sgbam42 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 The other day my friend and I were having an argument about "Red Barchetta". He claims the man driving the barchetta dies at the end while I say he lives. He says he got this information off of the official Rush website in an interview with Geddy. I wanted to know what you think and if you have the interview he mentioned it would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeaveMyThingAlone Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 My uncle has a country place That no one knows about. He says it used to be a farm, Before the Motor Law. And on Sundays I elude the Eyes, And hop the Turbine Freight To far outside the Wire, Where my white-haired uncle waits. Jump to the ground As the Turbo slows to cross the Borderline. Run like the wind, As excitement shivers up and down my spine. Down in his barn, My uncle preserved for me an old machine, For fifty-odd years. To keep it as new has been his dearest dream. I strip away the old debris That hides a shining car. A brilliant red Barchetta From a better, vanished time. I fire up the willing engine, Responding with a roar. Tires spitting gravel, I commit my weekly crime... Wind- In my hair- Shifting and drifting- Mechanical music- Adrenalin surge... Well-weathered leather, Hot metal and oil, The scented country air. Sunlight on chrome, The blur of the landscape, Every nerve aware. Suddenly ahead of me, Across the mountainside, A gleaming alloy air-car Shoots towards me, two lanes wide. I spin around with shrieking tires, To run the deadly race, Go screaming through the valley As another joins the chase. Drive like the wind, Straining the limits of machine and man. Laughing out loud With fear and hope, I've got a desperate plan. At the one-lane bridge I leave the giants stranded at the riverside. Race back to the farm, to dream with my uncle at the fireside. Other than calling it a "deadly" race can't say there's anything there that makes me think he dies and I haven't heard that either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InvisibleAirwaves13 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Unless his Uncle was a ghost he beat the "system" and made it back alive...It is pretty clear from the lyrics... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielmclark Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 "At the one-lane bridge I leave the giants stranded at the riverside. Race back to the farm, to dream with my uncle at the fireside." Doesn't get much clearer than that, I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Presto-a RUSH fan! Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 QUOTE (danielmclark @ Mar 20 2012, 08:04 PM)"At the one-lane bridge I leave the giants stranded at the riverside. Race back to the farm, to dream with my uncle at the fireside." Doesn't get much clearer than that, I think. Agreed. The lyrics speak for themselves on this one. I hope you had some riding on that because you won that bet. One lyric I had wrong for about the first 4 years of being a RUSH fan was the last sentence. I always sang "Race back to the farm, to DRINK with my uncle at the fireside." Even though I now know it's "dream", I still like to sing it my way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J2112YYZ Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 QUOTE (Presto-a RUSH fan! @ Mar 20 2012, 07:44 PM) QUOTE (danielmclark @ Mar 20 2012, 08:04 PM)"At the one-lane bridge I leave the giants stranded at the riverside. Race back to the farm, to dream with my uncle at the fireside." Doesn't get much clearer than that, I think. Agreed. The lyrics speak for themselves on this one. I hope you had some riding on that because you won that bet. One lyric I had wrong for about the first 4 years of being a RUSH fan was the last sentence. I always sang "Race back to the farm, to DRINK with my uncle at the fireside." Even though I now know it's "dream", I still like to sing it my way! Oh good, i'm not the only one who used to get that word wrong. 20 years ago when I first got into them I used to think he said drink instead of dream. Either way the line makes sense so it never bothered me that i had that word wrong. I have since corrected myself when I sing along to it now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geddyleegenes Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 This reminds me of the rock critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, Jim Derogotis (or some such spelling) who made no effort to hide his disdain for Rush. He did, in one of his columns, mention that he sort of liked "2112" for the main purpose that it didn't have a "happy" ending. That the main character dies and the evil priests assume control. Moron. I remember this idiot being on a radio show announcing that he was certain that the then "upcoming" Rush album, "Roll The Bones" probably wouldn't be very good. He then said he hadn't heard anything from it at that point. A true idiot critic if ever there was one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 of the 7 Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 (edited) When I first heard this song, I had a crazy theory that the whole thing might be a dream sequence, that none of it happened, but that's just my crazy theory, since in the story Neil based it on, the action seems real (and the main character lives). I suppose you could argue that the characters do change a bit, but I think the outcome is preserved. Edited March 21, 2012 by 1 of the 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Ways Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Maybe he is confused with 2112. The dude in that song kills himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goose Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 QUOTE (Ancient Ways @ Mar 20 2012, 10:24 PM) Maybe he is confused with 2112. The dude in that song kills himself. My thoughts exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILSnwdog Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 QUOTE (goose @ Mar 20 2012, 10:35 PM) QUOTE (Ancient Ways @ Mar 20 2012, 10:24 PM) Maybe he is confused with 2112. The dude in that song kills himself. My thoughts exactly. Very astute of Ancient Ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeddyLeeRoth Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 The old man gets wasted. He is dismembered by Law Bots. Its all there in the lyrics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Presto-a RUSH fan! Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 QUOTE (Geddyleegenes @ Mar 20 2012, 09:42 PM) This reminds me of the rock critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, Jim Derogotis (or some such spelling) who made no effort to hide his disdain for Rush. He did, in one of his columns, mention that he sort of liked "2112" for the main purpose that it didn't have a "happy" ending. That the main character dies and the evil priests assume control. Moron. I remember this idiot being on a radio show announcing that he was certain that the then "upcoming" Rush album, "Roll The Bones" probably wouldn't be very good. He then said he hadn't heard anything from it at that point. A true idiot critic if ever there was one. I think he may be a member of TRF! Then again, there might be several of him on TRF! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driventotheedge Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 QUOTE (Presto-a RUSH fan! @ Mar 20 2012, 10:18 PM) QUOTE (Geddyleegenes @ Mar 20 2012, 09:42 PM) This reminds me of the rock critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, Jim Derogotis (or some such spelling) who made no effort to hide his disdain for Rush. He did, in one of his columns, mention that he sort of liked "2112" for the main purpose that it didn't have a "happy" ending. That the main character dies and the evil priests assume control. Moron. I remember this idiot being on a radio show announcing that he was certain that the then "upcoming" Rush album, "Roll The Bones" probably wouldn't be very good. He then said he hadn't heard anything from it at that point. A true idiot critic if ever there was one. I think he may be a member of TRF! Then again, there might be several of him on TRF! Naw, he's one of Wenner's "voters" for RRHOF induction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeddyRulz Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 QUOTE (1 of the 7 @ Mar 20 2012, 09:30 PM) When I first heard this song, I had a crazy theory that the whole thing might be a dream sequence, that none of it happened, but that's just my crazy theory.. That's also the interpretation of Carol Selby Price, in her book "Mystic Rhythms: The Philosophical Vision of Rush." She thinks the action of "Red Barchetta" is all a dream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Invisible To Telescopic Eye Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I think he's confusing RB with Detroit Rock City. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowItIs Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Mar 21 2012, 02:40 AM) QUOTE (1 of the 7 @ Mar 20 2012, 09:30 PM) When I first heard this song, I had a crazy theory that the whole thing might be a dream sequence, that none of it happened, but that's just my crazy theory.. That's also the interpretation of Carol Selby Price, in her book "Mystic Rhythms: The Philosophical Vision of Rush." She thinks the action of "Red Barchetta" is all a dream. One of the several things I differed with her on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeddyRulz Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 QUOTE (HowItIs @ Mar 21 2012, 05:54 AM) QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Mar 21 2012, 02:40 AM) QUOTE (1 of the 7 @ Mar 20 2012, 09:30 PM) When I first heard this song, I had a crazy theory that the whole thing might be a dream sequence, that none of it happened, but that's just my crazy theory.. That's also the interpretation of Carol Selby Price, in her book "Mystic Rhythms: The Philosophical Vision of Rush." She thinks the action of "Red Barchetta" is all a dream. One of the several things I differed with her on. I didn't disagree with her too often, but this was one of the few times. Really, there's very little to support the idea that "it was all a dream." The lyrics say "all of this stuff happened, and THEN I dreamt with my uncle by the fireside"... not "all of this stuff happened, and then I woke up next to my uncle." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metaldad Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 QUOTE (Invisible To Telescopic Eye @ Mar 21 2012, 04:59 AM) I think he's confusing RB with Detroit Rock City. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Principled Man Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Mar 21 2012, 04:40 AM) QUOTE (1 of the 7 @ Mar 20 2012, 09:30 PM) When I first heard this song, I had a crazy theory that the whole thing might be a dream sequence, that none of it happened, but that's just my crazy theory.. That's also the interpretation of Carol Selby Price, in her book "Mystic Rhythms: The Philosophical Vision of Rush." She thinks the action of "Red Barchetta" is all a dream. I think she's the one who is dreaming......or maybe she's just delusional... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JARG Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Weird, my lyric sheet reads, At the one-lane bridge I leave the giants stranded at the riverside Then I drive off a cliff and die Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan2712 Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 QUOTE (JARG @ Mar 21 2012, 12:43 PM) Weird, my lyric sheet reads, At the one-lane bridge I leave the giants stranded at the riverside Then I drive off a cliff and die Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruisingInPrimetime Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 (edited) QUOTE (J2112YYZ @ Mar 20 2012, 08:15 PM) QUOTE (Presto-a RUSH fan! @ Mar 20 2012, 07:44 PM) QUOTE (danielmclark @ Mar 20 2012, 08:04 PM)"At the one-lane bridge I leave the giants stranded at the riverside. Race back to the farm, to dream with my uncle at the fireside." Doesn't get much clearer than that, I think. Agreed. The lyrics speak for themselves on this one. I hope you had some riding on that because you won that bet. One lyric I had wrong for about the first 4 years of being a RUSH fan was the last sentence. I always sang "Race back to the farm, to DRINK with my uncle at the fireside." Even though I now know it's "dream", I still like to sing it my way! Oh good, i'm not the only one who used to get that word wrong. 20 years ago when I first got into them I used to think he said drink instead of dream. Either way the line makes sense so it never bothered me that i had that word wrong. I have since corrected myself when I sing along to it now I thought it was drink too! This must be a pretty common thing among Rush fans. It makes sense - drinking around the fireside. I kind of wish it WAS drink. Edit: I should add I've know it's actually "dream" for about a year now. My friend corrected me on it, but he had an even worse misheard lyric. He thought the lyrics in Money For Nothing were "Get your money for nothing, checks for free" And he made fun of me when I told him it was chicks! Edited March 21, 2012 by CruisingInPrimetime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losingit2k Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 The last line says it all: "Race back to the farm, to dream with my uncle at the fireside." You can't be dreaming by the fireside if your.... dead! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squids Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 He lives to drive another day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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