drewb93 Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 So, I was looking at the lyric booklet to Permanent Waves, and noticed that it lists the lyrics as "If you choose not to decide/You cannot have made a choice." Now, everywhere else I look (the Anthem Board, for example) tells me that it's "If you choose not to decide/You still have made a choice." And, as I listen to the song, it definitely sounds like the latter. Is my booklet just messed up, or what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaye Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 A friend of mine pointed that out to me not long ago. Someone just must have made a mistake I guess.. (BTW, I only have the remastered version of that CD, the lyrics have apparently been corrected - "You still have made a choice" ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushbass Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 Yep, has to be a misprint... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syaoran_2001 Posted September 18, 2007 Share Posted September 18, 2007 I've noticed that in a lot of other lyric sheets by various other bands, where it will say one thing but they're actually singing something different. The verse may still have the same meaning but the way they phrase it in the song is different. My only guess is that they wrote up the lyrics and printed the lyric sheet before recording, then when they recorded the song they found that the different words sounded better and they didn't bother to correct the lyric sheet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drewb93 Posted September 19, 2007 Author Share Posted September 19, 2007 Kind of interesting, because "You cannot have made a choice" and "You still have made a choice" are two completely different points. Oh well, thanks guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Room 34 Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 It's fairly common for the singer to change the lyrics when the song is recorded, but the song lyrics have already been submitted for copyright registration and/or printing in the liner notes by that point, and there you go. I remember noticing this particular "error" back when I first got PW on CD in 1990 or whenever. Having seen interviews with Geddy and Neil more recently (especially the interviews on the MVI version of Snakes and Arrows), it makes perfect sense to me that Neil might have written a particular set of lyrics, but Geddy tweaked them after the fact, before recording them, either to improve the rhythmic flow, reflect his personal interpretation of the lyrics, or both. And Neil would be cool with that. So, Neil's official lyrics may originally have been "cannot," but Geddy has always sung "still." BTW, this is far from the only example of sung lyrics being different from what's printed in the liner notes... Rush or otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoneStar Boogie Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 But has anyone noticed that the meaning of the lyric changes completely? The printed one says that choosing not to decide means that no choice was made. The sung lyrics meaning that refusing to make a choice is a choice unto itself. Rather than being a mistake, it seems more intended to provoke thought. When one is confronted with a dilema, what are the implications for refusing to take a side? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Owl Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 There are misprints all over music. Usually the band dosen't make the booklet. I have seen misprints in Floyd booklets, Sabbath booklets. Its just a thing that happens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rnrgal Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 QUOTE (R30Chris @ Sep 18 2007, 10:24 PM) But has anyone noticed that the meaning of the lyric changes completely? The printed one says that choosing not to decide means that no choice was made. The sung lyrics meaning that refusing to make a choice is a choice unto itself. Rather than being a mistake, it seems more intended to provoke thought. When one is confronted with a dilema, what are the implications for refusing to take a side? Chris definitely, Chris. like others said, maybe Geddy changed it, or maybe Neil did, but could be they both decided the original line was too harsh a criticism and agreed on what we hear on the record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grapes_under_pressure Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 as it is sung it makes sence and is more motivating... it woudl be cool if it was done to prevoke thought though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrManhattan Posted September 22, 2007 Share Posted September 22, 2007 From the Rush FAQ QUOTE 77:In "Free Will" which lyrics are correct (the ones on the album sleeve or the ones Geddy sings)? "That's a funny question. I've had a few lately from people who are so sure that what they hear is correct, that they disbelieve what I've put in the lyric sheets! Imagine! People have quoted me whole verses of what they hear, as opposed to what's printed, sure that they are right and the cover (me) is wrong. Scary stuff, these egocentric individuals. I assure you, other than perhaps dropping an "and" or a "but," we take great care to make the lyric sheets accurate." - Neil Peart, in the December 1985 Backstage Club newsletter 78:But I'm *sure* that what the lyric sheet says isn't what Geddy sings! So what? People have argued about this far too much already. If it's really bothering you, write a letter to the band and complain. Lighten up - it's just a song! Well, it looks as though someone took Dan's sage advice to heart. Check this E-mail that I got from Stevie Duda: From stevie@flash.net@flash.netSat Sep 14 23:29:32 1996 Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 21:43:07 -0500 From: Stevie Duda <"stevie@flash.net"@flash.net> To: rush@avian.dars.muohio.edu Subject: Rush >Hi Randy. I'm a newbie so I'll try not to embarrass myself. I was >reading the FAQ list. I know you don't need corrections or anything. I >however wanted to share this. Editor's Note: I ALWAYS need correction. That's why I got this nifty collar, you see.... >I am a member of the Backstage Fan Club and saw what James in New York >wrote to Neil about the lyrics of Freewill. Well, having noticed the >discrepancy myself, made copies of my album lyrics which were incorrect >according to the lyrics in two song books I had. So I did write to Neil >about it. In his letter he states, "You and James of New York are right >about this thing. I don't know how it happened- the lyrics are right on >the Canadian sleeve- I can only imagine that our American record company >got hold of an uncorrected typeset. I hate that!" >Anyway, cuss at me for writing to you if you want to...but I hope you >won't. I can always use another Rush friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquidcrystalcompass Posted September 22, 2007 Share Posted September 22, 2007 QUOTE (drewb93 @ Sep 18 2007, 03:00 PM) So, I was looking at the lyric booklet to Permanent Waves, and noticed that it lists the lyrics as "If you choose not to decide/You cannot have made a choice." Now, everywhere else I look (the Anthem Board, for example) tells me that it's "If you choose not to decide/You still have made a choice." And, as I listen to the song, it definitely sounds like the latter. Is my booklet just messed up, or what? Nope. I noticed that too. My PeW album has "cannot" also. Maybe they decided to change it when it was recorded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raynman Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 You still have the choice to believe you cannot make a choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushringleader Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 This happened because those were the orig minute original lyrics, but they changed it last minute because the other way was easier to sing and fit the song better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zachenben Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 Definately"still" as my sig says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finbar Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 But in the reprint, at least in my RUSH REMASTERS edition, it says the Different Strings lyrics were written by Neil Peart, and everybody on the board tells me Geddy Lee wrote the lyrics to that song. The 2112 RUSH REMASTERS edition acknowledges the "genus" of Ayn Rand. So, like, whatever happens, a lot of mistakes are bound to be made in liner notes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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