Chemistry

[EagleMoon]

I've always liked it, but then I like all of Signals.

[toymaker]

I've always liked it, but then I like all of Signals.

 

You play bass, yeah? Ever play along to Chemistry?

[Geddy's Soul Patch]

Chemistry's a really cool song. Inventive guitar work, cool bass/drum interplay, and sweet vocals. All the makings of a good song IMO

[Powderfinger]

Love Chemistry. I've never understood why fans pick on this song so frequently. Perhaps the song's stature suffers as a result of its sequential position—it's sandwiched between two all-time classics: Subdivisions and The Analog Kid.

 

Chemistry is a fine song.

[Geddy's Soul Patch]

Love Chemistry. I've never understood why fans pick on this song so frequently. Perhaps the song's stature suffers as a result of its sequential position—it's sandwiched between two all-time classics: Subdivisions and The Analog Kid.

 

Chemistry is a fine song.

I think you're making your sandwiches wrong

[toymaker]

Couple more things I'll add about the song. In the "rank Signals" thread, folks seem pretty divided about whether Chemistry is one of the better tunes or one of the weakest tunes on the album. Also, Chemistry shows up both in the "most superficial" Rush tune and "most bizarre" Rush tune threads. Just curious about why.

 

I'm also curious about why I'm still up writing about this.

[RUSHHEAD666]

It should also be noted that Geddy and Alex came up with the title of the song and wrote the first draft of the lyrics. Something quite rare of course.

I think "Chemistry" is an amazing song.

I see that some of you mentioned the bass and drums part.

As a drummer I've really enjoyed playing to "Chemistry" over the years.

Funny thing, I played to "Signals" last night.

Something I haven't done in like ten years.

 

There is no weak song on "Signals."

 

Ironically when this album came out I bought it that day. I had my mom drive me to Rainbow Records. After first listen I wanted to smash the cassette into a million pieces.

I was young and pissed off that there wasn't much guitar on the record.

 

Youth can lead to blind ears.

 

RUSH RULES.

Edited November 14, 2014 by RUSHHEAD666

[grasbo]

Signals was my fourth or fifth album and have aways loved every track on it and Chemistry was a fave. The rythmn is very deceptive(try playing bass or drums to it).Alex's solo soars.Alright,my head on the chopping block here,I've never liked his solo on Analogue Kid, a mess of fast squally notes which to me says nothing.I would love to have heard Chemistry live and i believe they played all of Signals save Losing It back in the day.Perhaps it is time for a resurrection?

[RUSHHEAD666]

Signals was my fourth or fifth album and have aways loved every track on it and Chemistry was a fave. The rythmn is very deceptive(try playing bass or drums to it).Alex's solo soars.Alright,my head on the chopping block here,I've never liked his solo on Analogue Kid, a mess of fast squally notes which to me says nothing.I would love to have heard Chemistry live and i believe they played all of Signals save Losing It back in the day.Perhaps it is time for a resurrection?

 

I was really mad back then during the "Signals" Tour. Rush skipped the San Francisco Bay Area because they fought with Bill Graham over "cattle standing" verses seating on the main floor.

Of course Bill wanted to make more money but the boys wanted seats. Stubborn Bill of course wouldn't budge so Rush fukk you!

 

Of course Rush did come to South San Francisco on the "GUP" Tour! That was at the Cow Palace. It was my first Rush gig.

 

Anyway I wish they would play "Losing It." They should play "I Think I'm Going Bald" too!

 

R41: "A Farewell To Things" Tour

[savagegrace26]

The lyrics are kind of superficial IMO (they kind of search for a deeper meaning but come up short)

 

I don't think the lyrics try to do anything other than be what they are.

Edited November 14, 2014 by savagegrace26

[RUSHHEAD666]

I think the lyrics are excellent and intellectual.

 

"Eye to I"

[EagleMoon]

I've always liked it, but then I like all of Signals.

 

You play bass, yeah? Ever play along to Chemistry?

 

Sure. I play along with all of the albums. :)

[toymaker]

I've always liked it, but then I like all of Signals.

 

You play bass, yeah? Ever play along to Chemistry?

 

Sure. I play along with all of the albums. :)

 

Well, yeah, me too . . . and sometimes I hit an occasional right note (maybe one out of every hundred! I'm not that good.) Specifically about Chemistry, though, I think it's satisfying to play because it doesn't have the usual finger acrobatics (which I'd never be able to keep up with), but I love the placement of the notes, so it can be very satisfying to play.

[toymaker]

Signals was my fourth or fifth album and have aways loved every track on it and Chemistry was a fave. The rythmn is very deceptive(try playing bass or drums to it).Alex's solo soars.Alright,my head on the chopping block here,I've never liked his solo on Analogue Kid, a mess of fast squally notes which to me says nothing.I would love to have heard Chemistry live and i believe they played all of Signals save Losing It back in the day.Perhaps it is time for a resurrection?

 

I agree with everything you say except about the Analog Kid solo, which I think is incredibly well put-together. I love the whammy-dive at the start, then just blasting out of the gate. It's not just a note flurry all the way through; I think it has some great structure, and somehow he makes that harmonizer guitar effect thing work, too (worst bootleg version of Xanadu I think I ever heard was when he used that effect on the little riff that fades in after the opening). It's in my opinion a very deft and well-articulated solo. We all like different things, which is cool. Nothing to talk about, otherwise!

Edited November 14, 2014 by toymaker

[Lorraine]

I think Chemistry is fantastic, but I know some people really don't care for it. Why, why, why?

I love the song too. So does Geddy, so we are in good company.

[savagegrace26]

I think Chemistry is fantastic, but I know some people really don't care for it. Why, why, why?

I love the song too. So does Geddy, so we are in good company.

 

He said he likes it. Let's not get carried away.

Edited November 14, 2014 by savagegrace26

[toymaker]

I think Chemistry is fantastic, but I know some people really don't care for it. Why, why, why?

I love the song too. So does Geddy, so we are in good company.

 

He said he likes it. Let's not get carried away.

So literal. He also uses the adjectives "great" and "cool." I think a little carrying away is approriate here.

 

Almost forgot: :)

Edited November 14, 2014 by toymaker

[Powderfinger]

Love Chemistry. I've never understood why fans pick on this song so frequently. Perhaps the song's stature suffers as a result of its sequential position—it's sandwiched between two all-time classics: Subdivisions and The Analog Kid.

 

Chemistry is a fine song.

I think you're making your sandwiches wrong

 

Oh man, duh. What was I thinking? Well, there goes that theory. And to think, Signals is my favorite Rush album!

[Powderfinger]

Chemistry?

 

"Oh, great. I wrote that song in my basement when I lived in the country. That was one of the first songs I demoed on my own and then brought to the band. And then Neil did his lyrical magic on it. That's a cool song. I like that song." - Geddy Lee

Edited November 15, 2014 by Powderfinger

[EmotionDetector]

Agreed. A fantastic song...I've always loved it. Here's hoping they bring it on tour sometime soon!

[librarian]

Chemistry would be a good stadium song. I think a lot of fans would actually stay and enjoy it, rather than taking a break.

[WorkingAllTheTime]

I enjoy it. I agree with others that it's not going to make my top 20 or so list, but it's a fun listen.

 

Really, though, I have noticed that a handful of songs in which Neil plays with language (e.g., Anagram) are often derided as his weakly attempting to be "deep". I am not so sure he is trying to be deep, rather just having a little fun with words and language. I remember once listening to a fellow Rush fan criticize Heresy for the lines "the counter revolution, at the counter of a store/people buy the things they want, and borrow for a little more". His contention was the use of counter was "thin and cheap". I actually thought it was an insightful analysis of what happened in Germany following the fall of the wall, as well as the consumer culture that dominates the western hemisphere. But, hey, maybe that's just the old history teacher in me.

[JARG]

I like the song quite a bit and (bonus!) it has an excellent solo.

[Narps]

I listened to this the other day when my friend toymaker posted this because truthfully I had forgotten. The intro is pretty damn awesome and the song very good truth be told. It must have been forgettable for me or I am just starting to lose my memory in general. A song as good as this just somehow had gotten lost in the fog.... :sigh: :codger: Edited November 17, 2014 by Narpski

[EagleMoon]

I listened to this the other day when my friend toymaker posted this because truthfully I had forgotten. The intro is pretty damn awesome and the song very good truth be told. It must have been forgettable for me or I am just starting to lose my memory in general. A song as good as this just somehow had gotten lost in the fog.... :sigh: :codger:

 

Honestly I think that people are going back and listening to the older stuff and appreciating it more now since Geddys vocals have been going downhill.