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What is your favorite version of Witch Hunt?


fraroc
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22 members have voted

  1. 1. What is your favorite version of Witch Hunt (Part 3 of Fear)?

    • Moving Pictures
      4
    • A Show of Hands
      0
    • Snakes and Arrows Live
      3
    • Grace Under Pressure Live
      15
    • Time Machine Live/Moving Pictures Live 2011
      0


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Hey guys. I'm new here! I would like to make my first topic on The Rush Forum be about my absolute favorite Rush song of all time, Witch Hunt (Part III of Fear). I've always had a love for that one song despite the fact that Rush has so many other amazing songs. I guess I was completely bewitched (no pun intended) by the way the pre-chorus riff just explodes into those big, heavenly 80s synths and my personal connection to the poignant lyrics.

 

Now we all know that Witch Hunt has been performed live on four tours and that all versions have been released on some format, which one is your favorite? The album cut or the live versions? This is how I'd rank them.

 

 

No.1: Grace Under Pressure Live. I absolutely love this version of Witch Hunt. Geddy sounds absolutely fantastic, the band was super tight on this show, and I love the choral-sounding synths used. Also, I love Neil's usage of the Simmons drum pads (I've always liked the famous fake drum noise that they made, the "DZSH, DZSH, DZSH" sound.)

 

No.2: Snakes and Arrows Live. This version is definitely the heaviest version of Witch Hunt. Definitely more ballsy and guitar-driven than the GUP/Power Windows tour where it was more synth based. Alex and Neil sound great, but I feel that the mix kind of drowns out the synths. The transition from the pre-chorus to the chorus is like a punch in the face, though.

 

No.3: Time Machine/ Moving Pictures Live 2011. Like the Snakes and Arrows version, this one is also pretty punchy and guitar based. However, I noticed that the synths are a little more noticeable.

 

No.4: The Studio Version. What can you say, the version on Moving Pictures. It's pretty cool, but I definitely like the song preformed live more. Gives it more of an "epicness".

 

No.5: A Show of Hands. Compared to the other versions, this one really falls flat. Partially due to the production. Compared to the Snakes and Arrows and Grace Under Pressure versions, this version of Witch Hunt sounds kind of limp and lifeless.

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Moving Pictures!!!

 

And congrats on your first post!!!

 

EDIT: And a Long Islander like me!!! Hell yeah!!!

Edited by yyz211282
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I voted for P/G Tour because I thought Geddy's vocals sounded fantastic and the band were on fire that night. Time Machine would be my second favorite because I love the grit and punchiness that Alex's guitar brings to the 80s era songs when played live today and primarily because Alex did a galloping pick scraping technique during the 2nd verse on that version which I found awesome to the ears.
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The worst song on Rush's first 8 albums, this sounds best on GuP as part of the entire trilogy. S&A is a close second.
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Definitely GUP Live. Possibly the most emotional/passionate vocal performance ever given by any human being in the history of histories. Geddy sings like a f***ing god and those synths are his heavenly angels, come to liberate us from the chains of those who would try and control us :smoke:
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The worst song on Rush's first 8 albums, this sounds best on GuP as part of the entire trilogy. S&A is a close second.

:wtf: is wrong with Witch Hunt. Some of Neil's best lyrics, and music that serves to augment the mood and create a picture of some of the worst of what man is capable of.

 

But yeah it's worse than Need Some Love, In the Mood, I think I'm Going Bald, and Tears. :wacko:

 

Nope, it's a top 20-25er all time.

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There might not be actual witch hunts that hunt witches anymore, but there are endless amounts of figurative "witch hunts" going on today, an example would be the anti-gay bill that passed in Russia before the Sochi Olympics. And whenever I see someone that is racist, anti-semetic, or homophobic, I always think of the last lyrics of Witch Hunt.

 

"Quick to judge, quick to anger, slow to understand. Ignorance and prejudice and fear walk hand in hand."

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The GUP version is my favorite. The just nailed the vibe of this song there. Maybe its because the whole trilogy was done and they were just feeling it!

 

Amazing song in my opinion. So picturesque and vivid. Paints a picture in your mind with words and music.

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There might not be actual witch hunts that hunt witches anymore, but there are endless amounts of figurative "witch hunts" going on today, an example would be the anti-gay bill that passed in Russia before the Sochi Olympics. And whenever I see someone that is racist, anti-semetic, or homophobic, I always think of the last lyrics of Witch Hunt.

 

"Quick to judge, quick to anger, slow to understand. Ignorance and prejudice and fear walk hand in hand."

 

Just by seeing someone you ascertain that about them? What's that about being quick to judge, quick to anger and slow to understand?

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There might not be actual witch hunts that hunt witches anymore, but there are endless amounts of figurative "witch hunts" going on today, an example would be the anti-gay bill that passed in Russia before the Sochi Olympics. And whenever I see someone that is racist, anti-semetic, or homophobic, I always think of the last lyrics of Witch Hunt.

 

"Quick to judge, quick to anger, slow to understand. Ignorance and prejudice and fear walk hand in hand."

 

Just by seeing someone you ascertain that about them? What's that about being quick to judge, quick to anger and slow to understand?

I assume he means by witnessing someone behaving in a bigoted way, and once he has enough facts to be confident in making an impartial assessment.

Edited by toymaker
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There might not be actual witch hunts that hunt witches anymore, but there are endless amounts of figurative "witch hunts" going on today, an example would be the anti-gay bill that passed in Russia before the Sochi Olympics. And whenever I see someone that is racist, anti-semetic, or homophobic, I always think of the last lyrics of Witch Hunt.

 

"Quick to judge, quick to anger, slow to understand. Ignorance and prejudice and fear walk hand in hand."

 

Just by seeing someone you ascertain that about them? What's that about being quick to judge, quick to anger and slow to understand?

I assume he means by witnessing someone behaving in a bigoted way, and once he has enough facts to be confident in making an impartial assessment.

 

Oh.

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There might not be actual witch hunts that hunt witches anymore, but there are endless amounts of figurative "witch hunts" going on today, an example would be the anti-gay bill that passed in Russia before the Sochi Olympics. And whenever I see someone that is racist, anti-semetic, or homophobic, I always think of the last lyrics of Witch Hunt.

 

"Quick to judge, quick to anger, slow to understand. Ignorance and prejudice and fear walk hand in hand."

 

Just by seeing someone you ascertain that about them? What's that about being quick to judge, quick to anger and slow to understand?

I assume he means by witnessing someone behaving in a bigoted way, and once he has enough facts to be confident in making an impartial assessment.

 

Oh.

 

WITCH!!! Buuuuuurn her!!

 

:laughing guy:

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There might not be actual witch hunts that hunt witches anymore, but there are endless amounts of figurative "witch hunts" going on today, an example would be the anti-gay bill that passed in Russia before the Sochi Olympics. And whenever I see someone that is racist, anti-semetic, or homophobic, I always think of the last lyrics of Witch Hunt.

 

"Quick to judge, quick to anger, slow to understand. Ignorance and prejudice and fear walk hand in hand."

 

Just by seeing someone you ascertain that about them? What's that about being quick to judge, quick to anger and slow to understand?

I assume he means by witnessing someone behaving in a bigoted way, and once he has enough facts to be confident in making an impartial assessment.

 

Oh.

 

WITCH!!! Buuuuuurn her!!

 

:laughing guy:

 

:fury:

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There might not be actual witch hunts that hunt witches anymore, but there are endless amounts of figurative "witch hunts" going on today, an example would be the anti-gay bill that passed in Russia before the Sochi Olympics. And whenever I see someone that is racist, anti-semetic, or homophobic, I always think of the last lyrics of Witch Hunt.

 

"Quick to judge, quick to anger, slow to understand. Ignorance and prejudice and fear walk hand in hand."

 

Just by seeing someone you ascertain that about them? What's that about being quick to judge, quick to anger and slow to understand?

I assume he means by witnessing someone behaving in a bigoted way, and once he has enough facts to be confident in making an impartial assessment.

 

Oh.

That's only my assumption, of course - a lot of meaning to pack into one little verb ("see").

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Probably p/g then the studio cut for me. I really like the studio track. Great song. :haz:

 

And welcome to TRF. :) :hi:

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I love the visual on Time Machine but prefer the sound and recording on Moving Pictures......
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