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Why did Tom Sawyer get a low result in our poll?

RSRD

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RSRD

RSRD

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I was kinda surprised how low Tom Sawyer sat at 9.68% in the voting in the Feedback section. Its obviously considered by the 'mainstream' to be one of their, if not THE MOST, most famous Rush songs. Are we diehards just tired of it? is it because its on the radio more often then most songs? Have we heard it too much? Do we not want to seem as though ' oh you like Rush you must like Tom Sawyer'? Or is it just that Tom Sawyer draws fans in and then after exploration you realize their is just a huge wealth of amazing songs?

 

 

 

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Slaine mac Roth

Slaine mac Roth

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From reading some of the comments regarding Tom Sawyer (both here and on other Rush forums), I get the impression that a proportion of Rush fans seem to be dismissive on principal as its a song that has fairly wide spread, mainstream popularity.

 

I've also noticed something similar among some UK fans with regard to Spirit of Radio for the same reason

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Deathbass89

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I think it's just that us Rush fans acknowledge the greatness of their other songs. Tom Sawyer just so happened to be the song radio stations decided to milk, along with Limelight and The Spirit of Radio. To us though, when pitted against songs such as Xanadu, La Villa Strangiato, and Natural Science, I suppose Tom Sawyer isn't all that special.
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RSRD

RSRD

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QUOTE (rushgoober @ Sep 8 2010, 01:20 PM)
QUOTE (Tarkus406 @ Sep 8 2010, 11:06 AM)
To me Tom Sawyer is as great as every other Rush song.

every other Rush song? so you mean it's like right up there with Dog Years, Virtuality, Tai Shan, Face Up, etc.? confused13.gif tongue.gif

Dog Years is a freaking awesome song. One of Rushs best. I would definitely hold Tom Sawyer and Dog Years as the same. Now the Pass?? thats a different story. The Pass in its entirety doesnt hold a candle to the opening line of Tom Sawyer.

 

 

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Zanadoo

Zanadoo

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QUOTE (RSRD @ Sep 8 2010, 01:24 PM)
QUOTE (rushgoober @ Sep 8 2010, 01:20 PM)
QUOTE (Tarkus406 @ Sep 8 2010, 11:06 AM)
To me Tom Sawyer is as great as every other Rush song.

every other Rush song? so you mean it's like right up there with Dog Years, Virtuality, Tai Shan, Face Up, etc.? confused13.gif tongue.gif

Dog Years is a freaking awesome song. One of Rushs best. I would definitely hold Tom Sawyer and Dog Years as the same. Now the Pass?? thats a different story. The Pass in its entirety doesnt hold a candle to the opening line of Tom Sawyer.

what kind of backwards existence do you live in?

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New Digital Man

New Digital Man

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The only Rush track you ever hear on mainstream British radio is Spirit of Radio, BBC Radio 2 occasionally play it usually with Chris Evans at the helm, and i do find this frustrating, i would imagine it's the only track on the BBC's playlist! I have to say that it does sound out of place with the rest of the drivel they serve up and i have never really considered it to be mainstream radio friendly anyway!
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micgtr71

micgtr71

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I think that Tom Sawyer is fantastic. Each time I hear the opening, I get psyched up. That being said, it is not my favorite song off the album (MP) and I would rather hear other songs from the catalog. As fantastic of a song that it is, it certainly does not rank as high as some of the others. Dog Years, imho, should not even be mentioned in the same breath as TS. Wow, I forgot about that song. Now that I am reminded of it, I hope to forget it again soon.
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Khan

Khan

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QUOTE (Zanadoo @ Sep 8 2010, 03:22 PM)
QUOTE (RSRD @ Sep 8 2010, 01:24 PM)
QUOTE (rushgoober @ Sep 8 2010, 01:20 PM)
QUOTE (Tarkus406 @ Sep 8 2010, 11:06 AM)
To me Tom Sawyer is as great as every other Rush song.

every other Rush song? so you mean it's like right up there with Dog Years, Virtuality, Tai Shan, Face Up, etc.? confused13.gif tongue.gif

Dog Years is a freaking awesome song. One of Rushs best. I would definitely hold Tom Sawyer and Dog Years as the same. Now the Pass?? thats a different story. The Pass in its entirety doesnt hold a candle to the opening line of Tom Sawyer.

what kind of backwards existence do you live in?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v423/KublaKhan/smile_13_text.gif

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RSRD

RSRD

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QUOTE (Zanadoo @ Sep 8 2010, 02:22 PM)
QUOTE (RSRD @ Sep 8 2010, 01:24 PM)
QUOTE (rushgoober @ Sep 8 2010, 01:20 PM)
QUOTE (Tarkus406 @ Sep 8 2010, 11:06 AM)
To me Tom Sawyer is as great as every other Rush song.

every other Rush song? so you mean it's like right up there with Dog Years, Virtuality, Tai Shan, Face Up, etc.? confused13.gif tongue.gif

Dog Years is a freaking awesome song. One of Rushs best. I would definitely hold Tom Sawyer and Dog Years as the same. Now the Pass?? thats a different story. The Pass in its entirety doesnt hold a candle to the opening line of Tom Sawyer.

what kind of backwards existence do you live in?

Im guessing youre that 50 year old fat guy that lives in his moms basement and eats his PBJs with the crust cut off. Or at least you WISH you were man enough to be that guy wink.gif

 

Keep re celebrating puberty and how sad the world is while cranking out The Pass with tissue box in hand. But when Tom Sawyer or Dog Years come on please try to grow the hair back a little.

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Zanadoo

Zanadoo

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QUOTE (RSRD @ Sep 8 2010, 04:42 PM)
QUOTE (Zanadoo @ Sep 8 2010, 02:22 PM)
QUOTE (RSRD @ Sep 8 2010, 01:24 PM)
QUOTE (rushgoober @ Sep 8 2010, 01:20 PM)
QUOTE (Tarkus406 @ Sep 8 2010, 11:06 AM)
To me Tom Sawyer is as great as every other Rush song.

every other Rush song? so you mean it's like right up there with Dog Years, Virtuality, Tai Shan, Face Up, etc.? confused13.gif tongue.gif

Dog Years is a freaking awesome song. One of Rushs best. I would definitely hold Tom Sawyer and Dog Years as the same. Now the Pass?? thats a different story. The Pass in its entirety doesnt hold a candle to the opening line of Tom Sawyer.

what kind of backwards existence do you live in?

Im guessing youre that 50 year old fat guy that lives in his moms basement and eats his PBJs with the crust cut off. Or at least you WISH you were man enough to be that guy wink.gif

 

Keep re celebrating puberty and how sad the world is while cranking out The Pass with tissue box in hand. But when Tom Sawyer or Dog Years come on please try to grow the hair back a little.

or the 17 year old kid who appreciates a good song

 

rush on man trink39.gif

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Bastille Dave

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QUOTE (Deathbass89 @ Sep 8 2010, 11:57 AM)
I think it's just that us Rush fans acknowledge the greatness of their other songs. Tom Sawyer just so happened to be the song radio stations decided to milk, along with Limelight and The Spirit of Radio. To us though, when pitted against songs such as Xanadu, La Villa Strangiato, and Natural Science, I suppose Tom Sawyer isn't all that special.

I feel the same way, although any song off "Moving Pictures" is special. But yeah, I love their epic tracks and obscure and instrumental tracks and passages more than the radio songs.

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J2112YYZ

J2112YYZ

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Part of the reason a lot of the dedicated fans dismiss it is because of it's widespread popularity and how overplayed it's been. I'm kind of like that with the song to. It's a good song, nothing great or spactacular just good. When you compare it with a lot of the great tunes in their catalog it just simply doesn't messure up to them.

 

The two times I saw them this tour is was kind of indifferent to the song. I sang along with it but I wasn't going nuts for it like everyone else. It's the song that got me into them so I find it kind of sad how indifferent I am to it now.

 

As for some of their other big hits I still love TSOR, FW, RB, YYZ, LL and SD. But TS has fallen out of favor with me considerable through the years.

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tupelobarchetta

tupelobarchetta

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QUOTE (ReRushed @ Sep 8 2010, 03:06 PM)
When push comes to shove, "Tom Sawyer" is the greatest single thing Rush ever recorded and released.

goodpost.gif

 

ReRushed is right...."Tom Sawyer" is the most recognized song by Rush by casual music fans. For most of them, TS is the only thing they know about Rush.

 

For example, a few days ago a co-worker and I were talking about music, and I mentioned that I was a big fan of Rush. He didn't have a clue who I was talking about.

 

Another co-worker heard our conversation and joined in. "Rush," he told the clueless one. "You know, Tom Sawyer." The clueless remembered the tune but not the band. "Oh, yeah. I know that song," he said.

Edited by tupelobarchetta
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RSRD

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QUOTE (Zanadoo @ Sep 8 2010, 04:46 PM)

or the 17 year old kid who appreciates a good song

rush on man trink39.gif

Oh damn! Now my tissue box joke has a whole different meaning. ohmy.gif

 

 

 

I agree with most sentiments re: Tom Sawyer being one of their best in the sense that it was probably their most catchy while retaining that brutal riffage and complexity. And it had a 'tude which I think the radio popularity attributed to.

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rushgoober

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QUOTE (nealpert @ Sep 9 2010, 07:26 PM)
I could go my whole life and never hear TS again. I love the song but have heard it way too many times. I wish i could hear it again for the first time.

I was thinking about this when I was watching a few Rush specials on VH1 during Rush Hashana.

 

I don't think I could ever get tired of Tom Sawyer. Yeah, it's overplayed, and a lot of fantastic Rush songs get overlooked because of it, but it still blows me away every time. The song is completely magical - it almost takes me to another dimension with its brilliance...

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Mara

Mara

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QUOTE (ReRushed @ Sep 8 2010, 04:06 PM)
When push comes to shove, "Tom Sawyer" is the greatest single thing Rush ever recorded and released.

I have a lot of love for Tommy S. as well. Amazing song that has stood the test of time not only among Rush fans but in the mainstream as well.

 

I think possibly some folks suffer from Tom Sawyer burnout. I admit I get a little tired of it on occasion. I'll never gripe about it being on the setlist, though. After all these years, you can tell the guys still enjoy the hell out of performing it.

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