Lucas Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 During the past week I've been listening a lot to Permanent Waves, and my appreciation and liking for Different Strings is at an all-time high - great, great underrated song, with lyrics that, as time goes on in my life, have taken on some added sentiment .. Lyrically, I am hearing things Geddy might have intended to be for Alex ... To backtrack a bit, 1979-80 seemed like a transition time for RUSH - Neil has been quoted as saying that up thru Hemispheres, his time in the band had been a "dark tunnel" - the climate in the music was changing too, and RUSH was now mindfully moving away from the epic, album length songs that they had been successfully writing and performing for years .. Geddy and Alex had known each other since 8th grade, and while all indications are that the 3 members were highly compatible, I just sense that there is a special bond between Geddy and Alex - and that might have been part of the inspiration for Geddy All there really is The two of us And we both know why we've come along Nothing to explain It's a part of us To be found within a song When thinking of Geddy Lee and lyrics, the immediate thought might go back to the first album, before Neil had joined and began writing - but I have really come to love Different Strings, and the fact that the lyrics that are left open to interpretation ...... The only thing I wish they would have done different would have been to let Alex go for another few minutes at the end ... I'm curious to hear what everyone thinks about Different Strings, esp the lyrics And also, I am not too familiar with relationships between Geddy, Alex and Neil back then - obviously, their bond has stood the test of time - 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanadu Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Love the song, and the lyrics as well. You could be right about the Alex angle, although I just always assumed it was about finding compatibility in a romantic relationship. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stgaz Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Absolutely agree about the end of the song. Sounds like he's just getting started and then the fade! Noooo..!! Bring it back! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digital Dad Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Geddy said in BTLS that was a period were his wife and he were growing apart so that could be it, but there could be a double meaning. Kind of like Two of Us by the Beatles. Paul wrote the song for Linda but could have very easily be written about his relationship with John. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRogers Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Interesting question and responses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Posted April 4, 2015 Author Share Posted April 4, 2015 I think the bond that forms during adolescence is something that lasts a lifetime - this can be very different than what might develop when people meet in adulthood ..... This is one thing that I feel makes RUSH a very special band 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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