I first got 'into' RUSH around 1982, I was 17 and in high school. Signals was just out and I could not figure out this song. I asked my older sister "what do these lyrics mean?" She had no answer, now 35+ years later I understand all too well. Thanks RUSH for a lifetime of great music.
0:12 in and immediately when Geddy says "never played.. live" you can hear a man immediately say "Losing It." That's why I love Rush fans. He knew within a second of Ged finishing the sentence, what the answer was. Not even a full second really.
Neil was also a lot of trouble on this tour and it was hard for him to play at his peak, and this kind of an easier song for him to play so he dosen’t have to hurt his body in any way.
I always just assumed that someday I would be able to ask him all the questions I had about certain parts of songs and just took it for granted that he would always be there, crushed to the core
A beautiful and haunting song. Nobody else was making music like this, exploring the difficult side of life, the introspective part, at the time. Great song to play on the kit.
how more appropriate can it get??? Losing it on their "final" tour and Neil declaring he basically can't keep up with the pace he set for himself all those years. Thx guyzzz for 40 awesome years
my favorite Rush song. Losing It was beautifully written (pure poetry)... For you the blind who once could see, the bell tolls for thee... Crying now while listening to this song and missing the best drummer in history; RIP Neil...thx for the music.
If the band ever got to see this insignificant comment of mine, Id want them to hear this: The chorus of this song "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." Gave me direction in my life. I have changed my outlook on everything, and Ive taken home with the affirmation of pursuing what I love. I wasn't dealt the best hand of cards, but if the dice are hot, Im gonna take a shot. In the beginning you could see the struggle as Ged tries to hold back tears. He may be singing with such convicting emotion, but that's what I see.
Your well-worded and inspirational post of three years ago means something to me. Sounds like you've taken your shot at living your fantasy - not merely imagining what it would be like. Whether you've realized your dream yet or not, you seem to have taken a shot. Neil went to England to pursue his dream and came home after not hitting the marks he'd hoped to. Had our beloved drummer given up after that trip, we'd never have been blessed by this music. I applaud you for changing direction and hope that you have a great support system to surround yourself with.
I would punch the guy next to me who HAS to know Losing It is coming in the set, but can't help but spoil the moment of Geddy introducing Ben Mink. Luckily for me, he wasn't there to ruin my moment. This is one of the most underrated Rush songs of all time. A musical and lyrical masterpiece. There is nothing like it.
This song should be dedicated to the estimated 17million ME/CFS patients worldwide! I loved this song as a teenager but never thought it would apply to me...
It's a beautiful song even more so when it hits home. Tears from Caress of Steel, Nobody's Hero, and Mission get me like this. All wonderfully written and composed.
I had a guy behind me, wired on some very aromatic smoke, who thought (key word being "thought") he was going to get away with singing the words to every song. After The Anarchist and Headlong Flight, I shared some tokes of his pink kush and told him he was a pretty good vocalist. He smiled his wired smile while my son just grinned, knowing what was coming. Then I told this Rush vocalist wannabe that I didn't pay a $1,000 for two Rush tix to their last Toronto concert ever so my son and I could hear his fucking cakehole through every song and if he bothered those around him one more time that he'd be picking up his teeth with broken fingers. Everyone around us cheered and thanked me and we didn't hear a peep out of him for the rest of the show. His "friends" never said a word nor did a thing towards me. It may have been that when I corrected his behavior, I had my thumb in one temple and my forefinger in the other just to make sure he clearly understood what I told him. It was a great concert.
I can see the Emotion in Neil... because the song now relates to him... even the greatest drummer who ever lived will grow old, and now his shoulders and arms are so bad he cant do big tours anymore... he misses his family... and he knows he's Losing it...
Ben Dover Neil is doing fine, yes, he has tendonitis, but that gets better with rest, for the most part. Alex is the one who has rheumatoid/psoriatic Arthritis, as a bassist with the same, I can tell you, its no walk in the park. I have had to figure out workarounds for some fingerings, so it doesn't hurt nearly as much to play.
neil's face may have been with greater regard to the painful fungal infection he was suffering through while on this tour. Unbeknownst to audiences, by this point in the tour at which they filmed this DVD, Neil had said the pain was so bad that he could barely walk, and was basically attempting to move around on two raw and swollen stumps.
he's raising a daughter, riding motorcycles, racing his "lemon" on weekends ...I heard he hits the drums 100,000 times during a show...the whole drum kit and pedestal are shaking through the whole show...he said he can still drum Charlie Watts parts...but not Neil Pearts parts.
It’s the 13th jan 2020 , this my favourite rush track , I am reduce to tears as I watch it . The line the bell tolls. Whilst looking at Neial is just too much.
I cry when I watch this...it's like a surreal journey upon the astral planesof my psyche...my son and I were there...his 2nd Rush concert after Clockwork Angels in Hamilton, and it was my 16th...their last concert to ever be played in Toronto...the 1st time I saw them was January 17th, 1975, at Humber College Amphitheatre...40 years before R40...they were a huge part of my life and I'll never have the experience of seeing them in concert ever again...the pain runs deeper than I'd ever have imagined it could...Peace Alex, Geddy, and Neil...
Kudos to you for seeing them 16 times, I only saw them twice- roll the bones in London around 92 and Time Machine - Dublin in 2011, both times blew me away and followed the band since a mate loaned me 2112 nearly 40 years ago. Its amazing that Rush music can just take you to a better place . The best sound ever and the most talented musicians ever. You will always have those memories.
It’s heartbreaking to see that they now relate to this song , they have been the best musicians in the world for Four decades and time is catching up , it literally makes me wanna cry when I see Neil play through the pain but at the end of the day ... Their still Rush , even in their 60s they are the best band in the world and they’ll play and fight till their last breath , I grew up with this band and they will always hold a place in my heart God bless em hats off to Rush the best band there ever was and will be !!!!
Otto Man I heard it at 10 years old an I Remember being mesmerized I’m still pretty young but I looked into Hemingway’s life and I’m just in awe of how talented Neil is as a lyricist
Just saw then play in Montreal. Although they didn't play this, they surprised with with two of my other favourites: Hemispheres and 2112: Presentation. Now the DVD will have all three and I couldn't be happier!
This is a beautiful song, and Neil’s lyrics perfect Awful news and feel sad while watching, or listening to, my favourite band of 40 years RIP Professor
Awesome! I am so happy that they did this live. Truly a great song! Great violin. Great performance! Probably the most under-rated Rush song ever but so beautiful.
I see this song through quite a different pair of eyes now...with the Professor's graduation. This is one of Rush's more melancholy ballads and STILL Neil's life moved ours with such positive enthusiasm!
i was lucky enough to see them for the R30 tour here in LA at the Hollywood bowl, and they played Xanadu,.....for me after 25 years of RUSH devotion & borderline fanaticism, 12-15 shows,... i'd never heard them play it live. Absolutely blew my mind, I couldn't believe it. It was just fucking perfect. Thank you Neil, Geddy, and Alex for producing a HUGE part of the soundtrack of my life much less youth, inspiring me to pick up guitar, and,...............for all the Happy. Nuthin but LOVE. Edward
During the sound check before we were allowed in the gates at Austin at 360 Amphitheatre, they were playing Losing It, but did not play it during the regular show. My cousin who is a total Rush fanatic heard it and went out of him mind.
Kerry O'Brien The whole first set was really aimed at RUSH fanatics....... just different. Not sure the average RUSH listener got it....... but the 2nd portion of the show was a bit more mainstream. First time we had gone to Austin 360...... the venue us excellent. Just wish RUSH would come back there.
Mickey Cook Not sure if you noticed, then, but the setlist was a reverse chronological setlist. Starting with Clockwork Angels, going backwards to their first album.
Kerry O'Brien My cousin who can recite most of their songs backwards...... didn't mention that. But thats interesting. Not to diminish Ben Mink, but if you watch the version of Losing it live in New York 6-29-15 with Jonathon Dinklage (from Clockwork Angels, the best concert of theirs I've seen), Dinklage just is EXCELLENT the users You Tube is Tapehead Too. His video and sound are excellent..... worth a look and LISTEN......thanks.
As close to a musical masterpiece as I have ever heard! This song has given me chills each and every time I have heard it. Not to judge, but if you are not moved even slightly by this song....your heart may be cold
Waited 30 years to see this. Still brings tears to my eyes every time I hear this. Some of the most emotional lyrics ever and more powerful the older I get. Brilliance!
A fantastic song and a perfect violin performance, finally live - but even more a very sentimental moment, as it was one of the last concerts with the best band in the world.
Serious fiddle solo! Wish I could have seen this show or the last one in LA. They played the same set in both Twin Cities and Philly, the shows I went to. Miss their live music so much but still listen to them every week.
Amazing song... my favorite RUSH song. I was there to see it played live. You gotta love Neil's little grin starting at 2:58. He's loving every minute of the song.
One of my favourite Rush songs. Demonstrates Neil’s talent for writing poignant lyrics. Wish I could have seen this live. Unfortunately they never made it Australia
They are just " Raw Talent " - Glad I got to see then perform live 5x's on Different Tours. Alex has always been a Great influence & inspiration to me, as a guitarist. R.I.P. Neil Peart = Legend.
Just how amazing is Rush? I saw them a few nights before in Montreal. Ive seen them 4 times and what they played was completely different. Cynus 1, 2 Xandu, Jacobs ladder, totally unique. Not many radio friendly songs, probably the most difficult set they've ever done. Not only that but they absolutely ROCKED it! For guys in their 60s they were better than ever before. Wish I had to Losing it, my favorite song of all time, but this is a treat!
Wow and Thanks! In my teen years I listened to the first Rush albums. I know it is not cool to see an old guy rock, but when I feel the need, they still do it to me. A neat difference between clear back then and now....I can now afford a massively killer sound system as opposed to a simple Radio Shack beat box back then. I'm sure my neighbors roll their eyes when they hear a couple thousand watts of Rush shaking the windows, or when I pull up to a stop light and they see an old guy in a nice car with few hundred watts of Rush rattling those windows, but at least I am very happy!!
# 130 thumb up !!! goosebumps,goosebumps !!!!!! ONE OF MY FAVORITE RUSH SONG !! beautiful ! ( i can see myself back in my parents house , listening to this song , and talking with my mom , whos not here anymore ..)
My all time favorite RUSH song! I saw them in Columbus two weeks ago and was hoping they would play this, sadly they didn't but I'm glad they broke it out for their home town crowd! At least it will be on the DVD! Thanks for posting!
I saw their show in philly a week before this. They added it for this show, makes sense for Toronto. But man me and my dad were bummed they didn’t bring it out a week earlier
This song almost sounds like a consolation to those without the gifts that Hemingway and others had. On the one hand, it might seem unfair that only a small minority of people are born with the tremendous gifts that they become known for. How lucky and privileged they are to live that charmed life, we might say. But on the other hand, its a burden only they know, especially when they "lose it." "Sadder still to watch it die than never have known it" - You can't truly be sad over something you never had. My only question relates to the bell tolling. It tolls for those who have lost it. But I wonder what it signifies.
It tolls for all of us. No matter if you are a very famous person or just another face in the crowd. Social illusions deceive us into thinking that the suffering in life can be avoided by being famous, rich or powerful. Not at all. We all suffer through our journey and die at the end.
I went to this concert in Vancouver and had no idea what the set was going to be. I told my brother that if I had to make 2 song requests it was going to be Xanadu and Losing It. I lost my mind when Rush played both of them!
What an awesome piece of music in time signature(s) which is not easy to make sound "musical". One of my favorites actually. Thanks for posting! Love the guest violin player.
