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Are there themes to every Rush album?

WavesandWindows

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WavesandWindows

WavesandWindows

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I remember reading the notes to Replay X3, especially the Show of Hands tour booklet, and they expose themes within albums (for example, Hokd Your Fire being about time, or Power Windows being about power). This made me wonder, are there themes to every Rush album, like there are for the synth era, or is it specifically the Synth Era with the concepts (with the obvious exception of Clockwork Angels, that was a great album telling a great story, which is now in books and graphic novels, and I think it would be cool to see a movie done with this story!) which makes them unique in comparison to the rest of the albums?
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Blue J

Blue J

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It certainly seems that there are. I'd say the albums that are farthest from having one common theme are the first three after the strict 'concept albums' were finished- Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, and Signals. But ever since Grace Under Pressure, I'd say yes, it seems like they all do.

 

Except maybe Test for Echo. I don't know what that one's all about.

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circumstantial tree

circumstantial tree

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"Signals" seems to be about science and technology and basic human relationships. When Subdivisions ends, the synth sounds almost exactly like a Mac computer turning on. Then comes Analog Kid. Chemistry and Digital Man. Countdown about the space shuttle
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Maverick

Maverick

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Albums with no over all theme:

 

Rush

Fly By Night

Caress of Steel

2112

A Farewell to Kings

Hemispheres

Moving Pictures (?)

Presto

Test for Echo

Vapor Trails

Feedback

 

All of these are debatable, of course. Albums not listed are ones I consider to have a theme running throughout, but there might be a song or two that do not fit.

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BigBob

BigBob

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Albums with no over all theme:

 

Rush

Fly By Night

Caress of Steel

2112

A Farewell to Kings

Hemispheres

Moving Pictures (?)

Presto

Test for Echo

Vapor Trails

Feedback

 

All of these are debatable, of course. Albums not listed are ones I consider to have a theme running throughout, but there might be a song or two that do not fit.

 

I kind of felt AFTK had a good theme running throughout it.

"Mankind's drive to leave a legacy"

1) AFTK (title track) - how the future world will look at us

2) XANADU - one man's drive for fame and fortune, leaves him locked as a prisoner of his own quest

3) Closer to the heart - King's and comoners and artisians using their skills to leave a legacy for betterment of sociecity

4) Cindellra Man - A guy using his fortune for the betterment of sociecity

5) Madrigal - something about love. And love lasts forever.

6) Cygnus X-1 - Man's legacy, to be the first person to visit a black hole. Ends up completely removing himself from the Universe, inorder to create a legacy.

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circumstantial tree

circumstantial tree

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I remember Neil stating that many (if not all) of the songs on Moving Pictures to be small cinematic stories or at the very least very visual storytelling such as Red Barchetta and Witch Hunt.
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EagleMoon

EagleMoon

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I think they have a theme in the sense of they are reflections of where Neil was in his life when he was writing them.
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Bangster of Goats

Bangster of Goats

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Test For Echo vaguely seems to be about communication, or more specificially, what the title implies: making a statement and seeing if anyone reacts or acknowledges it. A handful of songs seem to fit that theme (The title track, Color of Right, Virtuality, Half the World off the top of my head) but there are others on the album that don't really.

 

To me, Presto seems to be themed around illusions in life and acknowledging them, or in some cases the creation of. Show Don't Tell, War Paint, Available Light, Hand Over FIst, Superconductor, and obviously the title track fit this theme.

Edited by Bangster of Goats
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WavesandWindows

WavesandWindows

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Albums with no over all theme:

 

Rush

Fly By Night

Caress of Steel

2112

A Farewell to Kings

Hemispheres

Moving Pictures (?)

Presto

Test for Echo

Vapor Trails

Feedback

 

All of these are debatable, of course. Albums not listed are ones I consider to have a theme running throughout, but there might be a song or two that do not fit.

 

I kind of felt AFTK had a good theme running throughout it.

"Mankind's drive to leave a legacy"

1) AFTK (title track) - how the future world will look at us

2) XANADU - one man's drive for fame and fortune, leaves him locked as a prisoner of his own quest

3) Closer to the heart - King's and comoners and artisians using their skills to leave a legacy for betterment of sociecity

4) Cindellra Man - A guy using his fortune for the betterment of sociecity

5) Madrigal - something about love. And love lasts forever.

6) Cygnus X-1 - Man's legacy, to be the first person to visit a black hole. Ends up completely removing himself from the Universe, inorder to create a legacy.

 

Feedback had a concept. To show what inspired Rush to make their own music!

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coventry

coventry

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It certainly seems that there are. I'd say the albums that are farthest from having one common theme are the first three after the strict 'concept albums' were finished- Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, and Signals. But ever since Grace Under Pressure, I'd say yes, it seems like they all do.

 

Except maybe Test for Echo. I don't know what that one's all about.

 

Signals is a true concept album inasmuch as each song is about constraint or release, with the powerful oppositional themes of "Subdivisions" and "Countdown" bookending the album. To wit:

 

'Subdivisions' - constraint of expression and creativity

 

'Analog Kid' - release of potential; the freedom to yearn without the knowledge of realistic boundaries

 

'Chemistry' - release to a point - the exploration of intimacy and contact between people

 

'Digital Man' - constraint and a possible dystopic end to the Analog Kid's dreams

 

'The Weapon' - constraint again, though there's the promise of release if we know how to use "the knowledge that they fear"

 

'New World Man' - release; what the Analog Kid could be if things turn out okay

 

'Losing It' - constraint; the Koyanisqaatsi burn-out of the muse from 'Analog Kid' - what happens when we don't know any longer how to use our knowledge

 

'Countdown' - ultimate release; what happens when muse, knowledge, dreams, and plans all come to fruition. The kids who were bullied in the subdivisions often were the engineers who made the dreams come true in Florida.

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Snyder80

Snyder80

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Albums with no over all theme:

 

Rush

Fly By Night

Caress of Steel

2112

A Farewell to Kings

Hemispheres

Moving Pictures (?)

Presto

Test for Echo

Vapor Trails

Feedback

 

All of these are debatable, of course. Albums not listed are ones I consider to have a theme running throughout, but there might be a song or two that do not fit.

 

Moving Pictures-the dangers and pitfalls of conformity and oppression. Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta, Limelight, Vital Signs, Witch Hunt- all of these songs deal with that centralized issue, whether it's religious oppression (witch hunt), or fitting in with what society sees as cool and acceptable (vital signs, tom sawyer) or government oppression (red barchetta) or even self-directed oppression (limelight).

 

Just listen to some of the lyrics from Vital Signs-"A tired mind become a shape shifter" (molding yourself into something you're not just to fit in), "Everyone has to elevate from the norm." (finding yourself and forgetting what everyone else might think.)

 

Red Barchetta-Same principle. The easy route would be to let the car parked, let it in the past, let someone else dictate what you can and can't do with your life. The resistant soul jumps in, straps in and steps on the gas. It's an adventure and who is anyone to hold us all from that?

 

Witch Hunt-If I have to describe what can be conforming and oppressive about religion we're going to be here a while.

 

Limelight-This is Neil dealing with his discomfort of fame and popularity. Like it or not, it changes the way you live and interact in regular settings; like the grocery store. It's a microcosm of his profession, therefore choosing to deal with it against his better wishes is a form of conformity. No matter how small.

 

Tom Sawyer-The anthem for people who choose to stand up for their own beliefs and values and not be tied to a cause or religion or carved in stone set of values. It's a cry of individuality and humanity that all of us have. The line "always hopeful yet discontent" is one lyric that I've felt has described how I feel about many things for a long time.

 

Sorry for that rant and hopefully I made some lick of sense.

Edited by Snyder80
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Geddy's Soul Patch

Geddy's Soul Patch

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Albums with no over all theme:

 

Rush

Fly By Night

Caress of Steel

2112

A Farewell to Kings

Hemispheres

Moving Pictures (?)

Presto

Test for Echo

Vapor Trails

Feedback

 

All of these are debatable, of course. Albums not listed are ones I consider to have a theme running throughout, but there might be a song or two that do not fit.

 

I kind of felt AFTK had a good theme running throughout it.

"Mankind's drive to leave a legacy"

1) AFTK (title track) - how the future world will look at us

2) XANADU - one man's drive for fame and fortune, leaves him locked as a prisoner of his own quest

3) Closer to the heart - King's and comoners and artisians using their skills to leave a legacy for betterment of sociecity

4) Cindellra Man - A guy using his fortune for the betterment of sociecity

5) Madrigal - something about love. And love lasts forever.

6) Cygnus X-1 - Man's legacy, to be the first person to visit a black hole. Ends up completely removing himself from the Universe, inorder to create a legacy.

Your argument is sound except for one thing. Even love must be limited by time!
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Dscrapre

Dscrapre

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Albums with no over all theme:

 

Vapor Trails

 

I don't know about that, I feel like Vapor Trails has a pretty clear theme of loss, rediscovery of self, and hope for the future.

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goose

goose

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Albums with no over all theme:

 

Vapor Trails

 

I don't know about that, I feel like Vapor Trails has a pretty clear theme of loss, rediscovery of self, and hope for the future.

I'd add "despair" to your list as a theme after loss.

 

:goodone:

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Maverick

Maverick

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Albums with no over all theme:

 

Rush

Fly By Night

Caress of Steel

2112

A Farewell to Kings

Hemispheres

Moving Pictures (?)

Presto

Test for Echo

Vapor Trails

Feedback

 

All of these are debatable, of course. Albums not listed are ones I consider to have a theme running throughout, but there might be a song or two that do not fit.

 

I kind of felt AFTK had a good theme running throughout it.

"Mankind's drive to leave a legacy"

1) AFTK (title track) - how the future world will look at us

2) XANADU - one man's drive for fame and fortune, leaves him locked as a prisoner of his own quest

3) Closer to the heart - King's and comoners and artisians using their skills to leave a legacy for betterment of sociecity

4) Cindellra Man - A guy using his fortune for the betterment of sociecity

5) Madrigal - something about love. And love lasts forever.

6) Cygnus X-1 - Man's legacy, to be the first person to visit a black hole. Ends up completely removing himself from the Universe, inorder to create a legacy.

Your argument is sound except for one thing. Even love must be limited by time!

 

Neil didn't know that until 1982.

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