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Neils lyrics.


grasbo
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The 80s saw a big change in Rush and mostly its the music that gets dissed here,synths ,shorter more compact songs,shorter haircuts.But Neal abandoned the Dungeons and Dragons/Star Trek lyrics as well.Never were we to see the likes of Hemispheres again.Red Barchetta is a classic example of what would once take twenty minutes of music and lyrics honed down to about five minutes.His lyrics were becoming economical with out extended need for excessive description.Also he came out of the clouds and hit earth with Spirit of Radio and Subdivisions,lyrics to which the average listener could fathom rather than sailing a spaceship through a black hole.So along with the naysayers who felt that it was all downhill after Signals ,was Neil's lyrics a part in their downfall as he became more topical and ultimately a bit preachey (against preachers).Did Neil throw out his copies of Dune and Lord of the Rings and hopped on a bike and looked at life in the avaidable light.Or did he smoke less weed. :smoke: He may have got back on it for Clockwork Angels.(as did Nick RzynSymzyck or whatever his name his)

Personally, I didn't mind so much the fact that Neil's lyrics took on a different, more serious, existential tone as time went by as I did the "preachy", almost condescending at times, tone that resulted from the change. I consider Pratt to be almost nigh a misanthrope or, at least, a closet misanthrope. His disdain for adulation and fan-contact has often been dismissed by many Rush fans as a quirk in his character, or something he is unable to control (i.e. shyness). However, in my estimation, there is a wide chasm between shyness and veiled cynicism. His distrust of, and brackishness towards, others necessarily caused his move away from fantasy into reality. It was a natural progression in his lyrical growth.

 

He is an unparalleled drummer, a matchless lyricist, however, as a human being, he leaves a great deal to be desired... All IMO, of course...

 

I've read most of his books, and find him to be an interesting individual. But I have to agree with the shyness vs cynicism comment.

I am introverted to a fault. Didn't even know what that meant until a few years ago. Once I started reading articles on introverts my life suddenly made so much more sense.

Anyway, what I'm getting at is that while I find small talk a little painful and crowds exhausting, when one of my bands plays a show and someone wants to come up and chat afterward, darn it, I'll chat for a little bit. I'm just so grateful that they came and they stayed, you know?

I take my hat off to you sir. Your behavior, indeed, demonstrates your introversion/shyness and certainly not the cynicism I ascribed to Pratt. Imo, there is no human condition that justifies the purposeful poor treatment of another.

 

That Neil considers his fans meddlesome when their only aim is to thank him for the positive impact he has had on their lives is petty and narrow-minded. Contempt prior to investigation is not an action undertaken by the shy and introverted. It is behavior, however, exhibited by the brooding and standoffish...

When reading Ghost Rider, what really bothered me was his obvious disdain for "common" people. He didn't even TRY to act like he didn't consider himself better than most people. I still love his talent, but that book really kind of knocked Neil off the pedestal he'd been on...at least for me.

 

I read that book during personal tragedy. Was able to identify with much of it and had to shake my head at some of it. Something that gave me a good chuckle at the time... I was looking at the reader reviews on amazon.com. One of them simply said, "Boy, Neil really hates fat people, doesn't he?"

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The 80s saw a big change in Rush and mostly its the music that gets dissed here,synths ,shorter more compact songs,shorter haircuts.But Neal abandoned the Dungeons and Dragons/Star Trek lyrics as well.Never were we to see the likes of Hemispheres again.Red Barchetta is a classic example of what would once take twenty minutes of music and lyrics honed down to about five minutes.His lyrics were becoming economical with out extended need for excessive description.Also he came out of the clouds and hit earth with Spirit of Radio and Subdivisions,lyrics to which the average listener could fathom rather than sailing a spaceship through a black hole.So along with the naysayers who felt that it was all downhill after Signals ,was Neil's lyrics a part in their downfall as he became more topical and ultimately a bit preachey (against preachers).Did Neil throw out his copies of Dune and Lord of the Rings and hopped on a bike and looked at life in the avaidable light.Or did he smoke less weed. :smoke: He may have got back on it for Clockwork Angels.(as did Nick RzynSymzyck or whatever his name his)

Personally, I didn't mind so much the fact that Neil's lyrics took on a different, more serious, existential tone as time went by as I did the "preachy", almost condescending at times, tone that resulted from the change. I consider Pratt to be almost nigh a misanthrope or, at least, a closet misanthrope. His disdain for adulation and fan-contact has often been dismissed by many Rush fans as a quirk in his character, or something he is unable to control (i.e. shyness). However, in my estimation, there is a wide chasm between shyness and veiled cynicism. His distrust of, and brackishness towards, others necessarily caused his move away from fantasy into reality. It was a natural progression in his lyrical growth.

 

He is an unparalleled drummer, a matchless lyricist, however, as a human being, he leaves a great deal to be desired... All IMO, of course...

 

I've read most of his books, and find him to be an interesting individual. But I have to agree with the shyness vs cynicism comment.

I am introverted to a fault. Didn't even know what that meant until a few years ago. Once I started reading articles on introverts my life suddenly made so much more sense.

Anyway, what I'm getting at is that while I find small talk a little painful and crowds exhausting, when one of my bands plays a show and someone wants to come up and chat afterward, darn it, I'll chat for a little bit. I'm just so grateful that they came and they stayed, you know?

I take my hat off to you sir. Your behavior, indeed, demonstrates your introversion/shyness and certainly not the cynicism I ascribed to Pratt. Imo, there is no human condition that justifies the purposeful poor treatment of another.

 

That Neil considers his fans meddlesome when their only aim is to thank him for the positive impact he has had on their lives is petty and narrow-minded. Contempt prior to investigation is not an action undertaken by the shy and introverted. It is behavior, however, exhibited by the brooding and standoffish...

When reading Ghost Rider, what really bothered me was his obvious disdain for "common" people. He didn't even TRY to act like he didn't consider himself better than most people. I still love his talent, but that book really kind of knocked Neil off the pedestal he'd been on...at least for me.

 

I read that book during personal tragedy. Was able to identify with much of it and had to shake my head at some of it. Something that gave me a good chuckle at the time... I was looking at the reader reviews on amazon.com. One of them simply said, "Boy, Neil really hates fat people, doesn't he?"

...and skinny people, and dumb people, and inquisitive people, and...

 

:P

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For my two cents, I've never griped with any of his 70s stuff. You want to write fantasy lyrics? Fine by me, as long as they portray a likable fantasy. Most often I find they do. In fact many of his non-fantasy lyrics from the 70s I love as well. Something For Nothing, Circumstances, In The End. I find these personally inspiring. As far as his 80s lyrics, I like them just as much, but for different reasons. He trades in fantasy references for a kind of everyday social motivation/commentary that I find unforgettable and affirming. Natural Science, Limelight, Subdivisions, Losing It, The Camera Eye. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Heck, I can get some pretty motivational meaning out of Tom Sawyer with a little bit of work. I do think he started having some notable misses around HYF/Presto. I've never cared so much for his word game lyrics (though Red Lenses has a couple nice lines and works well with Ged's delivery). Also, once his everyday life lyrics started getting very on the nose, they lost their magic. However, I don't really mind until CP. Some of the lyrics on that album are just unpleasant to hear, cringey at best really. T4E isn't quite as bad, but mostly trades in an acute displeasure for a dull boredom. I've never really read much of the lyrics on VT actually, and the production is such that I don't really pay attention to them when I listen to it, but what I have made out of them has been a return to form. SnA is where Neil begins to get too preachy for my taste (Faithless could easily be my least favorite Rush song, by the numbers ballad with lyrics I truly dislike). But CA brings it all back home for me with Neil's grand return to fantasy, something I believe he writes well. Were there another album in the works, I would hope Neil would mine his fantasy side for inspiration once again, as I don't think he ever lost his touch in that genre of lyric.

 

I think that Snakes & Arrows contains couple of Neil's best lyrics. People who call songs like Faithless ''preachy'' are usually those who are offended because they contain a view that is different than their own.

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For my two cents, I've never griped with any of his 70s stuff. You want to write fantasy lyrics? Fine by me, as long as they portray a likable fantasy. Most often I find they do. In fact many of his non-fantasy lyrics from the 70s I love as well. Something For Nothing, Circumstances, In The End. I find these personally inspiring. As far as his 80s lyrics, I like them just as much, but for different reasons. He trades in fantasy references for a kind of everyday social motivation/commentary that I find unforgettable and affirming. Natural Science, Limelight, Subdivisions, Losing It, The Camera Eye. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Heck, I can get some pretty motivational meaning out of Tom Sawyer with a little bit of work. I do think he started having some notable misses around HYF/Presto. I've never cared so much for his word game lyrics (though Red Lenses has a couple nice lines and works well with Ged's delivery). Also, once his everyday life lyrics started getting very on the nose, they lost their magic. However, I don't really mind until CP. Some of the lyrics on that album are just unpleasant to hear, cringey at best really. T4E isn't quite as bad, but mostly trades in an acute displeasure for a dull boredom. I've never really read much of the lyrics on VT actually, and the production is such that I don't really pay attention to them when I listen to it, but what I have made out of them has been a return to form. SnA is where Neil begins to get too preachy for my taste (Faithless could easily be my least favorite Rush song, by the numbers ballad with lyrics I truly dislike). But CA brings it all back home for me with Neil's grand return to fantasy, something I believe he writes well. Were there another album in the works, I would hope Neil would mine his fantasy side for inspiration once again, as I don't think he ever lost his touch in that genre of lyric.

 

I think that Snakes & Arrows contains couple of Neil's best lyrics. People who call songs like Faithless ''preachy'' are usually those who are offended because they contain a view that is different than their own.

 

Faithless does contain a view different than my own, and I don’t disrespect Neil for holding that view. However I still dislike the lyric of it, the same way I dislike most Christian rock for being too preachy, despite the fact I believe the vast majority of the content myself.

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For my two cents, I've never griped with any of his 70s stuff. You want to write fantasy lyrics? Fine by me, as long as they portray a likable fantasy. Most often I find they do. In fact many of his non-fantasy lyrics from the 70s I love as well. Something For Nothing, Circumstances, In The End. I find these personally inspiring. As far as his 80s lyrics, I like them just as much, but for different reasons. He trades in fantasy references for a kind of everyday social motivation/commentary that I find unforgettable and affirming. Natural Science, Limelight, Subdivisions, Losing It, The Camera Eye. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Heck, I can get some pretty motivational meaning out of Tom Sawyer with a little bit of work. I do think he started having some notable misses around HYF/Presto. I've never cared so much for his word game lyrics (though Red Lenses has a couple nice lines and works well with Ged's delivery). Also, once his everyday life lyrics started getting very on the nose, they lost their magic. However, I don't really mind until CP. Some of the lyrics on that album are just unpleasant to hear, cringey at best really. T4E isn't quite as bad, but mostly trades in an acute displeasure for a dull boredom. I've never really read much of the lyrics on VT actually, and the production is such that I don't really pay attention to them when I listen to it, but what I have made out of them has been a return to form. SnA is where Neil begins to get too preachy for my taste (Faithless could easily be my least favorite Rush song, by the numbers ballad with lyrics I truly dislike). But CA brings it all back home for me with Neil's grand return to fantasy, something I believe he writes well. Were there another album in the works, I would hope Neil would mine his fantasy side for inspiration once again, as I don't think he ever lost his touch in that genre of lyric.

 

I think that Snakes & Arrows contains couple of Neil's best lyrics. People who call songs like Faithless ''preachy'' are usually those who are offended because they contain a view that is different than their own.

 

Faithless does contain a view different than my own, and I don’t disrespect Neil for holding that view. However I still dislike the lyric of it, the same way I dislike most Christian rock for being too preachy, despite the fact I believe the vast majority of the content myself.

 

Well your first sentence confirms my suspicion. Neil's lyrics have always been kind of ''preachy''. Some like them and some do not. Faithless is in my opinion a very strong lyric and the only dislike seems to come from adults who for some reason believe in these children's stories that are called religion.

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For my two cents, I've never griped with any of his 70s stuff. You want to write fantasy lyrics? Fine by me, as long as they portray a likable fantasy. Most often I find they do. In fact many of his non-fantasy lyrics from the 70s I love as well. Something For Nothing, Circumstances, In The End. I find these personally inspiring. As far as his 80s lyrics, I like them just as much, but for different reasons. He trades in fantasy references for a kind of everyday social motivation/commentary that I find unforgettable and affirming. Natural Science, Limelight, Subdivisions, Losing It, The Camera Eye. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Heck, I can get some pretty motivational meaning out of Tom Sawyer with a little bit of work. I do think he started having some notable misses around HYF/Presto. I've never cared so much for his word game lyrics (though Red Lenses has a couple nice lines and works well with Ged's delivery). Also, once his everyday life lyrics started getting very on the nose, they lost their magic. However, I don't really mind until CP. Some of the lyrics on that album are just unpleasant to hear, cringey at best really. T4E isn't quite as bad, but mostly trades in an acute displeasure for a dull boredom. I've never really read much of the lyrics on VT actually, and the production is such that I don't really pay attention to them when I listen to it, but what I have made out of them has been a return to form. SnA is where Neil begins to get too preachy for my taste (Faithless could easily be my least favorite Rush song, by the numbers ballad with lyrics I truly dislike). But CA brings it all back home for me with Neil's grand return to fantasy, something I believe he writes well. Were there another album in the works, I would hope Neil would mine his fantasy side for inspiration once again, as I don't think he ever lost his touch in that genre of lyric.

 

I think that Snakes & Arrows contains couple of Neil's best lyrics. People who call songs like Faithless ''preachy'' are usually those who are offended because they contain a view that is different than their own.

 

Faithless does contain a view different than my own, and I don’t disrespect Neil for holding that view. However I still dislike the lyric of it, the same way I dislike most Christian rock for being too preachy, despite the fact I believe the vast majority of the content myself.

 

Well your first sentence confirms my suspicion. Neil's lyrics have always been kind of ''preachy''. Some like them and some do not. Faithless is in my opinion a very strong lyric and the only dislike seems to come from adults who for some reason believe in these children's stories that are called religion.

 

I don’t like the lyric. And not because it’s against my views, but because I find the way Neil illustrates his views to be preachy.

 

By the way, I’m only 20, and first heard the song when I was about 14. Didn’t like the lyric then; don’t like it now.

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For my two cents, I've never griped with any of his 70s stuff. You want to write fantasy lyrics? Fine by me, as long as they portray a likable fantasy. Most often I find they do. In fact many of his non-fantasy lyrics from the 70s I love as well. Something For Nothing, Circumstances, In The End. I find these personally inspiring. As far as his 80s lyrics, I like them just as much, but for different reasons. He trades in fantasy references for a kind of everyday social motivation/commentary that I find unforgettable and affirming. Natural Science, Limelight, Subdivisions, Losing It, The Camera Eye. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Heck, I can get some pretty motivational meaning out of Tom Sawyer with a little bit of work. I do think he started having some notable misses around HYF/Presto. I've never cared so much for his word game lyrics (though Red Lenses has a couple nice lines and works well with Ged's delivery). Also, once his everyday life lyrics started getting very on the nose, they lost their magic. However, I don't really mind until CP. Some of the lyrics on that album are just unpleasant to hear, cringey at best really. T4E isn't quite as bad, but mostly trades in an acute displeasure for a dull boredom. I've never really read much of the lyrics on VT actually, and the production is such that I don't really pay attention to them when I listen to it, but what I have made out of them has been a return to form. SnA is where Neil begins to get too preachy for my taste (Faithless could easily be my least favorite Rush song, by the numbers ballad with lyrics I truly dislike). But CA brings it all back home for me with Neil's grand return to fantasy, something I believe he writes well. Were there another album in the works, I would hope Neil would mine his fantasy side for inspiration once again, as I don't think he ever lost his touch in that genre of lyric.

 

I think that Snakes & Arrows contains couple of Neil's best lyrics. People who call songs like Faithless ''preachy'' are usually those who are offended because they contain a view that is different than their own.

 

Faithless does contain a view different than my own, and I don’t disrespect Neil for holding that view. However I still dislike the lyric of it, the same way I dislike most Christian rock for being too preachy, despite the fact I believe the vast majority of the content myself.

 

Well your first sentence confirms my suspicion. Neil's lyrics have always been kind of ''preachy''. Some like them and some do not. Faithless is in my opinion a very strong lyric and the only dislike seems to come from adults who for some reason believe in these children's stories that are called religion.

 

I don’t like the lyric. And not because it’s against my views, but because I find the way Neil illustrates his views to be preachy.

 

By the way, I’m only 20, and first heard the song when I was about 14. Didn’t like the lyric then; don’t like it now.

 

Something For Nothing which you mentioned is as ''preachy'' as Faithless. I see double standards here. Both are great songs of course.

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For my two cents, I've never griped with any of his 70s stuff. You want to write fantasy lyrics? Fine by me, as long as they portray a likable fantasy. Most often I find they do. In fact many of his non-fantasy lyrics from the 70s I love as well. Something For Nothing, Circumstances, In The End. I find these personally inspiring. As far as his 80s lyrics, I like them just as much, but for different reasons. He trades in fantasy references for a kind of everyday social motivation/commentary that I find unforgettable and affirming. Natural Science, Limelight, Subdivisions, Losing It, The Camera Eye. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Heck, I can get some pretty motivational meaning out of Tom Sawyer with a little bit of work. I do think he started having some notable misses around HYF/Presto. I've never cared so much for his word game lyrics (though Red Lenses has a couple nice lines and works well with Ged's delivery). Also, once his everyday life lyrics started getting very on the nose, they lost their magic. However, I don't really mind until CP. Some of the lyrics on that album are just unpleasant to hear, cringey at best really. T4E isn't quite as bad, but mostly trades in an acute displeasure for a dull boredom. I've never really read much of the lyrics on VT actually, and the production is such that I don't really pay attention to them when I listen to it, but what I have made out of them has been a return to form. SnA is where Neil begins to get too preachy for my taste (Faithless could easily be my least favorite Rush song, by the numbers ballad with lyrics I truly dislike). But CA brings it all back home for me with Neil's grand return to fantasy, something I believe he writes well. Were there another album in the works, I would hope Neil would mine his fantasy side for inspiration once again, as I don't think he ever lost his touch in that genre of lyric.

 

I think that Snakes & Arrows contains couple of Neil's best lyrics. People who call songs like Faithless ''preachy'' are usually those who are offended because they contain a view that is different than their own.

 

Faithless does contain a view different than my own, and I don’t disrespect Neil for holding that view. However I still dislike the lyric of it, the same way I dislike most Christian rock for being too preachy, despite the fact I believe the vast majority of the content myself.

 

Well your first sentence confirms my suspicion. Neil's lyrics have always been kind of ''preachy''. Some like them and some do not. Faithless is in my opinion a very strong lyric and the only dislike seems to come from adults who for some reason believe in these children's stories that are called religion.

 

I don’t like the lyric. And not because it’s against my views, but because I find the way Neil illustrates his views to be preachy.

 

By the way, I’m only 20, and first heard the song when I was about 14. Didn’t like the lyric then; don’t like it now.

 

Something For Nothing which you mentioned is as ''preachy'' as Faithless. I see double standards here. Both are great songs of course.

 

I disagree, and that’s okay. Why do you persist?

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For my two cents, I've never griped with any of his 70s stuff. You want to write fantasy lyrics? Fine by me, as long as they portray a likable fantasy. Most often I find they do. In fact many of his non-fantasy lyrics from the 70s I love as well. Something For Nothing, Circumstances, In The End. I find these personally inspiring. As far as his 80s lyrics, I like them just as much, but for different reasons. He trades in fantasy references for a kind of everyday social motivation/commentary that I find unforgettable and affirming. Natural Science, Limelight, Subdivisions, Losing It, The Camera Eye. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Heck, I can get some pretty motivational meaning out of Tom Sawyer with a little bit of work. I do think he started having some notable misses around HYF/Presto. I've never cared so much for his word game lyrics (though Red Lenses has a couple nice lines and works well with Ged's delivery). Also, once his everyday life lyrics started getting very on the nose, they lost their magic. However, I don't really mind until CP. Some of the lyrics on that album are just unpleasant to hear, cringey at best really. T4E isn't quite as bad, but mostly trades in an acute displeasure for a dull boredom. I've never really read much of the lyrics on VT actually, and the production is such that I don't really pay attention to them when I listen to it, but what I have made out of them has been a return to form. SnA is where Neil begins to get too preachy for my taste (Faithless could easily be my least favorite Rush song, by the numbers ballad with lyrics I truly dislike). But CA brings it all back home for me with Neil's grand return to fantasy, something I believe he writes well. Were there another album in the works, I would hope Neil would mine his fantasy side for inspiration once again, as I don't think he ever lost his touch in that genre of lyric.

 

I think that Snakes & Arrows contains couple of Neil's best lyrics. People who call songs like Faithless ''preachy'' are usually those who are offended because they contain a view that is different than their own.

 

Faithless does contain a view different than my own, and I don’t disrespect Neil for holding that view. However I still dislike the lyric of it, the same way I dislike most Christian rock for being too preachy, despite the fact I believe the vast majority of the content myself.

 

Well your first sentence confirms my suspicion. Neil's lyrics have always been kind of ''preachy''. Some like them and some do not. Faithless is in my opinion a very strong lyric and the only dislike seems to come from adults who for some reason believe in these children's stories that are called religion.

 

I don’t like the lyric. And not because it’s against my views, but because I find the way Neil illustrates his views to be preachy.

 

By the way, I’m only 20, and first heard the song when I was about 14. Didn’t like the lyric then; don’t like it now.

 

Something For Nothing which you mentioned is as ''preachy'' as Faithless. I see double standards here. Both are great songs of course.

 

I disagree, and that’s okay. Why do you persist?

 

Just pointing out the obvious double standards when you dismiss one ''preachy'' song while liking the other just because you are offended because the writer thinks differently. Nothing more.

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For my two cents, I've never griped with any of his 70s stuff. You want to write fantasy lyrics? Fine by me, as long as they portray a likable fantasy. Most often I find they do. In fact many of his non-fantasy lyrics from the 70s I love as well. Something For Nothing, Circumstances, In The End. I find these personally inspiring. As far as his 80s lyrics, I like them just as much, but for different reasons. He trades in fantasy references for a kind of everyday social motivation/commentary that I find unforgettable and affirming. Natural Science, Limelight, Subdivisions, Losing It, The Camera Eye. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Heck, I can get some pretty motivational meaning out of Tom Sawyer with a little bit of work. I do think he started having some notable misses around HYF/Presto. I've never cared so much for his word game lyrics (though Red Lenses has a couple nice lines and works well with Ged's delivery). Also, once his everyday life lyrics started getting very on the nose, they lost their magic. However, I don't really mind until CP. Some of the lyrics on that album are just unpleasant to hear, cringey at best really. T4E isn't quite as bad, but mostly trades in an acute displeasure for a dull boredom. I've never really read much of the lyrics on VT actually, and the production is such that I don't really pay attention to them when I listen to it, but what I have made out of them has been a return to form. SnA is where Neil begins to get too preachy for my taste (Faithless could easily be my least favorite Rush song, by the numbers ballad with lyrics I truly dislike). But CA brings it all back home for me with Neil's grand return to fantasy, something I believe he writes well. Were there another album in the works, I would hope Neil would mine his fantasy side for inspiration once again, as I don't think he ever lost his touch in that genre of lyric.

 

I think that Snakes & Arrows contains couple of Neil's best lyrics. People who call songs like Faithless ''preachy'' are usually those who are offended because they contain a view that is different than their own.

 

Faithless does contain a view different than my own, and I don’t disrespect Neil for holding that view. However I still dislike the lyric of it, the same way I dislike most Christian rock for being too preachy, despite the fact I believe the vast majority of the content myself.

 

Well your first sentence confirms my suspicion. Neil's lyrics have always been kind of ''preachy''. Some like them and some do not. Faithless is in my opinion a very strong lyric and the only dislike seems to come from adults who for some reason believe in these children's stories that are called religion.

 

I don’t like the lyric. And not because it’s against my views, but because I find the way Neil illustrates his views to be preachy.

 

By the way, I’m only 20, and first heard the song when I was about 14. Didn’t like the lyric then; don’t like it now.

 

Something For Nothing which you mentioned is as ''preachy'' as Faithless. I see double standards here. Both are great songs of course.

 

I disagree, and that’s okay. Why do you persist?

 

Just pointing out the obvious double standards when you dismiss one ''preachy'' song while liking the other just because you are offended because the writer thinks differently. Nothing more.

 

I’m not offended that Neil thinks differently than I do. In fact I’m quite glad that I admire so much of the work of someone with whom I don’t see eye to eye. I don’t like the lyrics to Faithless, but I admire the lyrics to Freewill. I don’t like the lyrics to Anagram, but I admire the lyrics to Cygnus X-1. I don’t like the lyrics to Justin Beiber’s Baby, but I adore the lyrics to Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. If that means I’m offended by Neil’s beliefs, then the moon is made of cheese. Have a good day.

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For my two cents, I've never griped with any of his 70s stuff. You want to write fantasy lyrics? Fine by me, as long as they portray a likable fantasy. Most often I find they do. In fact many of his non-fantasy lyrics from the 70s I love as well. Something For Nothing, Circumstances, In The End. I find these personally inspiring. As far as his 80s lyrics, I like them just as much, but for different reasons. He trades in fantasy references for a kind of everyday social motivation/commentary that I find unforgettable and affirming. Natural Science, Limelight, Subdivisions, Losing It, The Camera Eye. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Heck, I can get some pretty motivational meaning out of Tom Sawyer with a little bit of work. I do think he started having some notable misses around HYF/Presto. I've never cared so much for his word game lyrics (though Red Lenses has a couple nice lines and works well with Ged's delivery). Also, once his everyday life lyrics started getting very on the nose, they lost their magic. However, I don't really mind until CP. Some of the lyrics on that album are just unpleasant to hear, cringey at best really. T4E isn't quite as bad, but mostly trades in an acute displeasure for a dull boredom. I've never really read much of the lyrics on VT actually, and the production is such that I don't really pay attention to them when I listen to it, but what I have made out of them has been a return to form. SnA is where Neil begins to get too preachy for my taste (Faithless could easily be my least favorite Rush song, by the numbers ballad with lyrics I truly dislike). But CA brings it all back home for me with Neil's grand return to fantasy, something I believe he writes well. Were there another album in the works, I would hope Neil would mine his fantasy side for inspiration once again, as I don't think he ever lost his touch in that genre of lyric.

 

I think that Snakes & Arrows contains couple of Neil's best lyrics. People who call songs like Faithless ''preachy'' are usually those who are offended because they contain a view that is different than their own.

 

Faithless does contain a view different than my own, and I don’t disrespect Neil for holding that view. However I still dislike the lyric of it, the same way I dislike most Christian rock for being too preachy, despite the fact I believe the vast majority of the content myself.

 

Well your first sentence confirms my suspicion. Neil's lyrics have always been kind of ''preachy''. Some like them and some do not. Faithless is in my opinion a very strong lyric and the only dislike seems to come from adults who for some reason believe in these children's stories that are called religion.

 

I don't like Faithless because it sucks as a song, like about 75% of that album.

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For my two cents, I've never griped with any of his 70s stuff. You want to write fantasy lyrics? Fine by me, as long as they portray a likable fantasy. Most often I find they do. In fact many of his non-fantasy lyrics from the 70s I love as well. Something For Nothing, Circumstances, In The End. I find these personally inspiring. As far as his 80s lyrics, I like them just as much, but for different reasons. He trades in fantasy references for a kind of everyday social motivation/commentary that I find unforgettable and affirming. Natural Science, Limelight, Subdivisions, Losing It, The Camera Eye. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Heck, I can get some pretty motivational meaning out of Tom Sawyer with a little bit of work. I do think he started having some notable misses around HYF/Presto. I've never cared so much for his word game lyrics (though Red Lenses has a couple nice lines and works well with Ged's delivery). Also, once his everyday life lyrics started getting very on the nose, they lost their magic. However, I don't really mind until CP. Some of the lyrics on that album are just unpleasant to hear, cringey at best really. T4E isn't quite as bad, but mostly trades in an acute displeasure for a dull boredom. I've never really read much of the lyrics on VT actually, and the production is such that I don't really pay attention to them when I listen to it, but what I have made out of them has been a return to form. SnA is where Neil begins to get too preachy for my taste (Faithless could easily be my least favorite Rush song, by the numbers ballad with lyrics I truly dislike). But CA brings it all back home for me with Neil's grand return to fantasy, something I believe he writes well. Were there another album in the works, I would hope Neil would mine his fantasy side for inspiration once again, as I don't think he ever lost his touch in that genre of lyric.

 

I think that Snakes & Arrows contains couple of Neil's best lyrics. People who call songs like Faithless ''preachy'' are usually those who are offended because they contain a view that is different than their own.

 

Faithless does contain a view different than my own, and I don’t disrespect Neil for holding that view. However I still dislike the lyric of it, the same way I dislike most Christian rock for being too preachy, despite the fact I believe the vast majority of the content myself.

 

Well your first sentence confirms my suspicion. Neil's lyrics have always been kind of ''preachy''. Some like them and some do not. Faithless is in my opinion a very strong lyric and the only dislike seems to come from adults who for some reason believe in these children's stories that are called religion.

 

I don’t like the lyric. And not because it’s against my views, but because I find the way Neil illustrates his views to be preachy.

 

By the way, I’m only 20, and first heard the song when I was about 14. Didn’t like the lyric then; don’t like it now.

 

Something For Nothing which you mentioned is as ''preachy'' as Faithless. I see double standards here. Both are great songs of course.

 

I disagree, and that’s okay. Why do you persist?

 

Just pointing out the obvious double standards when you dismiss one ''preachy'' song while liking the other just because you are offended because the writer thinks differently. Nothing more.

 

I’m not offended that Neil thinks differently than I do. In fact I’m quite glad that I admire so much of the work of someone with whom I don’t see eye to eye. I don’t like the lyrics to Faithless, but I admire the lyrics to Freewill. I don’t like the lyrics to Anagram, but I admire the lyrics to Cygnus X-1. I don’t like the lyrics to Justin Beiber’s Baby, but I adore the lyrics to Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. If that means I’m offended by Neil’s beliefs, then the moon is made of cheese. Have a good day.

 

You clearly missed my point. Of course you can like some songs and dislike others. The point was that if your argument is that Neil's lyrics started to be too preachy in Snakes & Arrows you have double standards because they always were ''preachy''. I cannot have avoided noticing that many who dislike Snakes & Arrows believe in these children's stories called religion.

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For my two cents, I've never griped with any of his 70s stuff. You want to write fantasy lyrics? Fine by me, as long as they portray a likable fantasy. Most often I find they do. In fact many of his non-fantasy lyrics from the 70s I love as well. Something For Nothing, Circumstances, In The End. I find these personally inspiring. As far as his 80s lyrics, I like them just as much, but for different reasons. He trades in fantasy references for a kind of everyday social motivation/commentary that I find unforgettable and affirming. Natural Science, Limelight, Subdivisions, Losing It, The Camera Eye. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Heck, I can get some pretty motivational meaning out of Tom Sawyer with a little bit of work. I do think he started having some notable misses around HYF/Presto. I've never cared so much for his word game lyrics (though Red Lenses has a couple nice lines and works well with Ged's delivery). Also, once his everyday life lyrics started getting very on the nose, they lost their magic. However, I don't really mind until CP. Some of the lyrics on that album are just unpleasant to hear, cringey at best really. T4E isn't quite as bad, but mostly trades in an acute displeasure for a dull boredom. I've never really read much of the lyrics on VT actually, and the production is such that I don't really pay attention to them when I listen to it, but what I have made out of them has been a return to form. SnA is where Neil begins to get too preachy for my taste (Faithless could easily be my least favorite Rush song, by the numbers ballad with lyrics I truly dislike). But CA brings it all back home for me with Neil's grand return to fantasy, something I believe he writes well. Were there another album in the works, I would hope Neil would mine his fantasy side for inspiration once again, as I don't think he ever lost his touch in that genre of lyric.

 

I think that Snakes & Arrows contains couple of Neil's best lyrics. People who call songs like Faithless ''preachy'' are usually those who are offended because they contain a view that is different than their own.

 

Faithless does contain a view different than my own, and I don’t disrespect Neil for holding that view. However I still dislike the lyric of it, the same way I dislike most Christian rock for being too preachy, despite the fact I believe the vast majority of the content myself.

 

Well your first sentence confirms my suspicion. Neil's lyrics have always been kind of ''preachy''. Some like them and some do not. Faithless is in my opinion a very strong lyric and the only dislike seems to come from adults who for some reason believe in these children's stories that are called religion.

 

I don’t like the lyric. And not because it’s against my views, but because I find the way Neil illustrates his views to be preachy.

 

By the way, I’m only 20, and first heard the song when I was about 14. Didn’t like the lyric then; don’t like it now.

 

Something For Nothing which you mentioned is as ''preachy'' as Faithless. I see double standards here. Both are great songs of course.

 

I disagree, and that’s okay. Why do you persist?

 

Just pointing out the obvious double standards when you dismiss one ''preachy'' song while liking the other just because you are offended because the writer thinks differently. Nothing more.

 

I’m not offended that Neil thinks differently than I do. In fact I’m quite glad that I admire so much of the work of someone with whom I don’t see eye to eye. I don’t like the lyrics to Faithless, but I admire the lyrics to Freewill. I don’t like the lyrics to Anagram, but I admire the lyrics to Cygnus X-1. I don’t like the lyrics to Justin Beiber’s Baby, but I adore the lyrics to Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. If that means I’m offended by Neil’s beliefs, then the moon is made of cheese. Have a good day.

 

You clearly missed my point. Of course you can like some songs and dislike others. The point was that if your argument is that Neil's lyrics started to be too preachy in Snakes & Arrows you have double standards because they always were ''preachy''. I cannot have avoided noticing that many who dislike Snakes & Arrows believe in these children's stories called religion.

Is it OK to dislike S&A because the music is as much a turgid, often atonal, boring slog as the lyrics are a turgid, monotonic, boring slog that approach the boring, condescending monotony of his prose (though never quite get there, because, well, nothing possibly could).

 

And, yeah, we get you don't like religion and think it's beneath you, you don't need to throw in the same slam every time you post.

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For my two cents, I've never griped with any of his 70s stuff. You want to write fantasy lyrics? Fine by me, as long as they portray a likable fantasy. Most often I find they do. In fact many of his non-fantasy lyrics from the 70s I love as well. Something For Nothing, Circumstances, In The End. I find these personally inspiring. As far as his 80s lyrics, I like them just as much, but for different reasons. He trades in fantasy references for a kind of everyday social motivation/commentary that I find unforgettable and affirming. Natural Science, Limelight, Subdivisions, Losing It, The Camera Eye. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Heck, I can get some pretty motivational meaning out of Tom Sawyer with a little bit of work. I do think he started having some notable misses around HYF/Presto. I've never cared so much for his word game lyrics (though Red Lenses has a couple nice lines and works well with Ged's delivery). Also, once his everyday life lyrics started getting very on the nose, they lost their magic. However, I don't really mind until CP. Some of the lyrics on that album are just unpleasant to hear, cringey at best really. T4E isn't quite as bad, but mostly trades in an acute displeasure for a dull boredom. I've never really read much of the lyrics on VT actually, and the production is such that I don't really pay attention to them when I listen to it, but what I have made out of them has been a return to form. SnA is where Neil begins to get too preachy for my taste (Faithless could easily be my least favorite Rush song, by the numbers ballad with lyrics I truly dislike). But CA brings it all back home for me with Neil's grand return to fantasy, something I believe he writes well. Were there another album in the works, I would hope Neil would mine his fantasy side for inspiration once again, as I don't think he ever lost his touch in that genre of lyric.

 

I think that Snakes & Arrows contains couple of Neil's best lyrics. People who call songs like Faithless ''preachy'' are usually those who are offended because they contain a view that is different than their own.

 

Faithless does contain a view different than my own, and I don’t disrespect Neil for holding that view. However I still dislike the lyric of it, the same way I dislike most Christian rock for being too preachy, despite the fact I believe the vast majority of the content myself.

 

Well your first sentence confirms my suspicion. Neil's lyrics have always been kind of ''preachy''. Some like them and some do not. Faithless is in my opinion a very strong lyric and the only dislike seems to come from adults who for some reason believe in these children's stories that are called religion.

 

I don’t like the lyric. And not because it’s against my views, but because I find the way Neil illustrates his views to be preachy.

 

By the way, I’m only 20, and first heard the song when I was about 14. Didn’t like the lyric then; don’t like it now.

 

Something For Nothing which you mentioned is as ''preachy'' as Faithless. I see double standards here. Both are great songs of course.

 

I disagree, and that’s okay. Why do you persist?

 

Just pointing out the obvious double standards when you dismiss one ''preachy'' song while liking the other just because you are offended because the writer thinks differently. Nothing more.

 

I’m not offended that Neil thinks differently than I do. In fact I’m quite glad that I admire so much of the work of someone with whom I don’t see eye to eye. I don’t like the lyrics to Faithless, but I admire the lyrics to Freewill. I don’t like the lyrics to Anagram, but I admire the lyrics to Cygnus X-1. I don’t like the lyrics to Justin Beiber’s Baby, but I adore the lyrics to Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. If that means I’m offended by Neil’s beliefs, then the moon is made of cheese. Have a good day.

 

You clearly missed my point. Of course you can like some songs and dislike others. The point was that if your argument is that Neil's lyrics started to be too preachy in Snakes & Arrows you have double standards because they always were ''preachy''. I cannot have avoided noticing that many who dislike Snakes & Arrows believe in these children's stories called religion.

Is it OK to dislike S&A because the music is as much a turgid, often atonal, boring slog as the lyrics are a turgid, monotonic, boring slog that approach the boring, condescending monotony of his prose (though never quite get there, because, well, nothing possibly could).

 

And, yeah, we get you don't like religion and think it's beneath you, you don't need to throw in the same slam every time you post.

 

Some people just don't get the point. I was just pointing out the double standards of saying that Neil's lyrics got too preachy in Snakes & Arrows. They have ALWAYS been preachy just this time some people got offended because they contained criticism of religion. It is of course ok to not like some songs while liking the others.

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For my two cents, I've never griped with any of his 70s stuff. You want to write fantasy lyrics? Fine by me, as long as they portray a likable fantasy. Most often I find they do. In fact many of his non-fantasy lyrics from the 70s I love as well. Something For Nothing, Circumstances, In The End. I find these personally inspiring. As far as his 80s lyrics, I like them just as much, but for different reasons. He trades in fantasy references for a kind of everyday social motivation/commentary that I find unforgettable and affirming. Natural Science, Limelight, Subdivisions, Losing It, The Camera Eye. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Heck, I can get some pretty motivational meaning out of Tom Sawyer with a little bit of work. I do think he started having some notable misses around HYF/Presto. I've never cared so much for his word game lyrics (though Red Lenses has a couple nice lines and works well with Ged's delivery). Also, once his everyday life lyrics started getting very on the nose, they lost their magic. However, I don't really mind until CP. Some of the lyrics on that album are just unpleasant to hear, cringey at best really. T4E isn't quite as bad, but mostly trades in an acute displeasure for a dull boredom. I've never really read much of the lyrics on VT actually, and the production is such that I don't really pay attention to them when I listen to it, but what I have made out of them has been a return to form. SnA is where Neil begins to get too preachy for my taste (Faithless could easily be my least favorite Rush song, by the numbers ballad with lyrics I truly dislike). But CA brings it all back home for me with Neil's grand return to fantasy, something I believe he writes well. Were there another album in the works, I would hope Neil would mine his fantasy side for inspiration once again, as I don't think he ever lost his touch in that genre of lyric.

 

I think that Snakes & Arrows contains couple of Neil's best lyrics. People who call songs like Faithless ''preachy'' are usually those who are offended because they contain a view that is different than their own.

 

Faithless does contain a view different than my own, and I don’t disrespect Neil for holding that view. However I still dislike the lyric of it, the same way I dislike most Christian rock for being too preachy, despite the fact I believe the vast majority of the content myself.

 

Well your first sentence confirms my suspicion. Neil's lyrics have always been kind of ''preachy''. Some like them and some do not. Faithless is in my opinion a very strong lyric and the only dislike seems to come from adults who for some reason believe in these children's stories that are called religion.

 

I don’t like the lyric. And not because it’s against my views, but because I find the way Neil illustrates his views to be preachy.

 

By the way, I’m only 20, and first heard the song when I was about 14. Didn’t like the lyric then; don’t like it now.

 

Something For Nothing which you mentioned is as ''preachy'' as Faithless. I see double standards here. Both are great songs of course.

 

I disagree, and that’s okay. Why do you persist?

 

Just pointing out the obvious double standards when you dismiss one ''preachy'' song while liking the other just because you are offended because the writer thinks differently. Nothing more.

 

I’m not offended that Neil thinks differently than I do. In fact I’m quite glad that I admire so much of the work of someone with whom I don’t see eye to eye. I don’t like the lyrics to Faithless, but I admire the lyrics to Freewill. I don’t like the lyrics to Anagram, but I admire the lyrics to Cygnus X-1. I don’t like the lyrics to Justin Beiber’s Baby, but I adore the lyrics to Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. If that means I’m offended by Neil’s beliefs, then the moon is made of cheese. Have a good day.

 

You clearly missed my point. Of course you can like some songs and dislike others. The point was that if your argument is that Neil's lyrics started to be too preachy in Snakes & Arrows you have double standards because they always were ''preachy''. I cannot have avoided noticing that many who dislike Snakes & Arrows believe in these children's stories called religion.

Is it OK to dislike S&A because the music is as much a turgid, often atonal, boring slog as the lyrics are a turgid, monotonic, boring slog that approach the boring, condescending monotony of his prose (though never quite get there, because, well, nothing possibly could).

 

And, yeah, we get you don't like religion and think it's beneath you, you don't need to throw in the same slam every time you post.

 

Some people just don't get the point. I was just pointing out the double standards of saying that Neil's lyrics got too preachy in Snakes & Arrows. They have ALWAYS been preachy just this time some people got offended because they contained criticism of religion. It is of course ok to not like some songs while liking the others.

I agree they've always been preachy. I don't agree that this is the first time they contained criticism of religion; songs from Freewill to Roll the Bones and many others in between have done so in, in my opinion, a more incisive and poetic manner than they did on S&A. Most of the time though the transcendence of the music accompanying it; in addition, in some cases, the artfulness of the lyrics, save those songs in a way that rarely occurs on S&A.

 

I will give Peart credit though for the line on S&A that no one gets to their heaven without a fight; it rings true even in mundane situations like getting home after a hard day at work and a long commute. But the music to Armor and Sword turn it into a slog that makes it hard to listen to, even so.

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Dang what a horrible little spat that last back and forth was. For what it's worth, I'm three years older now and still believing in those "children's stories called religion" as maxpower put it. I still don't care for Faithless, and it's still because of the lyric. I still do love Freewill, lyric and all. I guess I'm not in a great position to unbiasedly report on my own double standards, but I also love a good deal of Slayer, especially the South Of Heaven stuff, which is all "read between the lies" and "behind the crooked cross" and all that. Killer tunage! lol

 

Anyway that's not why I dredged up this old thread. I'm just here to once again state how much I love Neil's lyrics. Listened to GuP, PoW, and HYF today, and really I think he was at the peak of his writing career on those three albums. So many lines that you could slap on a poster and sell on Etsy like hot cakes. A few favorites:

 

"better the pride that resides in a citizen of the world

than the pride that divides when a colorful rag is unfurled"

 

"they shoot without shame

in the name of a piece of dirt

or a change of accent

or the color of your shirt"

 

"all the brightest boys

to play with the biggest toys

more than they bargained for..."

 

"big shots try to hold it back,

fools try to wish it away

the hopeful depend on a world without end

whatever the hopeless may say"

 

"we break the surface tension with our wild kinetic dreams"

 

okay so those were all from PoW, lol. To be fair, I did listen to that one twice today!

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Power Windows is the peak of Neil's humanist, observer-of-human-nature lyric-writing. It's a tour de force of an album, every single song is excellent.

 

Permanent Waves is an earlier kind of peak, where Neil was more focused on observing nature. Jacob's Ladder and Natural Science are excellent.

 

Vapor Trails is a different Neil entirely; awed, humbled, and angered by the capriciousness of fate, in turns wounded, angry, and optimistic. It's yet another peak.

 

It's not a coincidence that those are my three favourite albums.

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Power Windows is the peak of Neil's humanist, observer-of-human-nature lyric-writing. It's a tour de force of an album, every single song is excellent.

 

Permanent Waves is an earlier kind of peak, where Neil was more focused on observing nature. Jacob's Ladder and Natural Science are excellent.

 

Vapor Trails is a different Neil entirely; awed, humbled, and angered by the capriciousness of fate, in turns wounded, angry, and optimistic. It's yet another peak.

 

It's not a coincidence that those are my three favourite albums.

:goodone:
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