Earthshine_sf Posted July 12, 2013 Posted July 12, 2013 I just listened to the song "Virtuality" for the first time in years. I don't understand the Wesley Crusher-level hate of this song! Sure, it has "net boy, net girl," but it also has a killer crunchy guitar riff, catchy melody, and it's filled with classic Alex textures and sonic tweaks. Also, the lyrics seem very prescient given that it was written in 1996. What's the dealio? 1
1-0-0-1-0-0-1 Posted July 12, 2013 Posted July 12, 2013 Musically good, lyrically bad. I hated the lyrics back in '96, and they certainly haven't aged well. "Net boy, net girl" is an uber cringe-worthy chorus. 2
LedRush Posted July 12, 2013 Posted July 12, 2013 Musically good, lyrically bad. I hated the lyrics back in '96, and they certainly haven't aged well. "Net boy, net girl" is an uber cringe-worthy chorus. I think the song speaks to us now even more than it did at the time. Great music and, while "net boy and net girl" is uncomfortable, the song's lyrics have aged amazingly well to become far more relevant now than they were at the time. I've never understood the hate for T4E.
Cyclonus X-1 Posted July 12, 2013 Posted July 12, 2013 Musically good, lyrically bad. Yeah. I'd say this sums up a lot of Test for Echo songs. Doesn't really affect my enjoyment of them though except in the case of the ridiculously repetitive Half the World. 1
theredtamasrule Posted July 12, 2013 Posted July 12, 2013 I've always thought the music was purty rockin' but I have to use my "ignore-the-stupid-ass-bubblegum-pop-lyrics" filter like when I'm driving with the radio on. That doesn't happen too often with Rash songs.
Territorial_Game Posted July 12, 2013 Posted July 12, 2013 Musically good, lyrically bad. I hated the lyrics back in '96, and they certainly haven't aged well. "Net boy, net girl" is an uber cringe-worthy chorus. *runs away from member title* 2
J2112YYZ Posted July 12, 2013 Posted July 12, 2013 I've always liked the song. Lyrically, it fit very well with what was going on at the time as the internet was bursting into the mainstream. The lyrics still hold up great today as the internet is a bigger part of our lives then anyone could've imagined back when the whole thing started becoming huge in the mid 90s. It's almost as if Neil was able to tell the future because now more than ever people connect through the internet then they do face to face. 3
hobo73 Posted July 12, 2013 Posted July 12, 2013 The lyrics make me giggle, and they just do not bother me lmao. LOVE that song!!!!!!
RushBoingo Posted July 12, 2013 Posted July 12, 2013 Musically good, lyrically bad. I hated the lyrics back in '96, and they certainly haven't aged well. "Net boy, net girl" is an uber cringe-worthy chorus. *runs away from member title* :goodone: Yeah, coming from someone who associates with the body electric I don't follow for good opinion. I quite enjoy everything about this song, and it's one of my favorites off T4E. What's so wrong about Net Boy and Net Girl?
GeddysMullet Posted July 12, 2013 Posted July 12, 2013 (edited) Musically good, lyrically bad. I hated the lyrics back in '96, and they certainly haven't aged well. "Net boy, net girl" is an uber cringe-worthy chorus. Right? Even Geddy couldn't pull those lyrics off! The fact that the lyrics made an accurate educated guess about the future doesn't mean that, as lyrics, they were actually GOOD Edited July 12, 2013 by GeddysMullet
1-0-0-1-0-0-1 Posted July 12, 2013 Posted July 12, 2013 Musically good, lyrically bad. I hated the lyrics back in '96, and they certainly haven't aged well. "Net boy, net girl" is an uber cringe-worthy chorus. *runs away from member title* :goodone: Yeah, coming from someone who associates with the body electric I don't follow for good opinion... TG was referring to HIS member title, "Net Boy," not my username. And for the record, I didn't choose "1-0-0-1-0-0-1" because I love "Body Electric." It's an okay song musically, but it's my least favorite track on GUP. I chose the name simply because it makes for an unusual username. And TG, your member title is still pretty cool -- it's a better member title than it is a lyric. 1
RushBoingo Posted July 12, 2013 Posted July 12, 2013 Musically good, lyrically bad. I hated the lyrics back in '96, and they certainly haven't aged well. "Net boy, net girl" is an uber cringe-worthy chorus. *runs away from member title* :goodone: Yeah, coming from someone who associates with the body electric I don't follow for good opinion... TG was referring to HIS member title, "Net Boy," not my username. And for the record, I didn't choose "1-0-0-1-0-0-1" because I love "Body Electric." It's an okay song musically, but it's my least favorite track on GUP. I chose the name simply because it makes for an unusual username. And TG, your member title is still pretty cool -- it's a better member title than it is a lyric.Oh whoops, and sorry btw for the body electric comment there, it being one of my least favorite rush songs combined with the fact that the Red Deer Concert tickets were putting me under a lot of stress that I had to let out. 2
rushgoober Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 (edited) Musically good, lyrically bad. I hated the lyrics back in '96, and they certainly haven't aged well. "Net boy, net girl" is an uber cringe-worthy chorus. I think the song speaks to us now even more than it did at the time. Great music and, while "net boy and net girl" is uncomfortable, the song's lyrics have aged amazingly well to become far more relevant now than they were at the time. I've never understood the hate for T4E. Aged amazingly well? Edited in to add - aren't you always going on about hating the lyrics to Counterparts, and suddenly VIRTUALITY has great lyrics? Those are ten times more goofy than anything on CP! Edited July 13, 2013 by rushgoober 1
LedRush Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 Musically good, lyrically bad. I hated the lyrics back in '96, and they certainly haven't aged well. "Net boy, net girl" is an uber cringe-worthy chorus. I think the song speaks to us now even more than it did at the time. Great music and, while "net boy and net girl" is uncomfortable, the song's lyrics have aged amazingly well to become far more relevant now than they were at the time. I've never understood the hate for T4E. Aged amazingly well? Edited in to add - aren't you always going on about hating the lyrics to Counterparts, and suddenly VIRTUALITY has great lyrics? Those are ten times more goofy than anything on CP! Wrong, wrong wrong!
Territorial_Game Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 Musically good, lyrically bad. I hated the lyrics back in '96, and they certainly haven't aged well. "Net boy, net girl" is an uber cringe-worthy chorus. *runs away from member title* :goodone: Yeah, coming from someone who associates with the body electric I don't follow for good opinion... TG was referring to HIS member title, "Net Boy," not my username. And for the record, I didn't choose "1-0-0-1-0-0-1" because I love "Body Electric." It's an okay song musically, but it's my least favorite track on GUP. I chose the name simply because it makes for an unusual username. And TG, your member title is still pretty cool -- it's a better member title than it is a lyric. That it is! Related- I was going through some old accumulated "junk" and found some old stuff from "Net Girl." Talk about a blast from the past! Also, The Body Electric > Red Lenses.
RushBoingo Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 Musically good, lyrically bad. I hated the lyrics back in '96, and they certainly haven't aged well. "Net boy, net girl" is an uber cringe-worthy chorus. *runs away from member title* :goodone: Yeah, coming from someone who associates with the body electric I don't follow for good opinion... TG was referring to HIS member title, "Net Boy," not my username. And for the record, I didn't choose "1-0-0-1-0-0-1" because I love "Body Electric." It's an okay song musically, but it's my least favorite track on GUP. I chose the name simply because it makes for an unusual username. And TG, your member title is still pretty cool -- it's a better member title than it is a lyric. That it is! Related- I was going through some old accumulated "junk" and found some old stuff from "Net Girl." Talk about a blast from the past! Also, The Body Electric > Red Lenses.No way, Red Lenses is awesome, sure it's weird, but the long middle section is awesome. 1
GeddysMullet Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 Musically good, lyrically bad. I hated the lyrics back in '96, and they certainly haven't aged well. "Net boy, net girl" is an uber cringe-worthy chorus. I think the song speaks to us now even more than it did at the time. Great music and, while "net boy and net girl" is uncomfortable, the song's lyrics have aged amazingly well to become far more relevant now than they were at the time. I've never understood the hate for T4E. Aged amazingly well? Edited in to add - aren't you always going on about hating the lyrics to Counterparts, and suddenly VIRTUALITY has great lyrics? Those are ten times more goofy than anything on CP! I'd say that the lyrics to Virtuality are approximately equally as goofy as most of Counterparts.
theanalogmiddleagedman Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 I like it. I can get over the cheesy lyrics of it and Dog Years for the awesome music.I don't listen to TfE much, but when I do I really like it again. Wow - that sounded like the most interesting man in the world.
tx_rush Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 "put your message in a modem, and throw it in a cyber sea" I actually really like that line, it flows nicely. Now, the rest of the lyrics to the song...... BIG thumbs down. Astronauts and looking through windows in the rain.......brutal.Musically its a pretty solid song
rushgoober Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 Musically good, lyrically bad. I hated the lyrics back in '96, and they certainly haven't aged well. "Net boy, net girl" is an uber cringe-worthy chorus. I think the song speaks to us now even more than it did at the time. Great music and, while "net boy and net girl" is uncomfortable, the song's lyrics have aged amazingly well to become far more relevant now than they were at the time. I've never understood the hate for T4E. Aged amazingly well? Edited in to add - aren't you always going on about hating the lyrics to Counterparts, and suddenly VIRTUALITY has great lyrics? Those are ten times more goofy than anything on CP! I'd say that the lyrics to Virtuality are approximately equally as goofy as most of Counterparts. Not even close. Counterparts lyrics are occasionally slightly awkward, and Neil is tackling subjects they never had before, but the messages of the songs are really great and they never bothered me. The lyrics to VIrtuality were a bit goofy at best when the song first came out, but it's aged horrendously, and if anything gets worse and worse with each passing year. I know it's a controversial method to demonstrate what I'm talking about, but here are the lyrics - might as well put it right out there. I was just going to select the most egregious parts of the song, but unfortunately the lyrics in the entire song are culpable. If you can read this without throwing up in your mouth a little, you truly have a stronger constitution than I. We can only hope Rush never sinks so low again. Like a shipwrecked mariner adrift on an unknown seaClinging to the wreckage of the lost ship FantasyI'm a castaway, stranded in a desolate landI can see the footprints in the virtual sand Net boy, net girlSend your signal 'round the worldLet your fingers walk and talkAnd set you free Net boy, net girlSend your impulse 'round the worldPut your message in a modemAnd throw it in the Cyber Sea Astronauts in the weightlessness of pixellated spaceExchange graffiti with a disembodied raceI can save the universe in a grain of sandI can hold the future in my virtual hand Let's dance tonightTo a virtual songPress this keyAnd you can play along Let's fly tonightOn our virtual wingsPress this keyTo see amazing things Like a pair of vagabonds who wave between two passing trainsOr the glimpse of a woman's smile through a window in the rainI can smell her perfumeI can taste her lipsI can feel the voltage from her fingertips Net boy, net girlSend your heartbeat round the world http://sausandesigns.com/forum/images/smilies/puke.gif
gangsterfurious Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 I was listening to this two days ago and Good Lord the lyrics are sooooo cheesy but I LOVE the music.
rushgoober Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 I was listening to this two days ago and Good Lord the lyrics are sooooo cheesy but I LOVE the music. If the lyrics in a song are really bad, like they are here, I just can't get past them to even notice the music. And if I do, it almost makes it worse. It's like having a delicious hamburger that's smothered in velveeta cheese. I can tell that the hamburger is yummy underneath, but all I really taste is gooey, disgusting processed cheese and the hamburger is completely wasted. Maybe if I could scrape off the cheese the hamburger could be saved, but you can't exactly make Virtuality an instrumental. ;) 2
Cyclonus X-1 Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 If the lyrics in a song are really bad, like they are here, I just can't get past them to even notice the music. And if I do, it almost makes it worse. It's kind of the opposite for me, which might be why I enjoy Virtuality and the Test for Echo album on the whole. If a song features strong instrumental aspects and a nice vocal melody, there's a good chance I'll like it regardless of what the singer is saying. If I notice and like the lyrics, it's a bonus. There are some instances where the words are so wretched that I simply can't ignore them, but those are rare with the bands I like.
theanalogmiddleagedman Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 At least they made up for a weaker album with an unreal tour.
LedRush Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 The lyrics are better now than they were then, and better than most of the crap on CP. They were abead of their time and have aged bery well, becoming more relevant now than when he wrote them. And the music is better than the music on just about any CP track. If it weren't for the uncomfortable bit of "net kids", I doubt we'd be having this conversation.
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now