Grand Designs

[FountainOfSyrinx]

What is the song saying do you think?

 

I think it's saying that there's no creativity in the world anymore, and that life is basically mass produced and boring.. is this accurate?

[drbirdsong]

Perhaps it is about how the power of talk can bury the things that truly matter, and only bring to light subjects that lack depth.

 

From the first moment I first heard it I thought it was a commentary on the 1980s.

 

It is also the title of a book by John Dos Passos, but I haven't read it.

[psionic11]

[Silas Lang]

It was absolutely a comment on the mid '80s. With all the general corruption, greed, shallowness and cynicism rampant among those in positions of power and influence (government, media, etc.) Neil was get across the idea of the difficulty in recognizing it and rebelling against it (swimming against the stream...). A lot of substance without style going on back then which has continued to increase right up to the present. One of many anti-conformity Rush songs.

[HowItIs]

Neil has always been a proponent of individuality. This song makes the point that we should all follow our own "grand designs" and not worry about conforming. WE make the rest of the world change with us when we do this.

[Lerxster]

Here's what Alex said in 1985: "This was the first song that we started work on and it's about the power of ideas and what people can do with ideas - like turning them into reality. We also touch on what happens when those ideas and designs fall into the wrong hands."

 

[FountainOfSyrinx]

QUOTE (Lerxster @ Oct 18 2012, 05:32 PM)

Here's what Alex said in 1985: "This was the first song that we started work on and it's about the power of ideas and what people can do with ideas - like turning them into reality. We also touch on what happens when those ideas and designs fall into the wrong hands."