Grace Under Pressure
Footballguy
Anthem is awesome because as another poster mentioned: “Oh by the way here’s Neil Peart”.
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The 50 Greatest RUSH songs of all-time (featuring # 1 from the 1970's) (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Ghost Rider
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Dickie Dunn
Footballguy
Just catching up on this thread. I was at this show as well with my brother-in-law and his wife, and had drinks with several others at Boston Beer Works before/after. I'm off to the left somewhere, around what would be center ice for hockey.
This was one of my "college era" albums, even though it came out a couple of years before that. Pretty much wore out the cassette tape before CDs became common. Fantastic album.
I made this comment to @Ghost Rider, I think, in a different thread. I played this particular track a lot in late college, as well. Had no idea it was so popular among hard-core fans.
Dickie Dunn
Footballguy
I admit to being a little weaker on the earliest stuff, but this one came up several times during the Neil tribute on Sirius XM while I was in the car and I'm really glad to have gotten a new appreciation for it.
+
joey
Footballguy
Ha. Me too (except for when my youngest is in the car and always asks me to put on the crappy, local Hits station that's the same 12 songs on loop, it seems)Caesar said:
2 weeks after Neil's passing, I had to drive from SF to LA and back for work, and I had Rush on shuffle for the entire 13 hours total time in the car. Just amazing. And since, the car ipod has still been on Rush shuffle. Hasn't gotten old yet
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Fiddles
Footballguy
love anthem. doing a list like this I would be torn on if its the songs I consider their best 50 or the my favorite 50 at this point in timeI think I remember hearing it on the radio a few times back in the day as well. Of course, it helped that Rush was hugely popular here in St Louis and our local rock station, KSHE-95, was always one of their biggest supporters.
This seems like an odd reply. Instead of discussing the original posted, all we get is a link to someone covering it? Okay.
if its the former this tune is on the list and probably around where you have it ranked. If its the later it would not be on the list as I'm burned out on it compared to other deeper or newer tracks
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
38. The Big Money (from the 1985 album Power Windows)
Given that my love for Rush really begin when some friends got me to watch the A Show of Hands VHS in the fall of '91, it goes without saying that The Big Money, the first song from the concert, is a favorite. It's such a great song, and despite being knee deep in the sounds of the 80's (lots of synths and some electronic drums), it still rocks and very much sounds like Rush. The playing from all three is off the charts, and this is another example of how mind cannot comprehend how Geddy Lee plays some of those bass lines while singing at the same time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSPJ-R8RMUs
Given that my love for Rush really begin when some friends got me to watch the A Show of Hands VHS in the fall of '91, it goes without saying that The Big Money, the first song from the concert, is a favorite. It's such a great song, and despite being knee deep in the sounds of the 80's (lots of synths and some electronic drums), it still rocks and very much sounds like Rush. The playing from all three is off the charts, and this is another example of how mind cannot comprehend how Geddy Lee plays some of those bass lines while singing at the same time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSPJ-R8RMUs
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
Great song with multiple contributions from all 3. Alex with both slashing rhythm and lead guitar. Neil with the combo of drum & lyric. And Geddy with vocal, keyboard & that fantastic bass.
Grace Under Pressure
Footballguy
“Big Money, got no soul”
Hard to argue with The Big Money!
Hard to argue with The Big Money!
Caesar
Footballguy
Grace Under Pressure
Footballguy
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
It caught me by surprise as well when I first realized how much the diehards love Available Light, but it is easy to see why. Presto is a bit of an odd record for them, as Rupert Hine sucked most of the bottom end out of their sound from a production standpoint, but the songwriting was still mostly really good on that record. I wish we would have gotten live versions (aside from bootlegs) from more of the songs on it. Songs like War Paint and Scars really benefited by their live sound.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
37. Ghost of a Chance (from the 1991 album Roll the Bones)
Many are not overly wild about this album, but I love it. It helps that it came out right when I was getting into the band in the fall of 1991, and all of the singles that were played on the radio, including this one, were integral in that regard. This was also a favorite of the girlfriend I had for most of 1992, so that helped my love for it as well. 28 years later, the song has held up really well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLTFbtOfmxk
Many are not overly wild about this album, but I love it. It helps that it came out right when I was getting into the band in the fall of 1991, and all of the singles that were played on the radio, including this one, were integral in that regard. This was also a favorite of the girlfriend I had for most of 1992, so that helped my love for it as well.
28 years later, the song has held up really well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLTFbtOfmxk
Great pick. Count me as one not crazy about this album, which is odd because I like Presto and Counterparts so much. This is one of the albums that is low on my overall Rush ranking, but has a top 10 song for me, which I’m sure we will see later.37. Ghost of a Chance (from the 1991 album Roll the Bones)
Many are not overly wild about this album, but I love it. It helps that it came out right when I was getting into the band in the fall of 1991, and all of the singles that were played on the radio, including this one, were integral in that regard. This was also a favorite of the girlfriend I had for most of 1992, so that helped my love for it as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLTFbtOfmxk
zamboni
Footballguy
Great song - at the time sounded like a nice throw back to their pre-synth days.37. Ghost of a Chance (from the 1991 album Roll the Bones)
Many are not overly wild about this album, but I love it. It helps that it came out right when I was getting into the band in the fall of 1991, and all of the singles that were played on the radio, including this one, were integral in that regard. This was also a favorite of the girlfriend I had for most of 1992, so that helped my love for it as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLTFbtOfmxk
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Waiting on the title track from Roll the Bones, are ya?
A little bit, yeah. It has a nice driving riff, but still very much has a laid back feel. While the bottom end was still a little light (on this second of two albums they did with Rupert Hine producing), I think Ghost of a Chance is very much a song that benefited big time by the production.
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
Big fan of the production on the Terry Brown albums. He produced Fly by Night (1975) thru Signals (1982). Not sure why he didn't continue in that job, as I find a lot of the later albums somewhat lacking in comparison.Waiting on the title track from Roll the Bones, are ya?
A little bit, yeah. It has a nice driving riff, but still very much has a laid back feel. While the bottom end was still a little light (on this second of two albums they did with Rupert Hine producing), I think Ghost of a Chance is very much a song that benefited big time by the production.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
They felt like they needed a change. Brown wasn't overly wild about the direction they were going with more synths, and Signals suffered a bit as a result. It's still a damn good album, but the original mix of it wasn't great; it was like both the guitars and keys weren't up front enough. Newer remasters have helped the sound of it quite a bit. They did say that it was tough at the time, as Brown was not just their producer, but a close friend, and that it was like cutting the umbilical cord. But it had to be done. It affected the next album, Grace Under Pressure, as well, as Steve Lillywhite had agreed to produce it, but then bailed on them at the last minute, which left them scrambling to find someone else.
While I agree that Brown's production was great, Peter Collins did a great job for them as well, especially on Power Windows and Counterparts, two of their best albums from both a songwriting and mixing standpoint.
Caesar
Footballguy
I saw a list the other day that had all 167 ranked. It was probably the worst list ever, and I didn't want to taint this thread with it. (It had Speed of Love ranked above 2112) Need I say more? GR has been doing way better.
Anyway, it stated that there was one particular song on Signals that Brown didn't want to include, and that it eventually led to the parting of ways. I did not know that about that song, but it is the one I previously mentioned as being my least favorite pre-Vapor Trails Rush song.
None other than... Digital Man.
I found that list when this thread was created and had the exact reaction.
I wondered if Digital Man was the song you were referring to, I have a different opinion. Love the bass line and guitar solo on that one.
Jedi Knight
Footballguy
Hey Ghost Rider, thanks for doing this thread! As a life-long Rush fan, I've been following along and look forward to it every time I check back into the forum. Just wanted to pass that along.
Caesar
Footballguy
I understand that. I have tried to get into. Have listened to it many many times. I just can't. Something about it just doesn't do it for me.
As for the other "list", you can tell it was not done by Rush fans. If you use "suck-fest" to describe a Rush song, especially one as good as "Mission", you have no validity in my book. ugh, I can't even talk about it anymore. Last time I bring it up.
Grace Under Pressure
Footballguy
Love “Ghost of a Chance”. Find someone to love, and make it last.37. Ghost of a Chance (from the 1991 album Roll the Bones)
Many are not overly wild about this album, but I love it. It helps that it came out right when I was getting into the band in the fall of 1991, and all of the singles that were played on the radio, including this one, were integral in that regard. This was also a favorite of the girlfriend I had for most of 1992, so that helped my love for it as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLTFbtOfmxk
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
I like Digital Man quite a bit, but not quite as much as I did in my younger years. I love the verses and the choruses which have so many cool drum fills, but the "He's got a forcefield and a flexible plan..." section in the middle and at the end kind of brings the song down. I don't dislike those sections, but considering how good the rest of the song is, it's like letting some air out of the balloon.
Glad to see more are enjoying it. It has been fun thus far!
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
And lets do another today!
36. Clockwork Angels (from the 2012 album Clockwork Angels)
I was like a kid on Christmas music the first time I heard this song. I remember thinking, "This is the song I have been waiting for Rush to write and record since becoming a fan," if that makes any sense. The vocal melodies in those verses are something else, and the chorus seems to burst out of the clouds at you when Geddy first sings, "Clockwork angels spread their arms and sing!" And when seeing it live, it was so great that most of the fans knew to raise their hands in the air at the end of the chorus. I would probably rank this song even higher if it sounded better; the somewhat-muddy mix of this album takes its toll on this song more than almost all of the others, but this song is still so good that it manages to still kick ### despite it not sounding as great as it should. Fantastic achievement for a band that was approaching its 40th year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYFXbGQcfoE
36. Clockwork Angels (from the 2012 album Clockwork Angels)
I was like a kid on Christmas music the first time I heard this song. I remember thinking, "This is the song I have been waiting for Rush to write and record since becoming a fan," if that makes any sense. The vocal melodies in those verses are something else, and the chorus seems to burst out of the clouds at you when Geddy first sings, "Clockwork angels spread their arms and sing!" And when seeing it live, it was so great that most of the fans knew to raise their hands in the air at the end of the chorus. I would probably rank this song even higher if it sounded better; the somewhat-muddy mix of this album takes its toll on this song more than almost all of the others, but this song is still so good that it manages to still kick ### despite it not sounding as great as it should. Fantastic achievement for a band that was approaching its 40th year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYFXbGQcfoE
joey
Footballguy
Can’t believe I’m going to say this as a HUGE Rush fan, but the last 2 songs have been "meh" for me.
but I love coming in and reading and, especially, the YouTube links which then lead into the YouTube Rabbit Hole of Wasted Hours. Off to watch Limelight Soundcheck from 2013 Clockwork Angels Tour now...
but I love coming in and reading and, especially, the YouTube links which then lead into the YouTube Rabbit Hole of Wasted Hours. Off to watch Limelight Soundcheck from 2013 Clockwork Angels Tour now...
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Not to open this can of worms, but I have a tough time watching any live footage (our soundcheck) footage from the last few tours. Geddy's live vocals dropped off noticeably after the S&A tours. I used to watch my Rush VHS/DVD concerts till they were worn out, but the last three got very little replay with me. Meanwhile, all three from the 80's, Rio, R30 and S&A Live are still more than enough to keep me fat and sassy.Can’t believe I’m going to say this as a HUGE Rush fan, but the last 2 songs have been "meh" for me.
but I love coming in and reading and, especially, the YouTube links which then lead into the YouTube Rabbit Hole of Wasted Hours. Off to watch Limelight Soundcheck from 2013 Clockwork Angels Tour now...
joey
Footballguy
Totally agree. In that Limelight Soundcheck video I mentioned, Geddy sings the first line of the verse and you can tell his voice is pretty rough, and then he goes on to sign about 10% of the lyrics in the whole song...which is pretty typical of a sound check since you don’t want to ‘wear out' your voice before a show, but you can tell by the lines he did sing that he couldn’t hit the high notes and often prefers to sing a new lower melody line instead of the original higher line.Not to open this can of worms, but I have a tough time watching any live footage (our soundcheck) footage from the last few tours. Geddy's live vocals dropped off noticeably after the S&A tours. I used to watch my Rush VHS/DVD concerts till they were worn out, but the last three got very little replay with me. Meanwhile, all three from the 80's, Rio, R30 and S&A Live are still more than enough to keep me fat and sassy.
that said, as a musician, I loved that he didn’t sing much in that video so I could really hone in on what Neil was playing, and the other guys too.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
I hear ya.
Honesty, when you think about how Geddy belted it out for so long, especially in the 70's, it's amazing his voice held up as long as it did. Had he not toned it down big time at the start of the 80's, his voice would have been totally shot by the end of that decade. I think he quit smoking (cigarettes only
) around 1982, so that has to have helped big time as well. Contrast that to Steve Walsh of Kansas, who had a voice in the 70's as amazing as anyone ever in the rock genre, but smoked a ton and basically ruined his voice at a young age. I still enjoy his singing a lot on later Kansas albums like Freaks of Nature and Somewhere to Elsewhere, but it's hard not to wonder how much better those albums could have sounded with his voice still in his prime condition rather than the raspy one it became. But that's a convo for another thread...
Grace Under Pressure
Footballguy
I’m a Clockwork Angels fan, the album and the song. I do enjoy The Anarchist more, so perhaps would have swapped those two in the countdown. Great call though, glad to see CA well represented.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
35. The Camera Eye (from the 1981 album Moving Pictures)
I doubt fans at the time would have predicted it, but this would turn out to be the last song over 10 minutes the band would ever do, and it was a damn good one. Following the legendary Side 1 of Moving Pictures had to be tough, and kicking it off with this opus was a masterstroke. Like the rest of the album, this song has a very cinematic feel to it. And while some of their other longer songs feel a bit stitched together at times, the flow of this one is immaculate. Some longer songs feel like work to get through, but this one is such an easy listen that it ends and you can't believe it was 11 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjrHJhMHyIM
I doubt fans at the time would have predicted it, but this would turn out to be the last song over 10 minutes the band would ever do, and it was a damn good one. Following the legendary Side 1 of Moving Pictures had to be tough, and kicking it off with this opus was a masterstroke. Like the rest of the album, this song has a very cinematic feel to it. And while some of their other longer songs feel a bit stitched together at times, the flow of this one is immaculate. Some longer songs feel like work to get through, but this one is such an easy listen that it ends and you can't believe it was 11 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjrHJhMHyIM
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
joey
Footballguy
Ho. Lee. Crap. Do I love this song. I’d like to think that I’d have it at least top 25 if I did my own version of this countdown, but I have no idea what I’d be leaving out, so I can’t wait to see how your countdown continues.
there can not be enough good things said about this song. Everything about it is amazing. And, yes, the last "long" song for them. Seeing them do this live on whichever tour it was that they performed all of moving pictures was a high point.
going back and really reflecting on these albums after Neil's passing (I’m sure all of us listened to Rush songs much differently since that sad day), it’s obvious that they caught lightning in a bottle on Moving Pictures. They were at the peak of their already high game on that entire album. Musicianship, conciseness, song writing, melody, everything about Moving Pictures is just perfection.
ETA: auto-correct hell. Sorry. Hopefully it mostly makes sense.
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Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Amen to that. Moving Pictures is a masterpiece and deserving of any and all praise it gets.
I forgot to mention my favorite part of the song, which is the instrumental break after the first chorus, which I believe starts just before the 6-minute break. And it's a good example of how catchy and musical Neil's drums was. I am sure any drummer worth his or her salt can play most of that section, but it's so musical and so fun to air drum. And foot drum the part around 6:17-ish! Hehe.
I forgot to mention my favorite part of the song, which is the instrumental break after the first chorus, which I believe starts just before the 6-minute break. And it's a good example of how catchy and musical Neil's drums was. I am sure any drummer worth his or her salt can play most of that section, but it's so musical and so fun to air drum. And foot drum the part around 6:17-ish! Hehe.
I love seeing The Camera Eye on this list as all 7 songs on the album are worth consideration. I might include 6.
I was in grammar school when this album came out, and Moving Pictures was very popular. At the time, more casual fans viewed the 10+ minute The Camera Eye as a skip song.
I was in grammar school when this album came out, and Moving Pictures was very popular. At the time, more casual fans viewed the 10+ minute The Camera Eye as a skip song.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Given that it was the time of the vinyl, I suspect a lot of casual fans had a difficult time even getting to Side 2. Side 1 was and is so iconic that I can see wanting to start all over with it once it is finished.
joey
Footballguy
Yes! That is a tasty little fill with the upbeat, open hi hat fill in that sections. I LOVE playing this song on drums (where playing = hacking through as best I can). When Neil died, I played along with a couple of songs each night on my little electric kit, and I think Camera Eye was one of the first 5 songs I played. Limelight, Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta...then probably Camera Eye. Very accessible yet tasty as hell drum work, and a nice long song with lots of ups and downs.Amen to that. Moving Pictures is a masterpiece and deserving of any and all praise it gets.
I forgot to mention my favorite part of the song, which is the instrumental break after the first chorus, which I believe starts just before the 6-minute break. And it's a good example of how catchy and musical Neil's drums was. I am sure any drummer worth his or her salt can play most of that section, but it's so musical and so fun to air drum. And foot drum the part around 6:17-ish! Hehe.
4 of these appear hard to exclude IMO, but I have a front runner. The other 3 seem destined to be out.
joey
Footballguy
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Master list is updated in the first post.
I am sure it is obvious at this point which four albums will be the ones not represented.
At some point, I will list some honorable mentions, as well as some favorites by the albums not represented.
I am sure it is obvious at this point which four albums will be the ones not represented.
At some point, I will list some honorable mentions, as well as some favorites by the albums not represented.
Caesar
Footballguy
IOW, you are going to tell us the "ugliest girls at the Miss Universe Pageant"?
Nice
Caesar
Footballguy
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Haha, not really, just some favorites that barely missed making the top 50. There will be one or two that some Rush fans will be dumbfounded at seeing not make the top 50.
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Caesar
Footballguy
well, give us a chance to show faux outrage before you list em. Gotta make this thread at least a littleHaha, not really, just some favorites that barely missed making the top 50. There will be one or two that some Rush fans will be dumbfounded at seeing not make the top 50.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
34. Prime Mover (from the 1987 album Hold Your Fire)
This is the third of four songs from this album to make the top 50 (minor spoiler!!). Another melodic gem, with some of my favorite Neil lyrics ever. This is one of those songs where it is impossible to tap your foot and do a little air drumming. It feels like I can say that about so many Rush songs, but it's always true. The synth era was a bit tough on Alex Lifeson at the time, as the synths were taking the leads a lot and he was forced at times to find ways to work his guitar into the songs, and he always did a great job at it. Prime Mover is a good example of that, as his guitar work is understated and very much below the surface, but the song wouldn't be nearly as good without it. I love this tune.
"The point of the journey is not to arrive
Anything can happen..."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1BJITyRQ8s
This is the third of four songs from this album to make the top 50 (minor spoiler!!). Another melodic gem, with some of my favorite Neil lyrics ever. This is one of those songs where it is impossible to tap your foot and do a little air drumming. It feels like I can say that about so many Rush songs, but it's always true. The synth era was a bit tough on Alex Lifeson at the time, as the synths were taking the leads a lot and he was forced at times to find ways to work his guitar into the songs, and he always did a great job at it. Prime Mover is a good example of that, as his guitar work is understated and very much below the surface, but the song wouldn't be nearly as good without it. I love this tune.
"The point of the journey is not to arrive
Anything can happen..."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1BJITyRQ8s
Caesar
Footballguy
Just a great song, and as I already mentioned, the album was the first new Rush album after I became a fan, so this is one of my favorites as well. I think I like the positioning here in the countdown as well. I am curious to see what the fourth one from HYF is. Time Stands Still, Turn the Page, and Prime Mover on the list.
I can think of three more that I would have to consider on my top 50, so looking forward to the big reveal. Love this album all the way.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Hell yeah! I thought it was cool, too, when it was revealed that it was the one Rush album that Neil listened to a lot his last few years of living. I can't remember where I read that, but a close friend said Neil loved it. I wish it would have gotten more representation in the set lists this century (only three songs were played from it in the 21st century), but with so many albums, there was only so much room to fit in everything.
Glad you're doing this although I'm not nearly the fan of "newer" Rush than it appears most on this thread. I just checked that there were exactly 50 songs combined on the albums Fly By Night through Signals. There's my top 50, unordered. On another note, I thought that for this band, a less conventional list could have been interesting as it's not really fair that you've got Xanadu (at 11 minutes) versus something like Closer to the Heart (at under 3 minutes). Both are brilliant songs in their own right but how do you compare, given the time differences? So instead of top 50 songs, it would have been interesting to do "Top 300 minutes of Rush" and then you'd have to think twice about including Xanadu since it takes up so much of that temporal real estate (it would undoubtedly make my list as it's probably my top song of theirs). But something like "Camera Eye"? No way that sniffs my top 300 minutes of Rush, considering the two or three shorter songs that I could have had. I'll shut up and get back to lurking.
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