Sweet Miracle

[Good,bad,andrush]

anybody else love this song as much as I do?

I don't think I've met a single rush fan who absolutely adores this song like I do.

It's in my top ten.

 

Don't know why I like it so much, I guess just the way the music marries the lyrics. I know they're kinda atheist/agnostic lyrics, but their very powerful. And the section where Geddy begins to sing "I wasn't praying for magic" is just epic.

 

It's a sad yet very strong song; I really have no other way to explain it.

[IChoseFreeWill]

I have mixed feelings about this song.

 

On one hand, I believe A Certain Someone knew more about science and medicine than the rest of the people at the time and that we do now. So there is likely a scientific explanation for the walking on water and many other things.

 

On the other hand, this song skirts on the bashing of followers of that religion started by A Certain Someone, and possibly of A Certain Someone as well. He was a good person who did many good things and inspired many good people to do good things.

 

So not one of my fave Rush songs, even though Freewill IS my favorite.

[Scars]

It is by far my favorite song off of Vapor Trails, the chorus is wonderful and I like the way that Neil sort of rationalizes the so-called miracles.

[Nate2112]

QUOTE (Good,bad,andrush @ Dec 14 2010, 02:27 PM)

anybody else love this song as much as I do? I don't think I've met a single rush fan who absolutely adores this song like I do. It's in my top ten. Don't know why I like it so much, I guess just the way the music marries the lyrics. I know they're kinda atheist/agnostic lyrics, but their very powerful. And the section where Geddy begins to sing "I wasn't praying for magic" is just epic. It's a sad yet very strong song; I really have no other way to explain it.

why what is the song about?

[Mara]

Well, I'm gonna rain on this here love-fest.

 

It's in my top 2 or 3 of most disliked Rush songs. Lyrically it doesn't "sing" (and yes, I do know what it's about), and there is nothing remarkable about the melody. I can't specifically recall if there are any particularly cool aspects such as cool bass riffs; I took such an instant dislike to the song that I haven't listened to it more than 4 or 5 times.

 

(And I quite like almost all of Vapor Trails).

[New World Kid]

I think there's a message here that's being lost on a lot of people in the lyric. Maybe it's just me though.

 

There are a lot of times when Neil just takes a piss on religion. BU2B, for example.

 

But I think there's something more on Sweet Miracle. I think Neil is explaining that he couldn't get over the "miracles" in these religious texts. That some people could walk on water, some people spoke to angels, and yet he had to watch his family die. I think the song is an account of his last departure from any sort of belief in paranormal goodness like that. I think it's about how if you let go of those religious sub-texts, when you stop trying to ask to some higher power "how is this fair?" then you can truely see that life is miraculous, and a fortune to have at any time ever.

 

That's how I see it. Sure, it happens to dismiss religion. But not as harshly as BU2B or Snakes and Arrows, or even Freewill. I think in those songs, Neil is basically saying "belief in religion is like believing in fairy tales." Here I think he's saying "me even holding the possibility that there is a higher power in control was hurting me a lot because it was too unfair."

 

Contrast what Neil says in Sweet Miracle with what he said immediately before his tragedies in Totem. Totem seems to leave open the possibility of mysticism and spirituality, and maybe even events coordinated outside the physical realm.

 

Sweet Miracle is almost a response to that by his later self, saying it was too painful keeping that line of thinking open.

[greg2112]

Its a good song, but not a great song, on a very mediocre album IMHO. The only song that stands out to me on VT is Earthshine.

[Per2112]

Great song, strong lyrics.

Here is a pretty cool fanmade video.

 

Sweet miracle

[ReflectedLight]

the song is largely forgettable for me.

[ColdFireYYZ]

Its a good song.

[The_Enemy_Within]

Completely, without a doubt, love this song. I listen to it quite a lot, along with How It Is, as of late. As many others, I wish the production was better, but, I can't help but love the songs anyway.

[Mara]

QUOTE (The_Enemy_Within @ Dec 14 2010, 07:18 PM)

Completely, without a doubt, love this song. I listen to it quite a lot, along with How It Is, as of late. As many others, I wish the production was better, but, I can't help but love the songs anyway.

How It Is is one of my favorite Rush songs ever.

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

QUOTE (Mara @ Dec 14 2010, 03:42 PM)

Well, I'm gonna rain on this here love-fest. It's in my top 2 or 3 of most disliked Rush songs.  Lyrically it doesn't "sing" (and yes, I do know what it's about), and there is nothing remarkable about the melody.  I can't specifically recall if there are any particularly cool aspects such as cool bass riffs; I took such an instant dislike to the song that I haven't listened to it more than 4 or 5 times.  (And I quite like almost all of Vapor Trails).

I wouldn't rank it in my top-5 all-time most disliked (it's way better than say, "Anagram"), but it's one of only two songs from VT that I usually skip, along with "Stars Look Down."

[circumstantial tree]

To me it's one of those filler songs that's neither good nor bad. But it interrupts a continuous power sequence of songs that begins with "Secret Touch". "Sweet Miracle" should be somewhere else on the CD. Besides, the title of the song makes me think it's the name of a spreadable margarine.

[ReflectedLight]

QUOTE (Mara @ Dec 14 2010, 06:22 PM)

QUOTE (The_Enemy_Within @ Dec 14 2010, 07:18 PM) Completely, without a doubt, love this song. I listen to it quite a lot, along with How It Is, as of late. As many others, I wish the production was better, but, I can't help but love the songs anyway. How It Is is one of my favorite Rush songs ever. yup it's a good tune. i also like out of the cradle which alot of people don't like but i don't care. i like the music, the flow, and geddy's bassline kicks butt.

[circumstantial tree]

QUOTE (ReflectedLight @ Dec 14 2010, 06:51 PM)

QUOTE (Mara @ Dec 14 2010, 06:22 PM) QUOTE (The_Enemy_Within @ Dec 14 2010, 07:18 PM) Completely, without a doubt, love this song. I listen to it quite a lot, along with How It Is, as of late. As many others, I wish the production was better, but, I can't help but love the songs anyway. How It Is is one of my favorite Rush songs ever. yup it's a good tune. i also like out of the cradle which alot of people don't like but i don't care. i like the music, the flow, and geddy's bassline kicks butt. I like that one too!

[Wilderness_of_Mirrors]

i absolutely love the bridge with that melodic geddy vocal line in the background.

great song/album.

[Show Don't Tell]

Count me in as a fan of the song. It's my most played track off of Vapor Trails.

[shaun3701]

I have no idea what the lyrics are, but I never cared for the song much. Probably why I never bothered reading the lyrics.

[GeddyLeeRoth]

For a long time it was one of my least favorites on VT, but as of late I don't skip it when I have that album playing anymore. Its pretty cool, but definately not a fave. As far as the lyrics, I don't get too caught up in them generally, like I do the music and the feel of the song.

[Rush!]

For some reason I've had this song stuck in my head for the past couple of days.

It's definitely underrated, and while it is still low on my ranking of VT I find it to be a great tune.

I esp. enjoy the 'bridge' with Geddy repeating, "Oh, salvation"

And then the break-down to just the sort of Western-sounding guitars & Geddy's vocal...

 

Good song.

[That One Guy]

I think in general now I have a much larger appreciation of the Vapor Trails album, except Stars Look Down. If it makes any sense, all the songs have a lot of "musicianship" to them, and excellent lyrics penned by the professor. Sweet Miracle is a good tune. The whole album is a good tune.

[HowItIs]

Well, I'm kind of ambivalent about it. On the one hand, I love the lyrics and Geddy's vocals. But I really think it would have benefited from gentler handling. The music and lyrics don't match for me. I feel the same about The Stars Look Down. I won't skip either one but.....

 

Now ya'll KNOW that I love How It Is

[ReflectedLight]

it's a skip for me.

[USB Connector]

QUOTE (Nate2112 @ Dec 14 2010, 03:30 PM)

QUOTE (Good @ bad,andrush,Dec 14 2010, 02:27 PM) anybody else love this song as much as I do? I don't think I've met a single rush fan who absolutely adores this song like I do. It's in my top ten. Don't know why I like it so much, I guess just the way the music marries the lyrics. I know they're kinda atheist/agnostic lyrics, but their very powerful. And the section where Geddy begins to sing "I wasn't praying for magic" is just epic. It's a sad yet very strong song; I really have no other way to explain it. why what is the song about? The "I" in the song is basically referrencing Jesus.   "I wasn't walking on water, I was standing on a wreath when the tide came in" "I wasn't talkin' with angels, I was talkin to myself"   The whole song is like that. I like the tune (especially the chorus), not too thrilled with the lyrics and what they imply. It's a good song, but definetely not the best on the album IMO.