"I feel the sense of possibilities..."
― Joe, Saturday, 16 June 2007 00:46 (sixteen years ago) link
Tom Sawyer and YYZ deathmatch
― Dominique, Saturday, 16 June 2007 00:47 (sixteen years ago) link
Limelight
― kornrulez6969, Saturday, 16 June 2007 00:48 (sixteen years ago) link
i don't remember the last 3 songs at all dominique otm
― gershy, Saturday, 16 June 2007 01:27 (sixteen years ago) link
"Red Barchetta" by ten thousand, million, billion miles.
― Elvis Telecom, Saturday, 16 June 2007 01:27 (sixteen years ago) link
YYZ Limelight Red Barchetta Tom Sawyer The Camera Eye Vital Signs Witch Hunt
― The Good Dr. Bill, Saturday, 16 June 2007 01:29 (sixteen years ago) link
oh, i misread dominique's post, i think it's between red barchetta & yyz
― gershy, Saturday, 16 June 2007 01:32 (sixteen years ago) link
"Witch Hunt" is really the only non-great song on this album. Barely matters between the other six.
― The Good Dr. Bill, Saturday, 16 June 2007 01:37 (sixteen years ago) link
I always really liked Witch Hunt. Hearing it now, it kind of reminds me of something by Genesis when Peter Gabriel was in the group. I think Witch Hunt is a unique sounding song in Rush's catalog.
― earlnash, Saturday, 16 June 2007 02:38 (sixteen years ago) link
So is "The Camera Eye" the "Carouselambra" of this album? I do like it, but when I first heard the album all the way through I was kinda WTF about it.
― Elvis Telecom, Saturday, 16 June 2007 03:48 (sixteen years ago) link
Aside, I'd rate "Tom Sawyer" dead last. I'll be happy never hearing that song again.
Red Barchetta YYZ The Camera Eye Limelight Vital Signs Witch Hunt Tom Sawyer
― Elvis Telecom, Saturday, 16 June 2007 03:49 (sixteen years ago) link
Hmm, "Witch Hunt" - I was always irritated by Geddy's over-enunciation of that middle syllable in "pre-JU-dice" - yeah, I get it. Not exactly one of Neil Peart's most scintillating puns (if it was intended as such.)
Anyways, for driving fast on a summer night, "Red Barchetta". The rest of the time it's boring old "Tom Sawyer". (As predictable as my selection of "More Than A Feeling" on the Boston poll, for sure; but, come on - these bands don't designate their album-openers at random, y'know.)
― Myonga Vön Bontee, Saturday, 16 June 2007 03:55 (sixteen years ago) link
"Vital Signs" has always been my favorite Rush song. And I still have no clue what it's about. After reading the lyrics again for the first time in about, oh, twenty years, I'm getting the impression it's dissing rappers and new wavers.
Anyhoo, some reggae titan should cover it if they haven't already. Might really bring out that intensity in the last minute for people who have never been to Canada.
― Kevin John Bozelka, Saturday, 16 June 2007 07:15 (sixteen years ago) link
gotta go with the boring obvious choice, "tom sawyer." it's one of a handful of rush songs where they go far above and beyond their abilities ("the spirit of radio" is another that springs to mind), and, not coincidentally, is one of a handful of rush songs that swings.
― Lawrence the Looter, Saturday, 16 June 2007 13:08 (sixteen years ago) link
I went for Tom Saywer over Red Barchetta and YYZ, mostly because Peart didn't write the lyrics so they're not as embarrasing as usual.
― Matt #2, Saturday, 16 June 2007 17:48 (sixteen years ago) link
otm. It really does make voting impossible.
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Saturday, 16 June 2007 19:09 (sixteen years ago) link
"Red Barchetta", the very apex of all Rush;
[cheesy metaphor about individualism, that doesn't really work, including giveaway reference to "a better-MANAGED time"]
x
[fantastic WHOOSHING noise *crucially* occuring at the point at which you expect the guitar solo to *start* - *is* it a guitar? - followed by 3-way supernoodle build back towards the riff culminating in a piss-takingly genius Peart drum roll]
=
"Red Barchetta" is, like the hero of an Ayn Rand novel, so great as to be ultimately beyond the moral and aesthetic reckoning of almost all who encounter it, including me.
― Neil Willett, Saturday, 16 June 2007 20:29 (sixteen years ago) link
Limelight, easy...
― Naive Teen Idol, Saturday, 16 June 2007 21:13 (sixteen years ago) link
I know it won't win, but I just love "The Camera Eye". I wish Rush would put it in their live show. "Red Barchetta" comes second for me. Don't really understand the "Tom Sawyer" hate. I basically think this whole record is perfect, but then I'm an insane Rush fan.
― Moodles, Saturday, 16 June 2007 23:15 (sixteen years ago) link
I forgot to mention that "The Camera Eye" has my favorite Alex Lifeson solo, and that's saying something for a guy who's done about a million amazing guitar solos.
― Moodles, Saturday, 16 June 2007 23:16 (sixteen years ago) link
My high school rock band did a note-for-note perfect cover of Red Barchetta. God, I really hope the video of us playing that at a HS dance hasn't made its way onto YouTube.
― libcrypt, Sunday, 17 June 2007 03:55 (sixteen years ago) link
Somewhere there are videos of my high school band doing some very poor Rush covers. Oh, the horror!
I remember singing Red Barchetta at some school function which was very embarrassing because A)I didn't know the words and B)I couldn't sing to save my life.
― Moodles, Sunday, 17 June 2007 06:42 (sixteen years ago) link
It's hard for me to remember exactly how many of the songs go until I hear them again, but from what I recall, Witch Hunt wins.
― Bimble, Sunday, 17 June 2007 07:29 (sixteen years ago) link
That's actually "better, vanished time"
― Myonga Vön Bontee, Monday, 18 June 2007 08:02 (sixteen years ago) link
YYZ
― Bill Magill, Monday, 18 June 2007 14:46 (sixteen years ago) link
"Vanished" time???
Oh.
In that case, VOTE FOR YYZ!
― Neil Willett, Monday, 18 June 2007 18:36 (sixteen years ago) link
what an awesome record.
i voted for "limelight" because there's something about the chord change to the "put aside the indignation, get on with the fascination, the real relation, the underlying dreeeeeeeam" part that really gets me.
― M@tt He1ges0n, Monday, 18 June 2007 18:38 (sixteen years ago) link
Limelight also has the 'illusion' note in the guitar solo (i.e. the last note that seems to ring out forever...)
― Joe, Monday, 18 June 2007 19:06 (sixteen years ago) link
Yep, "Limelight".
― Lostandfound, Tuesday, 19 June 2007 02:47 (sixteen years ago) link
You know, I've been thinking about this, and I think if I were to pull out the album then I would regret my choice and probably vote for YYZ. But I'm doing this all from memory. Ah hell, I'm gonna pull it out right now and get this settled.
― Bimble, Tuesday, 19 June 2007 04:18 (sixteen years ago) link
I'll never forget Red Barchetta being the first song I heard as I walked into a giant venue where they were playing. It echoed all over the place, just made me melt, I couldn't think straight. "oh god...let's go...find our seat NOW..." This was sometime in the early 90's. Sometimes I forget I ever saw them live. I don't know why.
― Bimble, Tuesday, 19 June 2007 04:24 (sixteen years ago) link
I love the hell out of Red Barchetta, which is weird because I don't like cars. I'd totally vote for "the motor law." Beautiful song though.
― kingkongvsgodzilla, Tuesday, 19 June 2007 04:45 (sixteen years ago) link
Okay...after much listening deliberation here...I'd say my fave is really "The Camera Eye", but that's only because "Limelight" is kinda overplayed at this point.
So can I trade my vote to the Camera Eye?
YYZ wasn't even close.
― Bimble, Tuesday, 19 June 2007 05:14 (sixteen years ago) link
I forgot to mention that "The Camera Eye" has my favorite Alex Lifeson solo
I agree--that's one of his best.
― Joe, Tuesday, 19 June 2007 17:20 (sixteen years ago) link
Kind of their last-ever prog epic, uh?
― Myonga Vön Bontee, Tuesday, 19 June 2007 18:08 (sixteen years ago) link
I think Lifeson said King Crimson's Discipline was one of his favorite albums, and I hear a little bit of an influence on that solo (especially towards the beginning of it).
― Joe, Tuesday, 19 June 2007 18:41 (sixteen years ago) link
i hear a lot of andy summers in lifeson's 80s solos.
― M@tt He1ges0n, Tuesday, 19 June 2007 18:57 (sixteen years ago) link
Totally. You can also tell when he bought his first U2 album, not long after that.
― darin, Tuesday, 19 June 2007 22:47 (sixteen years ago) link
Though "Limelight" was invariably the song that made me buy the album, I'm going to have to go with "Witch Hunt."
― Alex in NYC, Wednesday, 20 June 2007 19:09 (sixteen years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― ILX System, Friday, 22 June 2007 23:01 (sixteen years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― ILX System, Saturday, 23 June 2007 23:01 (sixteen years ago) link
Tom Sawyer my ass! Quit listening to classic rock radio 24/7 will ya? Or did people just vote for that because they haven't heard the rest of the album?
― Bimble, Sunday, 24 June 2007 01:59 (sixteen years ago) link
I used to know this album inside and out, loved all of it. 15 years later, the only song I really remember is Tom Sawyer, which probably says something about the kind of song it is.
― Johnny Fever, Sunday, 24 June 2007 03:17 (sixteen years ago) link
put aside the alienation
― mookieproof, Sunday, 24 June 2007 03:24 (sixteen years ago) link
Or did people just vote for that because they haven't heard the rest of the album?
i'm guessing people voted for it because they heard the rest of the album.
― Lawrence the Looter, Sunday, 24 June 2007 06:46 (sixteen years ago) link
<i>I think Lifeson said King Crimson's Discipline was one of his favorite albums, and I hear a little bit of an influence on that solo (especially towards the beginning of it).</i>
I'm pretty sure Moving Pictures came out before Discipline, but I can definitely hear the influence on some of Rush's stuff that came out after.
― Moodles, Sunday, 24 June 2007 08:38 (sixteen years ago) link
Darn, ILM formatting! It is clearly too late at night for me to get it right...
― Moodles, Sunday, 24 June 2007 08:39 (sixteen years ago) link
how long a run did lifeson have writing perfect guitar solos, every one is like an example in a history of rock 101 textbook
― j., Saturday, 28 September 2013 23:35 (ten years ago) link
This is definitely 'Red Barchetta' for me.
― Dog Man Star took a suck on a pill... (Turrican), Saturday, 28 September 2013 23:59 (ten years ago) link
Right? The more recent albums do have good moments but some of the spark that is here seems to be gone, not only in the lead guitar playing but in rhythmic inventiveness, tunecraft, compositional integrity.
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Sunday, 29 September 2013 01:32 (ten years ago) link
Like, every song on side 1 of this seems really perfectly and uniquely put together to me.
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Sunday, 29 September 2013 01:33 (ten years ago) link
Agreed. This album is honed to perfection. Lifesons greatest moment-aside from Strangiato.
Rush really rules.
― One Way Ticket on the 1277 Express (Bill Magill), Sunday, 29 September 2013 04:26 (ten years ago) link
Also, his solos were weird. Same thing with Neil's drums, actually - just totally strange, unexpected fills. But Lifeson, man, a song like "Tom Sawyer" is pretty simple on guitar ... until he hits the solo and goes gonzo.
― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 29 September 2013 04:28 (ten years ago) link
That is a fucking bizarre solo that still goes down smooth as hell. The guy was clicking on all cylinders. He also makes Barcherta what it is.
― One Way Ticket on the 1277 Express (Bill Magill), Sunday, 29 September 2013 04:31 (ten years ago) link
Heard YYZ in the car today. Goddamm
― One Way Ticket on the 1277 Express (Bill Magill), Sunday, 29 September 2013 04:32 (ten years ago) link
the guitar runs in "camera eye" slay -- echoes of "la villa strangiato"
― reggie (qualmsley), Sunday, 29 September 2013 05:15 (ten years ago) link
The whole record is great but I think Rush's Tom Sawyer is one of those perhaps rare songs where the most popular song by the band is the groups best track. It's pretty much Rush's sound boiled down into a single ingot.
― earlnash, Sunday, 29 September 2013 06:56 (ten years ago) link
Heard "Vital Signs" today while getting coffee... feel like it kinda got robbed here.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Saturday, 13 September 2014 16:48 (nine years ago) link
What got robbed was "The Camera Eye." But the whole record is unbeatable.
― firehorse, Sunday, 14 September 2014 17:58 (nine years ago) link
the focus is sharp (distance!) in the city city!
― reggie (qualmsley), Sunday, 14 September 2014 19:08 (nine years ago) link
rush otm
― j., Sunday, 14 September 2014 19:20 (nine years ago) link
lolhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mCY88iuzo0
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Friday, 28 August 2015 07:03 (eight years ago) link
That was probably right around the time they toured with Rush for Roll the Bones.
― Johnny Fever, Friday, 28 August 2015 07:05 (eight years ago) link
Red Barchetta is so great.
― charlie h, Sunday, 30 August 2015 12:14 (eight years ago) link
http://www.opumo.com/magazine/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Ferrari-275S-340-America-2.jpg
In every way authentic and among the rarest of the rare, this Ferrari 275S 340 America Barchetta is set to be among the superstars of the current Californian auction season.
― Elvis Telecom, Sunday, 30 August 2015 21:03 (eight years ago) link
huh
i always thought it would be pointier
― j., Sunday, 30 August 2015 21:50 (eight years ago) link
SOCOIETEE
― j., Monday, 5 December 2016 00:35 (seven years ago) link
RANDOM SAMPLE HOLD THE ONE YOU NEED!
― Working night & day, I tried to stay awake... (Turrican), Friday, 9 December 2016 22:22 (seven years ago) link