Presto-a RUSH fan! Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Presto was the first concert I went to and was blown away, so much so, that I went out the next day and bought the cassette. I was one year out of high school and my friends and I had just gotten into smoking pot our senior year. So after hearing Show Don't Tell and learning the lyrics, we became convinced it was about the sometimes long hard ordeal to score weed. Especially when it was dry season. Now keep in mind, we weren't used to the complex lyrics of Neil Peart, this being our first album we had ever bought and listened to daily. But here is what we thought. Show Don't Tell how many times do you hear it? it goes on all day long everyone knows everything and no one's ever wrong until later How many times do you hear someone say "hey, I can get you a bag". Everyone seems to know someone and everyone guarantees you they can get it. And they are never wrong...until later, when you either get ripped off or the guy or gal comes back and hands you your cash back instead of a sandwich bag rolled up and filled with green gold. who can you believe? it's hard to play it safe but apart from a few good friends we don't take anything on faith until later When your on the hunt who can you believe? You see some kid you kinda knew from high school and beat around the bush and he says he knows someone. Do you take his word? Did he maybe just get busted and is trying to get out of it? Or does the guy he knows an undercover cop? But then you have those few good friends that you can always trust won't rip you off or set you up. So we never take anything on faith, until later when we haven't came up with anything for a couple days. Later we have faith in some guy who knows some guy who's sister is dating a guy who knows a guy. Show Don't Tell SHOW ME DON'T TELL ME You've figured out the score SHOW ME DON'T TELL ME I've heard it all before SHOW ME DON'T TELL ME I don't care what you say SHOW ME DON'T TELL ME So, just show me the weed, don't tell me about it! You have finally figured out a deal the will lead to "the score" But still show me it because we just heard this story about the guy having 2 lbs selling huge quarters for $50. Quit telling me about it, just SHOW ME THE MONEY....sorry wrong line...SHOW ME THE WEED! you can twist perceptions reality won't budge you can raise objections I will be the judge and the jury Now we are desperate, we will start to believe anything. You can twist perceptions, but the reality is that you haven't provided me with my weed! You can come up with some way that I have to go to a payphone, wait for a call, then take you to a street corner and drop you off or you will object to getting me my weed! Well, I will be the judge and the jury!!! No...just lets go to the freaking guys house, you go in, get the weed and we will leave. I'll give it due reflection watching from the fence give the jury direction based on the evidence I, the jury So now I am sitting around the corner in my car reflecting on the situation from behind a fence wondering if I will get my weed. Why is it taking so damn long, what if I am being ripped off, what if the house is under surveillance and I am about to be busted? But based on the evidence I give the 2 idiots in the backseat who are the jury, I tell them shut up, its all right we will get it. Then I realize I am the jury!!! Trying to convince myself! I, the jury!!!! SHOW ME DON'T TELL ME Hey - order in the court SHOW ME DON'T TELL ME Let's try to keep it short SHOW ME DON'T TELL ME Enough of your demands SHOW ME DON'T TELL ME Witness take the stand SHOW ME DON'T TELL ME So she comes out without the bag, says he has it but he has to break it down and weight it. Hey!!!! Order in the court!!!! Show me the weed, don't tell me about it! Go in there and get it, and keep it short, not bullshitting while we sit here sweating bullets! He says he wants two $20's and a $10, not a $50!!! Tough shit, that is all we have no more demands, just show me the damn weed! Ok, lady, your on the stand, is this guy gonna just take our $50 bill or do we have to leave and get change!!! SHOW ME DON'T TELL ME Hey - order in the court SHOW ME DON'T TELL ME Let's try to keep it short SHOW ME DON'T TELL ME I don't care what you say SHOW ME DON'T TELL ME Let's see exhibit A She starts saying forget it, she doesn't have to put up with this. HEY, order in this court! You better go show me some weed! And remember, keep it short! "But he doesn't want a $50" she says. He will take it, I don't care what you say! Show me don't tell me! She goes in, comes out, gives a wry smile and I scream Let's see it! Let's see exhibit A! Finally we have Scored! Now we can go thru this all again in another 3 days! Ok so it's a huge stretch, it's not really what the song is about, but when you are 19 been on a million wild goose chases for weed, just got into RUSH and are not used to Neil's complex lyrics and meanings behind them we had ourselves convinced that this is what the song was about! The funny thing is, this made up meaning is a plausible meaning for the song just applied to the drug game. If you look up the meaning of the song in Wikipedia, you could see that the real meaning of the song could be translated to different situations and although our naive belief that the song was definitely about trying to score weed, the song could be used for many different situations where someone is trying to deceive someone often. Here is the what it says about the song on Wikipedia: Show Don't Tell by RUSH on Wikipedia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowItIs Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Interesting theory. But I maintain that, even though it was written before the Web, it is the official Web theme song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H. P. L. Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 I thought it was about getting laid... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drbirdsong Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 I am so glad that I quit smoking weed. I had almost forgotten how stupid it made me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J2112YYZ Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Nice try though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USB Connector Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 How about the more obvious meaning that it's about people just believing their right until someone presents them with undeniable proof that they're wrong. "everyone knows everything and no one's ever wrong, until later [...] But apart from a few good friends, we don't take anything on faith, until later[...] SHOW ME DON'T TELL ME Hey - order in the court SHOW ME DON'T TELL ME Let's try to keep it short SHOW ME DON'T TELL ME I don't care what you say SHOW ME DON'T TELL ME Let's see exhibit A" I see a song about ignorance and the mentality of today's society. However, this is the great thing about music/literature: until the author reveals directly what their intended message was, you can never be 100% sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circumstantial tree Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 He's really talking about what it must be like to be from Missouri, the "show me" state. I just know it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
presto123 Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 It's a song about other than a few good friends you can't take anybody at their word or you may get burnt. You have to trust how they actually act as opposed to what they tell you. Like if somebody tells you they can get you some weed don't believe them until you're hitting it:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken hawk Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Never would have thought Weed. But then again...i dont smoke it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godeater2112 Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Oh my... someone has weed on (and probably IN) the brain. Haha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go2wrk@95974 Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 (edited) That was frickin funny!! ..It's possible, but I HIGHLY doubt it. Thanks for the laugh! Edited October 26, 2011 by go2wrk@95974 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
That One Guy Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 You make the marijuana hunt seem like an adventure. Not sure if Neil would be writing songs about the difficulties of drug purchasing. And if he still wanted weed past '89, he'd have a guy for that. Hell it'd be one of their staff members' responsibilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeduck Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 All I know is it's METAL!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Money Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 someone must have too much time on their hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MMCXII Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 QUOTE (drbirdsong @ Oct 26 2011, 07:15 AM) I am so glad that I quit smoking weed. I had almost forgotten how stupid it made me. Stupidity doesn't come from weed, you're usually born with it. Sorry about your luck.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micgtr71 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I guess the video spoiled me. I thought it was about creationism vs. evolution...he likes that topic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gompers Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 It's about the discussions in SOCN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Krinkle Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 You're high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babycat Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 QUOTE (bigmoney2112 @ Oct 26 2011, 10:43 PM) someone must have too much time on their hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drbirdsong Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 QUOTE (MMCXII @ Oct 27 2011, 03:48 AM) QUOTE (drbirdsong @ Oct 26 2011, 07:15 AM) I am so glad that I quit smoking weed. I had almost forgotten how stupid it made me. Stupidity doesn't come from weed, you're usually born with it. Sorry about your luck.. Bite me, pothead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gompers Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 QUOTE (MMCXII @ Oct 27 2011, 04:48 AM)QUOTE (drbirdsong @ Oct 26 2011, 07:15 AM) I am so glad that I quit smoking weed. I had almost forgotten how stupid it made me. Stupidity doesn't come from weed, you're usually born with it. Sorry about your luck.. Wow. I didn't know smoking pot wasn't stupid! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Show don't tell is about show and tell in grade school... and how much of an a-hole Neil is... Now where's my blunt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New World Kid Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 QUOTE (circumstantial tree @ Oct 26 2011, 08:49 AM) He's really talking about what it must be like to be from Missouri, the "show me" state. I just know it! Mos people 'round these'n parts figur' to keepin' their head in a bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Presto-a RUSH fan! Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 (edited) Edited October 27, 2011 by Presto_a RUSH fan_06-08-90 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeddyRulz Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Oct 27 2011, 04:31 AM) I thought it was about creationism vs. evolution. I agree. In a specific sense, we could say that the song is inspired by the Scopes trial - the landmark 1925 legal case involving a high school science teacher who dared to teach evolution. (Naughty, naughty. He was supposed to only teach creationism or nothing.) In a general sense, we could just say that the song is about maintaining a healthy skepticism when told something. Show me, don't tell me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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