Song "Circumstances" - weak, average, good or great?

[ST3V]

It's definitely a great song on what would be a great album if The Trees didn't exist. I like the live versions too, the different key gives it a unique tone and I like it, but in a different way. Definitely one to remember from their Classic Era

[LeChuck]

I like this song a lot musically. Especially once I listened closer to the bass line - wow he is busy! It’s also one of the few times Geddy plays a lead on his new Oberheim 8-voice synth. French lyrics, rocking sound, great playing from everyone.

[Snowdog92]

The song is great and Rush was just flexing big time on Hemispheres as a whole

[GeddyLeeRoth]

It serves dually as an excellent bridge and stand-alone track sandwiched between the twin epics of the title track and La Villa Strangiato. So does The Trees. I've always considered Hemispheres to be Rush's most perfectly structured album and the consistent quality of the material has a lot to do with this.

[Snow Dog]

Probably my least favorite off of the album, but that still puts it above most songs in general!

[tomhealey]

A special song for me. It was off the setlists during my early (1980-1981) Rush concerts, and I figured by my later years that I'd never ever hear it live. Then, late in the first set at Hi-Fi Buys in Atlanta on the tour opener in June 2007, they pulled it out. From the fifth row Alex side, I went just-a-wee-little-bit crazy. "Berserk" is not a word often ascribed to corporate lawyers (outside the courtroom anyway), but it accurately described me that night. Fits of my version of "dancing" and various ill-timed paroxysmal spasms from which some witnesses have surely not recovered without a decade or more of therapy ensued. Particularly memorable because I almost missed the show entirely due to a traffic jam getting to American at O'Hare that afternoon (don't ever fly on show day, idiot!!!), but my now-ex-wife convinced me not to head back home but instead to buy an entirely separate ticket on United (bless her soul), which got me there too late for the always fun pre-game festivities, but right on time for the show opener. It was like an entirely gift show bequeathed to me, and Circumstances, the cherry that was on top. So, yes, superb song.

[tangy]

A special song for me. It was off the setlists during my early (1980-1981) Rush concerts, and I figured by my later years that I'd never ever hear it live. Then, late in the first set at Hi-Fi Buys in Atlanta on the tour opener in June 2007, they pulled it out. From the fifth row Alex side, I went just-a-wee-little-bit crazy. "Berserk" is not a word often ascribed to corporate lawyers (outside the courtroom anyway), but it accurately described me that night. Fits of my version of "dancing" and various ill-timed paroxysmal spasms from which some witnesses have surely not recovered without a decade or more of therapy ensued. Particularly memorable because I almost missed the show entirely due to a traffic jam getting to American at O'Hare that afternoon (don't ever fly on show day, idiot!!!), but my now-ex-wife convinced me not to head back home but instead to buy an entirely separate ticket on United (bless her soul), which got me there too late for the always fun pre-game festivities, but right on time for the show opener. It was like an entirely gift show bequeathed to me, and Circumstances, the cherry that was on top. So, yes, superb song.

 

great post.

 

i too was a middle aged man going apeshit when they broke out circumstances!

[Pressure/Hopenosis]

A special song for me. It was off the setlists during my early (1980-1981) Rush concerts, and I figured by my later years that I'd never ever hear it live. Then, late in the first set at Hi-Fi Buys in Atlanta on the tour opener in June 2007, they pulled it out. From the fifth row Alex side, I went just-a-wee-little-bit crazy. "Berserk" is not a word often ascribed to corporate lawyers (outside the courtroom anyway), but it accurately described me that night. Fits of my version of "dancing" and various ill-timed paroxysmal spasms from which some witnesses have surely not recovered without a decade or more of therapy ensued. Particularly memorable because I almost missed the show entirely due to a traffic jam getting to American at O'Hare that afternoon (don't ever fly on show day, idiot!!!), but my now-ex-wife convinced me not to head back home but instead to buy an entirely separate ticket on United (bless her soul), which got me there too late for the always fun pre-game festivities, but right on time for the show opener. It was like an entirely gift show bequeathed to me, and Circumstances, the cherry that was on top. So, yes, superb song.

 

great post.

 

i too was a middle aged man going apeshit when they broke out circumstances!

I welled up a little and got goosebumps and the hair standing on the back of the neck. That was worth holding off on looking at setlist spoilers...

[Pound of Obscure]

My favorite on the album which is saying a lot with La Villa sitting there.

[Three Eyes]

Have you ever considered the possibility that Circumstances is tricking all of us?