boy lies in the grass with one blade
Stuck between his teeth
A vague sensation quickens
In his young and restless heart
And a bright and nameless vision
Has him longing to depart
You move me —
You move me —
With your buildings and your eyes
Autumn woods and winter skies
You move me —
You move me —
Open sea and city lights
Busy streets and dizzy heights
You call me —
You call me —
The fawn-eyed girl with sun-browned legs
Dances on the edge of his dream
And her voice rings in his ears
Like the music of the spheres
The boy lies in the grass, unmoving
Staring at the sky
His mother starts to call him
As a hawk goes soaring by
The boy pulls down his baseball cap
And covers up his eyes
Too many hands on my time
Too many feelings —
Too many things on my mind
When I leave I don’t know
What I’m hoping to find
When I leave I don’t know
What I’m leaving behind…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A hot and windy August afternoon
Has the trees in constant motion
With a flash of silver leaves
As they’re rocking in the breeze
The boy lies in the grass with one blade
Stuck between his teeth
A vague sensation quickens
In his young and restless heart
And a bright and nameless vision
Has him longing to depart
You move me —
You move me —
With your buildings and your eyes
Autumn woods and winter skies
You move me —
You move me —
Open sea and city lights
Busy streets and dizzy heights
You call me —
You call me —
The fawn-eyed girl with sun-browned legs
Dances on the edge of his dream
And her voice rings in his ears
Like the music of the spheres
The boy lies in the grass, unmoving
Staring at the sky
His mother starts to call him
As a hawk goes soaring by
The boy pulls down his baseball cap
And covers up his eyes
Too many hands on my time
Too many feelings —
Too many things on my mind
When I leave I don’t know
What I’m hoping to find
When I leave I don’t know
What I’m leaving behind…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart
Signals transmitted
Message received
Reaction making impact —
Invisibly
Elemental telepathy
Exchange of energy
Reaction making contact —
Mysteriously
Eye to I
Reaction burning hotter
Two to one
Reflection on the water
H to O
No flow without the other
Oh but how
Do they make contact
With one another?
Electricity? Biology?
Seems to me it’s Chemistry
Emotion transmitted
Emotion received
Music in the abstract —
Positively
Elemental empathy
A change of synergy
Music making contact —
Naturally
One, two, three —
Add without subtraction
Sound on sound
Multiplied reaction
H to O
No flow without the other
Oh but how
Do we make contact
With one another?
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart
Signals transmitted
Message received
Reaction making impact —
Invisibly
Elemental telepathy
Exchange of energy
Reaction making contact —
Mysteriously
Eye to I
Reaction burning hotter
Two to one
Reflection on the water
H to O
No flow without the other
Oh but how
Do they make contact
With one another?
Electricity? Biology?
Seems to me it’s Chemistry
Emotion transmitted
Emotion received
Music in the abstract —
Positively
Elemental empathy
A change of synergy
Music making contact —
Naturally
One, two, three —
Add without subtraction
Sound on sound
Multiplied reaction
H to O
No flow without the other
Oh but how
Do we make contact
With one another?
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
His world is under observation —
We monitor his station
Under faces and the places
Where he traces points of view
He picks up scraps of conversation —
Radio and radiation
From the dancers and romancers
With the answers — but no clue
He’d love to spend the night in Zion
He’s been a long while in Babylon
He’d like a lover’s wings to fly on
To a tropic isle of Avalon
His world is under anaesthetic —
Subdivided and synthetic
His reliance on the giants
In the science of the day
He picks up scraps of information —
He’s adept at adaptation
‘Cause for strangers and arrangers
Constant change is here to stay
He’s got a force field and a flexible plan
He’s got a date with fate in a black sedan
He plays fast forward for as long as he can
But he won’t need a bed —
He’s a digital man
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
His world is under observation —
We monitor his station
Under faces and the places
Where he traces points of view
He picks up scraps of conversation —
Radio and radiation
From the dancers and romancers
With the answers — but no clue
He’d love to spend the night in Zion
He’s been a long while in Babylon
He’d like a lover’s wings to fly on
To a tropic isle of Avalon
His world is under anaesthetic —
Subdivided and synthetic
His reliance on the giants
In the science of the day
He picks up scraps of information —
He’s adept at adaptation
‘Cause for strangers and arrangers
Constant change is here to stay
He’s got a force field and a flexible plan
He’s got a date with fate in a black sedan
He plays fast forward for as long as he can
But he won’t need a bed —
He’s a digital man
(Part II of Fear)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
We’ve got nothing to fear — but fear itself?
Not pain or failure, not fatal tragedy?
Not the faulty units in this mad machinery?
Not the broken contacts in emotional chemistry?
With an iron fist in a velvet glove
We are sheltered under the gun
In the glory game on the power train
Thy kingdom’s will be done
And the things that we fear
Are a weapon to be held against us…
He’s not afraid of your judgement
He knows of horrors worse than your Hell
He’s a little bit afraid of dying —
But he’s a lot more afraid of your lying
And the things that he fears
Are a weapon to be held against him…
Can any part of life — be larger than life?
Even love must be limited by time
And those who push us down that they might climb —
Is any killer worth more than his crime?
Like a steely blade in a silken sheath
We don’t see what they’re made of
They shout about love, but when push comes to shove
They live for the things they’re afraid of
And the knowledge that they fear
Is a weapon to be used against them…
(x)
(Part II of Fear)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
We’ve got nothing to fear — but fear itself?
Not pain or failure, not fatal tragedy?
Not the faulty units in this mad machinery?
Not the broken contacts in emotional chemistry?
With an iron fist in a velvet glove
We are sheltered under the gun
In the glory game on the power train
Thy kingdom’s will be done
And the things that we fear
Are a weapon to be held against us…
He’s not afraid of your judgement
He knows of horrors worse than your Hell
He’s a little bit afraid of dying —
But he’s a lot more afraid of your lying
And the things that he fears
Are a weapon to be held against him…
Can any part of life — be larger than life?
Even love must be limited by time
And those who push us down that they might climb —
Is any killer worth more than his crime?
Like a steely blade in a silken sheath
We don’t see what they’re made of
They shout about love, but when push comes to shove
They live for the things they’re afraid of
And the knowledge that they fear
Is a weapon to be used against them…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
He’s a rebel and a runner
He’s a signal turning green
He’s a restless young romantic
Wants to run the big machine
He’s got a problem with his poisons
But you know he’ll find a cure
He’s cleaning up his systems
To keep his nature pure
Learning to match the beat of the Old World man
Learning to catch the heat of the Third World man
He’s got to make his own mistakes
And learn to mend the mess he makes
He’s old enough to know what’s right
But young enough not to choose it
He’s noble enough to win the world
But weak enough to lose it —
He’s a New World man…
He’s a radio receiver
Tuned to factories and farms
He’s a writer and arranger
And a young boy bearing arms
He’s got a problem with his power
With weapons on patrol
He’s got to walk a fine line
And keep his self-control
Trying to save the day for the Old World man
Trying to pave the way for the Third World man
He’s not concerned with yesterday
He knows constant change is here today
He’s noble enough to know what’s right
But weak enough not to choose it
He’s wise enough to win the world
But fool enough to lose it —
He’s a New World man…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
He’s a rebel and a runner
He’s a signal turning green
He’s a restless young romantic
Wants to run the big machine
He’s got a problem with his poisons
But you know he’ll find a cure
He’s cleaning up his systems
To keep his nature pure
Learning to match the beat of the Old World man
Learning to catch the heat of the Third World man
He’s got to make his own mistakes
And learn to mend the mess he makes
He’s old enough to know what’s right
But young enough not to choose it
He’s noble enough to win the world
But weak enough to lose it —
He’s a New World man…
He’s a radio receiver
Tuned to factories and farms
He’s a writer and arranger
And a young boy bearing arms
He’s got a problem with his power
With weapons on patrol
He’s got to walk a fine line
And keep his self-control
Trying to save the day for the Old World man
Trying to pave the way for the Third World man
He’s not concerned with yesterday
He knows constant change is here today
He’s noble enough to know what’s right
But weak enough not to choose it
He’s wise enough to win the world
But fool enough to lose it —
He’s a New World man…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
The dancer slows her frantic pace
In pain and desperation,
Her aching limbs and downcast face
Aglow with perspiration
Stiff as wire, her lungs on fire,
With just the briefest pause —
The flooding through her memory,
The echoes of old applause.
She limps across the floor
And closes her bedroom door…
The writer stares with glassy eyes —
Defies the empty page,
His beard is white, his face is lined
And streaked with tears of rage.
Thirty years ago, how the words would flow
With passion and precision,
But now his mind is dark and dulled
By sickness and indecision
And he stares out the kitchen door
Where the sun will rise no more…
Some are born to move the world —
To live their fantasies
But most of us just dream about
The things we’d like to be
Sadder still to watch it die
Than never to have known it
For you — the blind who once could see —
The bell tolls for thee…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
The dancer slows her frantic pace
In pain and desperation,
Her aching limbs and downcast face
Aglow with perspiration
Stiff as wire, her lungs on fire,
With just the briefest pause —
The flooding through her memory,
The echoes of old applause.
She limps across the floor
And closes her bedroom door…
The writer stares with glassy eyes —
Defies the empty page,
His beard is white, his face is lined
And streaked with tears of rage.
Thirty years ago, how the words would flow
With passion and precision,
But now his mind is dark and dulled
By sickness and indecision
And he stares out the kitchen door
Where the sun will rise no more…
Some are born to move the world —
To live their fantasies
But most of us just dream about
The things we’d like to be
Sadder still to watch it die
Than never to have known it
For you — the blind who once could see —
The bell tolls for thee…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Lit up with anticipation
We arrive at the launching site
The sky is still dark, nearing dawn
On the Florida coastline
Circling choppers slash the night
With roving searchlight beams
This magic day when super-science
Mingles with the bright stuff of dreams
Floodlit in the hazy distance
The star of this unearthly show
Venting vapours, like the breath
Of a sleeping white dragon
Crackling speakers, voices tense
Resume the final count
All systems check, T minus nine
As the sun and the drama start to mount
The air is charged — a humid, motionless mass
The crowds and the cameras,
The cars full of spectators pass
Excitement so thick — you could cut it with a knife
Technology — high, on the leading edge of life
The earth beneath us starts to tremble
With the spreading of a low black cloud
A thunderous roar shakes the air
Like the whole world exploding
Scorching blast of golden fire
As it slowly leaves the ground
Tears away with a mighty force
The air is shattered by the awesome sound
Like a pillar of cloud, the smoke lingers
High in the air
In fascination — with the eyes of the world
We stare…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Lit up with anticipation
We arrive at the launching site
The sky is still dark, nearing dawn
On the Florida coastline
Circling choppers slash the night
With roving searchlight beams
This magic day when super-science
Mingles with the bright stuff of dreams
Floodlit in the hazy distance
The star of this unearthly show
Venting vapours, like the breath
Of a sleeping white dragon
Crackling speakers, voices tense
Resume the final count
All systems check, T minus nine
As the sun and the drama start to mount
The air is charged — a humid, motionless mass
The crowds and the cameras,
The cars full of spectators pass
Excitement so thick — you could cut it with a knife
Technology — high, on the leading edge of life
The earth beneath us starts to tremble
With the spreading of a low black cloud
A thunderous roar shakes the air
Like the whole world exploding
Scorching blast of golden fire
As it slowly leaves the ground
Tears away with a mighty force
The air is shattered by the awesome sound
Like a pillar of cloud, the smoke lingers
High in the air
In fascination — with the eyes of the world
We stare…
RUSH
Grace Under Pressure
©1984 Mercury Records ©1984 Anthem Entertainment , 1984
cd, album
Recorded at Le Studio Morin Heights, Quebec Between November 1983 and March 1984 In memory of Robbie Whelan PPG Synthesizer programming assisted by Jim Burgess and Paul Northfield
Buy this record
1Distant Early Warning (4:59) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Suddenly —
You were gone
From all the lives
You left your mark upon
I remember —
How we talked and drank
Into the misty dawn
— I hear the voices
We ran by the water
On the wet summer lawn
— I see the foot prints
I remember —
— I feel the way you would
— I feel the way you would
Tried to believe
But you know it’s no good
This is something
That just can’t be understood
I remember —
The shouts of joy
Skiing fast through the woods
— I hear the echoes
I learned your love for life
I feel the way that you would
— I feel your presence
I remember —
I feel the way you would
This just can’t be understood…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Suddenly —
You were gone
From all the lives
You left your mark upon
I remember —
How we talked and drank
Into the misty dawn
— I hear the voices
We ran by the water
On the wet summer lawn
— I see the foot prints
I remember —
— I feel the way you would
— I feel the way you would
Tried to believe
But you know it’s no good
This is something
That just can’t be understood
I remember —
The shouts of joy
Skiing fast through the woods
— I hear the echoes
I learned your love for life
I feel the way that you would
— I feel your presence
I remember —
I feel the way you would
This just can’t be understood…
3Red Sector A (5:10) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
All that we can do is just survive
All that we can do to help ourselves
Is stay alive…
Ragged lines of ragged grey
Skeletons, they shuffle away
Shouting guards and smoking guns
Will cut down the unlucky ones
I clutch the wire fence
Until my fingers bleed
A wound that will not heal —
A heart that cannot feel —
Hoping that the horror will recede
Hoping that tomorrow —
We’ll all be freed
Sickness to insanity
Prayer to profanity
Days and weeks and months go by
Don’t feel the hunger — too weak to cry
I hear the sound of gunfire
At the prison gate
Are the liberators here —
Ao I hope or do I fear?
For my father and my brother, it’s too late
But I must help my mother
Stand up straight…
Are we the last ones left alive?
Are we the only human beings
To survive?…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
All that we can do is just survive
All that we can do to help ourselves
Is stay alive…
Ragged lines of ragged grey
Skeletons, they shuffle away
Shouting guards and smoking guns
Will cut down the unlucky ones
I clutch the wire fence
Until my fingers bleed
A wound that will not heal —
A heart that cannot feel —
Hoping that the horror will recede
Hoping that tomorrow —
We’ll all be freed
Sickness to insanity
Prayer to profanity
Days and weeks and months go by
Don’t feel the hunger — too weak to cry
I hear the sound of gunfire
At the prison gate
Are the liberators here —
Ao I hope or do I fear?
For my father and my brother, it’s too late
But I must help my mother
Stand up straight…
Are we the last ones left alive?
Are we the only human beings
To survive?…
4The Enemy Within (Part I of Fear) (4:34) (lyrics)
(Part I of Fear)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Things crawl in the darkness
That imagination spins
Needles at your nerve ends
Crawl like spiders on your skin
Pounding in your temples
And a surge of adrenaline
Every muscle tense —
To fence
The enemy within
I’m not giving in
To security under pressure
I’m not missing out
On the promise of adventure
I’m not giving up
on implausible dreams —
Experience to extremes —
Experience to extremes
Suspicious-looking stranger
Flashes you a dangerous grin
Shadows across your window —
Was it only trees in the wind?
Every breath a static charge —
A tongue that tastes like tin
Steely-eyed outside —
To hide
The enemy within…
To you — is it movement or is it action?
It is contact or just reaction?
And you — revolution or just resistance?
Is it living, or just existence?
Yeah, you — it takes a little more persistence
To get up and go the distance…
(x)
(Part I of Fear)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Things crawl in the darkness
That imagination spins
Needles at your nerve ends
Crawl like spiders on your skin
Pounding in your temples
And a surge of adrenaline
Every muscle tense —
To fence
The enemy within
I’m not giving in
To security under pressure
I’m not missing out
On the promise of adventure
I’m not giving up
on implausible dreams —
Experience to extremes —
Experience to extremes
Suspicious-looking stranger
Flashes you a dangerous grin
Shadows across your window —
Was it only trees in the wind?
Every breath a static charge —
A tongue that tastes like tin
Steely-eyed outside —
To hide
The enemy within…
To you — is it movement or is it action?
It is contact or just reaction?
And you — revolution or just resistance?
Is it living, or just existence?
Yeah, you — it takes a little more persistence
To get up and go the distance…
5The Body Electric (5:00) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
One humanoid escapee
One android on the run
Seeking freedom beneath
A lonely desert sun
Trying to change its program
Trying to change the mode —
Crack the code
Images conflicting
Into data overload
1-0-0-1-0-0-1
S.O.S.
1-0-0-1-0-0-1
In distress
1-0-0-1-0-0
Memory banks unloading
Bytes break into bits
Unit one’s in trouble
And it’s scared out of its wits
Guidance systems break down
A struggle to exist —
To resist
A pulse of dying power
In a clenching plastic fist…
It replays each of the days
A hundred years of routines
Bows its head and prays
To the mother of all machines…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
One humanoid escapee
One android on the run
Seeking freedom beneath
A lonely desert sun
Trying to change its program
Trying to change the mode —
Crack the code
Images conflicting
Into data overload
1-0-0-1-0-0-1
S.O.S.
1-0-0-1-0-0-1
In distress
1-0-0-1-0-0
Memory banks unloading
Bytes break into bits
Unit one’s in trouble
And it’s scared out of its wits
Guidance systems break down
A struggle to exist —
To resist
A pulse of dying power
In a clenching plastic fist…
It replays each of the days
A hundred years of routines
Bows its head and prays
To the mother of all machines…
6Kid Gloves (4:18) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A world of difference
A world so out of touch
Overwhelmed by everything
But wanting more so much —
Call it blind frustration
Call it blind man’s bluff
Call each other names —
Your voices rude — your voices rough
Then you learn the lesson
That it’s cool to be so tough
Handle with kid gloves
Handle with kid gloves
Then you learn the lessons
Taught in school won’t be enough
Put on your kid gloves
Put on your kid gloves
Then you learn the lesson
That it’s cool to be so tough
A world of indifference
Heads and hearts too full
Careless of the consequence
Of constant push and pull
Anger got bare knuckles
Anger play the fool
Anger wear a crown of thorns
Reverse the golden rule
Then you learn the lesson
That it’s tough to be so cool
Handle with kid gloves
Handle with kid gloves
Then you learn the weapons
And the ways of hard-knock school
Put on your kid gloves
Put on your kid gloves
Then you learn the lesson
That it’s tough to be so cool
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A world of difference
A world so out of touch
Overwhelmed by everything
But wanting more so much —
Call it blind frustration
Call it blind man’s bluff
Call each other names —
Your voices rude — your voices rough
Then you learn the lesson
That it’s cool to be so tough
Handle with kid gloves
Handle with kid gloves
Then you learn the lessons
Taught in school won’t be enough
Put on your kid gloves
Put on your kid gloves
Then you learn the lesson
That it’s cool to be so tough
A world of indifference
Heads and hearts too full
Careless of the consequence
Of constant push and pull
Anger got bare knuckles
Anger play the fool
Anger wear a crown of thorns
Reverse the golden rule
Then you learn the lesson
That it’s tough to be so cool
Handle with kid gloves
Handle with kid gloves
Then you learn the weapons
And the ways of hard-knock school
Put on your kid gloves
Put on your kid gloves
Then you learn the lesson
That it’s tough to be so cool
7Red Lenses (4:42) Between the Wheels (5:44) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
i see red
it hurts my head
guess it must be something
that i read
it’s the colour of your heartbeat
a rising summer sun
the battle lost — or won
the flash to fashion
and the pulse to passion —
feels red
inside my head
and truth is often bitter —
left unsaid
said red red
thinking about the overhead —
the underfed
— couldn’t we talk about something else instead?
we’ve got mars on the horizon
says the national midnight star
(it’s true)
what you believe is what you are
a pair of dancing shoes —
the soviets are the blues —
the reds
under your bed
lying —
in the darkness
dead ahead
and the mercury is rising
barometer starts to fall
you know it gets to us all
the pain that is learning
and the rain that is burning —
feel red
still — go ahead
you see black and white —
and i see red
(not blue)
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
i see red
it hurts my head
guess it must be something
that i read
it’s the colour of your heartbeat
a rising summer sun
the battle lost — or won
the flash to fashion
and the pulse to passion —
feels red
inside my head
and truth is often bitter —
left unsaid
said red red
thinking about the overhead —
the underfed
— couldn’t we talk about something else instead?
we’ve got mars on the horizon
says the national midnight star
(it’s true)
what you believe is what you are
a pair of dancing shoes —
the soviets are the blues —
the reds
under your bed
lying —
in the darkness
dead ahead
and the mercury is rising
barometer starts to fall
you know it gets to us all
the pain that is learning
and the rain that is burning —
feel red
still — go ahead
you see black and white —
and i see red
(not blue)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
An ill wind comes arising
Across the cities of the plain
There’s no swimming in the heavy water —
No singing in the acid rain
Red alert
Red alert
It’s so hard to stay together
Passing through revolving doors
We need someone to talk to
And someone to sweep the floors —
Incomplete
Incomplete
The world weighs on my shoulders
But what am I to do?
You sometimes drive me crazy —
But I worry about you
I know it makes on difference
To what you’re going through
But I see the tip of the iceberg —
And I worry about you…
Cruising under your radar
Watching from satellites
Take a page from the red book —
Keep them in your sights
Red alert
Red alert
Left and rights of passage
Black and whites of youth
Who can face the knowledge
That the truth is not the truth?
Obsolete
Absolute
Absalom
Absalom
(x)
Lyrics: Neil Peart
An ill wind comes arising
Across the cities of the plain
There’s no swimming in the heavy water —
No singing in the acid rain
Red alert
Red alert
It’s so hard to stay together
Passing through revolving doors
We need someone to talk to
And someone to sweep the floors —
Incomplete
Incomplete
The world weighs on my shoulders
But what am I to do?
You sometimes drive me crazy —
But I worry about you
I know it makes on difference
To what you’re going through
But I see the tip of the iceberg —
And I worry about you…
Cruising under your radar
Watching from satellites
Take a page from the red book —
Keep them in your sights
Red alert
Red alert
Left and rights of passage
Black and whites of youth
Who can face the knowledge
That the truth is not the truth?
Obsolete
Absolute
Absalom
Absalom
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
An ill wind comes arising
Across the cities of the plain
There’s no swimming in the heavy water —
No singing in the acid rain
Red alert
Red alert
It’s so hard to stay together
Passing through revolving doors
We need someone to talk to
And someone to sweep the floors —
Incomplete
Incomplete
The world weighs on my shoulders
But what am I to do?
You sometimes drive me crazy —
But I worry about you
I know it makes on difference
To what you’re going through
But I see the tip of the iceberg —
And I worry about you…
Cruising under your radar
Watching from satellites
Take a page from the red book —
Keep them in your sights
Red alert
Red alert
Left and rights of passage
Black and whites of youth
Who can face the knowledge
That the truth is not the truth?
Obsolete
Absolute
Absalom
Absalom
2Afterimage (5:04) (lyrics)Lyrics: Neil Peart
An ill wind comes arising
Across the cities of the plain
There’s no swimming in the heavy water —
No singing in the acid rain
Red alert
Red alert
It’s so hard to stay together
Passing through revolving doors
We need someone to talk to
And someone to sweep the floors —
Incomplete
Incomplete
The world weighs on my shoulders
But what am I to do?
You sometimes drive me crazy —
But I worry about you
I know it makes on difference
To what you’re going through
But I see the tip of the iceberg —
And I worry about you…
Cruising under your radar
Watching from satellites
Take a page from the red book —
Keep them in your sights
Red alert
Red alert
Left and rights of passage
Black and whites of youth
Who can face the knowledge
That the truth is not the truth?
Obsolete
Absolute
Absalom
Absalom
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Suddenly —
You were gone
From all the lives
You left your mark upon
I remember —
How we talked and drank
Into the misty dawn
— I hear the voices
We ran by the water
On the wet summer lawn
— I see the foot prints
I remember —
— I feel the way you would
— I feel the way you would
Tried to believe
But you know it’s no good
This is something
That just can’t be understood
I remember —
The shouts of joy
Skiing fast through the woods
— I hear the echoes
I learned your love for life
I feel the way that you would
— I feel your presence
I remember —
I feel the way you would
This just can’t be understood…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Suddenly —
You were gone
From all the lives
You left your mark upon
I remember —
How we talked and drank
Into the misty dawn
— I hear the voices
We ran by the water
On the wet summer lawn
— I see the foot prints
I remember —
— I feel the way you would
— I feel the way you would
Tried to believe
But you know it’s no good
This is something
That just can’t be understood
I remember —
The shouts of joy
Skiing fast through the woods
— I hear the echoes
I learned your love for life
I feel the way that you would
— I feel your presence
I remember —
I feel the way you would
This just can’t be understood…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
All that we can do is just survive
All that we can do to help ourselves
Is stay alive…
Ragged lines of ragged grey
Skeletons, they shuffle away
Shouting guards and smoking guns
Will cut down the unlucky ones
I clutch the wire fence
Until my fingers bleed
A wound that will not heal —
A heart that cannot feel —
Hoping that the horror will recede
Hoping that tomorrow —
We’ll all be freed
Sickness to insanity
Prayer to profanity
Days and weeks and months go by
Don’t feel the hunger — too weak to cry
I hear the sound of gunfire
At the prison gate
Are the liberators here —
Ao I hope or do I fear?
For my father and my brother, it’s too late
But I must help my mother
Stand up straight…
Are we the last ones left alive?
Are we the only human beings
To survive?…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
All that we can do is just survive
All that we can do to help ourselves
Is stay alive…
Ragged lines of ragged grey
Skeletons, they shuffle away
Shouting guards and smoking guns
Will cut down the unlucky ones
I clutch the wire fence
Until my fingers bleed
A wound that will not heal —
A heart that cannot feel —
Hoping that the horror will recede
Hoping that tomorrow —
We’ll all be freed
Sickness to insanity
Prayer to profanity
Days and weeks and months go by
Don’t feel the hunger — too weak to cry
I hear the sound of gunfire
At the prison gate
Are the liberators here —
Ao I hope or do I fear?
For my father and my brother, it’s too late
But I must help my mother
Stand up straight…
Are we the last ones left alive?
Are we the only human beings
To survive?…
(Part I of Fear)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Things crawl in the darkness
That imagination spins
Needles at your nerve ends
Crawl like spiders on your skin
Pounding in your temples
And a surge of adrenaline
Every muscle tense —
To fence
The enemy within
I’m not giving in
To security under pressure
I’m not missing out
On the promise of adventure
I’m not giving up
on implausible dreams —
Experience to extremes —
Experience to extremes
Suspicious-looking stranger
Flashes you a dangerous grin
Shadows across your window —
Was it only trees in the wind?
Every breath a static charge —
A tongue that tastes like tin
Steely-eyed outside —
To hide
The enemy within…
To you — is it movement or is it action?
It is contact or just reaction?
And you — revolution or just resistance?
Is it living, or just existence?
Yeah, you — it takes a little more persistence
To get up and go the distance…
(x)
(Part I of Fear)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Things crawl in the darkness
That imagination spins
Needles at your nerve ends
Crawl like spiders on your skin
Pounding in your temples
And a surge of adrenaline
Every muscle tense —
To fence
The enemy within
I’m not giving in
To security under pressure
I’m not missing out
On the promise of adventure
I’m not giving up
on implausible dreams —
Experience to extremes —
Experience to extremes
Suspicious-looking stranger
Flashes you a dangerous grin
Shadows across your window —
Was it only trees in the wind?
Every breath a static charge —
A tongue that tastes like tin
Steely-eyed outside —
To hide
The enemy within…
To you — is it movement or is it action?
It is contact or just reaction?
And you — revolution or just resistance?
Is it living, or just existence?
Yeah, you — it takes a little more persistence
To get up and go the distance…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
One humanoid escapee
One android on the run
Seeking freedom beneath
A lonely desert sun
Trying to change its program
Trying to change the mode —
Crack the code
Images conflicting
Into data overload
1-0-0-1-0-0-1
S.O.S.
1-0-0-1-0-0-1
In distress
1-0-0-1-0-0
Memory banks unloading
Bytes break into bits
Unit one’s in trouble
And it’s scared out of its wits
Guidance systems break down
A struggle to exist —
To resist
A pulse of dying power
In a clenching plastic fist…
It replays each of the days
A hundred years of routines
Bows its head and prays
To the mother of all machines…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
One humanoid escapee
One android on the run
Seeking freedom beneath
A lonely desert sun
Trying to change its program
Trying to change the mode —
Crack the code
Images conflicting
Into data overload
1-0-0-1-0-0-1
S.O.S.
1-0-0-1-0-0-1
In distress
1-0-0-1-0-0
Memory banks unloading
Bytes break into bits
Unit one’s in trouble
And it’s scared out of its wits
Guidance systems break down
A struggle to exist —
To resist
A pulse of dying power
In a clenching plastic fist…
It replays each of the days
A hundred years of routines
Bows its head and prays
To the mother of all machines…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A world of difference
A world so out of touch
Overwhelmed by everything
But wanting more so much —
Call it blind frustration
Call it blind man’s bluff
Call each other names —
Your voices rude — your voices rough
Then you learn the lesson
That it’s cool to be so tough
Handle with kid gloves
Handle with kid gloves
Then you learn the lessons
Taught in school won’t be enough
Put on your kid gloves
Put on your kid gloves
Then you learn the lesson
That it’s cool to be so tough
A world of indifference
Heads and hearts too full
Careless of the consequence
Of constant push and pull
Anger got bare knuckles
Anger play the fool
Anger wear a crown of thorns
Reverse the golden rule
Then you learn the lesson
That it’s tough to be so cool
Handle with kid gloves
Handle with kid gloves
Then you learn the weapons
And the ways of hard-knock school
Put on your kid gloves
Put on your kid gloves
Then you learn the lesson
That it’s tough to be so cool
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A world of difference
A world so out of touch
Overwhelmed by everything
But wanting more so much —
Call it blind frustration
Call it blind man’s bluff
Call each other names —
Your voices rude — your voices rough
Then you learn the lesson
That it’s cool to be so tough
Handle with kid gloves
Handle with kid gloves
Then you learn the lessons
Taught in school won’t be enough
Put on your kid gloves
Put on your kid gloves
Then you learn the lesson
That it’s cool to be so tough
A world of indifference
Heads and hearts too full
Careless of the consequence
Of constant push and pull
Anger got bare knuckles
Anger play the fool
Anger wear a crown of thorns
Reverse the golden rule
Then you learn the lesson
That it’s tough to be so cool
Handle with kid gloves
Handle with kid gloves
Then you learn the weapons
And the ways of hard-knock school
Put on your kid gloves
Put on your kid gloves
Then you learn the lesson
That it’s tough to be so cool
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
i see red
it hurts my head
guess it must be something
that i read
it’s the colour of your heartbeat
a rising summer sun
the battle lost — or won
the flash to fashion
and the pulse to passion —
feels red
inside my head
and truth is often bitter —
left unsaid
said red red
thinking about the overhead —
the underfed
— couldn’t we talk about something else instead?
we’ve got mars on the horizon
says the national midnight star
(it’s true)
what you believe is what you are
a pair of dancing shoes —
the soviets are the blues —
the reds
under your bed
lying —
in the darkness
dead ahead
and the mercury is rising
barometer starts to fall
you know it gets to us all
the pain that is learning
and the rain that is burning —
feel red
still — go ahead
you see black and white —
and i see red
(not blue)
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
i see red
it hurts my head
guess it must be something
that i read
it’s the colour of your heartbeat
a rising summer sun
the battle lost — or won
the flash to fashion
and the pulse to passion —
feels red
inside my head
and truth is often bitter —
left unsaid
said red red
thinking about the overhead —
the underfed
— couldn’t we talk about something else instead?
we’ve got mars on the horizon
says the national midnight star
(it’s true)
what you believe is what you are
a pair of dancing shoes —
the soviets are the blues —
the reds
under your bed
lying —
in the darkness
dead ahead
and the mercury is rising
barometer starts to fall
you know it gets to us all
the pain that is learning
and the rain that is burning —
feel red
still — go ahead
you see black and white —
and i see red
(not blue)
RUSH
Power Windows
©1985 Mercury Records ©1985 Anthem Entertainment , 1985
cd, album
Recorded at The Manor, England Assisted by Steve Chase and AIR Studios, Montserrat Assisted by Matt Butler and Sarm East, London Assisted by Dave Meegan, Heff Moraes, and Paul Wright Mixed at Sarm East
Buy this record
1The Big Money (5:36) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A to B —
Different degrees…
So much style without substance
So much stuff without style
It’s hard to recognize the real thing
It comes along once in a while
Like a rare and precious metal
Beneath a ton of rock
It takes some time and trouble
To separate from the stock
You sometimes have to listen to
A lot of useless talk
Shapes and forms
Against the norms —
Against the run of the mill
Swimming against the stream
Life in two dimensions
Is a mass production scheme
So much poison in power
The principles get left out
So much mind on the matter
The spirit gets forgotten about
Like a righteous inspiration
Overlooked in haste
Like a teardrop in the ocean
A diamond in the waste
Some world-views are spacious —
And some are merely spaced
Against the run of the mill
Static as it seems
We break the surface tension
With our wild kinetic dreams
Curves and lines —
Of grand designs…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A to B —
Different degrees…
So much style without substance
So much stuff without style
It’s hard to recognize the real thing
It comes along once in a while
Like a rare and precious metal
Beneath a ton of rock
It takes some time and trouble
To separate from the stock
You sometimes have to listen to
A lot of useless talk
Shapes and forms
Against the norms —
Against the run of the mill
Swimming against the stream
Life in two dimensions
Is a mass production scheme
So much poison in power
The principles get left out
So much mind on the matter
The spirit gets forgotten about
Like a righteous inspiration
Overlooked in haste
Like a teardrop in the ocean
A diamond in the waste
Some world-views are spacious —
And some are merely spaced
Against the run of the mill
Static as it seems
We break the surface tension
With our wild kinetic dreams
Curves and lines —
Of grand designs…
3Manhattan Project (5:05) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Imagine a time
When it all began
In the dying days of a war
A weapon — that would settle the score
Whoever found it first
Would be sure to do their worst —
They always had before…
Imagine a man
Where it all began
A scientist pacing the floor
In each nation — always eager to explore
To build the best big stick
To turn the winning trick —
But this was something more…
The big bang — took and shook the world
Shot down the rising sun
The end was begun — it would hit everyone
When the chain reaction was done
The big shots — try to hold it back
Fools try to wish it away
The hopeful depend on a world without end
Whatever the hopeless may say
Imagine a place
Where it all began
They gathered from across the land
To work in the secrecy of the desert sand
All of the brightest boys
To play with the biggest toys —
More than they bargained for…
Imagine a man
When it all began
The pilot of “Enola Gay”
Flying out of the shockwave
On that August day
All the powers that be
And the course of history,
Would be changed for evermore…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Imagine a time
When it all began
In the dying days of a war
A weapon — that would settle the score
Whoever found it first
Would be sure to do their worst —
They always had before…
Imagine a man
Where it all began
A scientist pacing the floor
In each nation — always eager to explore
To build the best big stick
To turn the winning trick —
But this was something more…
The big bang — took and shook the world
Shot down the rising sun
The end was begun — it would hit everyone
When the chain reaction was done
The big shots — try to hold it back
Fools try to wish it away
The hopeful depend on a world without end
Whatever the hopeless may say
Imagine a place
Where it all began
They gathered from across the land
To work in the secrecy of the desert sand
All of the brightest boys
To play with the biggest toys —
More than they bargained for…
Imagine a man
When it all began
The pilot of “Enola Gay”
Flying out of the shockwave
On that August day
All the powers that be
And the course of history,
Would be changed for evermore…
4Marathon (6:09) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
It’s not how fast you can go
The force goes into the flow
If you pick up the beat
You can forget about the heat
More than just survival
More than just a flash
More than just a dotted line
More than just a dash
It’s a test of ultimate will
The heartbreak climb uphill
Got to pick up the pace
If you want to stay in the race
More than just blind ambition
More than just simple greed
More than just a finish line
Must feed this burning need —
In the long run…
From first to last
The peak is never passed
Something always fires the light
That gets in your eyes
One moment’s high
And glory rolls on by
Like a streak of lightening
That flashes and fades
In the summer sky
Your meters may overload
You can rest at the side of the road
You can miss a stride
But nobody gets a free ride
More than high performance
More than just a spark
More than just the bottom line
Or a lucky shot in the dark —
In the long run…
You can do a lot in a lifetime
If you don’t burn out too fast
You can make the most of the distance
First you need endurance —
First you’ve got to last…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
It’s not how fast you can go
The force goes into the flow
If you pick up the beat
You can forget about the heat
More than just survival
More than just a flash
More than just a dotted line
More than just a dash
It’s a test of ultimate will
The heartbreak climb uphill
Got to pick up the pace
If you want to stay in the race
More than just blind ambition
More than just simple greed
More than just a finish line
Must feed this burning need —
In the long run…
From first to last
The peak is never passed
Something always fires the light
That gets in your eyes
One moment’s high
And glory rolls on by
Like a streak of lightening
That flashes and fades
In the summer sky
Your meters may overload
You can rest at the side of the road
You can miss a stride
But nobody gets a free ride
More than high performance
More than just a spark
More than just the bottom line
Or a lucky shot in the dark —
In the long run…
You can do a lot in a lifetime
If you don’t burn out too fast
You can make the most of the distance
First you need endurance —
First you’ve got to last…
5Territories (6:19) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I see the Middle Kingdom between Heaven and Earth
Like the Chinese call the country of their birth
We all figure that our homes are set above
Other people than the ones we know and love
In every place with a name
They play the same territorial game
Hiding behind the lines
Sending up warning signs
The whole wide world
An endless universe
Yet we keep looking through
The eyeglass in reverse
Don’t feed the people
But we feed the machines
Can’t really feel
What international means
In different circles
We keep holding our ground
Indifferent circles
We keep spinning round and round
We see so many tribes — overrun and undermined
While their invaders dream of lands they’ve left behind
Better people — better food — and better beer
Why move around the world when Eden was so near?
The bosses get talking so tough
And if that wasn’t evil enough
We get the drunken and passionate pride
Of the citizens along for the ride
They shoot without shame
In the name of a piece of dirt
For a change of accent
Or the colour of your shirt
Better the pride that resides
In a citizen of the world
Than the pride that divides
When a colourful rag is unfurled
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I see the Middle Kingdom between Heaven and Earth
Like the Chinese call the country of their birth
We all figure that our homes are set above
Other people than the ones we know and love
In every place with a name
They play the same territorial game
Hiding behind the lines
Sending up warning signs
The whole wide world
An endless universe
Yet we keep looking through
The eyeglass in reverse
Don’t feed the people
But we feed the machines
Can’t really feel
What international means
In different circles
We keep holding our ground
Indifferent circles
We keep spinning round and round
We see so many tribes — overrun and undermined
While their invaders dream of lands they’ve left behind
Better people — better food — and better beer
Why move around the world when Eden was so near?
The bosses get talking so tough
And if that wasn’t evil enough
We get the drunken and passionate pride
Of the citizens along for the ride
They shoot without shame
In the name of a piece of dirt
For a change of accent
Or the colour of your shirt
Better the pride that resides
In a citizen of the world
Than the pride that divides
When a colourful rag is unfurled
6Middletown Dreams (5:15) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
The office door closed early
The hidden bottle came out
The salesman turned to close the blinds
A little slow now, a little stout
But he’s still heading down those tracks
Any day now for sure
Another day as drab as today
Is more than a man can endure
Dreams flow across the heartland
Feeding on the fires
Dreams transport desires
Drive you when you’re down —
Dreams transport the ones
Who need to get out of town
The boy walks with his best friend
Through the fields of early May
They walk awhile in silence
One close — one far away
But he’d be climbing on that bus
Just him and his guitar
To blaze across the heavens
Like a brilliant shooting star
The middle-aged madonna
Calls her neighbour on the phone
Day by day the seasons pass
And leave her life alone
But she’ll go walking out that door
On some bright afternoon
To go and paint big cities
From a lonely attic room
It’s understood
By every single person
Who’d be elsewhere if they could
So far so good
And life’s not unpleasant
In their little neighbourhood
They dream in Middletown…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
The office door closed early
The hidden bottle came out
The salesman turned to close the blinds
A little slow now, a little stout
But he’s still heading down those tracks
Any day now for sure
Another day as drab as today
Is more than a man can endure
Dreams flow across the heartland
Feeding on the fires
Dreams transport desires
Drive you when you’re down —
Dreams transport the ones
Who need to get out of town
The boy walks with his best friend
Through the fields of early May
They walk awhile in silence
One close — one far away
But he’d be climbing on that bus
Just him and his guitar
To blaze across the heavens
Like a brilliant shooting star
The middle-aged madonna
Calls her neighbour on the phone
Day by day the seasons pass
And leave her life alone
But she’ll go walking out that door
On some bright afternoon
To go and paint big cities
From a lonely attic room
It’s understood
By every single person
Who’d be elsewhere if they could
So far so good
And life’s not unpleasant
In their little neighbourhood
They dream in Middletown…
7Emotion Detector (5:10) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
When we lift the covers from our feelings
We expose our insecure spots
Trust is just as rare as devotion —
Forgive us our cynical thoughts
If we need too much attention —
Not content with being cool
We must throw ourselves wide open
And start acting like a fool
If we need too much approval
Then the cuts can seem too cruel
Right to the heart of the matter
Right to the beautiful part
Illusions are painfully shattered
Right where discovery starts
In the secret wells of emotion
Buried deep in our hearts
It’s true that love can change us
But never quite enough
Sometimes we are too tender
Sometimes we’re too tough
If we get too much attention
It gets hard to overrule
So often fragile power turns
To scorn and ridicule
Sometimes our big splashes
Are just ripples in the pool
Feelings run high
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
When we lift the covers from our feelings
We expose our insecure spots
Trust is just as rare as devotion —
Forgive us our cynical thoughts
If we need too much attention —
Not content with being cool
We must throw ourselves wide open
And start acting like a fool
If we need too much approval
Then the cuts can seem too cruel
Right to the heart of the matter
Right to the beautiful part
Illusions are painfully shattered
Right where discovery starts
In the secret wells of emotion
Buried deep in our hearts
It’s true that love can change us
But never quite enough
Sometimes we are too tender
Sometimes we’re too tough
If we get too much attention
It gets hard to overrule
So often fragile power turns
To scorn and ridicule
Sometimes our big splashes
Are just ripples in the pool
Feelings run high
8Mystic Rhythms (5:54) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
So many things I think about
When I look far away
Things I know — things I wonder
Things I’d like to say
The more we think we know about
The greater the unknown
We suspend our disbelief
And we are not alone —
Mystic rhythms — capture my thoughts
And carry them away
Mysteries of night
Escape the light of day
Mystic rhythms — under northern lights
Or the African sun
Primitive things stir
The hearts of everyone
We sometimes catch a window
A glimpse of what’s beyond
Was it just imagination
Stringing us along?
More things than are dreamed about
Unseen and unexplained
We suspend our disbelief
And we are entertained —
Mystic rhythms — capture my thoughts
And carry them away
Nature seems to spin
A supernatural way
Mystic rhythms — under city lights
Or a canopy of stars
We feel the powers
And we wonder what they are
We feel the push and pull
Of restless rhythms from afar
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
So many things I think about
When I look far away
Things I know — things I wonder
Things I’d like to say
The more we think we know about
The greater the unknown
We suspend our disbelief
And we are not alone —
Mystic rhythms — capture my thoughts
And carry them away
Mysteries of night
Escape the light of day
Mystic rhythms — under northern lights
Or the African sun
Primitive things stir
The hearts of everyone
We sometimes catch a window
A glimpse of what’s beyond
Was it just imagination
Stringing us along?
More things than are dreamed about
Unseen and unexplained
We suspend our disbelief
And we are entertained —
Mystic rhythms — capture my thoughts
And carry them away
Nature seems to spin
A supernatural way
Mystic rhythms — under city lights
Or a canopy of stars
We feel the powers
And we wonder what they are
We feel the push and pull
Of restless rhythms from afar
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Big money goes around the world
Big money underground
Big money got a mighty voice
Big money make no sound
Big money pull a million strings
Big money hold the prize
Big money weave a mighty web
Big money draw the flies
Sometimes pushing people around
Sometimes pulling out the rug
Sometimes pushing all the buttons
Sometimes pulling out the plug
It’s the power and the glory
It’s a war in paradise
It’s a cinderella story
On a tumble of the dice
Big money goes around the world
Big money take a cruise
Big money leave a mighty wake
Big money leave a bruise
Big money make a million dreams
Big money spin big deals
Big money make a mighty head
Big money spin big wheels
Sometimes building ivory towers
Sometimes knocking castles down
Sometimes building you a stairway —
Lock you underground
It’s that old-time religion
it’s the kingdom they would rule
It’s the fool on television
Getting paid to play the fool
Big money goes around the world
Big money give and take
Big money done a power of good
Big money make mistakes
Big money got a heavy hand
Big money take control
Big money got a mean streak
Big money got no soul…
(x)
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Big money goes around the world
Big money underground
Big money got a mighty voice
Big money make no sound
Big money pull a million strings
Big money hold the prize
Big money weave a mighty web
Big money draw the flies
Sometimes pushing people around
Sometimes pulling out the rug
Sometimes pushing all the buttons
Sometimes pulling out the plug
It’s the power and the glory
It’s a war in paradise
It’s a cinderella story
On a tumble of the dice
Big money goes around the world
Big money take a cruise
Big money leave a mighty wake
Big money leave a bruise
Big money make a million dreams
Big money spin big deals
Big money make a mighty head
Big money spin big wheels
Sometimes building ivory towers
Sometimes knocking castles down
Sometimes building you a stairway —
Lock you underground
It’s that old-time religion
it’s the kingdom they would rule
It’s the fool on television
Getting paid to play the fool
Big money goes around the world
Big money give and take
Big money done a power of good
Big money make mistakes
Big money got a heavy hand
Big money take control
Big money got a mean streak
Big money got no soul…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Big money goes around the world
Big money underground
Big money got a mighty voice
Big money make no sound
Big money pull a million strings
Big money hold the prize
Big money weave a mighty web
Big money draw the flies
Sometimes pushing people around
Sometimes pulling out the rug
Sometimes pushing all the buttons
Sometimes pulling out the plug
It’s the power and the glory
It’s a war in paradise
It’s a cinderella story
On a tumble of the dice
Big money goes around the world
Big money take a cruise
Big money leave a mighty wake
Big money leave a bruise
Big money make a million dreams
Big money spin big deals
Big money make a mighty head
Big money spin big wheels
Sometimes building ivory towers
Sometimes knocking castles down
Sometimes building you a stairway —
Lock you underground
It’s that old-time religion
it’s the kingdom they would rule
It’s the fool on television
Getting paid to play the fool
Big money goes around the world
Big money give and take
Big money done a power of good
Big money make mistakes
Big money got a heavy hand
Big money take control
Big money got a mean streak
Big money got no soul…
2Grand Designs (5:05) (lyrics)Lyrics: Neil Peart
Big money goes around the world
Big money underground
Big money got a mighty voice
Big money make no sound
Big money pull a million strings
Big money hold the prize
Big money weave a mighty web
Big money draw the flies
Sometimes pushing people around
Sometimes pulling out the rug
Sometimes pushing all the buttons
Sometimes pulling out the plug
It’s the power and the glory
It’s a war in paradise
It’s a cinderella story
On a tumble of the dice
Big money goes around the world
Big money take a cruise
Big money leave a mighty wake
Big money leave a bruise
Big money make a million dreams
Big money spin big deals
Big money make a mighty head
Big money spin big wheels
Sometimes building ivory towers
Sometimes knocking castles down
Sometimes building you a stairway —
Lock you underground
It’s that old-time religion
it’s the kingdom they would rule
It’s the fool on television
Getting paid to play the fool
Big money goes around the world
Big money give and take
Big money done a power of good
Big money make mistakes
Big money got a heavy hand
Big money take control
Big money got a mean streak
Big money got no soul…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A to B —
Different degrees…
So much style without substance
So much stuff without style
It’s hard to recognize the real thing
It comes along once in a while
Like a rare and precious metal
Beneath a ton of rock
It takes some time and trouble
To separate from the stock
You sometimes have to listen to
A lot of useless talk
Shapes and forms
Against the norms —
Against the run of the mill
Swimming against the stream
Life in two dimensions
Is a mass production scheme
So much poison in power
The principles get left out
So much mind on the matter
The spirit gets forgotten about
Like a righteous inspiration
Overlooked in haste
Like a teardrop in the ocean
A diamond in the waste
Some world-views are spacious —
And some are merely spaced
Against the run of the mill
Static as it seems
We break the surface tension
With our wild kinetic dreams
Curves and lines —
Of grand designs…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A to B —
Different degrees…
So much style without substance
So much stuff without style
It’s hard to recognize the real thing
It comes along once in a while
Like a rare and precious metal
Beneath a ton of rock
It takes some time and trouble
To separate from the stock
You sometimes have to listen to
A lot of useless talk
Shapes and forms
Against the norms —
Against the run of the mill
Swimming against the stream
Life in two dimensions
Is a mass production scheme
So much poison in power
The principles get left out
So much mind on the matter
The spirit gets forgotten about
Like a righteous inspiration
Overlooked in haste
Like a teardrop in the ocean
A diamond in the waste
Some world-views are spacious —
And some are merely spaced
Against the run of the mill
Static as it seems
We break the surface tension
With our wild kinetic dreams
Curves and lines —
Of grand designs…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Imagine a time
When it all began
In the dying days of a war
A weapon — that would settle the score
Whoever found it first
Would be sure to do their worst —
They always had before…
Imagine a man
Where it all began
A scientist pacing the floor
In each nation — always eager to explore
To build the best big stick
To turn the winning trick —
But this was something more…
The big bang — took and shook the world
Shot down the rising sun
The end was begun — it would hit everyone
When the chain reaction was done
The big shots — try to hold it back
Fools try to wish it away
The hopeful depend on a world without end
Whatever the hopeless may say
Imagine a place
Where it all began
They gathered from across the land
To work in the secrecy of the desert sand
All of the brightest boys
To play with the biggest toys —
More than they bargained for…
Imagine a man
When it all began
The pilot of “Enola Gay”
Flying out of the shockwave
On that August day
All the powers that be
And the course of history,
Would be changed for evermore…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Imagine a time
When it all began
In the dying days of a war
A weapon — that would settle the score
Whoever found it first
Would be sure to do their worst —
They always had before…
Imagine a man
Where it all began
A scientist pacing the floor
In each nation — always eager to explore
To build the best big stick
To turn the winning trick —
But this was something more…
The big bang — took and shook the world
Shot down the rising sun
The end was begun — it would hit everyone
When the chain reaction was done
The big shots — try to hold it back
Fools try to wish it away
The hopeful depend on a world without end
Whatever the hopeless may say
Imagine a place
Where it all began
They gathered from across the land
To work in the secrecy of the desert sand
All of the brightest boys
To play with the biggest toys —
More than they bargained for…
Imagine a man
When it all began
The pilot of “Enola Gay”
Flying out of the shockwave
On that August day
All the powers that be
And the course of history,
Would be changed for evermore…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
It’s not how fast you can go
The force goes into the flow
If you pick up the beat
You can forget about the heat
More than just survival
More than just a flash
More than just a dotted line
More than just a dash
It’s a test of ultimate will
The heartbreak climb uphill
Got to pick up the pace
If you want to stay in the race
More than just blind ambition
More than just simple greed
More than just a finish line
Must feed this burning need —
In the long run…
From first to last
The peak is never passed
Something always fires the light
That gets in your eyes
One moment’s high
And glory rolls on by
Like a streak of lightening
That flashes and fades
In the summer sky
Your meters may overload
You can rest at the side of the road
You can miss a stride
But nobody gets a free ride
More than high performance
More than just a spark
More than just the bottom line
Or a lucky shot in the dark —
In the long run…
You can do a lot in a lifetime
If you don’t burn out too fast
You can make the most of the distance
First you need endurance —
First you’ve got to last…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
It’s not how fast you can go
The force goes into the flow
If you pick up the beat
You can forget about the heat
More than just survival
More than just a flash
More than just a dotted line
More than just a dash
It’s a test of ultimate will
The heartbreak climb uphill
Got to pick up the pace
If you want to stay in the race
More than just blind ambition
More than just simple greed
More than just a finish line
Must feed this burning need —
In the long run…
From first to last
The peak is never passed
Something always fires the light
That gets in your eyes
One moment’s high
And glory rolls on by
Like a streak of lightening
That flashes and fades
In the summer sky
Your meters may overload
You can rest at the side of the road
You can miss a stride
But nobody gets a free ride
More than high performance
More than just a spark
More than just the bottom line
Or a lucky shot in the dark —
In the long run…
You can do a lot in a lifetime
If you don’t burn out too fast
You can make the most of the distance
First you need endurance —
First you’ve got to last…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I see the Middle Kingdom between Heaven and Earth
Like the Chinese call the country of their birth
We all figure that our homes are set above
Other people than the ones we know and love
In every place with a name
They play the same territorial game
Hiding behind the lines
Sending up warning signs
The whole wide world
An endless universe
Yet we keep looking through
The eyeglass in reverse
Don’t feed the people
But we feed the machines
Can’t really feel
What international means
In different circles
We keep holding our ground
Indifferent circles
We keep spinning round and round
We see so many tribes — overrun and undermined
While their invaders dream of lands they’ve left behind
Better people — better food — and better beer
Why move around the world when Eden was so near?
The bosses get talking so tough
And if that wasn’t evil enough
We get the drunken and passionate pride
Of the citizens along for the ride
They shoot without shame
In the name of a piece of dirt
For a change of accent
Or the colour of your shirt
Better the pride that resides
In a citizen of the world
Than the pride that divides
When a colourful rag is unfurled
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I see the Middle Kingdom between Heaven and Earth
Like the Chinese call the country of their birth
We all figure that our homes are set above
Other people than the ones we know and love
In every place with a name
They play the same territorial game
Hiding behind the lines
Sending up warning signs
The whole wide world
An endless universe
Yet we keep looking through
The eyeglass in reverse
Don’t feed the people
But we feed the machines
Can’t really feel
What international means
In different circles
We keep holding our ground
Indifferent circles
We keep spinning round and round
We see so many tribes — overrun and undermined
While their invaders dream of lands they’ve left behind
Better people — better food — and better beer
Why move around the world when Eden was so near?
The bosses get talking so tough
And if that wasn’t evil enough
We get the drunken and passionate pride
Of the citizens along for the ride
They shoot without shame
In the name of a piece of dirt
For a change of accent
Or the colour of your shirt
Better the pride that resides
In a citizen of the world
Than the pride that divides
When a colourful rag is unfurled
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
The office door closed early
The hidden bottle came out
The salesman turned to close the blinds
A little slow now, a little stout
But he’s still heading down those tracks
Any day now for sure
Another day as drab as today
Is more than a man can endure
Dreams flow across the heartland
Feeding on the fires
Dreams transport desires
Drive you when you’re down —
Dreams transport the ones
Who need to get out of town
The boy walks with his best friend
Through the fields of early May
They walk awhile in silence
One close — one far away
But he’d be climbing on that bus
Just him and his guitar
To blaze across the heavens
Like a brilliant shooting star
The middle-aged madonna
Calls her neighbour on the phone
Day by day the seasons pass
And leave her life alone
But she’ll go walking out that door
On some bright afternoon
To go and paint big cities
From a lonely attic room
It’s understood
By every single person
Who’d be elsewhere if they could
So far so good
And life’s not unpleasant
In their little neighbourhood
They dream in Middletown…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
The office door closed early
The hidden bottle came out
The salesman turned to close the blinds
A little slow now, a little stout
But he’s still heading down those tracks
Any day now for sure
Another day as drab as today
Is more than a man can endure
Dreams flow across the heartland
Feeding on the fires
Dreams transport desires
Drive you when you’re down —
Dreams transport the ones
Who need to get out of town
The boy walks with his best friend
Through the fields of early May
They walk awhile in silence
One close — one far away
But he’d be climbing on that bus
Just him and his guitar
To blaze across the heavens
Like a brilliant shooting star
The middle-aged madonna
Calls her neighbour on the phone
Day by day the seasons pass
And leave her life alone
But she’ll go walking out that door
On some bright afternoon
To go and paint big cities
From a lonely attic room
It’s understood
By every single person
Who’d be elsewhere if they could
So far so good
And life’s not unpleasant
In their little neighbourhood
They dream in Middletown…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
When we lift the covers from our feelings
We expose our insecure spots
Trust is just as rare as devotion —
Forgive us our cynical thoughts
If we need too much attention —
Not content with being cool
We must throw ourselves wide open
And start acting like a fool
If we need too much approval
Then the cuts can seem too cruel
Right to the heart of the matter
Right to the beautiful part
Illusions are painfully shattered
Right where discovery starts
In the secret wells of emotion
Buried deep in our hearts
It’s true that love can change us
But never quite enough
Sometimes we are too tender
Sometimes we’re too tough
If we get too much attention
It gets hard to overrule
So often fragile power turns
To scorn and ridicule
Sometimes our big splashes
Are just ripples in the pool
Feelings run high
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
When we lift the covers from our feelings
We expose our insecure spots
Trust is just as rare as devotion —
Forgive us our cynical thoughts
If we need too much attention —
Not content with being cool
We must throw ourselves wide open
And start acting like a fool
If we need too much approval
Then the cuts can seem too cruel
Right to the heart of the matter
Right to the beautiful part
Illusions are painfully shattered
Right where discovery starts
In the secret wells of emotion
Buried deep in our hearts
It’s true that love can change us
But never quite enough
Sometimes we are too tender
Sometimes we’re too tough
If we get too much attention
It gets hard to overrule
So often fragile power turns
To scorn and ridicule
Sometimes our big splashes
Are just ripples in the pool
Feelings run high
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
So many things I think about
When I look far away
Things I know — things I wonder
Things I’d like to say
The more we think we know about
The greater the unknown
We suspend our disbelief
And we are not alone —
Mystic rhythms — capture my thoughts
And carry them away
Mysteries of night
Escape the light of day
Mystic rhythms — under northern lights
Or the African sun
Primitive things stir
The hearts of everyone
We sometimes catch a window
A glimpse of what’s beyond
Was it just imagination
Stringing us along?
More things than are dreamed about
Unseen and unexplained
We suspend our disbelief
And we are entertained —
Mystic rhythms — capture my thoughts
And carry them away
Nature seems to spin
A supernatural way
Mystic rhythms — under city lights
Or a canopy of stars
We feel the powers
And we wonder what they are
We feel the push and pull
Of restless rhythms from afar
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
So many things I think about
When I look far away
Things I know — things I wonder
Things I’d like to say
The more we think we know about
The greater the unknown
We suspend our disbelief
And we are not alone —
Mystic rhythms — capture my thoughts
And carry them away
Mysteries of night
Escape the light of day
Mystic rhythms — under northern lights
Or the African sun
Primitive things stir
The hearts of everyone
We sometimes catch a window
A glimpse of what’s beyond
Was it just imagination
Stringing us along?
More things than are dreamed about
Unseen and unexplained
We suspend our disbelief
And we are entertained —
Mystic rhythms — capture my thoughts
And carry them away
Nature seems to spin
A supernatural way
Mystic rhythms — under city lights
Or a canopy of stars
We feel the powers
And we wonder what they are
We feel the push and pull
Of restless rhythms from afar
RUSH
Hold Your Fire
©1987 Mercury Records ©1987 Anthem Entertainment , 1987
cd, album
Recorded at The Manor, Oxfordshire Between January and April 1987 Assisted by Micheal Ade and Ridge Farm Studio, Surrey Assisted by Reynold Swan and Air Studios, Montserrat Assisted by Ken Blair and McClear Place, Toronto Assisted by Martin Lee and Lerxst Mobile Assisted by Lerxst
Buy this record
1Force Ten (4:28) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I turn my back to the wind
To catch my breath,
Before I start off again.
Driven on
Without a moment to spend
To pass an evening
With a drink and a friend
I let my skin get too thin
I’d like to pause,
No matter what I pretend
Like some pilgrim —
Who learns to transcend —
Learns to live
As if each step was the end
Time stand still —
I’m not looking back —
But I want to look around me now
See more of the people
And the places that surround me now
Freeze this moment
A little bit longer
Make each sensation
A little bit stronger
Experience slips away…
I turn my face to the sun
Close my eyes,
Let my defences down —
All those wounds
That I can’t get unwound
I let my past go too fast
No time to pause —
If I could slow it all down
Like some captain,
Whose ship runs aground —
I can wait until the tide
Comes around
Make each impression
A little bit stronger
Freeze this motion
A little bit longer
The innocence slips away…
Summer’s going fast–
Nights growing colder
Children growing up —
old friends growing older
Experience slips away…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I turn my back to the wind
To catch my breath,
Before I start off again.
Driven on
Without a moment to spend
To pass an evening
With a drink and a friend
I let my skin get too thin
I’d like to pause,
No matter what I pretend
Like some pilgrim —
Who learns to transcend —
Learns to live
As if each step was the end
Time stand still —
I’m not looking back —
But I want to look around me now
See more of the people
And the places that surround me now
Freeze this moment
A little bit longer
Make each sensation
A little bit stronger
Experience slips away…
I turn my face to the sun
Close my eyes,
Let my defences down —
All those wounds
That I can’t get unwound
I let my past go too fast
No time to pause —
If I could slow it all down
Like some captain,
Whose ship runs aground —
I can wait until the tide
Comes around
Make each impression
A little bit stronger
Freeze this motion
A little bit longer
The innocence slips away…
Summer’s going fast–
Nights growing colder
Children growing up —
old friends growing older
Experience slips away…
3Open Secrets (5:37) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
It went right by me —
At the time it went over my head
I was looking out the window
I should have looked
At your face instead
It went right by me —
Just another wall
There should have been a moment
When we let our barriers fall
I never meant
What you’re thinking —
That is not what I meant at all…
Well I guess
We all have these feelings
We can’t leave unreconciled
Some of them burned on our ceilings
Some of them learned as a child
The things that we’re concealing
Will never let us grow
Time will do its healing
You’ve got to let it go
Closed for my protection —
Open to your scorn
Between these two directions
My heart is sometimes torn
I lie awake with my secrets
Spinning around my head
Something that somehow
Escaped me —
Something you shouldn’t have said
I was looking out the window
I should have looked
At your face instead…
I find no absolution
In my rational point of view
Maybe some things are instinctive
But there’s one thing you could do
You could try to understand me —
I could try to understand you…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
It went right by me —
At the time it went over my head
I was looking out the window
I should have looked
At your face instead
It went right by me —
Just another wall
There should have been a moment
When we let our barriers fall
I never meant
What you’re thinking —
That is not what I meant at all…
Well I guess
We all have these feelings
We can’t leave unreconciled
Some of them burned on our ceilings
Some of them learned as a child
The things that we’re concealing
Will never let us grow
Time will do its healing
You’ve got to let it go
Closed for my protection —
Open to your scorn
Between these two directions
My heart is sometimes torn
I lie awake with my secrets
Spinning around my head
Something that somehow
Escaped me —
Something you shouldn’t have said
I was looking out the window
I should have looked
At your face instead…
I find no absolution
In my rational point of view
Maybe some things are instinctive
But there’s one thing you could do
You could try to understand me —
I could try to understand you…
4Second Nature (4:35) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A memo to a higher office
Open letter to the powers-that-be
To a God, a king, a head of state
A captain of industry
To the movers and the shakers —
Can’t everybody see?
It ought to be second nature —
I mean, the places where we live!
Let’s talk about this sensibly —
We’re not insensitive
I know progress has no patience —
But something’s got to give
I know you’re different —
You know I’m the same
We’re both too busy
To be taking the blame
I’d like some changes
But you don’t have the time
We can’t go on thinking
It’s a victimless crime
No one is blameless,
But we’re all without shame
We fight the fire
While we’re
Feeding the flames
Folks have got to make choices —
And choices got to have voices
Folks are basically decent
Conventional wisdom would say
Well, we read about
The exceptions
In the papers every day
It ought to be second nature —
At least, that’s what I feel
“Now I lay me down in Dreamland” —
I know perfect’s not for real
I thought we might get closer —
But I’m ready to make a deal
Today is different,
And tomorrow the same
It’s hard to take the world
The way that it came
Too many rapids
Keep us sweeping along
Too many captains
Keep on steering us wrong
It’s hard to take the heat —
It’s hard to lay blame
To fight the fire —
While we’re
Feeding the flames
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A memo to a higher office
Open letter to the powers-that-be
To a God, a king, a head of state
A captain of industry
To the movers and the shakers —
Can’t everybody see?
It ought to be second nature —
I mean, the places where we live!
Let’s talk about this sensibly —
We’re not insensitive
I know progress has no patience —
But something’s got to give
I know you’re different —
You know I’m the same
We’re both too busy
To be taking the blame
I’d like some changes
But you don’t have the time
We can’t go on thinking
It’s a victimless crime
No one is blameless,
But we’re all without shame
We fight the fire
While we’re
Feeding the flames
Folks have got to make choices —
And choices got to have voices
Folks are basically decent
Conventional wisdom would say
Well, we read about
The exceptions
In the papers every day
It ought to be second nature —
At least, that’s what I feel
“Now I lay me down in Dreamland” —
I know perfect’s not for real
I thought we might get closer —
But I’m ready to make a deal
Today is different,
And tomorrow the same
It’s hard to take the world
The way that it came
Too many rapids
Keep us sweeping along
Too many captains
Keep on steering us wrong
It’s hard to take the heat —
It’s hard to lay blame
To fight the fire —
While we’re
Feeding the flames
5Prime Mover (5:19) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Basic elemental
Instinct to survive
Stirs the higher passions
Thrill to be alive
Alternating currents
In a tidewater surge
Rational resistance
To an unwise urge
anything can happen
From the point of conception
To the moment of Truth
At the point of surrender
To the burden of proof
From the point of ignition
To the final drive
The point of the journey
Is not to arrive
anything can happen
Basic temperamental
Filters on our eyes
Alter our perceptions
Lenses polarize
Alternating currents
Force a show of hands
Rational responses
Force a change of plans
anything can happen
From a point on the compass
To magnetic north
The point of the needle
Moving back and forth
From the point of entry —
Until the candle is burned
The point of departure —
Is not to return
anything can happen
I set the wheels in motion
turn up all the machines
activate the programs
and run behind the scene
I set the clouds in motion
turn up light and sound
activate the window
and watch the world go ’round —
anything can happen
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Basic elemental
Instinct to survive
Stirs the higher passions
Thrill to be alive
Alternating currents
In a tidewater surge
Rational resistance
To an unwise urge
anything can happen
From the point of conception
To the moment of Truth
At the point of surrender
To the burden of proof
From the point of ignition
To the final drive
The point of the journey
Is not to arrive
anything can happen
Basic temperamental
Filters on our eyes
Alter our perceptions
Lenses polarize
Alternating currents
Force a show of hands
Rational responses
Force a change of plans
anything can happen
From a point on the compass
To magnetic north
The point of the needle
Moving back and forth
From the point of entry —
Until the candle is burned
The point of departure —
Is not to return
anything can happen
I set the wheels in motion
turn up all the machines
activate the programs
and run behind the scene
I set the clouds in motion
turn up light and sound
activate the window
and watch the world go ’round —
anything can happen
6Lock and Key (5:08) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I don’t want to face
The killer instinct —
Face it in you or me
We carry a sensitive cargo
Below the waterline —
Ticking like a time bomb
With a primitive design
Behind the finer feelings —
This civilized veneer —
The heart of a lonely hunter
Guards a dangerous frontier
The balance can sometimes fail —
Strong emotions can tip the scale —
Don’t want to silence
A desperate voice
For the sake of security
No one wants to make
A terrible choice
On the price of being free
I don’t want to face
The killer instinct —
Face it in you or me
So we keep it under lock and key…
It’s not a matter of mercy
It’s not a matter of laws
Plenty of people will kill you
For some fanatical cause
It’s not a matter of conscience —
A search for probable cause
It’s just a matter of instinct —
A matter of fatal flaws
No reward for resistance
No assistance —
no applause…
we don’t want to be victims
on that we all agree
so we lock up the killer instinct —
and throw away the key…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I don’t want to face
The killer instinct —
Face it in you or me
We carry a sensitive cargo
Below the waterline —
Ticking like a time bomb
With a primitive design
Behind the finer feelings —
This civilized veneer —
The heart of a lonely hunter
Guards a dangerous frontier
The balance can sometimes fail —
Strong emotions can tip the scale —
Don’t want to silence
A desperate voice
For the sake of security
No one wants to make
A terrible choice
On the price of being free
I don’t want to face
The killer instinct —
Face it in you or me
So we keep it under lock and key…
It’s not a matter of mercy
It’s not a matter of laws
Plenty of people will kill you
For some fanatical cause
It’s not a matter of conscience —
A search for probable cause
It’s just a matter of instinct —
A matter of fatal flaws
No reward for resistance
No assistance —
no applause…
we don’t want to be victims
on that we all agree
so we lock up the killer instinct —
and throw away the key…
7Mission (5:15) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Hold your fire —
Keep it burning bright
Hold the flame
‘Til the dream ignites —
A spirit with a vision
Is a dream with a mission
I hear their passionate music
Read the words
That touch my heart
I gaze at their feverish pictures
The secrets that set them apart
When I feel the powerful visions
Their fire has made alive
I wish I had that instinct —
I wish I had that drive
Spirits fly on dangerous missions
Imaginations on fire
Focused high on soaring ambitions
Consumed in a single desire
In the grip
Of a nameless possession —
A slave to the drive of obsession —
A spirit with a vision
Is a dream with a mission…
I watch their images flicker
Bringing light to a lifeless screen
I walk through
Their beautiful buildings
And I wish I had their dreams
But dreams don’t need
To have motion
To keep their spark alive
Obsession has to have action —
Pride turns on the drive
It’s cold comfort
To the ones without it
To know how they struggled —
How they suffered about it
If their lives were
Exotic and strange
They would likely have
Gladly exchanged them
For something a little more plain
Maybe something a little more sane
We each pay a fabulous price
For our visions of paradise
But a spirit with a vision
Is a dream with a mission…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Hold your fire —
Keep it burning bright
Hold the flame
‘Til the dream ignites —
A spirit with a vision
Is a dream with a mission
I hear their passionate music
Read the words
That touch my heart
I gaze at their feverish pictures
The secrets that set them apart
When I feel the powerful visions
Their fire has made alive
I wish I had that instinct —
I wish I had that drive
Spirits fly on dangerous missions
Imaginations on fire
Focused high on soaring ambitions
Consumed in a single desire
In the grip
Of a nameless possession —
A slave to the drive of obsession —
A spirit with a vision
Is a dream with a mission…
I watch their images flicker
Bringing light to a lifeless screen
I walk through
Their beautiful buildings
And I wish I had their dreams
But dreams don’t need
To have motion
To keep their spark alive
Obsession has to have action —
Pride turns on the drive
It’s cold comfort
To the ones without it
To know how they struggled —
How they suffered about it
If their lives were
Exotic and strange
They would likely have
Gladly exchanged them
For something a little more plain
Maybe something a little more sane
We each pay a fabulous price
For our visions of paradise
But a spirit with a vision
Is a dream with a mission…
8Turn the Page (4:53) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Nothing can survive in a vacuum
No one can exists all alone
We pretend things
Only happen to strangers
We’ve all got problems of our own
It’s enough to learn
To share our pleasures
We can’t sooth pain with sympathy
All that we can do is be reminded —
We shake our heads at the tragedy
Every day we’re standing
In a time capsule
Racing down a river from the past
Every day we’re standing
In a wind tunnel
Facing down the future coming fast
It’s just the age
It’s just a stage —
We disengage —
We turn the page…
Looking at
The long-range forecast
Catching all the names in the news
Checking out
The state of the nation
Learning the environmental blues
Truth is after all a moving target
Hairs to split
And pieces that don’t fit
How can anybody be enlightened?
Truth is after all so poorly lit
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Nothing can survive in a vacuum
No one can exists all alone
We pretend things
Only happen to strangers
We’ve all got problems of our own
It’s enough to learn
To share our pleasures
We can’t sooth pain with sympathy
All that we can do is be reminded —
We shake our heads at the tragedy
Every day we’re standing
In a time capsule
Racing down a river from the past
Every day we’re standing
In a wind tunnel
Facing down the future coming fast
It’s just the age
It’s just a stage —
We disengage —
We turn the page…
Looking at
The long-range forecast
Catching all the names in the news
Checking out
The state of the nation
Learning the environmental blues
Truth is after all a moving target
Hairs to split
And pieces that don’t fit
How can anybody be enlightened?
Truth is after all so poorly lit
9Tai Shan (4:14) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
High on the sacred mountain
Up the seven thousand stairs
In the golden light of autumn
There was magic in the air
Clouds surrounded the summit
The wind blew strong and cold
Among the silent temples
And the writing carved in gold
Somewhere in my instincts
The primitive took hold…
I stood at the top of the mountain
And China sang to me
In the peaceful haze of harvest time
A song of eternity —
If you raise your hands to heaven
You will live a hundred years
I stood there like a mystic
Lost in the atmosphere
The clouds were suddenly parted
For a moment I could see
The patterns of the landscape
Reaching to the eastern sea
I looked upon a presence
Spanning forty centuries…
I thought of time and distance
The hardships of history
I heard the hope and the hunger
When China sang to me…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
High on the sacred mountain
Up the seven thousand stairs
In the golden light of autumn
There was magic in the air
Clouds surrounded the summit
The wind blew strong and cold
Among the silent temples
And the writing carved in gold
Somewhere in my instincts
The primitive took hold…
I stood at the top of the mountain
And China sang to me
In the peaceful haze of harvest time
A song of eternity —
If you raise your hands to heaven
You will live a hundred years
I stood there like a mystic
Lost in the atmosphere
The clouds were suddenly parted
For a moment I could see
The patterns of the landscape
Reaching to the eastern sea
I looked upon a presence
Spanning forty centuries…
I thought of time and distance
The hardships of history
I heard the hope and the hunger
When China sang to me…
10High Water (5:32) (lyrics)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
When the waters rose
In the darkness
In the wake of the endless flood
It flowed into our memory —
It flowed into our blood —
When something broke the surface
Just to see the starry dome —
We still feel that relation
When the water takes us home
In the flying spray of the ocean
The water takes you home —
Springing from the weight
Of the mountains
Like the heart of the earth
Would burst
Flowing out from marble fountains
In the dreams of a desert thirst
Something swam through
The jungles
Where the mighty rivers roam —
Something breaks the silence
When the water takes you home
I hear the wordless voices
When the water takes me home —
Waves that crash on the shoreline
Torrents of tropical rain
Streaming down
Beyond our memory
Streaming down inside our veins
When something left the ocean
To crawl high above the foam —
We still feel that elation
When the water takes us home
In a driving rain of redemption
The water takes me home…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
When the waters rose
In the darkness
In the wake of the endless flood
It flowed into our memory —
It flowed into our blood —
When something broke the surface
Just to see the starry dome —
We still feel that relation
When the water takes us home
In the flying spray of the ocean
The water takes you home —
Springing from the weight
Of the mountains
Like the heart of the earth
Would burst
Flowing out from marble fountains
In the dreams of a desert thirst
Something swam through
The jungles
Where the mighty rivers roam —
Something breaks the silence
When the water takes you home
I hear the wordless voices
When the water takes me home —
Waves that crash on the shoreline
Torrents of tropical rain
Streaming down
Beyond our memory
Streaming down inside our veins
When something left the ocean
To crawl high above the foam —
We still feel that elation
When the water takes us home
In a driving rain of redemption
The water takes me home…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart and Pye Dubois
Tough times demand tough talk
demand tough hearts demand tough songs
demand —
We can rise and fall like empires
Flow in and out like the tide
Be vain and smart, humble and dumb
We can hit and miss like pride
We can circle around like hurricanes
Dance and dream like lovers
Attack the day like birds of prey
Or scavengers under cover
Look in —
To the eye of the storm
Look out —
For the force without form
Look around —
At the sight and the sound
Look in look out look around —
We can move with savage grace
To the rhythms of the night
Cool and remote like dancing girls
In the heat of the beat and the lights
We can wear the rose of romance
An air of joie de vivre
Too-tender hearts upon our sleeves
Or skin as thick as thieves’
rising falling at force ten
we twist the world and ride the wind
Look in —
look the storm in the eye
Look out —
to the sea and the sky
Look around —
at the sight and the sound
Look in look out look around —
(x)
Lyrics: Neil Peart and Pye Dubois
Tough times demand tough talk
demand tough hearts demand tough songs
demand —
We can rise and fall like empires
Flow in and out like the tide
Be vain and smart, humble and dumb
We can hit and miss like pride
We can circle around like hurricanes
Dance and dream like lovers
Attack the day like birds of prey
Or scavengers under cover
Look in —
To the eye of the storm
Look out —
For the force without form
Look around —
At the sight and the sound
Look in look out look around —
We can move with savage grace
To the rhythms of the night
Cool and remote like dancing girls
In the heat of the beat and the lights
We can wear the rose of romance
An air of joie de vivre
Too-tender hearts upon our sleeves
Or skin as thick as thieves’
rising falling at force ten
we twist the world and ride the wind
Look in —
look the storm in the eye
Look out —
to the sea and the sky
Look around —
at the sight and the sound
Look in look out look around —
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart and Pye Dubois
Tough times demand tough talk
demand tough hearts demand tough songs
demand —
We can rise and fall like empires
Flow in and out like the tide
Be vain and smart, humble and dumb
We can hit and miss like pride
We can circle around like hurricanes
Dance and dream like lovers
Attack the day like birds of prey
Or scavengers under cover
Look in —
To the eye of the storm
Look out —
For the force without form
Look around —
At the sight and the sound
Look in look out look around —
We can move with savage grace
To the rhythms of the night
Cool and remote like dancing girls
In the heat of the beat and the lights
We can wear the rose of romance
An air of joie de vivre
Too-tender hearts upon our sleeves
Or skin as thick as thieves’
rising falling at force ten
we twist the world and ride the wind
Look in —
look the storm in the eye
Look out —
to the sea and the sky
Look around —
at the sight and the sound
Look in look out look around —
2Time Stand Still (5:07) (lyrics)Lyrics: Neil Peart and Pye Dubois
Tough times demand tough talk
demand tough hearts demand tough songs
demand —
We can rise and fall like empires
Flow in and out like the tide
Be vain and smart, humble and dumb
We can hit and miss like pride
We can circle around like hurricanes
Dance and dream like lovers
Attack the day like birds of prey
Or scavengers under cover
Look in —
To the eye of the storm
Look out —
For the force without form
Look around —
At the sight and the sound
Look in look out look around —
We can move with savage grace
To the rhythms of the night
Cool and remote like dancing girls
In the heat of the beat and the lights
We can wear the rose of romance
An air of joie de vivre
Too-tender hearts upon our sleeves
Or skin as thick as thieves’
rising falling at force ten
we twist the world and ride the wind
Look in —
look the storm in the eye
Look out —
to the sea and the sky
Look around —
at the sight and the sound
Look in look out look around —
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I turn my back to the wind
To catch my breath,
Before I start off again.
Driven on
Without a moment to spend
To pass an evening
With a drink and a friend
I let my skin get too thin
I’d like to pause,
No matter what I pretend
Like some pilgrim —
Who learns to transcend —
Learns to live
As if each step was the end
Time stand still —
I’m not looking back —
But I want to look around me now
See more of the people
And the places that surround me now
Freeze this moment
A little bit longer
Make each sensation
A little bit stronger
Experience slips away…
I turn my face to the sun
Close my eyes,
Let my defences down —
All those wounds
That I can’t get unwound
I let my past go too fast
No time to pause —
If I could slow it all down
Like some captain,
Whose ship runs aground —
I can wait until the tide
Comes around
Make each impression
A little bit stronger
Freeze this motion
A little bit longer
The innocence slips away…
Summer’s going fast–
Nights growing colder
Children growing up —
old friends growing older
Experience slips away…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I turn my back to the wind
To catch my breath,
Before I start off again.
Driven on
Without a moment to spend
To pass an evening
With a drink and a friend
I let my skin get too thin
I’d like to pause,
No matter what I pretend
Like some pilgrim —
Who learns to transcend —
Learns to live
As if each step was the end
Time stand still —
I’m not looking back —
But I want to look around me now
See more of the people
And the places that surround me now
Freeze this moment
A little bit longer
Make each sensation
A little bit stronger
Experience slips away…
I turn my face to the sun
Close my eyes,
Let my defences down —
All those wounds
That I can’t get unwound
I let my past go too fast
No time to pause —
If I could slow it all down
Like some captain,
Whose ship runs aground —
I can wait until the tide
Comes around
Make each impression
A little bit stronger
Freeze this motion
A little bit longer
The innocence slips away…
Summer’s going fast–
Nights growing colder
Children growing up —
old friends growing older
Experience slips away…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
It went right by me —
At the time it went over my head
I was looking out the window
I should have looked
At your face instead
It went right by me —
Just another wall
There should have been a moment
When we let our barriers fall
I never meant
What you’re thinking —
That is not what I meant at all…
Well I guess
We all have these feelings
We can’t leave unreconciled
Some of them burned on our ceilings
Some of them learned as a child
The things that we’re concealing
Will never let us grow
Time will do its healing
You’ve got to let it go
Closed for my protection —
Open to your scorn
Between these two directions
My heart is sometimes torn
I lie awake with my secrets
Spinning around my head
Something that somehow
Escaped me —
Something you shouldn’t have said
I was looking out the window
I should have looked
At your face instead…
I find no absolution
In my rational point of view
Maybe some things are instinctive
But there’s one thing you could do
You could try to understand me —
I could try to understand you…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
It went right by me —
At the time it went over my head
I was looking out the window
I should have looked
At your face instead
It went right by me —
Just another wall
There should have been a moment
When we let our barriers fall
I never meant
What you’re thinking —
That is not what I meant at all…
Well I guess
We all have these feelings
We can’t leave unreconciled
Some of them burned on our ceilings
Some of them learned as a child
The things that we’re concealing
Will never let us grow
Time will do its healing
You’ve got to let it go
Closed for my protection —
Open to your scorn
Between these two directions
My heart is sometimes torn
I lie awake with my secrets
Spinning around my head
Something that somehow
Escaped me —
Something you shouldn’t have said
I was looking out the window
I should have looked
At your face instead…
I find no absolution
In my rational point of view
Maybe some things are instinctive
But there’s one thing you could do
You could try to understand me —
I could try to understand you…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A memo to a higher office
Open letter to the powers-that-be
To a God, a king, a head of state
A captain of industry
To the movers and the shakers —
Can’t everybody see?
It ought to be second nature —
I mean, the places where we live!
Let’s talk about this sensibly —
We’re not insensitive
I know progress has no patience —
But something’s got to give
I know you’re different —
You know I’m the same
We’re both too busy
To be taking the blame
I’d like some changes
But you don’t have the time
We can’t go on thinking
It’s a victimless crime
No one is blameless,
But we’re all without shame
We fight the fire
While we’re
Feeding the flames
Folks have got to make choices —
And choices got to have voices
Folks are basically decent
Conventional wisdom would say
Well, we read about
The exceptions
In the papers every day
It ought to be second nature —
At least, that’s what I feel
“Now I lay me down in Dreamland” —
I know perfect’s not for real
I thought we might get closer —
But I’m ready to make a deal
Today is different,
And tomorrow the same
It’s hard to take the world
The way that it came
Too many rapids
Keep us sweeping along
Too many captains
Keep on steering us wrong
It’s hard to take the heat —
It’s hard to lay blame
To fight the fire —
While we’re
Feeding the flames
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
A memo to a higher office
Open letter to the powers-that-be
To a God, a king, a head of state
A captain of industry
To the movers and the shakers —
Can’t everybody see?
It ought to be second nature —
I mean, the places where we live!
Let’s talk about this sensibly —
We’re not insensitive
I know progress has no patience —
But something’s got to give
I know you’re different —
You know I’m the same
We’re both too busy
To be taking the blame
I’d like some changes
But you don’t have the time
We can’t go on thinking
It’s a victimless crime
No one is blameless,
But we’re all without shame
We fight the fire
While we’re
Feeding the flames
Folks have got to make choices —
And choices got to have voices
Folks are basically decent
Conventional wisdom would say
Well, we read about
The exceptions
In the papers every day
It ought to be second nature —
At least, that’s what I feel
“Now I lay me down in Dreamland” —
I know perfect’s not for real
I thought we might get closer —
But I’m ready to make a deal
Today is different,
And tomorrow the same
It’s hard to take the world
The way that it came
Too many rapids
Keep us sweeping along
Too many captains
Keep on steering us wrong
It’s hard to take the heat —
It’s hard to lay blame
To fight the fire —
While we’re
Feeding the flames
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Basic elemental
Instinct to survive
Stirs the higher passions
Thrill to be alive
Alternating currents
In a tidewater surge
Rational resistance
To an unwise urge
anything can happen
From the point of conception
To the moment of Truth
At the point of surrender
To the burden of proof
From the point of ignition
To the final drive
The point of the journey
Is not to arrive
anything can happen
Basic temperamental
Filters on our eyes
Alter our perceptions
Lenses polarize
Alternating currents
Force a show of hands
Rational responses
Force a change of plans
anything can happen
From a point on the compass
To magnetic north
The point of the needle
Moving back and forth
From the point of entry —
Until the candle is burned
The point of departure —
Is not to return
anything can happen
I set the wheels in motion
turn up all the machines
activate the programs
and run behind the scene
I set the clouds in motion
turn up light and sound
activate the window
and watch the world go ’round —
anything can happen
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Basic elemental
Instinct to survive
Stirs the higher passions
Thrill to be alive
Alternating currents
In a tidewater surge
Rational resistance
To an unwise urge
anything can happen
From the point of conception
To the moment of Truth
At the point of surrender
To the burden of proof
From the point of ignition
To the final drive
The point of the journey
Is not to arrive
anything can happen
Basic temperamental
Filters on our eyes
Alter our perceptions
Lenses polarize
Alternating currents
Force a show of hands
Rational responses
Force a change of plans
anything can happen
From a point on the compass
To magnetic north
The point of the needle
Moving back and forth
From the point of entry —
Until the candle is burned
The point of departure —
Is not to return
anything can happen
I set the wheels in motion
turn up all the machines
activate the programs
and run behind the scene
I set the clouds in motion
turn up light and sound
activate the window
and watch the world go ’round —
anything can happen
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I don’t want to face
The killer instinct —
Face it in you or me
We carry a sensitive cargo
Below the waterline —
Ticking like a time bomb
With a primitive design
Behind the finer feelings —
This civilized veneer —
The heart of a lonely hunter
Guards a dangerous frontier
The balance can sometimes fail —
Strong emotions can tip the scale —
Don’t want to silence
A desperate voice
For the sake of security
No one wants to make
A terrible choice
On the price of being free
I don’t want to face
The killer instinct —
Face it in you or me
So we keep it under lock and key…
It’s not a matter of mercy
It’s not a matter of laws
Plenty of people will kill you
For some fanatical cause
It’s not a matter of conscience —
A search for probable cause
It’s just a matter of instinct —
A matter of fatal flaws
No reward for resistance
No assistance —
no applause…
we don’t want to be victims
on that we all agree
so we lock up the killer instinct —
and throw away the key…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
I don’t want to face
The killer instinct —
Face it in you or me
We carry a sensitive cargo
Below the waterline —
Ticking like a time bomb
With a primitive design
Behind the finer feelings —
This civilized veneer —
The heart of a lonely hunter
Guards a dangerous frontier
The balance can sometimes fail —
Strong emotions can tip the scale —
Don’t want to silence
A desperate voice
For the sake of security
No one wants to make
A terrible choice
On the price of being free
I don’t want to face
The killer instinct —
Face it in you or me
So we keep it under lock and key…
It’s not a matter of mercy
It’s not a matter of laws
Plenty of people will kill you
For some fanatical cause
It’s not a matter of conscience —
A search for probable cause
It’s just a matter of instinct —
A matter of fatal flaws
No reward for resistance
No assistance —
no applause…
we don’t want to be victims
on that we all agree
so we lock up the killer instinct —
and throw away the key…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Hold your fire —
Keep it burning bright
Hold the flame
‘Til the dream ignites —
A spirit with a vision
Is a dream with a mission
I hear their passionate music
Read the words
That touch my heart
I gaze at their feverish pictures
The secrets that set them apart
When I feel the powerful visions
Their fire has made alive
I wish I had that instinct —
I wish I had that drive
Spirits fly on dangerous missions
Imaginations on fire
Focused high on soaring ambitions
Consumed in a single desire
In the grip
Of a nameless possession —
A slave to the drive of obsession —
A spirit with a vision
Is a dream with a mission…
I watch their images flicker
Bringing light to a lifeless screen
I walk through
Their beautiful buildings
And I wish I had their dreams
But dreams don’t need
To have motion
To keep their spark alive
Obsession has to have action —
Pride turns on the drive
It’s cold comfort
To the ones without it
To know how they struggled —
How they suffered about it
If their lives were
Exotic and strange
They would likely have
Gladly exchanged them
For something a little more plain
Maybe something a little more sane
We each pay a fabulous price
For our visions of paradise
But a spirit with a vision
Is a dream with a mission…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Hold your fire —
Keep it burning bright
Hold the flame
‘Til the dream ignites —
A spirit with a vision
Is a dream with a mission
I hear their passionate music
Read the words
That touch my heart
I gaze at their feverish pictures
The secrets that set them apart
When I feel the powerful visions
Their fire has made alive
I wish I had that instinct —
I wish I had that drive
Spirits fly on dangerous missions
Imaginations on fire
Focused high on soaring ambitions
Consumed in a single desire
In the grip
Of a nameless possession —
A slave to the drive of obsession —
A spirit with a vision
Is a dream with a mission…
I watch their images flicker
Bringing light to a lifeless screen
I walk through
Their beautiful buildings
And I wish I had their dreams
But dreams don’t need
To have motion
To keep their spark alive
Obsession has to have action —
Pride turns on the drive
It’s cold comfort
To the ones without it
To know how they struggled —
How they suffered about it
If their lives were
Exotic and strange
They would likely have
Gladly exchanged them
For something a little more plain
Maybe something a little more sane
We each pay a fabulous price
For our visions of paradise
But a spirit with a vision
Is a dream with a mission…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Nothing can survive in a vacuum
No one can exists all alone
We pretend things
Only happen to strangers
We’ve all got problems of our own
It’s enough to learn
To share our pleasures
We can’t sooth pain with sympathy
All that we can do is be reminded —
We shake our heads at the tragedy
Every day we’re standing
In a time capsule
Racing down a river from the past
Every day we’re standing
In a wind tunnel
Facing down the future coming fast
It’s just the age
It’s just a stage —
We disengage —
We turn the page…
Looking at
The long-range forecast
Catching all the names in the news
Checking out
The state of the nation
Learning the environmental blues
Truth is after all a moving target
Hairs to split
And pieces that don’t fit
How can anybody be enlightened?
Truth is after all so poorly lit
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Nothing can survive in a vacuum
No one can exists all alone
We pretend things
Only happen to strangers
We’ve all got problems of our own
It’s enough to learn
To share our pleasures
We can’t sooth pain with sympathy
All that we can do is be reminded —
We shake our heads at the tragedy
Every day we’re standing
In a time capsule
Racing down a river from the past
Every day we’re standing
In a wind tunnel
Facing down the future coming fast
It’s just the age
It’s just a stage —
We disengage —
We turn the page…
Looking at
The long-range forecast
Catching all the names in the news
Checking out
The state of the nation
Learning the environmental blues
Truth is after all a moving target
Hairs to split
And pieces that don’t fit
How can anybody be enlightened?
Truth is after all so poorly lit
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
High on the sacred mountain
Up the seven thousand stairs
In the golden light of autumn
There was magic in the air
Clouds surrounded the summit
The wind blew strong and cold
Among the silent temples
And the writing carved in gold
Somewhere in my instincts
The primitive took hold…
I stood at the top of the mountain
And China sang to me
In the peaceful haze of harvest time
A song of eternity —
If you raise your hands to heaven
You will live a hundred years
I stood there like a mystic
Lost in the atmosphere
The clouds were suddenly parted
For a moment I could see
The patterns of the landscape
Reaching to the eastern sea
I looked upon a presence
Spanning forty centuries…
I thought of time and distance
The hardships of history
I heard the hope and the hunger
When China sang to me…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
High on the sacred mountain
Up the seven thousand stairs
In the golden light of autumn
There was magic in the air
Clouds surrounded the summit
The wind blew strong and cold
Among the silent temples
And the writing carved in gold
Somewhere in my instincts
The primitive took hold…
I stood at the top of the mountain
And China sang to me
In the peaceful haze of harvest time
A song of eternity —
If you raise your hands to heaven
You will live a hundred years
I stood there like a mystic
Lost in the atmosphere
The clouds were suddenly parted
For a moment I could see
The patterns of the landscape
Reaching to the eastern sea
I looked upon a presence
Spanning forty centuries…
I thought of time and distance
The hardships of history
I heard the hope and the hunger
When China sang to me…
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
When the waters rose
In the darkness
In the wake of the endless flood
It flowed into our memory —
It flowed into our blood —
When something broke the surface
Just to see the starry dome —
We still feel that relation
When the water takes us home
In the flying spray of the ocean
The water takes you home —
Springing from the weight
Of the mountains
Like the heart of the earth
Would burst
Flowing out from marble fountains
In the dreams of a desert thirst
Something swam through
The jungles
Where the mighty rivers roam —
Something breaks the silence
When the water takes you home
I hear the wordless voices
When the water takes me home —
Waves that crash on the shoreline
Torrents of tropical rain
Streaming down
Beyond our memory
Streaming down inside our veins
When something left the ocean
To crawl high above the foam —
We still feel that elation
When the water takes us home
In a driving rain of redemption
The water takes me home…
(x)
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
When the waters rose
In the darkness
In the wake of the endless flood
It flowed into our memory —
It flowed into our blood —
When something broke the surface
Just to see the starry dome —
We still feel that relation
When the water takes us home
In the flying spray of the ocean
The water takes you home —
Springing from the weight
Of the mountains
Like the heart of the earth
Would burst
Flowing out from marble fountains
In the dreams of a desert thirst
Something swam through
The jungles
Where the mighty rivers roam —
Something breaks the silence
When the water takes you home
I hear the wordless voices
When the water takes me home —
Waves that crash on the shoreline
Torrents of tropical rain
Streaming down
Beyond our memory
Streaming down inside our veins
When something left the ocean
To crawl high above the foam —
We still feel that elation
When the water takes us home
In a driving rain of redemption
The water takes me home…
