the real art of songwriting....put in what serves the song- nothing more, nothing less...also shows the brilliance of Alex Lifeson (the transitions alone are worth the price of admission)- one of the most underrated guitarists in the world...
I actually played right beside Alan White of YES in my high school percussion ensemble. I asked if he knew Neil and he said "yes" with a roll of his eyes. :) Great guys, both of them!!!
Actually, if you watch the Rush doc; they are all quite forward about how they were influenced by their contemporaries, ESPECIALLY on this album. Both Peart and Lifeson give props to "The Police" and New Wave in general, which were influences here. Rush knew music well enough to know NONE of it was theirs; it came thru them, a gift from the universe.
I was watching a video about RUSH. The song Closer to the Heart was being shown and the camera was focused on Neil, he was facing away from the audience where a set of tubular bells were hanging. He tapped those bells, spun around and *BANG* right back to his drums. The transition was seamless. I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about it.
DUDE!! That is the crazy bass lick at the beginning is like your spinning the dial through the stations. I can't believe I never realized that till now. Wow. Thanks.
When you haven’t heard a song in a while and you start tearing up cuz you almost forgot how god damn good it is. Me right now. In my car. On break. At work
Jim Walsh yea I just found out yesterday, been in a rush kick since last week and had no idea. So weird, RIP Neil can’t believe he’s gone. Easily one of the greatest drummers of all time. I’m keeping this rush kick going now, blasting nothing but rush for a while
@@JungleScene Absolutely! That's the "Rush In Rio" version, right? I love that version, and that entire live album is one of their best, if not THE best.
Lots of Jamaicans in Toronto, I suspect the boys have heard their share of Reggae and wanted to give it a little shout out. This is to me the quintessential Rush song...it has elements of all their strengths
@Ben Redmond - As long as I've listened to Rush and was amazed by the break at around 5:30 in this video, I seriously never thought of it that way. Thank you.
@@benredmond6636 It just makes the song even more perfect. I didn't see the Geddy interview you're talking about, but that break is exactly the kind of tumbling-downstairs sound that a radio makes when you're dialing channels. I appreciate you hipping people to it.
We're witnessing true musical geniuses. For 40 years that I've been listening to Rush every time I listen to them it's like going back in time. It never gets old! Just an amazing band! What else can I say! 😊
@@mike04574 Not a riff, it's part of the lyrics: "and the words of the prophets were written on the studio walls". It's a slight change from a lyric from "Sounds of Silence".
Well he and I are close in age. I saw them in NY in 92, I was 14 and already knew all of their songs. I ❤ all their music. Glad Jamel / Jamal is getting into some great 🎸
I'm 19 and cant hold back tears back when I play through this song on the guitar. I never was around for the rise or success of rush. But any human with a musical heart can feel the emotion rush held. And the cry for passion in the world in this song. This IS my favorite song
Alex Leifson is one of the most underrated guitar players ever. Geddy Lee's bass playing is awesome and he has a very unique voice, and Neil "the God of Thunder" Peart.. enough said.
No disrespect, but I believe calling Neil Peart a drummer is selling him short. Since he didn’t limit himself to just drums, I believe it would be fair to call him the greatest percussionist ever.
In the late 80's, my dad would crank up the Rush on his home stereo, and we would rock out while cleaning the house. Air guitar on the broom was mandatory of course.
When it comes to the complexity, versatility, and the diversity of Rush's music yes. But when it comes to the heaviness, rawness, and loudness that award of being the best 3 piece rock band ever goes to Motorhead. But I call it a tie, I love both of these bands to death! RIP Lemmy Kilmister and Neil Peart!
When you listen to a Rush song, you almost have to listen to it 3 times just to hear the guitar genius first time, the bass genius second, and the drum genius third (or whatever order you like). It' s almost impossible to comprehend the greatness of these guys altogether first time without your head exploding.
"They just did three songs in, like, ten seconds!" Yup, that is the spirit of radio, flipping through the dial, stopping on a song for a moment, enjoying the beat then finding something else which speaks to you.
I'm not a Canada fan as their Vancouver border guard confiscated my phone because I had a misdemeanor in the US 24 years previously, which I took care of immediately, and they were asking "does anybody know you're here"? But Rush is my one love connection to Canada, nothing will stop that.
Anything that you hear in a Rush song that "seems familiar" to you is because it has existed since the '70s and '80s and other people have used it. Rush innovates, never imitates. The album was recorded in 1979 and released in 1980.
Incorrect...they fully admit borrowing from others..."Also included in the song is a tip of the cap to Simon And Garfunkel’s 60. classic The Sound Of Silence: “_‘_The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls, and tenement halls/And whispered in the sounds of silence’ became ‘The words of the profits are written on the studio wall, concert hall/Echoes with the sounds of salesmen.’ Just a play on words - Neil being a little clever,” Lifeson says." It also saw Rush touch on reggae during a brief break-down section, no doubt due to their appreciation of the then-burgeoning Police.
@@gregsteele806 Peart's take on the whole music industry, though there were many more songs already written and more to come about life as a musician or celebrity from their purview.
This guy, and others, need to go back to the 70’s and listen to every artist that has more than 2 hits. They would realized why those of us who grew up then feel today’s music is absolute garbage.
"One likes to believe in the freedom of music, but glittering prizes and endless compromises, shatter the illusion of integrity." Pretty much one of my favorite lyrics in anything.
Agreed. Perfect lyricism right there. A less amazing song, but carrying a parallel message, is Tom Petty's "The Last DJ". Creativity will always want freedom.
I always enjoy how the videos from the Moving Pictures album make it look like Geddy is part of a identical triplet set. One sings, one plays bass and one is on the keyboards.
@@miconis123 Though if you watch closely when they have Geddy and Keyboard Geddy overlapping, only one is actually playing at a time. (Tom Sawyer video)
I saw an interview a long long time ago - around the time of their early to middle "Synth" period (somewhere around 1984-5 or so) where Geddy joked, "Here I am, singing, on the bass, and moving the foot pedals on the keyboard at the same time in a couple of places. Got all four limbs active. And if I could, I'd get that fifth doing something useful too!" (Laughs)
"For the words of the profits were written on the studio wall", "and echoes with the sound of salesmen". One of the best lyrics about commercialization of music ever written. I remember Lee doing an interview with a DJ who was excited about how Spirit of Radio was seemingly about DJ's and the radio business, the interviewing DJ was like, "you're singing about me there!" as he happily conducted the interview. And Geddy Lee was like, "yeah....I am singing about you." It totally went right over the DJ's head.
"they just did like 3 different songs in like, 10 seconds...what in the shit!??!?". That is without question my favorite quote of 2019. Thank you for the music, the reactions and the enjoyment.
I've watched lots of these "reactions" to Rush. Most of are blown away by the fact that, up until a decade ago, you needed to have real talent. Now, with autotune crap, you need no real talent at all.
I graduated in the early 80s. What a wonderful time it was for music. Listening to the Beatles as a child, Led Zeppelin and Rush as a teen, and all the other greats of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Music was a much more important influence on the generations that grew up before the internet. Don't get me wrong, I love video games, the internet, mobile phones and all the access to knowledge that modern life has brought - but, music has been losing ground to other forms of entertainment since the 50s when TVs became the "go to".
LOL! Me too. As a misfit teen RUSH was my guilty pleasure. Back then they were not cool. Liking RUSH meant you were labeled "nerd" or "weird" and so forth. But I didnt care. I thought they were the baddest musicians on the planet and still do.
Am I the only one who gets almost emotional while listening to Rush? Like im sitting here listening and the music is just so fucking on point, I cant even handle it lol
When Rush recorded this album, they were in a tiny cabin studio in the middle of the woods in Canada far away from civilization. And then there was a crazy snow storm and they were locked in their cabin and they couldn't leave to go to the grocery store or anything to go shopping or just walk around because their door was blocked in by over 500 lb of snow. So they recorded this album and the Dead Winter of Canada all by themselves while being locked in the cabin. And it turned out to be arguably one of the greatest albums in Rock and roll History not only rock and roll but in music history
“All this machinery making modern music can still be open hearted, not so coldly charted. It’s really just a question of your honesty.” And yet ..... we have an entire industry of musicians, executives, engineers &etc producing dishonest crap. RIP in Neil. And somewhere old heroes shuffle.
Thanks for the video RIP Neil Peart. Young kids now have no idea of how much radio was apart of our lives back in the 60's and 70's. Rush best Canadian rock band ever. Lyrically, the song is a lament on the change of FM radio from free-form to commercial formats during the late 1970s. The Toronto-based station CFNY-FM-which had not abandoned free-form programming-is cited as an inspiration for the song, It's brilliant the transitions, is like changing the radio dial.
To this day these songs are still the soundtrack of our lives! That's why they so sound familiar. Definitely one of the greatest eras of music ever; arguably the greatest!
1st, RUSH is Canadian, & we could not be more proud of how they represented us, 2nd, they were brilliant musicians & all could play more than 3 instruments, & only needed 3 of them to sound like a band of 5, and lastly, once you hear them, you are never the same, & now, you are one of us !!! LOL 😊
The beginning/chorus guitar lick is something Alex Lifeson appropriated from Gaelic music...HOW do you make that something that could work in 1980 and both establish the feel, and transition into, the rest of the song? The funk your face off walking bass line of Geddy Lee (you asked us about)? The deliriously catchy chord progression of the stanzas? The frenetic guitar solo? And the reggae breakdown...? Then SOMEHOW one of the best drummers of all time is nearly an afterthought in the song...except that brilliant bastard wrote the lyrics while still laying down a stellar groove through all the time changes and stylistic changes. This song is pure genius in 5 minutes.
Geddy Lee played a killer bass and easily has one the most recognizable voices. People don't forget his keyboard and synthesizer work too. Very talented.
Rush were such a unique band that there was no other band that could be like them, And their music has been sampled all over the place from Bass lines to guitar riffs and drum solos a band this good cannot help but be sampled by many different bands looking for that unique sound, As you heard their musical flexibility is mind boggling they could mix up genres like no other band, And yes you are right they started up in the 70’s like most great bands did.
World Famous Langlois Well see now here’s a thing as they’ve now retired I use the past tense, Because if I use “Are” that obviously means that they are still together as a Band which every Rush fan knows they are not, Now rather that get bogged down in a whole “Were” versus “Are” debate let’s just agree that they were a great band.
In my opinion this is the song that has the greatest combination of lyrics and musicianship. All three were at the very tops of their game on this one.
When first heard this never knew would be a insider at the station !! Still have some old station stickers ! Pretty cool to see a new view on what have known most of my life !!
I enjoy every reaction video by a person who really hasn't heard Rush before. That true reaction when the music shifts gears like race cars in the Grand Prix. That's a priceless moment right there! Loved your reaction!!!
This is my favorite album of theirs. It sums up what this band is all about - honesty, integrity and a positive approach to difficult subjects. Just love them.
@@ericagnew9251 in the last verse, the line "The words of the profits are written on the studio wall" is a play on words. ... Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound Of Silence" contains the lyrics: "For the words of the prophets were written on the subway walls, and tenement halls... and echo with the sound of silence."
@@Dentor59the words may have been influenced by Simon and garfunkel, but the music was the police, Neil was listening to a lot of the police at the time
If you're wondering where that Reggae came from, Neil said Bob Marley's Natural Mystic made him the drummer he is today..... It's one of his "three pillars".
This album is from January, 1980, and that riff is 100% Rush baby!! Unsure where you may have caught it before, but this is one of those tracks that they would play on the radio! They had no problems playing to different styles, in this case, bringing in Ska, almost Reggae type beats, then going back to beating the sh!t out of you with heavy rock! Makes sense as they come from a cultural melting pot that is Toronto, Canada. Now it's time for 2112 (album version), or maybe Passage to Bangkok (either live, from Exit...Stage Left, or the album version). I think you're also ready for Xanadu, and La Villa Strangiato (album versions). Great reaction man, keep the Rush coming!
Alex also said that the opening was Celtic (imagine it being played by a violin and you'll instantly see it), and that the main riff is stressed a couple of ways (including a punk type version - although I have difficulty hearing it). Of course there's also the banging piano of the old classic rock era. So many influences hidden within, and seamlessly done. :)
Welcome to the wonderful world of RUSH!!! Where most bands couldn't make a great song in a single style, RUSH gives you PHENOMENAL SONGS, WITH LOTS OF FLAVORS!!!
I saw them live around 79 -82. They came to the arena where I worked in the office and got free tickets. It was fantastic! Because of my job I was able to see so many bands, hockey and football games I can't even remember them all but Rush sticks out as the best
The biggest thrill I had when I was a kid was hearing Rush on short-wave radio. In the time I grew up - the 80's - it was a time long before the internet, and the quickest way to hear what was going on in the world was to tune in on the short-wave to hear it directly. This was well an good to a nerd like me, but to hear a foreign broadcaster play Rush on a signal that faded in and out and phased was the biggest thrill. To know that the world was hearing on of our boys was always a moment of pride to this Canadian boy.
I just cried watching this. Rush changed my life. I have friendships because of Rush. My babysitters used to crank up Rush in the 1970s. Exit...Stage Left was my first Rush album on vinyl. I played it 1000s of times. Before cell phones, we used to hang out, play records, talk, smoke weed, & laugh. I saw Rush live, maybe 17 times. Always amazing. Rush fans are great and kind. One time, back in the 80s, maybe at the LA Forum, this guy down in the front row section played air drums with glow in the dark drum sticks along with Neil for the entire concert. That was pretty mind blowing. RIP Neil Peart. And thanks to you musicians out there.
My husband is a HUGE Rush fan and saw them 10 times in several cities. He took our son to see them for his first concert when he was 10. During the encore, an usher took our son to the front row for a song. Alex Lifeson played right to our son. He’s 24 now and still grins when he talks about it.
I really enjoy your reactions and commentary to all this great music. This Rush tune was released in 1979. They had a ton of integrity in their music and lyrics. Lyrics Begin the day With a friendly voice A companion, unobtrusive Plays that 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, yeah, your honesty One likes to believe In the freedom of music But glittering prizes And endless compromises Shatter the illusion Of integrity, yeah Invisible airwaves Crackle with life Bright antennae bristle With the energy Emotional feedback On a timeless wavelength Bearing a gift beyond price Almost free For the words of the profits Were written on the studio wall Concert hall And echoes with the sound of salesmen Of salesmen, of salesmen
In reality what they did has a 3 man band was unbelievable!! The bass was awesome, guitar freaking awesome as far as I can tell, and the man the myth the legend neal peart... RIP... broke the barrier with his playing style and knew that Rush was gonna be known for years!!
Rush has managed to last decades because they are in a class by themselves. They played and recorded on their terms. They knew their fans and what they needed to hear.
One likes to believe in the freedom of music but glimmering prizes and endless compromises shatters the illusion of integrity. One of my favorite lines of all time.
Ahhhhh The Holy Trinity. It's the best way to begin the day😁 Oh, and it's all Rush. Odds are you've heard them "somewhere" before. When I've turned my friends onto Rush they usually say "I didn't know that was them?!" Enjoy your reactions 😁 Take care ✌
I've heard this song plenty of times but even now hearing the rollercoaster of sound by the time I get to 1:10 of this video is still amazing to me. So many good sounds packed so tightly. So many really cool things to point out and the song hasn't even really started. Ruch lacks nothing at all. I would say that the drums and the groove/bass seem to a backbone, but the lead guitar and vocals are also just masterful. It's flawless and it's hard to not appreciate them more and more. Absolute art, timeless, mass appeal but uncompromising...just objectively awesome.
Truly the only band I know of with three virtuoso's all playing with and off one another. The intricacy of the music is something only Rush could pull off.
Seriously, you’re the best. I’ve watched a lot of other reaction channels after I found you bc I wasn’t familiar with this type of thing and there’s A LOT of contrived, over acted BS out there. I get a very sincere vibe from you. Especially with my favorites, Zeppelin and Rush. I’ve come back to those here multiple times. Thank you. Have a great one!
Local DJ often says that local people don't want public transit because their commute may be the only time they have time alone. That fits right in with that line but I have never caught that.
Rush's first album was Rush...came out in 1974. This album, Permanent Waves, is their 7th studio album which came out in January of 1980. They did a live album every 4th album so this is technically their 8th album. The band originally formed in 1968 with drummer John Rutsey who walked away leaving the drummer spot open for the professor-Neil Peart. The rest is history. They are, in my opinion the greatest band ever.
So many great comments here. One thing I'd like to add is that RUSH is a band who's music simply puts a smile on your face. It's like going to a happy place, always.
