Rush Countdown - Pt. 2

In honor of Rush's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame I am posting a countdown of my personal top-twenty favorite Rush songs. In addition, I am ranking all 20 Rush albums in reverse order. Albums and songs 20-16 can be found here.

Albums 15-11.

Album #15 - Caress of Steel - When released, Caress of Steel was considered a disappointment, largely because it marked a new direction for the band. Caress of Steel can be viewed as a "Tale of Two Sides." Side one has a more traditional format and contains the #18 song on my top-twenty, Bastille Day. Side two reflects the band's first attempts at "sci-fi," "concept," or "epic" music. I'm not a big fan of side two although, you really get a glimpse of the band's musicianship when you listen to it.

 Album #14 - Clockwork Angels - This album is the band's most recent. I have listened to it twice. I liked it better the second time. The album is said to be a concept album dealing with the "repressive force known as the Watchmaker." I will have to listen to it several more times to get the gist of this theme. Somehow, I suspect there is an allegory there for God as the Watchmaker and religion as the "repressive force." If I have one problem with Neil Peart's lyrics throughout the Rush discography it is the secular, dare I say, anti-religious worldview they propound.

Album #13 - Feedback - In the album liner notes Neil Peart says:

"It was April of 2004, but Geddy, Alex, and I were channeling back to 1966 and 1967, when we were thirteen- and fourteen-year-old beginners. We thought it would be a fitting symbol to commemorate our thirty years together if we returned to our roots and paid tribute to those we had learned from and were inspired by. We thought we might record some of the songs we used to listen to, the ones we painstakingly learned the chords, notes, and drum parts for, and even played in our earliest bands. The tracks on this collection are songs we liked from the era that we thought we could 'cover' effectively (meaning not too many backing vocals), and have some fun with. The music celebrates a good time in our lives, and we had a good time celebrating it."

There are 8 songs on this album: Two come from the Yardbirds, two by Buffalo Springfield, and one each from The Who, Cream, Blue Cheer and Love. It's a great album and something very different for the band.

Album #12 - Presto - Released in 1989, this album marks the band's exit from the dark ages of the synthesizer. The album actually has a jazzy, rhythm and groove feel to it. There are several good songs on Presto, including my favorite, Superconductor.

Album #11 - Roll the Bones - Roll the Bones may be best known for containing a rap in the title track. Many fans felt like the band sold out, but I like it. Sadly, people were so focused on the rap that they missed out on nine other songs that reflect a back to basics approach to their music. The best song on the album may be the instrumental Where's My Thing.

Songs 15-11

Song #15 - Cold Fire - This is the third of four songs from the Counterparts album on my top-twenty list. As I've stated before, Rush doesn't do too many songs about relationships, but when they do, the lyrics are very good. I call it adult/reality.

It was long after midnight when we got to unconditional love  

She said, "Sure, my heart is boundless but don't push my limits too far"  

I said, "If love is so transcendent I don't understand these boundaries"  

She said, "Just don't disappoint me you know how complex women are"
 

I'll be around if you don't let me down too far  

I'll be around if you don't let me down
 

It was just before sunrise when we started on traditional roles  

She said, "Sure, I'll be your partner but don't make too many demands"  

I said, "If love has these conditions I don't understand those songs you love"  

She said, "This is not a love song, this isn't fantasy land"

I'll be around if you don't let me down too far  

I'll be around if you don't let me down

Song #14 - Limelight - One of Rush's most familiar songs. From the Moving Pictures album, the song reveals the band's perspective on playing before live audiences.

All the world's indeed a stage
And we are merely players
Performers and portrayers
Each other's audience
Outside the gilded cage

Song #13 - Tom Sawyer - Arguably, Rush's best known tune, the song according to Peart is "kind of a portrait of a modern day rebel, a free-spirited individualist striding through the world wide-eyed and purposeful."  

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

Song #12 - Freewill - From the Permanent Waves album, this song delves into the issue of predestination and choice. Peart deals with this issue in several of his songs. He makes it clear in the lyrics, which side he comes down on. Musically, this is the band at their best.

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 freewill

There are those who think
That they were dealt a losing hand
The cards were stacked against them
They weren't born in Lotusland

All preordained
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

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 freewill

Song #11 - Fly By Night -Rush's first big hit, this title track from their second album really epitomizes the great musicality of the band, with an interesting melody, a great guitar riff and subtle time changes.