Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

[LeaveMyThingAlone]

Very interesting. There is an interview with Geddy in this month's edition of Classic Rock Magazine. (It's posted on RIAB). Mainly he talks about Moving Pictures

 

Apparently, there was a song written for Moving Pictures called Sir Gawain and the Green Knight that was srapped and not used.

 

Rush has said repeatedly they do not "keep" songs that were never used, but this is the first time I can recall an actual song title being mentioned that was never recorded.

 

Interesting title, sounds very Farewell to Kings-ish.

[Tony R]

It became Natural Science. I know that's on Permanent Waves...

 

[tel]

one of the knights of the round table(see rick wakeman)

glad it was shelved,it doesn't sound very rushy.

[Tony R]

QUOTE (tel @ Dec 9 2010, 07:19 PM)

one of the knights of the round table(see rick wakeman) glad it was shelved,it doesn't sound very rushy.

err...By-Tor & The Snow Dog, The Necromancer, Xanadu....

 

 

Anyhoo, strange that Lee should mix up history like that, compliments how Lifeson mixes up the future...

[LeaveMyThingAlone]

QUOTE (Tony R @ Dec 9 2010, 02:16 PM)

It became Natural Science. I know that's on Permanent Waves...

How could it "become" Natural Science if Natural Science was on the previous record?

[Tony R]

QUOTE (LeaveMyThingAlone @ Dec 9 2010, 07:25 PM)

QUOTE (Tony R @ Dec 9 2010, 02:16 PM) It became Natural Science. I know that's on Permanent Waves... How could it "become" Natural Science if Natural Science was on the previous record? ...because it appears that Mr Lee is a tad mixed up. Probably overdosed on groupies...

[treeduck]

QUOTE (LeaveMyThingAlone @ Dec 9 2010, 02:12 PM)

Very interesting. There is an interview with Geddy in this month's edition of Classic Rock Magazine. (It's posted on RIAB). Mainly he talks about Moving Pictures Apparently, there was a song written for Moving Pictures called Sir Gawain and the Green Knight that was srapped and not used. Rush has said repeatedly they do not "keep" songs that were never used, but this is the first time I can recall an actual song title being mentioned that was never recorded. Interesting title, sounds very Farewell to Kings-ish.

I bought that magazine today!

 

I don't buy music mags these days, but Geddy was on the front with John Paul Jones!! And I looked inside and there was Geddy with Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler! Well, you know, I just had to buy it!

 

[greg2112]

I'd love to hear the early version of Sir Gawain. Thatd be a heck of a find, even if it did sound alot like Natural Science.

[snowdog2112]

I haven't read the article yet but I will tonight. But yeah, the Sir Gawain song has been known about forever, hell they even talk about it in that 1979 (it's always labeled as 1980 but that's impossible) interview with Geddy, Alex, and Neil in the studio. And yes, it was intended for Permanent Waves and a few bits of it were used in Natural Science.

 

They talk specifically about the Sir Gawain piece by name and why it didn't fit on Permanent Waves between 2:08 and 2:40 here:

 

 

 

Ok, maybe I take back the date part of it, I guess I had always mistakenly thought they were interviewed about the "upcoming" new album but maybe it was already out in which case it would be 1980. Oh well, not the point anyway.

Edited December 9, 2010 by snowdog2112

[ReRushed]

QUOTE (LeaveMyThingAlone @ Dec 9 2010, 02:25 PM)

QUOTE (Tony R @ Dec 9 2010, 02:16 PM) It became Natural Science. I know that's on Permanent Waves... How could it "become" Natural Science if Natural Science was on the previous record? It was definitely intended for what became Permanent Wave. Apparently, Neil couldn't work out the lyrics, so the music was used for what became "Natural Science". I read this from a couple of different sources, years ago.

[Tony R]

IIRC there was also an instrumental track called "Uncle Tounouse" thar was used for tSoR and Jacob's Ladder.

 

[snowdogged]

I actually read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight just because of that.

[Tony R]

QUOTE (snowdogged @ Dec 9 2010, 10:14 PM)

I actually read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight just because of that.

Me too. Pretty hard going isnt it?

[theredtamasrule]

QUOTE (snowdog2112 @ Dec 9 2010, 03:51 PM)

I haven't read the article yet but I will tonight. But yeah, the Sir Gawain song has been known about forever, hell they even talk about it in that 1979 (it's always labeled as 1980 but that's impossible) interview with Geddy, Alex, and Neil in the studio. And yes, it was intended for Permanent Waves and a few bits of it were used in Natural Science. They talk specifically about the Sir Gawain piece by name and why it didn't fit on Permanent Waves between 2:08 and 2:40 here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOqB4rmmlXc Ok, maybe I take back the date part of it, I guess I had always mistakenly thought they were interviewed about the "upcoming" new album but maybe it was already out in which case it would be 1980. Oh well, not the point anyway.

The trio in that interview is...well...um...odd. Neil, strangely enough, seems the most normal. They seem quite high.

[theredtamasrule]

QUOTE (Tony R @ Dec 9 2010, 05:17 PM)

QUOTE (snowdogged @ Dec 9 2010, 10:14 PM) I actually read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight just because of that. Me too. Pretty hard going isnt it? Very.

[snowdogged]

QUOTE (Tony R @ Dec 9 2010, 05:17 PM)

QUOTE (snowdogged @ Dec 9 2010, 10:14 PM) I actually read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight just because of that. Me too. Pretty hard going isnt it? Yeah, that old English can sort of make it a bit difficult!

[Noisy Bastard]

QUOTE (Tony R @ Dec 9 2010, 02:36 PM)

QUOTE (LeaveMyThingAlone @ Dec 9 2010, 07:25 PM) QUOTE (Tony R @ Dec 9 2010, 02:16 PM) It became Natural Science. I know that's on Permanent Waves... How could it "become" Natural Science if Natural Science was on the previous record? ...because it appears that Mr Lee is a tad mixed up. Yes, Sir Gawain did turn into Natural Science. Neil talks about it in the Permanent Waves tourbook, in his writings, "Personal Waves: The Story Of An Album." In this recent Classic Rock Magazine interview in question Geddy was, in fact, incorrect.   And I also read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight -- entirely due to the Rush connection!

[snowdog2112]

I read it too a long time ago but only because I already loved all the King Arthur stuff. I didn't know about the Rush song until later.

 

 

[micgtr71]

QUOTE (theredtamasrule @ Dec 9 2010, 05:32 PM)

QUOTE (Tony R @ Dec 9 2010, 05:17 PM) QUOTE (snowdogged @ Dec 9 2010, 10:14 PM) I actually read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight just because of that. Me too. Pretty hard going isnt it? Very. I had to read that in Medieval Lit in college. Wasn't that Tolkien that wrote an adaptation.

[theredtamasrule]

QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Dec 9 2010, 08:15 PM)

QUOTE (theredtamasrule @ Dec 9 2010, 05:32 PM) QUOTE (Tony R @ Dec 9 2010, 05:17 PM) QUOTE (snowdogged @ Dec 9 2010, 10:14 PM) I actually read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight just because of that. Me too. Pretty hard going isnt it? Very. I had to read that in Medieval Lit in college. Wasn't that Tolkien that wrote an adaptation. Yep. Tolkien did a translation.

[apetersvt]

During my obsesive Rush fandom in the late '80s/early 90's I always considered the finding/uncovering of this recording as being the 'holy grail'

[bill1971]

Sounds like they took alot of it for Natural Science

[anima]

I wrote some songs for a school musical about Gawain and the Green Knight about 20 years ago! (a friend wrote the rest of the script)

 

I hadn't heard of Rush then and the music was a totally different style anyway (it was for a group of 10 year old kids). But I would love to hear what Rush did with the story!

[Ancient Ways]

I wrote some songs for a school musical about Gawain and the Green Knight about 20 years ago! (a friend wrote the rest of the script)

 

I hadn't heard of Rush then and the music was a totally different style anyway (it was for a group of 10 year old kids). But I would love to hear what Rush did with the story!

Won't happen I think. It's natural science now and they don't like out takes.

[rftag]

It would be fascinating to hear the 'Gawain' material, both the stuff that eventually became part of Natural Science and the stuff that was completely scrapped. I'm sure there is some lost magic there.

 

By all accounts there are no unreleased Rush songs (they don't save what doesn't make it to a record), which is a shame. There's usually material that doesn't make it to the record, and to hear any Rush reject would be a real treat.