RUSH’s 10 Best Songs
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The post RUSH’s 10 Best Songs appeared first on Consequence.
For rock legends RUSH, artistic integrity and commercial success ran in the same direction.
Formed in Ontario in 1968, the band began as the Canadian answer to Led Zeppelin, boasting a thick, blues-based hard rock sound. By 1974, RUSH’s classic lineup was intact: singer-bassist Geddy Lee and his recognizable falsetto vocals; guitarist Alex Lifeson and his dexterous ability to seemingly play anything; and drummer Neil Peart, a virtuoso behind the kit and the band’s chief lyricist to boot.
RUSH’s early era would notch a couple hits, but the band would quickly shed the simpler power-trio approach for the distinctive progressive rock sound for which it would come to be known. This was best exemplified by the inclusion of long, multi-movement compositions that would fill an entire side of an LP. Many of RUSH’s classic ’70s albums, such as 2112 and Hemispheres, included a side-long epic.
But the band was savvy enough to balance out those decidedly non-commercial long songs with quick hitting tracks that could still exist on the radio — which RUSH would come to dominate throughout the late ’70s and ’80s. It was part of their genius: for every “2112,” there was “A Passage to Bangkok” — a shorter, more hook-centric tune. This is also a credit to each band member’s world-class proficiency on their instrument, allowing them to dial up both stadium-ready rockers (“Tom Sawyer”) and prog workouts (“YYZ”) on the same slab of wax (Moving Pictures).
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame act has earned 23 gold albums and 14 platinum (three multiplatinum) LPs. Speaking less empirically, the Canadian trio’s influence stretches far and wide, namely in the realms of progressive rock — where they are god-level status — and heavy metal, with Metallica and many others citing RUSH’s compositions, lyrical concepts, and technical skill as core influences.
RUSH essentially disbanded in 2015 as Peart decided to step away from touring, and, sadly, the drummer would pass away in January 2020 after a private battle with brain cancer. Since then, there have been questions about the possibility of a RUSH reunion — Lifeson seems doubtful, while Lee is more hopeful — though the remaining members have expressed interest in making music together in some form.
As we reflect on RUSH and their iconic career, we took on the difficult task of picking the band’s 10 best songs. For newcomers, it’s a crash course in the RUSH’s ability to dually wield artsy prog and FM rock; and for faithful fans, another excuse — as if we needed one — to revisit these enduring, timeless songs.
–Jon Hadusek,
Senior Staff Writer
10. “Spirit of the Radio”
A lament to the changing FM radio formats of the late 1970s from free-form to commercial programming, “Spirit of the Radio” would ironically become one of RUSH’s most enduring radio staples. The track begins with a riff that actually sounds like airwaves bouncing to and fro — an effect that Alex Lifeson sought to achieve by composing the introduction in a mixolydian mode scale built on E. The rest of the track settles into standard E major and exemplifies RUSH’s tendency to balance their prog theatrics — like the aforementioned complexities of the simulated radio static intro — with direct and accessible hard rock. — Jon Hadusek
09. “Closer to the Heart”
The first RUSH song to use an outside co-writer (Peter Talbot), this classic from 1977’s A Farewell to Kings merges the bluesy Led Zeppelin influence of their earliest work with their own signature originality. Its patient build-up (complete with lovely acoustic guitarwork and affective bells) charmingly adds weight and variety to Lee’s heartfelt verses. Then, the second half lets loose with Lifeson’s fiery guitar solo, and it’s precisely that juxtaposition between rugged flashiness and classy songwriting that allows the tune to soar. — Jordan Blum
08. “Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres”
One of the greatest flexes in prog history was RUSH’s decision to split up their “Cygnus X-1” epic, including “Book I” as the final track on 1977’s Farewell to Kings and opening 1978’s Hemispheres with “Book II.” It was the RUSH equivalent of having to wait for The Empire Strikes Back, giving fans part of the story while saving the best part for Round 2. Steeped in Greek mythology, the sci-fi suite ends up being grounded in the very relatable faults of human nature while expressing optimism for a society that can co-exist harmoniously. Lee and Lifeson’s arrangement flows symbiotically with the shifting moods and lyrical passages in a deft balance of subtlety and climactic might. — J. Hadusek
07. “YYZ”
Its appearance in Guitar Hero II and adaptions from artists such as Dream Theater, Muse, Godsmack, and Primus are but a few reasons why this Moving Pictures masterpiece is likely the most famous progressive rock instrumental ever. From start to finish, it exudes the trio’s singular balance of playfulness, accessibility, and complexity, with each movement having as much melodic zeal and heart as it does virtuosic showiness. The synthy bridge near the end is an especially brilliant change-up, but every moment is hypnotic and inventive. — J. Blum
06. “Fly by Night”
The more bluesy Zeppelin-influenced hard-rock sound of RUSH’s debut album had mostly fallen away by their sophomore album, 1975’s Fly by Night, as the Canadian outfit began its evolution into a prog behemoth. The title track would become a lasting hit for the band and showcases the restraint and emphasis on composition that made the second album such a drastic step-up from the debut. Breezy acoustic guitars and lyrical motifs about growing and turning a new leaf (were RUSH not doing just that?) define the song — one of the band’s lightest and most uplifting numbers. — J. Hadusek
05. “Red Barchetta”
“Red Barchetta” combines Peart’s love of cars and literature into one of the band’s best fusions of prog and hard rock. Inspired by Richard Foster’s short story “A Nice Morning Drive,” it’s mainly a straightforward belter with irresistible riffs and rhythms; however, there’s just enough eccentricity to make it a track only RUSH could’ve created. In particular, the recurring guitar harmonics are a light but substantial touch, and Lifeson and Lee’s guitar and bass collaborations and counterpoints are enthrallingly characteristic. Obviously, the car sound effects add charm, too. — J. Blum
04. “Subdivisions”
One of the reasons RUSH’s music has connected with so many throughout the decades is the relatable lyrical content. For all of the band’s literary epics and sci-fi/fantasy dabblings, they always had a “Working Man” on their albums — songs that were thematically rooted in the plights of the regular people… today’s Tom Sawyers, if you will. “Subdivisions” is one of RUSH’s most poignant in this regard, as it examines the darker side of growing up in the cookie-cutter suburban neighborhoods that became commonplace throughout North America in the 20th century. As close as RUSH ever came to post-punk or new wave, the song’s prominent synthesizers and moody atmosphere cast an air of melancholy that captures the malaise of modern suburbia. — J. Hadusek
03. “Limelight”
The greatest strength of Moving Pictures‘ first single “Limelight” is its pathos. The verses are enjoyably catchy, but it’s the transition into the far more sobering chorus that truly reflects RUSH’s compositional prowess. Its allusion to Shakespeare and earnestly critical reflections on fame demonstrate that Peart was as strong a songwriter as he was a drummer, while Lifeson’s chillingly conflicted guitar solo enhances the mood and seals the deal. — J. Blum
02. “2112”
RUSH had included a long multi-movement suite on both Fly by Night and Caress of Steel — essentially trial runs for Side A of 1976’s 2112. The seven-part title track stands as the greatest of the band’s epics, playing out like an aural sci-fi film, complete with its own conceptual lore and storyline penned by Peart. Lee and Lifeson are credited with “scoring” the soundtrack to Peart’s tale of a futuristic solar federation where individualism and creativity are condemned. Surpassing 20 minutes in length, the story’s twists and turns are channeled through bouts of hard rock, tempered vocal passages, and instrumental solos that function as recurring themes and one-off sections, not unlike a classical piece. — J. Hadusek
01. “Tom Sawyer”
A quintessential RUSH song, as well as a staple of classic rock radio, “Tom Sawyer” perfectly captures everything that made the trio special: energetic hooks, intricate yet melodic instrumentation (with quirky effects), and imaginatively vivid — if not downright fun — lyrics. As one of a handful of standout tracks on the 1981 masterpiece Moving Pictures, it further hinted at the band’s incorporation of new wave into their prog rock foundation (especially with its iconic keyboard riff and Peart’s relatively streamlined drumming). Over 40 years later, it remains one of the best rock songs of all time. — J. Blum
RUSH’s 10 Best Songs
Jon Hadusek and Jordan Blum
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