Texas King Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 (edited) I could never figure out what is a true meaning of this song. I can't believe that this song has no meaning according to Neil Peart's words - "www.songfacts.com":Though it seems to be steeped in meaning, according to lyricist/drummer Neil Peart, there is no meaning at all in this song. When asked in the April/May 1980 Modern Drummer magazine about whether there is a message to this song, Peart said, "No. It was just a flash. I was working on an entirely different thing when I saw a cartoon picture of these trees carrying on like fools. I thought, 'What if trees acted like people?' So I saw it as a cartoon really, and wrote it that way. I think that's the image that it conjures up to a listener or a reader. A very simple statement." What you think? Edited December 19, 2016 by Texas King Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorraine Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 All trees are equal but some are more equal than others. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurkst Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 I remember reading years ago that it was an allegory based on Quebec's campaign for independence from Canada... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil1972 Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Neil has said it was based on a cartoon of trees arguing and has no deeper meaning than being a joke. But I have always doubted that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleMoon Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 I think Neil has a good sense of humor but people just can't see it sometimes. The deeper meaning is obvious. The way he told it was by a cartoon image. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue J Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 I don't really care whether it has a 'real' meaning, a deep meaning. It's one of those that has been construed as overtly political over the years, and maybe it is, maybe not. I just know it's a lot of fun to sing and play along to. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Permanent-Rush Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Didn't he write this when he was high?? That is what I heard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MMCXII Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Obviously peart's just saying that to keep the song ambiguous.. that's what every artist wants and they've even said it themselves. ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaportrailer Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Didn't he write this when he was high?? Like, up in a tree? :P 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil1972 Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 I think Neil has a good sense of humor but people just can't see it sometimes. The deeper meaning is obvious. The way he told it was by a cartoon image. I agree, but even on his "humorous songs" he tends to throw a little nugget of meaning into it. I just feel he may have been trying to take the original joke and make a little statement based on it. A statement of individuality or something. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil1972 Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Didn't he write this when he was high?? Like, up in a tree? :P Up there with John Lennon. No wait, John said that no one - he thinks - is in his tree. I mean, it must be high or low. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mother of all machines Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Maybe not a concrete meaning, but it can be interpreted as one wants. The fact that a song has or not a meaning according to the composer shouldnt affect the way you see it 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleMoon Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 I think Neil has a good sense of humor but people just can't see it sometimes. The deeper meaning is obvious. The way he told it was by a cartoon image. I agree, but even on his "humorous songs" he tends to throw a little nugget of meaning into it. I just feel he may have been trying to take the original joke and make a little statement based on it. A statement of individuality or something. Which is what I meant by the meaning being obvious. Of course it's about individuality and oppression but how it's told is a metaphor. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disembodied Spirit Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 This song is about the logging industry and how they make newspaper. It's a little dated now, since the only people that read REAL newspapers are Neil Peart at coffee shops SIDENOTE: For those under 30, a newspaper is a paper based printed blog that used to come out twice daily/ daily/ weekly or monthly when news was slow to obtain. You could also place tiny classified ads and make millions like I did 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil1972 Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 I think Neil has a good sense of humor but people just can't see it sometimes. The deeper meaning is obvious. The way he told it was by a cartoon image. I agree, but even on his "humorous songs" he tends to throw a little nugget of meaning into it. I just feel he may have been trying to take the original joke and make a little statement based on it. A statement of individuality or something. Which is what I meant by the meaning being obvious. Of course it's about individuality and oppression but how it's told is a metaphor. Ah ok. Misunderstood what you were saying. Because its more than just trees fighting. His quote about it makes it sound like it has no meaning at all. Because he avoids really saying what it is about. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J2112YYZ Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 I've known for years that the song was supposed to be humorous lyrically. Thought it was pretty obvious since Neil has mentioned it before in interviews. This is the reason I don't hold the song in as high of esteem as many others do. The music is great but the lyrics are just too silly for me. Strange how other silly songs like Dog Years or I Think I'm Going Bald get ripped to bits for their goofy lyrics but somehow The Trees always get a pass. Always found that to be a little odd. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaportrailer Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Strange how other silly songs like Dog Years or I Think I'm Going Bald get ripped to bits for their goofy lyrics but somehow The Trees always get a pass. Always found that to be a little odd. Interesting point! possibilities for 'pass':-Because The Trees has a cool middle section in 5/8?-Because of all the woodblocks and windchimes?? ("Whoa! It's like I'm in a forest!")-People like trees more than hair and dogs??? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue J Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 -Because The Trees has a cool middle section in 5/8? I always thought it was in 5/4, but now you have me second-guessing myself. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue J Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 But hey, the biggest question is... Does anybody here not like Hemispheres? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-0-0-1-0-0-1 Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 -Because The Trees has a cool middle section in 5/8? I always thought it was in 5/4, but now you have me second-guessing myself. ;) Pretty sure it's 5/4. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-0-0-1-0-0-1 Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 But hey, the biggest question is... Does anybody here not like Hemispheres? Texas King will put up a poll about that in 3...2...1... ;) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apetersvt Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 But hey, the biggest question is... Does anybody here not like Hemispheres? Nope. Those who post anything about not liking Hemispheres immediately get banned by the admins. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disembodied Spirit Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 -Because The Trees has a cool middle section in 5/8? I always thought it was in 5/4, but now you have me second-guessing myself. ;) Pretty sure it's 5/4.Pretty sure it's 25 or 6 to 4......................................................OOPS Wrong band forum 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaportrailer Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 -Because The Trees has a cool middle section in 5/8? I always thought it was in 5/4, but now you have me second-guessing myself. ;) Pretty sure it's 5/4. Yeah, I shoulda counted it through. I was lazy and just thought of the guitar-thing that starts it. Or perhaps I'm even thinking of another song. Whoops!I also blame the coffee?Wait - maybe I just like my 8th notes a little slower than most. Yeah, that's it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disk98 Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 But hey, the biggest question is... Does anybody here not like Hemispheres? Nope. Those who post anything about not liking Hemispheres immediately get banned by the admins.Then what am I still doing here? :laughing guy: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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