Most Underrated & Most Overrated Rush Song

[Alex’s Amazing Arpeggios]

[Mithrandir]

O: Time and Motion

 

I frequently see it mentioned as one of the best tracks on TFE. It's ok. nothing special.

 

U: The Larger Bowl

 

Love the Alex solo and the chorus

[Mithrandir]

Over rated Tom Sawyer.

Agreed.

 

Underrated: Dog Years, the music moves along and cranks. The lyrics are fun take on subject that adult Peart is obsessed with, getting older.

Dog years is my 11th favorite Rush song. Love the groove and agree that the lyrics are cool

[Mithrandir]

Underrated: Open Secrets

 

Overrated: Losing It

Love both songs. Both are underrated.

[Weatherman]

O: Freewill

 

Vocal melody doubling the bass melody in alternating 6/8 and 7/8 time sig.

Completely spastic flurry of 16th notes in the solo.

Blech.

 

U: Lock and Key

 

Probably their catchiest chorus, and really interesting instrumentation (for them). It should've been a bigger hit.

About the song, Neil said, "[i play] a solo while Geddy and Alex keep time behind me. That's fantastic, a beautiful exchange of roles: a drum solo in the terms of a guitar solo, where the rest of the band supports, Geddy and Alex playing the actual rhythmic pulse. It allows us to try out a new suit, to take on a new interrelationship between us."

 

http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19880800rhythm.htm

[Bahamas]

Agree with U, not so much with O.

Let's pick apart the nuances of the songs, of all the songs, of nineteen albums of different sounds and themes... but Freewill is an anthem to compete with the best of them :ebert:

[Entre_Perpetuo]

Agree with U, not so much with O.

Let's pick apart the nuances of the songs, of all the songs, of nineteen albums of different sounds and themes... but Freewill is an anthem to compete with the best of them :ebert:

 

Yeah I've never been able to see Weatherman's point of view on Freewill. Absolute gem for me. What's so bad about the bass and the lead vocal doubling each other in alternating 6/8 and 7/8 time? I think it's rather nice!

[Weatherman]

Let's pick apart the nuances of the songs, of all the songs, of nineteen albums of different sounds and themes...

Didn't somebody on this forum start to catalog his opinion of EVERY SINGLE RUSH SONG? With a long entry for each one?

[driventotheedge]

Let's pick apart the nuances of the songs, of all the songs, of nineteen albums of different sounds and themes...

Didn't somebody on this forum start to catalog his opinion of EVERY SINGLE RUSH SONG? With a long entry for each one?

Yeah he was rating them from the bottom to the top. He got like 30 or 40 songs in and was not seen thereafter. He gave great breakdowns of why he felt the way he did.

[Bahamas]

Nothing wrong with it, we all have our notions of what a song should be or how we feel about it.

But m'goodness...I don't care if it's on the radio, on my playlist, a surprise on a mixed CD...when I hear Freewill it usually involves turning up the volume!

[goose]

Over rated Tom Sawyer.

Agreed.

 

Underrated: Dog Years, the music moves along and cranks. The lyrics are fun take on subject that adult Peart is obsessed with, getting older.

Dog years is my 11th favorite Rush song.

:wtf:

 

And I like Dog Years.

[Richard Reyes]

Under rated: Ceiling Unlimited, Didacts and Narpets (I know, not really a song but I like it alot), Far Cry (I know most people like the song but I think it deserves to stand alongside their best work).

Over rated: Most of Snakes and Arrow (except above and the instrumentals).

[Todem]

Overrated - The Fountain Of Lamneth - In The Valley and No One At The Bridge are excellent......then? A bloated snore fest for me. I have given this side long epic dozens of chances over my 40 year history listening to Rush and other the the two parts I mentioned....the rest is simply whatever yet receives so much praise from Rush fans.....meh.

 

Underrated - Well we can fill up this category with so many songs....so let’s go with something from Hold Your Fire which was probably the most polarizing album in these parts. Turn The Page - A brilliant song laden with so much Rush chop goodness. More impressive is the way the band pulled it off live and I actually liked the Show of Hands version even more. Geddy really stretches himself on this song both bass and keyboards.....and vocally. It is a wonder to see live. It was buried as track 8 of 10 on the album.....I would have brought this song up in the order of that record easily, while many think the album should have ended right there. I disagree as High Water is also a hidden gem in the catalog.

Edited December 18, 2021 by Todem

[Timbale]

Overrated - The Trees.

 

I know there are some fans for whom the lyrical content has very little to do with their appreciation of Rush's music...but I am not one of those fans. I have to connect with at least some aspect of the lyrics to make me really love a song - even if it's just the craft involved, or the cleverness. To me, anthropomorphizing trees to make some obvious point about human behaviour is really silly - something that might have seemed "cool" when I was 12, but as an adult I really cringe at it. I am also not endeared to it by its Randian objectivist viewpoint, where the "bad guys" are the socialist maples who only want equity, but are presented as limiting the advantages the oaks have. Not my thing. Side 3 of Exit...Stage Left is kind of magical....but I have to try my best to listen to the singing without listening to the words. I do love the meandering middle section though...

 

Underrated - High Water

 

This song seems to get a lot of luke warm reactions around here, which I don't really understand, hence considering it underrated. I don't think it's Limelight or Subdivisions or anything... but I think it's as strong as most of the songs from Hold Your Fire. I like the atmosphere of it, I like the keyboard arrangement and sounds, I like the drum part, I think there are some nice images in the lyrics, and I think Geddy sings it well. I'm sure there is a thread somewhere about best album closers...and I don't know that this would top my list... but I actually love the way it ends the record.

Edited December 19, 2021 by Timbale

[Bahamas]

O - Rivendell

U - Tai Shan

 

...erm, wait...

 

U - Rivendell

O - Tai Shan

 

...bugger!

 

O - Riv...no - U - Riv...

 

Dang!

[Entre_Perpetuo]

Overrated - The Trees.

 

I know there are some fans for whom the lyrical content has very little to do with their appreciation of Rush's music...but I am not one of those fans. I have to connect with at least some aspect of the lyrics to make me really love a song - even if it's just the craft involved, or the cleverness. To me, anthropomorphizing trees to make some obvious point about human behaviour is really silly - something that might have seemed "cool" when I was 12, but as an adult I really cringe at it. I am also not endeared to it by its Randian objectivist viewpoint, where the "bad guys" are the socialist maples who only want equity, but are presented as limiting the advantages the oaks have. Not my thing. Side 3 of Exit...Stage Left is kind of magical....but I have to try my best to listen to the singing without listening to the words. I do love the meandering middle section though...

 

Underrated - High Water

 

This song seems to get a lot of luke warm reactions around here, which I don't really understand, hence considering it underrated. I don't think it's Limelight or Subdivisions or anything... but I think it's as strong as most of the songs from Hold Your Fire. I like the atmosphere of it, I like the keyboard arrangement and sounds, I like the drum part, I think there are some nice images in the lyrics, and I think Geddy sings it well. I'm sure there is a thread somewhere about best album closers...and I don't know that this would top my list... but I actually love the way it ends the record.

 

I don't find the lyrics to The Trees super silly. I tend to view it not as a "good guys vs. bad guys" thing, but just a commentary on how noble causes can still have dire consequences when rash actions are taken because diplomacy and human decency failed. Plus the instrumental is, as you mention, magical.

[Entre_Perpetuo]

Overrated - Ghost Of A Chance

 

The chorus is totally un-Rush. Like schmaltzy late 80s elevator music with a corny message. Alex's guitar solo doesn't save it. The verses are okay.

 

 

Underrated - New World Man

 

It's arguable one of the greatest songs they ever wrote. The facts that it's catchy, a bit poppy, short, and made a dent in the top 40 shouldn't diminish that, but I think for many fans they do.

[Timbale]

Overrated - Ghost Of A Chance

 

The chorus is totally un-Rush. Like schmaltzy late 80s elevator music with a corny message. Alex's guitar solo doesn't save it. The verses are okay.

 

 

Underrated - New World Man

 

It's arguable one of the greatest songs they ever wrote. The facts that it's catchy, a bit poppy, short, and made a dent in the top 40 shouldn't diminish that, but I think for many fans they do.

 

We can disagree about The Trees...but it's ok, because we feel the same way about New World Man!

[driventotheedge]

Overrated - The Trees.

 

I know there are some fans for whom the lyrical content has very little to do with their appreciation of Rush's music...but I am not one of those fans. I have to connect with at least some aspect of the lyrics to make me really love a song - even if it's just the craft involved, or the cleverness. To me, anthropomorphizing trees to make some obvious point about human behaviour is really silly - something that might have seemed "cool" when I was 12, but as an adult I really cringe at it. I am also not endeared to it by its Randian objectivist viewpoint, where the "bad guys" are the socialist maples who only want equity, but are presented as limiting the advantages the oaks have. Not my thing. Side 3 of Exit...Stage Left is kind of magical....but I have to try my best to listen to the singing without listening to the words. I do love the meandering middle section though...

 

Very well said and how I feel about the song as well.

[jnoble]

Turn The Page should've been the last song on HYF and it would've been a perfect ending with the song pointing towards the band taking a new musical direction with the next album.

But nooooo......They just had to tack on Tail Shan and High Water, two mediocre songs that don't really fit with the lyrical themes of the rest of the album

[Weatherman]

 

Yeah I've never been able to see Weatherman's point of view on Freewill. Absolute gem for me. What's so bad about the bass and the lead vocal doubling each other in alternating 6/8 and 7/8 time? I think it's rather nice!

 

Cuz it's a cheap form of songwriting.

My younger cousin is a bassist, and when I told him that I never really cared for the RHCP because of Anthony Kiedis' so-called "vocals", he brought up the exact same complaint. "Yeah, all Kiedis does is double the guitar or bass with his mouth."

Counterpoint makes good songwriting, and it's harder to build that when two or three members of a group are copying each other's parts. Or, in Geddy's case, when he's copying himself lol.

I can't think of any other examples from their discography like that.

On the bright side, I do really like Geddy and Neil's parts in the first 4 measures of the Freewill instrumental bridge. Can we just isolate those parts? LOL

[Timbale]

Turn The Page should've been the last song on HYF and it would've been a perfect ending with the song pointing towards the band taking a new musical direction with the next album.

But nooooo......They just had to tack on Tail Shan and High Water, two mediocre songs that don't really fit with the lyrical themes of the rest of the album

 

It's funny - Turn The Page is one of my least favourite songs on that record - it feels cold, mechanical and doesn't really say anything to me. "We read the news and then we move on". Yep...we do, Neil.

[YYZ Working Man]

under rated .. vital signs done in 8 minitutes

overated:?

[Mithrandir]

Over rated Tom Sawyer.

Agreed.

 

Underrated: Dog Years, the music moves along and cranks. The lyrics are fun take on subject that adult Peart is obsessed with, getting older.

Dog years is my 11th favorite Rush song.

:wtf:

 

And I like Dog Years.

I just love it. The groove, the lyrics ( yes I know nobody else likes them)

[Entre_Perpetuo]

Yeah I've never been able to see Weatherman's point of view on Freewill. Absolute gem for me. What's so bad about the bass and the lead vocal doubling each other in alternating 6/8 and 7/8 time? I think it's rather nice!

 

Cuz it's a cheap form of songwriting.

My younger cousin is a bassist, and when I told him that I never really cared for the RHCP because of Anthony Kiedis' so-called "vocals", he brought up the exact same complaint. "Yeah, all Kiedis does is double the guitar or bass with his mouth."

Counterpoint makes good songwriting, and it's harder to build that when two or three members of a group are copying each other's parts. Or, in Geddy's case, when he's copying himself lol.

I can't think of any other examples from their discography like that.

On the bright side, I do really like Geddy and Neil's parts in the first 4 measures of the Freewill instrumental bridge. Can we just isolate those parts? LOL

 

I've never had a problem with doubling things as a concept. It's all in the way that it's done. Like, Black Sabbath very often employ this method to great effect! Iron Man for instance. Bass, guitar, vocals, and even drums all playing the same notes and rhythm for the main riff, and it's awesome!!