Behind The Vinyl - "Tom Sawyer" with Alex Lifeson from Rush 

"We sure did play this song a lot." Now that IS an understatement

“It’s kind of all over the place. It’s not a traditional sort of arrangement…” This sums up RUSH’s entire music library!

This summer ( 81 ) I was 19 and a junior mechanic for a big Kawasaki dealer in Tulsa , Ok . The owner sent me to Dallas , Tx. with an old Ford truck , a trailer and about 200 dollars cash ( WOOHOOO ) to pick up a load of Jet Ski's . One of the things I bought was Rush's Moving Pictures and a ZZ Top 8 track ( yeah buddy ! ) because as we Okies knew the radio stations between Okie City and Dallas were crap back then . I still remember the face he made when he saw the receipt for those tapes ( hey ! I was 19 ) . Saw the Moving Pictures tour ..... AWESOME ....GOOD TIMES !

Am I the only one that was shocked when they found out Tom Sawyer was in fact, not Canada's national anthem?

For me! Rush are a life style.. EVERY album is perfect:) I'm 53 and have been a huge fan since I was 14.. the guys have been and still are a huge part of my life:)

So often I hear band talk how horrible the recording and writing experience was and how they fought within the band. It's refreshing to hear a pleasant story of positive enjoyment from This Band.

I went to a Moving Pictures tour concert in '81. April Wine opened. Great show

When I got my driver's license in the early eighties this was one of the first 8tracks I ever bought used to roll around in my 67 Chevelle eight-track blasting high as f***

Alex is truly one of the nicest (and funniest!) people/guitarists in rock-n-roll...ever.

When I first heard this song, I had no idea what to make of it, but I knew I had just heard something incredible and unique. After the 2nd or 3rd time, I was hooked. This was my very first Rush song, and I only first heard it in May 1982, not too long before they released *Signals.* Then, I heard "Closer To The Heart" and then "New World Man" and "Subdivisions" and I quickly became a big Rush fan.

It’s ridiculous how humble Alex Lifeson is. He is one of the all time greats and yet he remains a fundamentally decent and respectful human being.

I just love RUSH .Alex is such a great bloke..Long may they Reign.

One of the most ORIGINAL and MASTERFUL rock songs EVER! It's mysterious, powerful, pensive, and tons more!

“I’m Geddy Lee, and I can sing what I want to”. Upvote. Upvote UPVOTE!,

To the people that run this channel, thank you for coming up with the 'Behind The Vinyl' series... Really cool to hear some background to these classic songs

Summer circa 1980 or 81 I was vacationing at South Padre Island and a guy would Walk out of his condominium each day down onto the beach with his jam box and this cassette tape playing Tom Sawyer psssssssssssstttttaaahhhhh! Boom tat boom tat boom tat boom! About five years earlier my friend’s older brother and let me listen to Circumstances and never listened to Rush again until that day on the beach and I walked up to the guy and said who is that? He said this is Rush! Where you been?!!!! I was in my early teens and I had forgotten the name of the band and so already having played the snare drum for a year and a half with lessons, I quickly went to my dad and said I’m ready to graduate to a drum set. He was reluctant but at Christmas time he gave me the set and I have never looked back since and I studied at Neal Peart University like many others. But, this song was on the final exam at Neal Peart University and If you could play the song you can play anything. Thanks to Al, Geddy and Neil!

Love Alex he is hilarious

I heard this song on "The New Music", which was a music show on City TV in Toronto back then, when I was in grade seven. I went out the next day and bought the album, and spent the next couple of years trying to get my hands on anything I could about the band. Fast forward 35 years, and I'm still listening to them every day. I have seen every tour since then, and brought my whole family to the R40 concert last year, and this song remains my favourite.

This song and the entire album are absolutely airtight. Perfection from start to finish. There is no comparison.

I always liked the album cover of Moving Pictures. A motion picture of people moving pictures of moving pictures, and people being moved by the pictures.

I love the fact he talks about ricky and Diane Sawyer !!!

He's right about the song structure: it is very unorthodox. But, it is arguably one of their biggest hits, if not THE biggest hit and quintessential Rush song. The synth figure that comes in at the bridge (if you can call it that) seemingly has no relation to the rest of the song, but it is stated with such spacey coolness that it doesn't really matter. Note to hit-makers: a song does not have to have verse-chorus-verse structure to be elevated to rock super-stardom. In fact, weirdness can be cool sometimes.

I can't say it enough, I love this guy so much. Deep love for all three.

One of the greatest guitar players ever!!!!!

What Alex said about the drumming is correct, but it's not just Neil's bombastic and intricate fills that make this song so difficult to play. It's also the tempo. The sixteenth-notes on the high-hat are just within the bounds of what is humanly possible in a rock-drumming context (without employing some kind of Moeller technique). You have to have good stamina to pull it off live.

I remember when I first heard this. Standing in driveway of the house we practiced at, 10:00 pm, freezing cold, freshman in High School. An older friend pulled up and said "holy shit you got to hear this...". Like it was yestetday... Been a fan ever since. Thanks Rush for awesome music. Than you Mr Peart for showing whats possible and how to weather the horror that life hurls at us.

Love the TPB reference at the end😂😂😂

alex such a turn. love it.

Tom Sawyer was the first Rush song I ever heard and it’s my favorite Rush song

I saw Rush in the late 1970s and early 80s, believe you me it was not just a rock concert, it was an education.......never been a band like them, and never will be.

That is just THE HISTORY. I am the most grateful man in the world for could watch Tom Sawyer alive one day in my life..

I had watched the video of rush doing this song in the studio and it was so awesome that it just blew me away, all of the band was just so tight and sounded so good. a great video to watch. rush rocks

Yep, gotta bless Ricky and his Rickyisms

What a lovable goofball. :P

Rush + South Park = Party time.

What I love about Tom Sawyer is the control of mood and tone. A lot of that comes down to Neil, who can be so damned busy, but always stays on top of it. There's so much energy in that song, so much drive, and yet Neil doles it out so carefully, like there's a limited number of moves he can make, so he reigns it back in. The tempo is weird, the structure just so peculiar. I can imagine they got tired playing it, but I've heard probably a thousand times, but something about its structure surprises me every time.

Drummers Needed an Anthem. Learning Niel wrote lyrics, blew minds even more.

Definitely one of the top 10 rock songs ever written & performed. Many, many, good times listening to this when I was in high school.

Misses his video queue and ironically starts late. “Hi, Alex here. No..I’m Geddy Lee and I can say whatever I want to!” The man is a national treasure.

This is the song that changed my life, both as a listener and as a musician. If it wasn't for a "Best Of Rock" sampler my mpom bought, who knows if I ever would have come across it.

-Alex talks about Neil's crazy drumming -Crazy drum solo comes in

I was very lucky to have moving pictures as a senior in high school

Hat off to Neil for his creativity, but playing it In cover bands in the 80s + I found it easy and fun 🤪

He's so sweet!

I’m so lucky that I saw moving pictures live! With fm as a backup.

Rush is a Canadian's; The Beatles. I am Canadian. They have been my idols since 1981 or so. RIP NP.

This tour was my first Rush concert, I was in my first year of college. 3 of us did a road trip from college to our hometown, over 200 miles. Got stoned to the bone while on the road, went to the concert got stoned to the bone at the concert, then made the trip back to college after the concert.., yes, we were young & dumb. I don't remember much about the concert except staying high, and that they did a mellow version of Working Man. We were a bit bummed out by that, we wanted the hard rocking version. Even though I don't remember much, that experience still sticks with me, because we survived our stupidity. 😁

I love this man

Class act all the way...Thanks for the music guys!

Every time I think about Rush or attempt to express how bad ass Rush is, my head just fucking explodes! They are just the best. I put them right up there with the best of the best.

Even Alex gets mesmerized by this song

Alex............... you fuckin ROCK !!!! Thanks for the memories!!!!!! Love you man!!'

Moving pictures is the best rock and roll drumming album of all time

When I hear this I think of the night members in MY band came late for a gig or a rehearsal (fuzzy on that)- the reason was that they were in Toronto at some photo shoot for Neil's band "Rush"- and they were going to use a naked photo of our manager for the bass drum maybe etc....just helping out our St. Catharines buddy - who knew.....? What a career it became.

DAMN, I miss those days of my youth of pulling this album out of its sleeve (by the extreme edges of course!), placing it carefully onto the turntable, using my vinyl record cleaner for a few moments then cleaning and doing a check of the stylus before placing it slowly down onto the outer ring of the record, adjusting everything on the receiver, tuner and all outboard gear one last time as the first notes rang out of my stereo speakers (ones that were very much like the ones seen here around Alex) and just sitting back with the album cover in my hands and losing myself in the sound of this perfect album. That first time doing this with the Moving Pictures album was so mind blowing and I can still recall how much I knew i was onto something with this band. Had long been aware of Rush, but it was the purchase of Moving Pictures, the complete submersion into it and then the following obsession with this album for months afterwards that made me a life-long fan.

I’ve been listening since I was four years old. 32 now. Still my favorite band.

If Alex wasn't the best guitarist in the North, he would of probably been the top Standup comedian.

Moving pictures truly a masterpiece !!!

Brings back good High School memories. I was 14 when this album came out and it blew me away. Always loved Rush!

I was a Jr in high school when this came out....it was huge. I remember being so blown away the first time I heard it. Wow it is still a thrill.

I fuckin love Alex Lifeson. What a legend. Him and the Rush guys are all living legends. Nerdy legends who redeem themselves by being awesome at playing music.

I loved he started it talking about the South Park Clip lol

Just like we think about what we were doing back in those days whenever we hear that songs....you can tell Alex does the same thing. Alex Lifeson kicks ass!!

Oh man, everytime I saw a Rush video, with one (or more) of the guys, I always laugh. It's so awesome that these guys made some of the best pieces of music in history, and still can crack some jokes here and there, and be kind, etc...

Love Alex

Gotta love Alex !

You three have always been my favorite!

Nice shoutout to TPB

When he does the sales voice for the dvd. 😂

Ihave seen Rush probably about 10 times and I can't imagine how sick he is of playing Tom Sawyer every show for probably 35+ years. But I would have disappointed if I didn't hear it. Thanks Alex and gang for playing a song you probably got sick of 25 years ago.

Great tune and band and voice!

I am so glad i saw R40. I have seen them more than any other band. I think it was 11. (there were a few that were a little hazy)

Couldn't love this guy more...thanks, Alex : )

RUSH is MASTERCLASS!

That album was released on the day I was born ! Such a great album

ALEX I LOVE YOU

Ha.....Harrison Ford acting like Alex Lifeson here...cant fool us Rush fans!!!!!

Iconic.

This song taught me more than my man in society highschool class.

Watch Alex on Trailer Park Boys....it'll make your day.

2.30 Neil Peart is the best drummer on this planet...period!

He's so hokey! I love this guy...reminds me of a school chum that would tell you the most corniest song and just laugh and laugh..

LoL Love Alex's Cartman imitation

He's so fucking cheeky.

Play "I Like To Rock"

Nice dude.

Alex Lifeson is possibly the best guitarist ever. He's right there with Jimmy Page if not better, in my opinion. Neil Peart is a beast and Geddy is a genius on the bass guitar. Glad Rush is in Rock and Roll HOF they totally deserve it. They never faded over the years.. still master musicians.

RUSH know doubt my favorite Rock band. I'm wondering in a hundred years will they be the Mozart or Beethoven of progress rock.. I think so!!!

I really like that Alex is not a music snob, honestly probably sick of playing and hearing this song but he does it again for the video

I've owned Moving Pictures (and several Rush albums) on LP, 8 Track, Cassette and on finally CD. Wore them all out until CD's came around. My CD was lost in a car accident when my daughter borrowed it and then crashed her car (she is fine) so now I have to buy it yet again! I was thrilled and relieved when she told me she was OK but weeks later she gained the nerve to tell me the CD I bought in 1988 while in the military was lost in the totaled car. It was OK...CD's can be replaced 😃 😃 😃

Your sub-title is inaccurate as Alex says "done at the studio". He's saying "done at Le Studio".

Every song on this album is good, no filler

Internally, Alex must be thinking, “we made 19 albums, can we please talk about another song?” 😂

Dude is such a stoner. And it's great.

3:26 HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Kerry Von Erich used to come out to this song!

alex lifeson and trey parker look so much alike

I saw Rush live in 1974 by accident. I went to see KISS. RUSH comes out and as soon as Giddy Lee starts singing I’m like “WTH”? I was a big guitar fan so naturally never forgot seeing Alex! (This was before Neil took over the drums)

LoL Alex's imitation of Cartman

Nice Trailer Park Boys reference at the end.