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Why "Wish Them Well" is a standout track


priest_of_syrinx
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I'm not saying it's the best track on the album, but it's one of my favorites, and it was one that resonated with me immediately upon hearing it.

 

I felt joy right away the first time I heard this tune. The lyrics and music have such incredible synergy. It may not be the most technically impressive or fastest-paced song on the album, and the solo is pretty simple. But it's got this swagger to it... It's that feeling you get when you do what the lyrics detail: resigning a poisonous part of your life that no longer suits you. It's very uplifting, and rather than presenting some sort of machismo for having won a battle, it's more a triumph of "I survived." A victorious resignation.

 

I think this is a very powerful concept, and it's a large part of why Vapor Trails is my favorite Rush album. Wish Them Well isn't the only track on CA I feel strongly about, but it didn't have its own topic, so I figured it was due for some love from yours truly. biggrin.gif

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Totally agree with you OP! Wish Them Well ranks much nearer the top than the bottom of my favorite songs on CA.
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QUOTE (priest_of_syrinx @ Jun 12 2012, 12:44 AM)
I'm not saying it's the best track on the album, but it's one of my favorites, and it was one that resonated with me immediately upon hearing it.

I felt joy right away the first time I heard this tune. The lyrics and music have such incredible synergy. It may not be the most technically impressive or fastest-paced song on the album, and the solo is pretty simple. But it's got this swagger to it... It's that feeling you get when you do what the lyrics detail: resigning a poisonous part of your life that no longer suits you. It's very uplifting, and rather than presenting some sort of machismo for having won a battle, it's more a triumph of "I survived." A victorious resignation.

I think this is a very powerful concept, and it's a large part of why Vapor Trails is my favorite Rush album. Wish Them Well isn't the only track on CA I feel strongly about, but it didn't have its own topic, so I figured it was due for some love from yours truly. biggrin.gif

I agree that it's good. I'd heard all the bad reviews and negative comments, so I was expecting a weak song, but it impressed me right away on a first listen! I don't get where all this "simple" and "repetitive" criticism comes from, it's a good song with more than enough interesting sections and different parts. confused13.gif

 

1022.gif

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QUOTE (phaseIIskater4 @ Jun 12 2012, 12:49 AM)
Hell yes! I feel like Wish Them Well sounds like a mix between 'Presto' and 'Vapor Trails.' Something about the ending reminds me of 'Hold Your Fire.' Great song!

To me it's more like RTB, T4E, Counterparts. Hear a mix of Big Wheel, Carve Away Stone, and guitar solo sounds like something off Counterparts. The sing along verses definitely sound like something from RTB.

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QUOTE (Steely Caress @ Jun 12 2012, 01:54 AM)
It is a good song. After hearing the album through for about 5 days now, I really like all of it. Cannot believe I am saying that about a newer Rush Album. But have to give credit where it is due.

They deserve a ton of credit. I still can't believe they pulled it off. I thought there would be at least a couple tracks I didn't care for.

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QUOTE (treeduck @ Jun 12 2012, 06:50 AM)
I agree that it's good. I'd heard all the bad reviews and negative comments, so I was expecting a weak song, but it impressed me right away on a first listen! I don't get where all this "simple" and "repetitive" criticism comes from, it's a good song with more than enough interesting sections and different parts. confused13.gif

1022.gif

Yeah, that's exactly how I feel. From what I'd heard people say, I wasn't expecting much from it, but it's a great song.

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I will say that it's the most "fun" song on the album but it's not a stand out track though. It just can't compare with the rest of the album. The only songs it's better than are Halo Effect and BU2B2.
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QUOTE (J2112YYZ @ Jun 12 2012, 10:54 AM)
I will say that it's the most "fun" song on the album but it's not a stand out track though. It just can't compare with the rest of the album. The only songs it's better than are Halo Effect and BU2B2.

It is the most annoying, chorus wise, to me.

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Agree with OP. Love this track. It really speaks to me, both lyrically and musically. It's a fun, straight ahead rocker with a good message. And it's catchy as hell.
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I think it's a song you can form an opinion on fairly quick because it's straight forward and so catchy. I had a feeling I was going to really like this track...and I do!
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Honestly, I think that Caravan is the weakest song on the album (BU2B2 doesnt count). I love how the lyrics go really well with the music, almost like your riding on a Caravan and in that way I think that the music "plods" along. That being said, riding a Caravan for days would be pretty boring, and compared to the rest of CA I find it the most boring as well. Good intro for the album, but if we are ranking songs I think its on the bottom. ph34r.gif
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QUOTE (GeddyLeeFender @ Jun 12 2012, 12:23 PM)
Honestly, I think that Caravan is the weakest song on the album (BU2B2 doesnt count). I love how the lyrics go really well with the music, almost like your riding on a Caravan and in that way I think that the music "plods" along. That being said, riding a Caravan for days would be pretty boring, and compared to the rest of CA I find it the most boring as well. Good intro for the album, but if we are ranking songs I think its on the bottom. ph34r.gif

You prefer BU2B2 to Caravan then?

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QUOTE (treeduck @ Jun 12 2012, 01:00 PM)
QUOTE (GeddyLeeFender @ Jun 12 2012, 12:23 PM)
Honestly, I think that Caravan is the weakest song on the album (BU2B2 doesnt count). I love how the lyrics go really well with the music, almost like your riding on a Caravan and in that way I think that the music "plods" along. That being said, riding a Caravan for days would be pretty boring, and compared to the rest of CA I find it the most boring as well. Good intro for the album, but if we are ranking songs I think its on the bottom.  ph34r.gif

You prefer BU2B2 to Caravan then?

Haha no, I actually got a better listen to the new mix and Alex's guitar really stands out. If we had to count it obviously BU2B would be on bottom biggrin.gif

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QUOTE (Gompers @ Jun 12 2012, 10:13 AM)
QUOTE (J2112YYZ @ Jun 12 2012, 10:54 AM)
I will say that it's the most "fun" song on the album but it's not a stand out track though. It just can't compare with the rest of the album. The only songs it's better than are Halo Effect and BU2B2.

It is the most annoying, chorus wise, to me.

very weak chorus and geddy sounds like he's trying too hard. music is very bland and it's a skip for me.

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QUOTE (ReflectedLight @ Jun 12 2012, 02:09 PM)
QUOTE (Gompers @ Jun 12 2012, 10:13 AM)
QUOTE (J2112YYZ @ Jun 12 2012, 10:54 AM)
I will say that it's the most "fun" song on the album but it's not a stand out track though. It just can't compare with the rest of the album. The only songs it's better than are Halo Effect and BU2B2.

It is the most annoying, chorus wise, to me.

very weak chorus and geddy sounds like he's trying too hard. music is very bland and it's a skip for me.

It is not an entire skip, the chorus is rough to get through after about ten listens now. Even BU2B2 isn't too bad. I actually kind of like it now.

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I wouldn't say Wish Them Well is a standout track, but it's certainly not as bad as some people have made out. It is testament to the consistency of CA that WTW would probably end up 3rd worst song for me, which by no means suggests it's bad, in fact I like it, but the songs above it are just so unbelievably good 1022.gif
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QUOTE (Gompers @ Jun 12 2012, 01:12 PM)
QUOTE (ReflectedLight @ Jun 12 2012, 02:09 PM)
QUOTE (Gompers @ Jun 12 2012, 10:13 AM)
QUOTE (J2112YYZ @ Jun 12 2012, 10:54 AM)
I will say that it's the most "fun" song on the album but it's not a stand out track though. It just can't compare with the rest of the album. The only songs it's better than are Halo Effect and BU2B2.

It is the most annoying, chorus wise, to me.

very weak chorus and geddy sounds like he's trying too hard. music is very bland and it's a skip for me.

 

Even BU2B2 isn't too bad. I actually kind of like it now.

it's part of the story and all but it's painful to listen to. biggrin.gif

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Musically WTW is not a favorite, but damn is it one of my lyrical favorites... A track that lyrically is very accessible outside the confines of the story/concept...

 

 

 

I love the message of this song... that no matter how many people hurt you, dick you over, have a personal issue with you, that it's not worth holding a grudge over these people, not worth fretting over... and that you just need to turn away from these people and conflicts and do nothing more than just "wish them well"

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