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Tom Sawyer vs. The Spirit Of Radio


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Tom Sawyer vs. The Spirit of Radio  

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  1. 1. Tom Sawyer vs. The Spirit of Radio



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Actually was thinking about comparing these two head to head while out at dinner. Full disclosure: I rate tSOR as very good, TS as good, but points taken away because it is their signature radio song but not a fair representation of their catalogue. Defending those do do do do sawyer keys to hard rock non Rush fans...

 

Anyway, the poll made me think about the #2 radio songs on each album. Both have faded in air play over the years, which is very unfortunate, because both of these tunes are superior and represent the catalogue fairly. That's all we can expect from radio tunes??

 

I speak of course of Red Barchetta and Freewill.

 

Red Barchetta is the second signature radio tune of Moving Pictures? Seems to me like Limelight is much more well known. Actually, the first time I heard MP, Red Barchetta was the only song on side one that I hadn't already heard.

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Actually was thinking about comparing these two head to head while out at dinner. Full disclosure: I rate tSOR as very good, TS as good, but points taken away because it is their signature radio song but not a fair representation of their catalogue. Defending those do do do do sawyer keys to hard rock non Rush fans...

 

Anyway, the poll made me think about the #2 radio songs on each album. Both have faded in air play over the years, which is very unfortunate, because both of these tunes are superior and represent the catalogue fairly. That's all we can expect from radio tunes??

 

I speak of course of Red Barchetta and Freewill.

 

Red Barchetta is the second signature radio tune of Moving Pictures? Seems to me like Limelight is much more well known. Actually, the first time I heard MP, Red Barchetta was the only song on side one that I hadn't already heard.

 

I agree that Limelight is more well known. When MP was released, I recall RB getting tons of radio play. I said in the post they both faded in airplay over the years. In the early 80s, RB crushed it live with the fans. Guess that early impressions can be tough to forget. Still, I think by far both those tunes are a fairer representation of their talent to the hard rock non Rush fans listening on the radio than TSyer.

Edited by Gabrielgil513
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Actually was thinking about comparing these two head to head while out at dinner. Full disclosure: I rate tSOR as very good, TS as good, but points taken away because it is their signature radio song but not a fair representation of their catalogue. Defending those do do do do sawyer keys to hard rock non Rush fans...

 

Anyway, the poll made me think about the #2 radio songs on each album. Both have faded in air play over the years, which is very unfortunate, because both of these tunes are superior and represent the catalogue fairly. That's all we can expect from radio tunes??

 

I speak of course of Red Barchetta and Freewill.

 

Red Barchetta is the second signature radio tune of Moving Pictures? Seems to me like Limelight is much more well known. Actually, the first time I heard MP, Red Barchetta was the only song on side one that I hadn't already heard.

 

I agree that Limelight is more well known. When MP was released, I recall RB getting tons of radio play. I said in the post they both faded in airplay over the years. In the early 80s, RB crushed it live with the fans. Guess that early impressions can be tough to forget. Still, I think by far both those tunes are a fairer representation of their talent to the hard rock non Rush fans listening on the radio than TSyer.

 

I suppose so. I've always thought of Rush's biggest radio songs going like 1. Tom Sawyer/The Spirit Of Radio 2. Limelight/Freewill 3. Closer To The Heart, but I'm only 16, so it figures.

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According to the poll, two out of every three Rush fans prefer The Spirit Of Radio to Tom Sawyer. I actually thought it'd be much closer, but it seems TSoR speaks to people in a way TS doesn't.
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Actually was thinking about comparing these two head to head while out at dinner. Full disclosure: I rate tSOR as very good, TS as good, but points taken away because it is their signature radio song but not a fair representation of their catalogue. Defending those do do do do sawyer keys to hard rock non Rush fans...

 

Anyway, the poll made me think about the #2 radio songs on each album. Both have faded in air play over the years, which is very unfortunate, because both of these tunes are superior and represent the catalogue fairly. That's all we can expect from radio tunes??

 

I speak of course of Red Barchetta and Freewill.

 

Red Barchetta is the second signature radio tune of Moving Pictures? Seems to me like Limelight is much more well known. Actually, the first time I heard MP, Red Barchetta was the only song on side one that I hadn't already heard.

 

I agree that Limelight is more well known. When MP was released, I recall RB getting tons of radio play. I said in the post they both faded in airplay over the years. In the early 80s, RB crushed it live with the fans. Guess that early impressions can be tough to forget. Still, I think by far both those tunes are a fairer representation of their talent to the hard rock non Rush fans listening on the radio than TSyer.

 

Being in a Virginia high school when MP came out this is how it was for me as well. TS and RB dominated the FM rock radio play when MP was hot. Over the years Limelight has sort of supplanted RB as #2 from the album. Weird thing about Closer to the Heart; I don't recall ever hearing it on the radio until Rush became hot with MP; the first Rush song I ever heard on the radio was TSOR. Heard it before I heard the album; couldn't believe how great that sounded. Still does. Timeless, won't sound dated in another 35 years.

Edited by Rutlefan
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Well I love both songs, however with The Spirit Of Radio's live performances during the chorus, I NEED to give Geddy Lee credit for making the chicken dance cool. Probably one of the hardest tasks ever done in the history mankind.
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The Spirit of Radio: 10

 

Tom Sawyer: 9.9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999..............

Edited by vital signz
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Actually was thinking about comparing these two head to head while out at dinner. Full disclosure: I rate tSOR as very good, TS as good, but points taken away because it is their signature radio song but not a fair representation of their catalogue. Defending those do do do do sawyer keys to hard rock non Rush fans...

 

Anyway, the poll made me think about the #2 radio songs on each album. Both have faded in air play over the years, which is very unfortunate, because both of these tunes are superior and represent the catalogue fairly. That's all we can expect from radio tunes??

 

I speak of course of Red Barchetta and Freewill.

In my area, I hear Freewill and Limelight at least once a week. Rush gets pretty heavy play, with Sawyer, Spirit, Freewill, Limelight, Fly by Night, Closer to the Heart, Subdivisions, Working Man and New World Man all getting played with some frequency.

 

(Every track off of the Boston debut also gets regular play. :dweez: )

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With trying to vote between "the Spirit of Radio", and "Tom Sawyer", I've had a hard time because both of those songs were two of Rush's breakthrough ones along with "Closer to the Heart", and "the Trees". For that reason, I didn't vote. Edited by Derek19
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Tom Sawyer

 

It's danceable.

 

It contains Neil Peart's greatest drumming moment and everyone took notice of the evident badassery.

 

TSOR is smarter and more clever compositionally - but it's all over the place - in a good way, but still, TS is a cohesive, killer rock radio track. Rush became "f***ing awesome" after Tom Sawyer came out.

 

 

 

Live is a completely different story. TS just slogs at a too slow tempo and the band rarely clicks on it. TSOR is always a winner.

Edited by chemistry1973
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In my area, I hear Freewill and Limelight at least once a week. Rush gets pretty heavy play, with Sawyer, Spirit, Freewill, Limelight, Fly by Night, Closer to the Heart, Subdivisions, Working Man and New World Man all getting played with some frequency.

 

You can add The Trees and Circumstances to that list, actually. Reno digs RUSH.
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